More info about that “experiment” in the July 8, 1950 issue of Boxoffice: “Lewiston Orchard’s first theatre has been opened at 607 Bryden Ave. Dean Baird and Walter Campbell are sponsoring the outdoor theatre, which seats 800 people, and has space for 40 cars. A permanent building will be erected later.”
And this must be what led to its closing, from Boxoffice, Oct. 21, 1950: “LEWISTON, IDA. – The Orchards Drive-In, located in Lewiston Orchards, suffered about $2,500 damage in a fire, which destroyed the projection booth. The Orchards, which opened early this summer, was owned by Walter Campbell of Genessee.”
Was the Pine renamed the Pearl? The 1949 Film Daily Year Book listed the Pine (200 seats) as the only theater in Buena Vista, and according to Boxoffice, Aug. 26, 1950: “Charles DeCastro has sold the Pine in Buena Vista to John Groy”.
Slightly elaborated/changed in the Oct. 14, 1950 Boxoffice: “BUENA VISTA, COLO. – Mr. and Mrs. Chad DeCastro, owners of the Pine Theatre and confectionery for the last 18 months, have sold both establishments to Louis Groy and Lawrence Wellborn of Saguache, Colo.”
The Oct. 7, 1950 issue of Boxoffice included a full page on the Le Jeune, focusing on the raised stage under the screen. It also mentioned that the drive-in’s capacity was 800 cars.
The Oct. 7, 1950 issue of Boxoffice ran a full-page feature of the new Park Drive-In, tucked “deep in the pines of the Guilford Battleground Park near Greensboro”. Its surrounding forest meant that no fencing was needed. The article also featured the Park’s “concession talk-back system”. Patrons could order food by depressing “a small lever on the side of his speaker” and speaking with the switchboard operator in the concession building.
Boxoffice, Oct. 7, 1950: “TOPPENISH, WASH. – The $85,000 Top-Hi Drive-In has been opened on the new Track road north of town by owners Arthur H. Darby and his son Erwin. The Darbys, who also own a theatre in Naches, started construction of the Top-Hi in May and did their own work throughout. The 350-car situation will be managed by Arthur Darby and his son will manage the Naches operation and will book for both theatres.”
Boxoffice, Sept. 30, 1950: “Mitchell Kelloff, who owns theatres at Las Vegas, N. M., and La Veta, Colo., has bought the Pine, Manassa, Colo., from Donald and Lamont Jarvis.”
Boxoffice, May 7, 1949: “Floyd Davis sr. and Nat Jones will open their new 85 Drive-In, at Raton, N. M., about June 1. The airer will accommodate 340 cars”
Boxoffice, June 25, 1949: “Floyd Davis and Nat Jones have opened their new No. 85 Drive-In at Raton, N. M., a 350-car $60,000 job.”
Boxoffice, Sept. 23, 1950: “RATON, N. M. – The 85 Drive-In here has been purchased by Hubbard & Murphy, Inc., from J. E. Oliver who built the house more than one year ago.”
Boxoffice, Aug. 26, 1950: “HOBBS, N. M. – The new Eagle Drive-In has been opened here by owner E. L. Williamson. Mrs. Lucile Nunnally is manager. The drive-in has a 500-car capacity and features a concrete-surfaced patio near the concessions stand.”
Boxoffice, Sept. 23, 1950: “HOBBS, N. M. – The newly opened Eagle Drive-In here, built and owned by E. L. Williamson, was named for the local high school football team and features a large mural on the screen tower, picturing a huge eagle. The mural was painted by H. R. McBride of Dallas. … The airer has a capacity of 450 cars”.
Boxoffice, Aug. 12, 1950: “DONIPHAN, MO. – Mrs. Ethel J. Chilton, owner of the 270-seat Missouri Theatre here, has started construction of a 150-car drive-in. … Opening is planned within the next few weeks.”
Boxoffice, Aug. 12, 1950: “SOCORRO, N. M. – Edsell Casavos, owner of the Star-Lite Drive-In, reopened the outdoor recently after rebuilding the fire-destroyed projection booth. Flames caused almost a total loss for the owner, since applied-for insurance had not become effective. However, he rebuilt the theatre and replaced in-car speakers, many of which had been carried off by patrons in their hurry to leave the burning drive-in. He also installed new projectors and a new popcorn vending machine.”
Boxoffice, Aug. 12, 1950: “While on a visit to Denver, Charles Brent, owner of the Yucca Drive-In, Santa Fe N. M., told of putting on stage shows twice a week, using the top of the concession stand as a stage. The first of these was put on by the Cal Schrum troupe. Go great was the enthusiasm of the crowd that the actors found it difficult to quit. The initial show was put on in the rain.”
First bit of the origin story? Boxoffice, Aug. 5, 1950: “O. K. Leonard … now is building a 500-car drive-in between Globe and Miami, Ariz., on Highway 60 and 70. … Since the drive-in will be in the heart of the Apache Indian reservation, it will be named the Apache and all decorations will carry out the Indian motif.”
The line from 1923 construction to the Isis to the Sun to the Pontiac to the Holly looks fairly strong. Not sure what happened to the Opera House that became the Star. Anyway, here are a pile of magazine clippings:
Motion Picture News, Dec. 28, 1918: “Fred Adamek of Holly, Colo., has sold his Opera House theatre there to a company of Holly men”.
Variety, Aug. 27?, 1919: “C. Runyan, proprietor of the Star at Holly, Colo., surprised his patrons last week by staging a vaudeville show all by himself after the regular moving picture program had been run off.”
The Film Daily, July 31, 1923, under New Theaters: “Holly, Colo. – Actual building on the new theater to be erected on North Main St. has begun.”
The Film Daily, Oct. 27, 1927: “Holly, Colo. – A petition to the town council protesting against Sunday shows is being fought by E. R. Wood, owner of the theater, through the columns of the local newspapers which he also owns.”
Motion Picture News, Nov. 25, 1927: “The movieless Sunday in Holly, Colo., is now a reality after a long and bitter struggle between R. E. Wood of the Isis theatre and local reformers. The town council passed the ordinance at its second reading last Wednesday night and it became a law.”
Exhibitors Herald, Dec. 24, 1927, reported that a Minusa Cine Screen Company screen had been installed at the “Isis theatre, Holly, Colo.”
The Film Daily, June 6, 1928, said that R. E. Wood, 49, was killed in a car wreck “after inspecting a theater which he was building” in Holly.
The Film Daily, June 21, 1935, wrote that among the exhibitors recently visiting Denver’s Film Row was “C. F. Mazanek, Holly, Colo.”
The Film Daily, March 27, 1937: “an old theater building in Holly, Colo., has been brought up to date and seats about 200.”
Variety, March 24, 1937: “Frank Northrup, who has remodeled an old theatre building in Holly, Colo., will have the reopening about March 25. Northrup also owns a theatre in Syracuse, Kan.”
The Film Daily, May 21, 1937: “Theaters under new names are … the Sun at Holly, Colo., reopened as the Pontiac by Frank Northrup”.
Motion Picture Exhibitor, Aug. 4, 1965: “Two theatres in the state are still closed on account of the June floods – the Lamar, Lamar, Colo., and the Holly, Holly, Colo.” Sept. 15, 1965: “The Holly, Holly, Colo., which suffered a great deal of damage during the June floods that hit Colorado, has been completely renovated and redecorated. New seats and new screen have been installed and it has been reopened by Marvin and Muriel Ellis.”
Boxoffice, Aug. 5, 1950: “Ronald Kramer received two one-year passes to Sunnymount theatres as a prize for his winning entry in the name contest for the new drive-in theatre. "Monte Vista” Kramer’s entry, was judged the best of more than 500 suggested. B. A. Vecchiarelli, district manager of Sunnymount, made the award."
Boxoffice, July 8, 1950: “The Starlight Investment Co. will open its new 300-car, $40,000 drive-in, the Starlight, at Newcastle, Wyo., about the middle of this month.”
Boxoffice, July 29, 1950: “The 200-car Starlight Drive-In, located about two miles south of the city on the highway toward Lusk, has been opened by B. J. Kearney, J. Edward Smith, Harry Henderson and E. Keith Thompson.”
The 1949 Film Daily Year Book listed only the Grand (225 seats) under Flagler, so this is probably about the same theater.
Boxoffice, July 22, 1950: “FLAGLER, COLO. – The marquee of the Grand Theatre here has been improved by the addition of new neon tubing and lettering. Other improvements planned by Mrs. Nora Wright, owner and operator of the theatre, include new air conditioning and new seating.”
Boxoffice, July 22, 1950: “KLAMATH FALLS, ORE. – George M. Mann has opened the 600-car Shasta Drive-In. B. Nobler of San Francisco was architect for the Shasta, and Earl Baughman is local manager.”
Based on HistoricAerial.com’s comparison tool, the entrance to the Motor Vu is about where 320 23rd Ave NW is now.
And this sounds like part of its origin story, from the April 15, 1950 Boxoffice: “SIDNEY, MONT. – J. M. Suckstorff and son have resumed work on the drive-in across from the fairgrounds. A tentative opening date has been set for May 10.”
As was often the case, that projected opening probably slipped. Boxoffice, July 8, 1950: “SIDNEY, MONT. – The new Motor-Vu Drive-In erected on Route 16 near the county fairgrounds by Jack Suckstorff recently was opened. With a capacity of 350 cars, the new theatre has a 54x60-foot screen.”
Boxoffice, May 13, 1950: “FARMINGTON, N. M. – Work has begun on $60,000 Mesa Drive-In four miles east of town on the Bloomfield highway. The airer is being constructed by Murphy & Sons, general contractors, on land recently purchased from Arthur Coy. The airer will accommodate 400 cars and will be managed by Frank Budai.”
Boxoffice, July 8, 1950: “FARMINGTON, N. M. – The new Mesa Drive-In erected near here by San Juan Enterprises, Inc., recently was opened. The 100-foot screen tower is built of concrete and Oregon pine. Frank Dudai, formerly of Waterflow, N. M., is manager, and Edward Pierce is projectionist.”
Same drive-in? Boxoffice, Jan. 7, 1950: “Lem Lee, Paul Rothman, R. C. Otwell … will have ready for a spring opening a 400-car, $75,000 drive-in at McCook, Neb."
How about this one? Boxoffice, July 1, 1950: “Bill Hanke has opened his 400-car $50,000 drive-in at McCook, Neb.”
Boxoffice, June 3, 1950: “HOBBS, N. M. – The Reel Theatre here got big publicity for its showing of "Chain Lightning” recently, when a Piper Pacer airplane flew the film to the theatre, landing in the street just in front of the Reel. Through cooperation with the police and fire departments, the street had been cleared so that the plane could land."
The Skyline was due to open in late summer 1949, per a note in the Aug. 6, 1949 issue of BoxOffice: “Russ Dauterman and Robert Adams are building a drive-in at Laramie, Wyo., for an August 15 opening.”
And it must have happened before the end of 1949. From the May 6, 1950 issue of Box0ffice: “LARAMIE, WYO. – Manager Bob Adams has opened the Skyline Drive-In for the season. A new steel screen was erected to replace a screen destroyed by wind.”
Boxoffice, May 27, 1950: “The Skyline Drive-In was opened recently by Manager Bob Adams after installation of its third screen. The new steel structure has double reinforcements. The last two screens at the drive-in have been blown down by strong gusts of wind.”
More info about that “experiment” in the July 8, 1950 issue of Boxoffice: “Lewiston Orchard’s first theatre has been opened at 607 Bryden Ave. Dean Baird and Walter Campbell are sponsoring the outdoor theatre, which seats 800 people, and has space for 40 cars. A permanent building will be erected later.”
And this must be what led to its closing, from Boxoffice, Oct. 21, 1950: “LEWISTON, IDA. – The Orchards Drive-In, located in Lewiston Orchards, suffered about $2,500 damage in a fire, which destroyed the projection booth. The Orchards, which opened early this summer, was owned by Walter Campbell of Genessee.”
Was the Pine renamed the Pearl? The 1949 Film Daily Year Book listed the Pine (200 seats) as the only theater in Buena Vista, and according to Boxoffice, Aug. 26, 1950: “Charles DeCastro has sold the Pine in Buena Vista to John Groy”.
Slightly elaborated/changed in the Oct. 14, 1950 Boxoffice: “BUENA VISTA, COLO. – Mr. and Mrs. Chad DeCastro, owners of the Pine Theatre and confectionery for the last 18 months, have sold both establishments to Louis Groy and Lawrence Wellborn of Saguache, Colo.”
The Oct. 7, 1950 issue of Boxoffice included a full page on the Le Jeune, focusing on the raised stage under the screen. It also mentioned that the drive-in’s capacity was 800 cars.
The Oct. 7, 1950 issue of Boxoffice ran a full-page feature of the new Park Drive-In, tucked “deep in the pines of the Guilford Battleground Park near Greensboro”. Its surrounding forest meant that no fencing was needed. The article also featured the Park’s “concession talk-back system”. Patrons could order food by depressing “a small lever on the side of his speaker” and speaking with the switchboard operator in the concession building.
Boxoffice, Oct. 7, 1950: “TOPPENISH, WASH. – The $85,000 Top-Hi Drive-In has been opened on the new Track road north of town by owners Arthur H. Darby and his son Erwin. The Darbys, who also own a theatre in Naches, started construction of the Top-Hi in May and did their own work throughout. The 350-car situation will be managed by Arthur Darby and his son will manage the Naches operation and will book for both theatres.”
Boxoffice, Sept. 30, 1950: “Mitchell Kelloff, who owns theatres at Las Vegas, N. M., and La Veta, Colo., has bought the Pine, Manassa, Colo., from Donald and Lamont Jarvis.”
Boxoffice, May 7, 1949: “Floyd Davis sr. and Nat Jones will open their new 85 Drive-In, at Raton, N. M., about June 1. The airer will accommodate 340 cars”
Boxoffice, June 25, 1949: “Floyd Davis and Nat Jones have opened their new No. 85 Drive-In at Raton, N. M., a 350-car $60,000 job.”
Boxoffice, Sept. 23, 1950: “RATON, N. M. – The 85 Drive-In here has been purchased by Hubbard & Murphy, Inc., from J. E. Oliver who built the house more than one year ago.”
Boxoffice, Aug. 26, 1950: “HOBBS, N. M. – The new Eagle Drive-In has been opened here by owner E. L. Williamson. Mrs. Lucile Nunnally is manager. The drive-in has a 500-car capacity and features a concrete-surfaced patio near the concessions stand.”
Boxoffice, Sept. 23, 1950: “HOBBS, N. M. – The newly opened Eagle Drive-In here, built and owned by E. L. Williamson, was named for the local high school football team and features a large mural on the screen tower, picturing a huge eagle. The mural was painted by H. R. McBride of Dallas. … The airer has a capacity of 450 cars”.
Boxoffice, Aug. 12, 1950: “DONIPHAN, MO. – Mrs. Ethel J. Chilton, owner of the 270-seat Missouri Theatre here, has started construction of a 150-car drive-in. … Opening is planned within the next few weeks.”
Boxoffice, Aug. 12, 1950: “SOCORRO, N. M. – Edsell Casavos, owner of the Star-Lite Drive-In, reopened the outdoor recently after rebuilding the fire-destroyed projection booth. Flames caused almost a total loss for the owner, since applied-for insurance had not become effective. However, he rebuilt the theatre and replaced in-car speakers, many of which had been carried off by patrons in their hurry to leave the burning drive-in. He also installed new projectors and a new popcorn vending machine.”
Boxoffice, Aug. 12, 1950: “While on a visit to Denver, Charles Brent, owner of the Yucca Drive-In, Santa Fe N. M., told of putting on stage shows twice a week, using the top of the concession stand as a stage. The first of these was put on by the Cal Schrum troupe. Go great was the enthusiasm of the crowd that the actors found it difficult to quit. The initial show was put on in the rain.”
This photo is also on the city of Prescott’s web site.
First bit of the origin story? Boxoffice, Aug. 5, 1950: “O. K. Leonard … now is building a 500-car drive-in between Globe and Miami, Ariz., on Highway 60 and 70. … Since the drive-in will be in the heart of the Apache Indian reservation, it will be named the Apache and all decorations will carry out the Indian motif.”
The line from 1923 construction to the Isis to the Sun to the Pontiac to the Holly looks fairly strong. Not sure what happened to the Opera House that became the Star. Anyway, here are a pile of magazine clippings:
Motion Picture News, Dec. 28, 1918: “Fred Adamek of Holly, Colo., has sold his Opera House theatre there to a company of Holly men”.
Variety, Aug. 27?, 1919: “C. Runyan, proprietor of the Star at Holly, Colo., surprised his patrons last week by staging a vaudeville show all by himself after the regular moving picture program had been run off.”
The Film Daily, July 31, 1923, under New Theaters: “Holly, Colo. – Actual building on the new theater to be erected on North Main St. has begun.”
The Film Daily, Oct. 27, 1927: “Holly, Colo. – A petition to the town council protesting against Sunday shows is being fought by E. R. Wood, owner of the theater, through the columns of the local newspapers which he also owns.”
Motion Picture News, Nov. 25, 1927: “The movieless Sunday in Holly, Colo., is now a reality after a long and bitter struggle between R. E. Wood of the Isis theatre and local reformers. The town council passed the ordinance at its second reading last Wednesday night and it became a law.”
Exhibitors Herald, Dec. 24, 1927, reported that a Minusa Cine Screen Company screen had been installed at the “Isis theatre, Holly, Colo.”
The Film Daily, June 6, 1928, said that R. E. Wood, 49, was killed in a car wreck “after inspecting a theater which he was building” in Holly.
The Film Daily, June 21, 1935, wrote that among the exhibitors recently visiting Denver’s Film Row was “C. F. Mazanek, Holly, Colo.”
The Film Daily, March 27, 1937: “an old theater building in Holly, Colo., has been brought up to date and seats about 200.”
Variety, March 24, 1937: “Frank Northrup, who has remodeled an old theatre building in Holly, Colo., will have the reopening about March 25. Northrup also owns a theatre in Syracuse, Kan.”
The Film Daily, May 21, 1937: “Theaters under new names are … the Sun at Holly, Colo., reopened as the Pontiac by Frank Northrup”.
Exhibitor: July 1, 1953: “Mrs. Muriel Ellis, Pontiac, Holly, Colo., installed 3-D.”
Motion Picture Exhibitor, Aug. 4, 1965: “Two theatres in the state are still closed on account of the June floods – the Lamar, Lamar, Colo., and the Holly, Holly, Colo.” Sept. 15, 1965: “The Holly, Holly, Colo., which suffered a great deal of damage during the June floods that hit Colorado, has been completely renovated and redecorated. New seats and new screen have been installed and it has been reopened by Marvin and Muriel Ellis.”
Boxoffice, Aug. 5, 1950: “Ronald Kramer received two one-year passes to Sunnymount theatres as a prize for his winning entry in the name contest for the new drive-in theatre. "Monte Vista” Kramer’s entry, was judged the best of more than 500 suggested. B. A. Vecchiarelli, district manager of Sunnymount, made the award."
Boxoffice, July 8, 1950: “The Starlight Investment Co. will open its new 300-car, $40,000 drive-in, the Starlight, at Newcastle, Wyo., about the middle of this month.”
Boxoffice, July 29, 1950: “The 200-car Starlight Drive-In, located about two miles south of the city on the highway toward Lusk, has been opened by B. J. Kearney, J. Edward Smith, Harry Henderson and E. Keith Thompson.”
The 1949 Film Daily Year Book listed only the Grand (225 seats) under Flagler, so this is probably about the same theater.
Boxoffice, July 22, 1950: “FLAGLER, COLO. – The marquee of the Grand Theatre here has been improved by the addition of new neon tubing and lettering. Other improvements planned by Mrs. Nora Wright, owner and operator of the theatre, include new air conditioning and new seating.”
Boxoffice, July 22, 1950: “KLAMATH FALLS, ORE. – George M. Mann has opened the 600-car Shasta Drive-In. B. Nobler of San Francisco was architect for the Shasta, and Earl Baughman is local manager.”
The 1949 Film Daily Year Book called this the Virginia City Theatre, same as in the photo posted here.
Boxoffice, July 8, 1950: “Mr. and Mrs. V. J. Archimedes have purchased the Virginia City Theatre from Joe Hart and Dr. E. P. Deputy.”
Based on HistoricAerial.com’s comparison tool, the entrance to the Motor Vu is about where 320 23rd Ave NW is now.
And this sounds like part of its origin story, from the April 15, 1950 Boxoffice: “SIDNEY, MONT. – J. M. Suckstorff and son have resumed work on the drive-in across from the fairgrounds. A tentative opening date has been set for May 10.”
As was often the case, that projected opening probably slipped. Boxoffice, July 8, 1950: “SIDNEY, MONT. – The new Motor-Vu Drive-In erected on Route 16 near the county fairgrounds by Jack Suckstorff recently was opened. With a capacity of 350 cars, the new theatre has a 54x60-foot screen.”
Boxoffice, May 13, 1950: “FARMINGTON, N. M. – Work has begun on $60,000 Mesa Drive-In four miles east of town on the Bloomfield highway. The airer is being constructed by Murphy & Sons, general contractors, on land recently purchased from Arthur Coy. The airer will accommodate 400 cars and will be managed by Frank Budai.”
Boxoffice, July 8, 1950: “FARMINGTON, N. M. – The new Mesa Drive-In erected near here by San Juan Enterprises, Inc., recently was opened. The 100-foot screen tower is built of concrete and Oregon pine. Frank Dudai, formerly of Waterflow, N. M., is manager, and Edward Pierce is projectionist.”
Same drive-in? Boxoffice, Jan. 7, 1950: “Lem Lee, Paul Rothman, R. C. Otwell … will have ready for a spring opening a 400-car, $75,000 drive-in at McCook, Neb."
How about this one? Boxoffice, July 1, 1950: “Bill Hanke has opened his 400-car $50,000 drive-in at McCook, Neb.”
The same photo was also included in ads for the Adler Letter Co., such as this one in the June 3, 1950 issue of Boxoffice.
Boxoffice, June 3, 1950: “HOBBS, N. M. – The Reel Theatre here got big publicity for its showing of "Chain Lightning” recently, when a Piper Pacer airplane flew the film to the theatre, landing in the street just in front of the Reel. Through cooperation with the police and fire departments, the street had been cleared so that the plane could land."
The Skyline was due to open in late summer 1949, per a note in the Aug. 6, 1949 issue of BoxOffice: “Russ Dauterman and Robert Adams are building a drive-in at Laramie, Wyo., for an August 15 opening.”
And it must have happened before the end of 1949. From the May 6, 1950 issue of Box0ffice: “LARAMIE, WYO. – Manager Bob Adams has opened the Skyline Drive-In for the season. A new steel screen was erected to replace a screen destroyed by wind.”
Boxoffice, May 27, 1950: “The Skyline Drive-In was opened recently by Manager Bob Adams after installation of its third screen. The new steel structure has double reinforcements. The last two screens at the drive-in have been blown down by strong gusts of wind.”