Old Trail Theatre Two
5760 W. Washington Street,
Indianapolis,
IN
46241
5760 W. Washington Street,
Indianapolis,
IN
46241
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The Old Trails Theatre launched on March 24, 1928. It lost the “s” along the way with a new sign. A February 21, 1967 fire destroyed the Art Theatre on 16th St. It moved here with a rename on.August 11th, 1967 grand opening as the Art Theatre playing porno chic era films.
It became the Movie Cafe on September 1, 1986 offering second-run and repertory fare at a discount price of $5 while offering a full kitchen menu. In early 1987 it’s just listed as Movie Theatre operating with discount films at $2.
It changed names in March to the Old Trail Theatre Two operated by Tudor Amusements and Richard L. Cosby. It declares bankruptcy in January of 1984 leading to a liquidation here and at the Plainfield Village Theatre. Final shows were “Like Father Like Son” and “Hello Again” on January 3, 1984. The name of the venue was the Old Trail Theatre that day which should be the entry’s corrected name.
As for the building, it then became an auction house that was decimated by a fire in 1988 that led to the building’s demolition.
I remember the ART Theater was in business and showing adult features in the summer of ‘83. My friend’s father would grumble about the parking lot being full on the “lord’s day” and giving us kids a lecture about the sinful modern world we live in, as if it had something to do with us!
August 11th, 1967 grand opening ad as art in photo section.
I went there in 1977 and it was still showing movies.
The theater was born as the Old Trail Theater, not “Trails.” Here is a small photograph.
If anyone has any stories about going to/ working at this threatre in its adult days, I would love to hear them. I am chronicling the histories of adult theatres in the US. Please contact me at Thanks!
If I recall correctly, this, along with the Fox, were Indy’s so-called “art houses” for years, featuring burlesque and then porno movies. I used to read the adverts in the papers when I was a kid and wonder just what the heck “adult movies”, “XXX,” and “live shows” were about. I knew there were naked people involved, but that was about it!