The Ghosts of the Rivoli Theater in Indianapolis, Indiana

The Rivoli Theater in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana, is a gorgeous landmark and is reputed to be one of the most haunted.

The Indianapolis during the 1920s when the Rivoli was built, was a far cry from the bustling and sprawling metropolitan city we know today. The city was more rural in nature, with farms located just outside the city limits, and a lack of public transportation. It was into this environment that th Rivoli Theater was built.

Universal Studios began building movie theaters across the country, to increase the appeal of the still new field of "moving pictures". The studio chose architect Henry Ziegler Dietz to design the theater, and chose a location on the east side of the city. The belief was that this was the perfect location to attract customers as they entered and exited Indianapolis.

The Rivoli Theater would be the first Universal Studios owned theater in the state, and they spared no expense in building materials or design, using the best locally produced materials such as limestone, and lumber imported from the southeastern area of the state. They also planned on the Rivoli being the best of the best for theaters in Indiana, with stores located in front of the building, and a capacity for 1,500 movie goers. Though Vaudeville was dead by the time the Rivoli opened its doors in 1927, the stage often ran small shows, and locally produced plays.

As Universal began building more and more theaters across the state and country, the cost of upkeep and general maintenance became more than the Studio found feasible. In some cases the costs of maintaining their theaters outweighed their profits. Rather than face the inevitable bankruptcy, the Studio chose to sell some of their theaters, including the Rivoli. A decade after opening its doors, the Rivoli closed in 1937, but only for a short period of time.