The “Paramount & Desert Drive-In Theaters” advertised in the 1967 and 1969 editions of the Casa Grande Union High School yearbook, the Cougar.
A 1983 aerial photo showed the Desert still intact, but it had been split into two parcels by 1996. The west side is now the building and parking area for 240 W. Cottonwood Lane; the east (which included the screen) is the RV and boat storage lot at 140 W. Cottonwood Lane.
Boxoffice, June 29, 1964: “The Roundup Drive-In, part of the Foreman-Nace chain, has added two car ramps and now has a 972-car capacity, compared to the original 740. Boxoffices were added to handle the larger crowds, snack bar space was doubled, and additional restrooms were provided. The Roundup is managed by Virgil Rowe”
Kenmore is correct about Google Maps' Gold Street address, but that would only prove that the targeted building gets its mail from Chehalis. The businesses that actually border Gold Street show a Centralia address.
Google Maps continues to indicate that the Centralia city limits include the old Twin City site. Since the drive-in was historically associated with Centralia, it’s a shame to need to search Chehalis to find it.
I’d guess that the drive-in eventually changed its name to the Hillside Drive-In, which advertised in the 1968 and 1969 editions of the Bridger High School yearbook, the Scout. The 1970 edition had an ad for the “Hellside Drive-In,” a typo that the undersigned Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Jares and Family probably didn’t like.
The Star advertised, along with the Hillside Drive-In, in the 1968 and 1969 editions of the Bridger High School yearbook, the Scout. The ad was signed Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Jares & Family, Bridger.
The O'Hadi (with an apostrophe) advertised in the 1961 Plummer High School yearbook, the Elsquitut.
The drive-in was missing from a 1954 aerial photo. Topo maps in 1959 and 1966 showed a northwest-facing screen close to 8th Street. The 1982 topo map showed the screen another 200 feet north, matching its location in a 1975 photo. The drive-in was still there in 1981, but gone by 1998.
Boxoffice, July 10, 1948: “The West Springfield Drive-In on Memorial avenue will open the later part of July. Accomodating 500 cars the ozoner is owned and operated by Weymouth Drive-Ins Corp. The manager has not as yet been named”
Film Daily, Sept. 24, 1948: (under New Film Theatres Opened) “West Springfield Drive-In, West Springfield, Mass., by Weymouth Drive-In Theaters Corp.”
Boxoffice, Oct. 14, 1950: “Bill Black of Wellesley visited (Boston) Filmrow. He is the designer, builder and architect of the new Nepsonset Drive-In for Michael Redstone, the West Springfield Drive-In for E. M. Loew and the Quintree Drive-In for the Rifki circuit”
Thanks for the kind words, David. Many or most of the theater summaries at the tops of pages on CT are shaped by the collective evidence submitted by posters. In this case, the excellent Joe Vogel’s Boxoffice note said that the opening was expected by Thanksgiving Day; I suspect that’s what prompted our tireless editor to believe in a 1963 opener. In my experience, many drive-in grand openings slipped past their projected dates, which is why I thought it might be possible that it happened here.
I don’t know either way. Someone with access to the local Milledgeville newspapers from late 1963 to early 1964 could tell us for sure. If you ever drop in to a local library, someone there might be able to help.
Boxoffice, Feb. 1, 1981: “Fire officials in Nashua, N.H., blamed a popcorn machine for start of a fire that swept through the empty Star Cinema on the city’s Main St. on a recent Saturday, shortly after the matinee showing had ended. Although the 300-seat theatre was empty of patrons when the blaze broke out, some 60 people were evacuated from apartments adjacent to and above the theatre in the three-story brick building.”
I guess this must have been just before the name change.
Boxoffice, Sept. 24, 1949: “CORVALLIS, ORE. - Owner Fred Porter has changed the entrance of his Majestic Theatre here, building it into a sweeping curve to allow more space for displays. Pine columns replaced the pillars and recessed lighting was set into the ceiling.”
San Juan Record, April 21, 1955: “Norman and Connie Nielson announce that construction is now under way for their drive-in theater, and will be rushed to completion for the coming season. They will have the most modern equipment available with eighty foot screen and accommodations for three hundred cars. They have an engineer from Salt Lake and as soon as the equipment arrives, the steel man will come and erect the screen. Opening date will be announced later.”
Thanks to the Louisville History folks, who have shown me my error, at least one of them.
Although it was generally described during its lifetime as being in Louisville (it was just outside the city limits), the former L&L/Star Lite site is just barely in current-day Lafayette CO.
This place advertised as the “Clark Drive-In, Summer Hill, Illinois” in the 1963 Louisiana (MO) High School yearbook, the Alamo.
Considering that was also its name in 1950s industry notes, Clark Drive-In should be another Previous Name here.
“Spencer’s Drive-In Theater” advertised in the 1977 Doniphan High School yearbook, the Don.
The 1977 Motion Picture Almanac still listed it as the Stadium, owned by D. Spencer. That’s how it stayed through the final MPA drive-in list in 1988.
This drive-in advertised as the “New 50 Drive-In” in the 1960 St. Teresa’s Academy yearbook, the Avila.
The “Paramount & Desert Drive-In Theaters” advertised in the 1967 and 1969 editions of the Casa Grande Union High School yearbook, the Cougar.
A 1983 aerial photo showed the Desert still intact, but it had been split into two parcels by 1996. The west side is now the building and parking area for 240 W. Cottonwood Lane; the east (which included the screen) is the RV and boat storage lot at 140 W. Cottonwood Lane.
Boxoffice, June 29, 1964: “The Roundup Drive-In, part of the Foreman-Nace chain, has added two car ramps and now has a 972-car capacity, compared to the original 740. Boxoffices were added to handle the larger crowds, snack bar space was doubled, and additional restrooms were provided. The Roundup is managed by Virgil Rowe”
Kenmore is correct about Google Maps' Gold Street address, but that would only prove that the targeted building gets its mail from Chehalis. The businesses that actually border Gold Street show a Centralia address.
Google Maps continues to indicate that the Centralia city limits include the old Twin City site. Since the drive-in was historically associated with Centralia, it’s a shame to need to search Chehalis to find it.
The spelling of Odle or Olde seemed to alternate in every mention. So far, I haven’t tracked down which was accurate. Here’s a bag of clips.
Variety, Feb. 25, 1942: “Boyd Buss enlisted in the Army, - closing his Mesa, Norwood. Colo.”
Showman’s Trade Review, Oct. 5, 1946: “Chas. Asmus has bought the Mesa, Norwood, Colo., from Boyd Buss.”
Motion Picture Herald, Nov. 22, 1947: “C. H. Ausmus has sold the Mesa, Norwood, Colo., to James Olde.”
Showman’s Trade Review, Nov. 22, 1947: “James Odle has bought the Mesa, Norwood, Colo., from C. H. Ausmus.”
Boxoffice, Nov. 22, 1947: “exhibitors seen on (Denver) Filmrow included … James Olde, Norwood.”
Variety, June 23, 1954: “Reuben Stroh, owner of the Nuggett, Telluride, Colo., bought the Mesa, Norwood, Colo., from James Odle.”
Boxoffice, May 8, 1937: “The following closings have been reported: … Norwood, Norwood, Colo.”
I’d guess that the drive-in eventually changed its name to the Hillside Drive-In, which advertised in the 1968 and 1969 editions of the Bridger High School yearbook, the Scout. The 1970 edition had an ad for the “Hellside Drive-In,” a typo that the undersigned Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Jares and Family probably didn’t like.
The Star advertised, along with the Hillside Drive-In, in the 1968 and 1969 editions of the Bridger High School yearbook, the Scout. The ad was signed Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Jares & Family, Bridger.
The O'Hadi (with an apostrophe) advertised in the 1961 Plummer High School yearbook, the Elsquitut.
The drive-in was missing from a 1954 aerial photo. Topo maps in 1959 and 1966 showed a northwest-facing screen close to 8th Street. The 1982 topo map showed the screen another 200 feet north, matching its location in a 1975 photo. The drive-in was still there in 1981, but gone by 1998.
1973 photo by Steve Fitch
Getting closer to the opening date…
Boxoffice, July 10, 1948: “The West Springfield Drive-In on Memorial avenue will open the later part of July. Accomodating 500 cars the ozoner is owned and operated by Weymouth Drive-Ins Corp. The manager has not as yet been named”
Film Daily, Sept. 24, 1948: (under New Film Theatres Opened) “West Springfield Drive-In, West Springfield, Mass., by Weymouth Drive-In Theaters Corp.”
Boxoffice, Oct. 14, 1950: “Bill Black of Wellesley visited (Boston) Filmrow. He is the designer, builder and architect of the new Nepsonset Drive-In for Michael Redstone, the West Springfield Drive-In for E. M. Loew and the Quintree Drive-In for the Rifki circuit”
Thanks for the kind words, David. Many or most of the theater summaries at the tops of pages on CT are shaped by the collective evidence submitted by posters. In this case, the excellent Joe Vogel’s Boxoffice note said that the opening was expected by Thanksgiving Day; I suspect that’s what prompted our tireless editor to believe in a 1963 opener. In my experience, many drive-in grand openings slipped past their projected dates, which is why I thought it might be possible that it happened here.
I don’t know either way. Someone with access to the local Milledgeville newspapers from late 1963 to early 1964 could tell us for sure. If you ever drop in to a local library, someone there might be able to help.
Boxoffice, Feb. 1, 1981: “Fire officials in Nashua, N.H., blamed a popcorn machine for start of a fire that swept through the empty Star Cinema on the city’s Main St. on a recent Saturday, shortly after the matinee showing had ended. Although the 300-seat theatre was empty of patrons when the blaze broke out, some 60 people were evacuated from apartments adjacent to and above the theatre in the three-story brick building.”
I guess the Nashua stayed open through at least the 1978 season.
Boxoffice, Oct. 9, 1978: “Five cinemas participated in a large-scale newspaper ad campaign … Concord Drive-In, Concord; Bedford Grove Drive-In, Manchester; Nashua Drive-In, Nashua; Seacoast Cinema, North Hampton; and Plaistow Drive-In, Plaistow.
The Esquire is scheduled to close on July 17. More about its troubles in the Denver Post.
The 1955-56 Theatre Catalog also listed the Riverdale under Roy, owned by Darrell Tullis, capacity 554 cars.
The 1955-56 Theatre Catalog listed the “Weber Motor Vu D. I.” under Ogden, owned by Associated Amuse. Co. and Clyde Blasius, capacity 726 cars.
A July 2023 Google Street View image showed the Motor Vu closed but intact.
The 1955 Theatre Catalog listed the Starlite under Dragerton, owned by Bernard W. Cline and Philip Turner, capacity 250 cars.
The 1955-56 Theatre Catalog had a different spelling, the Motor-View, owned by J. N. Bills, capacity 580 cars.
I guess this must have been just before the name change.
Boxoffice, Sept. 24, 1949: “CORVALLIS, ORE. - Owner Fred Porter has changed the entrance of his Majestic Theatre here, building it into a sweeping curve to allow more space for displays. Pine columns replaced the pillars and recessed lighting was set into the ceiling.”
San Juan Record, April 21, 1955: “Norman and Connie Nielson announce that construction is now under way for their drive-in theater, and will be rushed to completion for the coming season. They will have the most modern equipment available with eighty foot screen and accommodations for three hundred cars. They have an engineer from Salt Lake and as soon as the equipment arrives, the steel man will come and erect the screen. Opening date will be announced later.”
Thanks to the Louisville History folks, who have shown me my error, at least one of them.
Although it was generally described during its lifetime as being in Louisville (it was just outside the city limits), the former L&L/Star Lite site is just barely in current-day Lafayette CO.