Wayne Theatre
1014 S. Calhoun Street,
Fort Wayne,
IN
46802
1014 S. Calhoun Street,
Fort Wayne,
IN
46802
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Additional Info
Architects: John M.E. Riedel
Previous Names: Lyric Theatre, Riley Theatre
Nearby Theaters
Originally opened as the Lyric Theatre October 12, 1908. On September 25, 1925 it was renamed Riley Theatre which closed in 1940. On March 28, 1941 it reopened as Wayne Theatre and was still open in 1955, but had closed by 1956. Since demolished the downtown Hilton Hotel now stands on the site.
Contributed by
Bryan
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Recent comments (view all 9 comments)
Here is a 1922 ad for the Lyric:
http://tinyurl.com/y36ovv
That link is long gone. The theaters in Fort Wayne on 11/5/22 were the Lyric, Jefferson, Orpheum, Strand, Palace, Hippodrome, Creighton, Transfer and Grand.
The Wayne theater at 1014 South Calhoun was opened in 1941 by Maller Theater Circuit.
It was first opened about 1908 as the Lyric, however Mallers bought
the theater, and promptly changed its name to the Riley.
They decided to again change its name, this time to the Wayne, which was very popular during it hey-day.
Should say posted by Billy Smith, Don lewis & Billy h.
From the early 1900s a postcard view of the Lyric Theatre before it became the Wayne.
The Lyric was built in 1908, according to a history of Fort Wayne published in 1917. Originally a vaudeville house, it had been converted to a movie theater by the time the book was written.
A book about Fort Wayne published by the Fort Wayne News in 1913 attributes the design of the Lyric Theatre to one of the town’s leading architects of the period, John M. E. Riedel. He also designed the Empress Theatre.
This became the New Lyric on April 12th, 1925, and Riley on September 15th, 1925, after a contest. Ads posted.
Closed in 1940 and reopened as Wayne on March 28th, 1941. Another ad posted.