Uptown Theatre

Street address is 208 E. Main.

The Orpheum Theatre opened on East Main Street in 1911 likely on a twenty-year lease. John Meehan bought the house running it from 1914 to its end of lease in 1931. Meehan had converted the theater to RCA sound on film technology in 1930. He sold it to new owners who relaunched on November 1, 1931 as the Uptown Theatre with “Big Boy” and “Rich People.” The Uptown closed on November 30, 1952 after a showing of “The Miracle of Our Lady of Fatima.” It was converted to a piano store and demolished in 1992.

John Day opened the new 220-seat Orpheum Theatre in December 1910. In late 1915 John J. Meehan acquired the Orpheum Theatre from Day in a transaction handled by Warren Jackson. (Later articles in the local newspapers mention a 1914 takeover, but 1915 articles refer to John Day as owner. Meehan’s name first appeared in December 1915.) The Orpheum was enlarged in 1920 to seat 400. A new balcony, stage and projection booth were added. Modern RCA sound equipment came later. In October 1931 Allen Bradley and George Hoppes of Anderson, Ind., leased the Orpheum from Meehan. Redecorated and with the front rebuilt, it opened as the Uptown Theater on November 1, 1931, with “Rich People” starring Constance Bennett. On February 13, 1935, Leonard Sowar leased the Uptown from Meehan. It reopened February 16, 1935, with sub-run programming.

On April 25, 1937, the Strand, Uptown, Rivoli, Wysor Grand, and Hoosier (old Star) became part of a city cooperative. The pooling agreement was signed by Sowar (for the Strand and Uptown); the Muncie Theater Realty Corporation; Theatrical Managers, Inc.; and George Challis (Wysor Grand lessee). For the five theaters Theatrical Managers, Inc., already operating the Wysor Grand, Rivoli and Hoosier theaters, agreed to handle from its Indianapolis office film buying, communication with motion picture exchanges, vaudeville and road show booking, and accounting. Sowar was named city manager replacing Ray Howard, who relocated to Bloomington, Ind., to handle southern Indiana operations for Theatrical Managers. In February 1940 Y&W Management Corporation entered the scene. Sowar ran the Muncie cluster until his death on January 2, 1945.

There are no advertisements after May 1951 except for the special showing of “The Miracle of Our Lady of Fatima” which was last shown on November 30, 1952.