I don’t know about the other two photos, but this one appears to be identical to the 1980 John Margolies photo that is now effectively public domain in a Library of Congress collection.
Motion Picture Daily verified the May 18, 1955 opening date, based on a note published the next day. “Peter G. Perakos, president, and Sperie Perakos, general manager, were hosts last night to a delegation of Northeastern film executives at the premiere of their 800-car drive-in at Southington, Conn.”
Motion Picture Daily reported on May 12, 1955 that George Peterson had purchased the Kings Drive-In “at Armona”. So I checked the aerials – the Kings was/is just inside the northern edge of the Armona city limits. CT, please adjust the address.
Dansdriveintheater, I would specify that you should buy popcorn and a drink from the concession stand, since those are typically its highest margin products. But how do I email you to tell you that? You can email me at mkilgore@carload.com.
Attempting to answer Bob Jensen’s question: A 1951 aerial view of the site shows an empty field.
The Citrus’s first appearance in the Motion Picture Almanac was the 1953-54 edition, where it was listed as capacity 150, owned by A.B.C. Theatres.
Motion Picture Daily reported on May 12, 1955 that J. Williams Mullins had purchased the Citrus from J. B. Wagner. The 1955-56 Theatre Catalog listed the owner as J.W. Mullins (and capacity 200), but the MPA didn’t notice any ownership change until 1960 when it said it was Gordon Peck.
The Citrus’s final appearance in the MPA drive-in list was the 1965 edition.
Motion Picture Daily reported on May 9, 1955 that Wineland Theatres had purchased the ABC from a syndicate headed by Jacob Silverman (Altoona PA) and Paul B. Cromelin (Washington DC). Douglas W. Mellott was to remain in his job as manager of the ABC.
My guess is that the Starvue began its life as the Cleveland Drive-In, which first appeared in the Theatre Catalog in the 1949-50 edition, owned by Walter L. Morris and G. B. Oldum.
Motion Picture Daily reported on May 5, 1955 that Cletus Benton and Hoyt Fair had purchased the Cleveland Drive-In from Walter Morris. Later Motion Picture Almanacs did not include the Cleveland and listed the “Star-Vue” owner as “Cletus Bentont Hoyt O'Fain” (sic).
Checking Film Daily Year Books, there was a Mobridge “Drive-In” that first appeared in the 1950 drive-in list.
The 1955-56 Theatre Catalog listed the Lakeview in Mobridge, capacity 400, owner Doug Kressley.
The Lakeview was the first Mobridge drive-in to appear in the Motion Picture Almanac, in its 1955 list. By 1960 the MPA added the Lakeview’s capacity of 350 and owner, Ernie Bouud (sic).
Per a note in Motion Picture Daily, Ernie Borud bought an unnamed drive-in in Mobridge in April 1955.
A 1969 topo map showed the drive-in at its current location.
A note in the June 26, 1957 Motion Picture Daily said that Joseph O'Neill had been named assistant to Joseph Bresnahan, resident manager of the “2,070-car capacity Meadows Drive-In, Hartford.”
Per the June 26, 1957 issue of Motion Picture Daily, the Dix was sold to A. M. Ellis Theatres Co. of Philadelphia. The drive-in “was built in 1955 and has a capacity of 1,250 cars.”
I visited the site last week and uploaded a photo. A dozen wooden screen support stumps are still there with a few metal pole stubs near the front and the remnants of a wooden fence along the north side. The ramps are visible but overgrown.
Just visited the site last week and uploaded a photo. The Walmart is vacant; its building is for lease. At the drive-in site, many (most?) of the poles remain as stubs ranging from one inch to about eight inches. The paved ramps are still visible with plenty of foliage growing in the cracks. The For Sale sign says to Call IRA at 213-393-9980.
BTW Mquiroz, I bought coffee at that Burger King but couldn’t detect any trace of the Joshua Drive-In that used to be behind it.
As suggested above, the Sundown’s first appearance in the Motion Picture Almanacs was the 1952-53 edition.
The 1977-82 MPAs listed the Sundown with J. Highsmith but the capacity down to 150. The 1983-84 MPAs showed the owner as T. B. Leggett. The Sundown dropped off the MPA drive-in list in 1985.
Correct in spirit, though the original projection building, now surrounded by the Super 8 and other buildings, was still visible in the 1989 photo at HistoricAerials.
Coincidence? The MovieWorks Cinema 4 is precisely where that projection building used to be. I just submitted that tiny indoor theater to the database here.
BTW, Kenmore, I could use your help with a project. Would you please drop me a line at mkilgore@carload.com?
The rights to this 1987 photo by John Margolies were purchased by the Library of Congress, effectively placing it in the public domain. See https://www.loc.gov/resource/mrg.00331/
This photo appears to be identical to the 1988 John Margolies photo that is now effectively public domain in a Library of Congress collection.
I don’t know about the other two photos, but this one appears to be identical to the 1980 John Margolies photo that is now effectively public domain in a Library of Congress collection.
Motion Picture Daily verified the May 18, 1955 opening date, based on a note published the next day. “Peter G. Perakos, president, and Sperie Perakos, general manager, were hosts last night to a delegation of Northeastern film executives at the premiere of their 800-car drive-in at Southington, Conn.”
Motion Picture Daily reported on May 12, 1955 that George Peterson had purchased the Kings Drive-In “at Armona”. So I checked the aerials – the Kings was/is just inside the northern edge of the Armona city limits. CT, please adjust the address.
Dansdriveintheater, I would specify that you should buy popcorn and a drink from the concession stand, since those are typically its highest margin products. But how do I email you to tell you that? You can email me at mkil
Attempting to answer Bob Jensen’s question: A 1951 aerial view of the site shows an empty field.
The Citrus’s first appearance in the Motion Picture Almanac was the 1953-54 edition, where it was listed as capacity 150, owned by A.B.C. Theatres.
Motion Picture Daily reported on May 12, 1955 that J. Williams Mullins had purchased the Citrus from J. B. Wagner. The 1955-56 Theatre Catalog listed the owner as J.W. Mullins (and capacity 200), but the MPA didn’t notice any ownership change until 1960 when it said it was Gordon Peck.
The Citrus’s final appearance in the MPA drive-in list was the 1965 edition.
Motion Picture Daily reported on May 9, 1955 that Wineland Theatres had purchased the ABC from a syndicate headed by Jacob Silverman (Altoona PA) and Paul B. Cromelin (Washington DC). Douglas W. Mellott was to remain in his job as manager of the ABC.
My guess is that the Starvue began its life as the Cleveland Drive-In, which first appeared in the Theatre Catalog in the 1949-50 edition, owned by Walter L. Morris and G. B. Oldum.
Motion Picture Daily reported on May 5, 1955 that Cletus Benton and Hoyt Fair had purchased the Cleveland Drive-In from Walter Morris. Later Motion Picture Almanacs did not include the Cleveland and listed the “Star-Vue” owner as “Cletus Bentont Hoyt O'Fain” (sic).
Claude Ezell and Associates bought the Pike (and the Jefferson in Dallas) from Harold Gibbons on May 3, 1955 per a note in Motion Picture Daily.
Claude Ezell and Associates bought the Jefferson (and the Pike in Fort Worth) from Harold Gibbons on May 3, 1955 per a note in Motion Picture Daily.
When I Google “Whitetail”, the first result is deer. I’m guessing that was the inspiration for the name.
Per a note in Motion Picture Daily, Ernie Borud bought the drive-in in April 1955 along with the Kressley-owned drive-in in Mobridge SD.
Checking Film Daily Year Books, there was a Mobridge “Drive-In” that first appeared in the 1950 drive-in list.
The 1955-56 Theatre Catalog listed the Lakeview in Mobridge, capacity 400, owner Doug Kressley.
The Lakeview was the first Mobridge drive-in to appear in the Motion Picture Almanac, in its 1955 list. By 1960 the MPA added the Lakeview’s capacity of 350 and owner, Ernie Bouud (sic).
Per a note in Motion Picture Daily, Ernie Borud bought an unnamed drive-in in Mobridge in April 1955.
A 1969 topo map showed the drive-in at its current location.
D.W. Chambers of Albany OR sold the “Starlight” to Ed Chambers for over $60,000 per a note in the April 8, 1955 Motion Picture Daily.
Peterson Brothers sold the Geneva to Ray Syufy for a reported $230,000 per a note in the April 8, 1955 Motion Picture Daily.
A note in the June 26, 1957 Motion Picture Daily said that Joseph O'Neill had been named assistant to Joseph Bresnahan, resident manager of the “2,070-car capacity Meadows Drive-In, Hartford.”
Per the June 26, 1957 issue of Motion Picture Daily, the Dix was sold to A. M. Ellis Theatres Co. of Philadelphia. The drive-in “was built in 1955 and has a capacity of 1,250 cars.”
The Super 50 opened on May 15, 1957, according to a May 27 note in Motion Picture Daily.
According to the April 22, 1957 issue of Motion Picture Daily, the grand opening of the All-Weather Theatre was “Saturday,” making it April 20, 1957.
I visited the site last week and uploaded a photo. A dozen wooden screen support stumps are still there with a few metal pole stubs near the front and the remnants of a wooden fence along the north side. The ramps are visible but overgrown.
Just visited the site last week and uploaded a photo. The Walmart is vacant; its building is for lease. At the drive-in site, many (most?) of the poles remain as stubs ranging from one inch to about eight inches. The paved ramps are still visible with plenty of foliage growing in the cracks. The For Sale sign says to Call IRA at 213-393-9980.
BTW Mquiroz, I bought coffee at that Burger King but couldn’t detect any trace of the Joshua Drive-In that used to be behind it.
As suggested above, the Sundown’s first appearance in the Motion Picture Almanacs was the 1952-53 edition.
The 1977-82 MPAs listed the Sundown with J. Highsmith but the capacity down to 150. The 1983-84 MPAs showed the owner as T. B. Leggett. The Sundown dropped off the MPA drive-in list in 1985.
Correct in spirit, though the original projection building, now surrounded by the Super 8 and other buildings, was still visible in the 1989 photo at HistoricAerials.
Coincidence? The MovieWorks Cinema 4 is precisely where that projection building used to be. I just submitted that tiny indoor theater to the database here.
BTW, Kenmore, I could use your help with a project. Would you please drop me a line at mkil
The rights to this 1987 photo by John Margolies were purchased by the Library of Congress, effectively placing it in the public domain. See https://www.loc.gov/resource/mrg.00331/
Hey dallasmovietheaters! I could use your help. Could you please drop me an email at mkil
The Decatur IL Herald and Review wrote on May 25, 1983, that the drive-in in Charleston “has been dismantled” and its land was being sold.
It might have continued to operate through 1987, since there’s a nice aerial photo from that year at VintageAerial.com.