Boxoffice, April 26, 1952: “The Yucca Drive-In has been purchased by Richard Wiles jr. and Brooks Noah.”
Motion Picture Herald, May 3, 1952: Charles Brent has sold the Yucca drive-in, Santa Fe, N. M., to Wiles & Noah, who operate a drive-in at Excelsior Springs, Mo.
Boxoffice, Oct. 15, 1973: “Officials of Mountain Bell announced last month that the company had acquired a 21,000-square-foot parcel of land on the southwest corner of Glenn Drive and North 57th Drive, which includes the now-closed Glen Theatre. The movie house was closed in July because of what a spokesman for the Harry Nace Co. called "needed repairs” and “inadequate central air-conditioning.” … The Glen Theatre was completed June 30, 1949, opening to the public the next day with a world premiere of “The Doolins of Oklahoma” starring Randolph Scott … The theatre had lavish, flowered carpeting and special push-back chairs that allowed patrons to enter and leave their seats without causing distraction for others. It was managed from late 1949 to 1954 by the late Lawrence Eaglin."
Boxoffice, Oct. 22, 1973: “A fire at the Gage Drive-In in Bell Gardens caused an estimated $30,000 damage recently. Officers investigating the blaze at the ozoner, located at 6805 East Gage Ave., tentatively cited arson as the cause. They reported finding “considerable evidence of flammable liquid being purposely spilled and ignited” at the site of the fire. Showings at the Gage were continued as usual, despite the heavy damage.”
In a March 3, 1969, Boxoffice article detailing how Commonwealth-Frontier was preparing most of its Albuquerque drive-ins to open that spring, city manager Lou Avolio said that “C-F’s other outdoor house, the Star Drive-In, is not scheduled to reopen under the chain’s management since the lease runs out on May 1”.
Boxoffice, Sept. 12, 1966: “Les Hawley, formerly of Toronto and a 20-year veteran of the theatre business, is the manager of the "66” Drive-In which was recently opened at Kingston, Ont., by General Theatres, Ltd. The first feature was “A Big Hand for the Little Lady.” The capacity is 700 cars and a unique structiral achievement is the concrete screen, 104 feet wide and 74 feet high, built by the Wilson Concrete Products, Ltd., Belleville. The attractive refreshment center is the self-serve type and the theatre will have all-year operation."
Same theater? Motion Picture Exhibitor, July 5, 1961: “Bernie, Mo., will have a theatre again, after closed doors over a period of five years. David Barnhardt will be in charge of the Bernie.”
Motion Picture Exhibitor, Nov. 27, 1957: “Frank Glenn, Tamaroa, Ill., bought the 460 Drive-In, Carmi, Ill., from Donald R. Tolliver. Glenn is owner of the Melody, Mount Vernon, and Starland, Mt. Vernon, Ill. Tolliver and his family moved to Florida.”
Same drive-in? Showmen’s Trade Review, Sept. 3, 1949: “Walter Lambader is readying his new drive-in at Russell, Kans., for an opening next month. It will hold about 350 cars."
Motion Picture Herald, June 14, 1952: “Lincoln drive-in, the first Negro drive-in theatre in this section, opened at 1770 Cincinnati with the Beale Street Elks Club sponsoring the opening. The 500 car drive-in is owned by N. A. Cook and F. L. Abernathy.”
Motion Picture Exhibitor, April 17, 1957: “The Charleston Drive-In, Charleston, Mo., has been leased by Geraldine Twitty and Earl Ferrell for the season. Andy Dietz, Cooperative Theatres, will buy and book. The owner of the situation, Doby Stout, appears to be gradually withdrawing from exhibition."
Variety, Jan. 14, 1949: “Commonwealth Amus. Co., Kansas City, purchased the Wayne, Waynesville, Mo., from J. T. Ghosen, Sedalia, Mo. House will be closed since the Commonwealth owns the Fort Wood, 800-seater in same town.”
Looks like the Woodlane had more than a soft opening in 1954, based on what I just unearthed.
The Exhibitor, April 28, 1954: “The new Woodlane Drive-In, Waynesville, Mo., had a grand opening at which balloons were given to the children, flowers to the ladies, and cigars to the men. Prizes were given to the oldest person present, the car with the most people, and the oldest mother or father present. Commonwealth Company, provided a free playground for kiddies.”
If you want to get picky, the drive-in was bounded by present-day Texas and Ohio avenues, and by Crisp Road and Kansas Street, which was its entrance. The building that’s on the site today, Truck Parts and Supply Co., has an address of 500 Texas Avenue.
As far as I know, this drive-in is the only one with the location and approximate date that matches this wire service story, which ran in the Vinita (OK) Daily Journal on Oct. 12, 1963: “PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (UPI) – Movies have become so long that a new drive-in theater here has had to install watering troughs and buckets of oats. The oats and water are placed near hitching posts provided by the drive-in for equestrian movie goers.”
Pauls Valley Daily Democrat, Sept. 23, 1962: “Charles Smith has leased the Corral Drive-in theater south of Pauls Valley from E. B. Anderson of Norman. He has moved to Pauls Valley with his family and has assumed management of the Corral … Anderson, who owns the Corral theater, operates a drive-in theater at Norman.”
Okfuskee County News, March 7, 1957: “Construction will begin immediately on a 400-car capacity drive-in theater east of Okemah on U.S. highway 62 north of the airport, Bill Slepka, owner of the Jewel and Crystal theaters here, announced today … Plans call for the theater to open on Friday, May 3.”
Okmulgee Daily News, July 26, 1950: “Construction work on a drive-in theater to be erected one mile south of Checotah on the Harvey Griffin farm will start within the next two or three weeks, it has been announced. J. P. Jones and Jack LeMasters of the Cozy theater, Dick Crumpler of the Gentry theater and Harvy Griffin will be the owners of the new enterprise … The theater will be operated under the name of "66 (sic) Drive-In theater.” A playground for children to be located inside the theater will be a novel feature of the new movie house."
Boxoffice, March 29, 1965: “SALLISAW, OKLA. - Carl Phillips, 57, longtime Oklahoma exhibitor, died Thursday (18) after suffering a heart attack while setting out evergreen trees along the drive-way at the Sooner Drive-In, which he opened last summer.”
Boxoffice, July 28, 1969: (after other Sallisaw notes) “The Sooner Drive-In, owned by Wanda Lamb, did not open this year.”
In a roundup of drive-in openings, the Sept. 13, 1952 issue of Boxoffice included: “Columbus, Kas. - The Cherokee Drive-In, owned by Stein Theatres, has been opened.”
The Cherokee was also included in an ad in the Oct. 4, 1952 Parsons (KS) Sun, so we know it was open by then.
Although I love the idea of the flooded Sooner’s last show being “Take the High Ground,” it actually continued to advertise through Friday, June 18, when it added, “Notice To Our Sooner Drive-In Patrons! Due to heavy rains and damage to drives and ramps surfaces, the Sooner Drive-In will be closed after last show Saturday (19) for resurfacing of parking area, and will remain closed until all repairs are complete! Attend the Tri-State Drive-In for the Best Movies Under The Stars!”
Assuming it never reopened, the Sooner’s final movies were “Titanic” (1953, Clifton Webb) and “Roar of the Crowd” (1953, Howard Duff).
Daily Oklahoman, July 18, 1948: “Oklahoma City Saturday night (17) claimed to have the first drive-in theater in the southwest exclusively for Negroes. The $50,000 Fairpark Drive-In theater opened here Saturday night on NE 10, one mile east of Eastern. The theater was built by Southwestern Theaters Co., operated by H. R. Falls, H. E. McKenna and E. L. Walker. The company has headquarters in Oklahoma City.”
That first name was Horace R. Falls, who worked for Griffith Amusement for 20 years before leaving in 1946. Falls the ran a theater in Lawton for 2½ years, then went to Dallas in 1949, where he spent the rest of his life.
Boxoffice, March 11, 1974: “The Rig Theatre, which was built in Borger, Tex., in 1926, has been demolished by the city to make way for a decorative walkway connecting Hutchinson County Library, the City Hall and the Borger Police Department with the 600 block of Main Street. About 1,000 seats were encased in the two-story red brick structure. A model oil rig decorated the marquee in front of the theatre entrance. The oil derrick was about 15 feet tall and was made of wood and metal with decorative lights”
Boxoffice, April 26, 1952: “The Yucca Drive-In has been purchased by Richard Wiles jr. and Brooks Noah.”
Motion Picture Herald, May 3, 1952: Charles Brent has sold the Yucca drive-in, Santa Fe, N. M., to Wiles & Noah, who operate a drive-in at Excelsior Springs, Mo.
Boxoffice, Oct. 15, 1973: “Officials of Mountain Bell announced last month that the company had acquired a 21,000-square-foot parcel of land on the southwest corner of Glenn Drive and North 57th Drive, which includes the now-closed Glen Theatre. The movie house was closed in July because of what a spokesman for the Harry Nace Co. called "needed repairs” and “inadequate central air-conditioning.” … The Glen Theatre was completed June 30, 1949, opening to the public the next day with a world premiere of “The Doolins of Oklahoma” starring Randolph Scott … The theatre had lavish, flowered carpeting and special push-back chairs that allowed patrons to enter and leave their seats without causing distraction for others. It was managed from late 1949 to 1954 by the late Lawrence Eaglin."
Boxoffice, Oct. 22, 1973: “A fire at the Gage Drive-In in Bell Gardens caused an estimated $30,000 damage recently. Officers investigating the blaze at the ozoner, located at 6805 East Gage Ave., tentatively cited arson as the cause. They reported finding “considerable evidence of flammable liquid being purposely spilled and ignited” at the site of the fire. Showings at the Gage were continued as usual, despite the heavy damage.”
In a March 3, 1969, Boxoffice article detailing how Commonwealth-Frontier was preparing most of its Albuquerque drive-ins to open that spring, city manager Lou Avolio said that “C-F’s other outdoor house, the Star Drive-In, is not scheduled to reopen under the chain’s management since the lease runs out on May 1”.
Boxoffice, Sept. 12, 1966: “Les Hawley, formerly of Toronto and a 20-year veteran of the theatre business, is the manager of the "66” Drive-In which was recently opened at Kingston, Ont., by General Theatres, Ltd. The first feature was “A Big Hand for the Little Lady.” The capacity is 700 cars and a unique structiral achievement is the concrete screen, 104 feet wide and 74 feet high, built by the Wilson Concrete Products, Ltd., Belleville. The attractive refreshment center is the self-serve type and the theatre will have all-year operation."
Same theater? Motion Picture Exhibitor, July 5, 1961: “Bernie, Mo., will have a theatre again, after closed doors over a period of five years. David Barnhardt will be in charge of the Bernie.”
Motion Picture Exhibitor, Nov. 27, 1957: “Frank Glenn, Tamaroa, Ill., bought the 460 Drive-In, Carmi, Ill., from Donald R. Tolliver. Glenn is owner of the Melody, Mount Vernon, and Starland, Mt. Vernon, Ill. Tolliver and his family moved to Florida.”
Same drive-in? Showmen’s Trade Review, Sept. 3, 1949: “Walter Lambader is readying his new drive-in at Russell, Kans., for an opening next month. It will hold about 350 cars."
Where does this fit it? Was there only one drive-in in Freeport?
The Exhibitor, July 12, 1950: “(Steve) Bennis on May 18 opened his drive-in at Freeport, Ill."
Motion Picture Herald, June 14, 1952: “Lincoln drive-in, the first Negro drive-in theatre in this section, opened at 1770 Cincinnati with the Beale Street Elks Club sponsoring the opening. The 500 car drive-in is owned by N. A. Cook and F. L. Abernathy.”
Boxoffice, May 14, 1962: “The Kerasotes Drive-In screen at Rantoul, Ill., was blown down in the recent storms.”
Motion Picture Exhibitor, April 17, 1957: “The Charleston Drive-In, Charleston, Mo., has been leased by Geraldine Twitty and Earl Ferrell for the season. Andy Dietz, Cooperative Theatres, will buy and book. The owner of the situation, Doby Stout, appears to be gradually withdrawing from exhibition."
Variety, Jan. 14, 1949: “Commonwealth Amus. Co., Kansas City, purchased the Wayne, Waynesville, Mo., from J. T. Ghosen, Sedalia, Mo. House will be closed since the Commonwealth owns the Fort Wood, 800-seater in same town.”
Looks like the Woodlane had more than a soft opening in 1954, based on what I just unearthed.
The Exhibitor, April 28, 1954: “The new Woodlane Drive-In, Waynesville, Mo., had a grand opening at which balloons were given to the children, flowers to the ladies, and cigars to the men. Prizes were given to the oldest person present, the car with the most people, and the oldest mother or father present. Commonwealth Company, provided a free playground for kiddies.”
The Exhibitor, July 23, 1952: “The Autovue Drive-In, a 300-car theatre near Mountain Grove, Mo., was opened by Austin E. Allcorn, Poplar Bluff, Mo.”
If you want to get picky, the drive-in was bounded by present-day Texas and Ohio avenues, and by Crisp Road and Kansas Street, which was its entrance. The building that’s on the site today, Truck Parts and Supply Co., has an address of 500 Texas Avenue.
As far as I know, this drive-in is the only one with the location and approximate date that matches this wire service story, which ran in the Vinita (OK) Daily Journal on Oct. 12, 1963: “PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (UPI) – Movies have become so long that a new drive-in theater here has had to install watering troughs and buckets of oats. The oats and water are placed near hitching posts provided by the drive-in for equestrian movie goers.”
Pauls Valley Daily Democrat, Sept. 23, 1962: “Charles Smith has leased the Corral Drive-in theater south of Pauls Valley from E. B. Anderson of Norman. He has moved to Pauls Valley with his family and has assumed management of the Corral … Anderson, who owns the Corral theater, operates a drive-in theater at Norman.”
Okfuskee County News, March 7, 1957: “Construction will begin immediately on a 400-car capacity drive-in theater east of Okemah on U.S. highway 62 north of the airport, Bill Slepka, owner of the Jewel and Crystal theaters here, announced today … Plans call for the theater to open on Friday, May 3.”
Okmulgee Daily News, July 26, 1950: “Construction work on a drive-in theater to be erected one mile south of Checotah on the Harvey Griffin farm will start within the next two or three weeks, it has been announced. J. P. Jones and Jack LeMasters of the Cozy theater, Dick Crumpler of the Gentry theater and Harvy Griffin will be the owners of the new enterprise … The theater will be operated under the name of "66 (sic) Drive-In theater.” A playground for children to be located inside the theater will be a novel feature of the new movie house."
Boxoffice, March 29, 1965: “SALLISAW, OKLA. - Carl Phillips, 57, longtime Oklahoma exhibitor, died Thursday (18) after suffering a heart attack while setting out evergreen trees along the drive-way at the Sooner Drive-In, which he opened last summer.”
Boxoffice, July 28, 1969: (after other Sallisaw notes) “The Sooner Drive-In, owned by Wanda Lamb, did not open this year.”
In a roundup of drive-in openings, the Sept. 13, 1952 issue of Boxoffice included: “Columbus, Kas. - The Cherokee Drive-In, owned by Stein Theatres, has been opened.”
The Cherokee was also included in an ad in the Oct. 4, 1952 Parsons (KS) Sun, so we know it was open by then.
Although I love the idea of the flooded Sooner’s last show being “Take the High Ground,” it actually continued to advertise through Friday, June 18, when it added, “Notice To Our Sooner Drive-In Patrons! Due to heavy rains and damage to drives and ramps surfaces, the Sooner Drive-In will be closed after last show Saturday (19) for resurfacing of parking area, and will remain closed until all repairs are complete! Attend the Tri-State Drive-In for the Best Movies Under The Stars!”
Assuming it never reopened, the Sooner’s final movies were “Titanic” (1953, Clifton Webb) and “Roar of the Crowd” (1953, Howard Duff).
Daily Oklahoman, July 18, 1948: “Oklahoma City Saturday night (17) claimed to have the first drive-in theater in the southwest exclusively for Negroes. The $50,000 Fairpark Drive-In theater opened here Saturday night on NE 10, one mile east of Eastern. The theater was built by Southwestern Theaters Co., operated by H. R. Falls, H. E. McKenna and E. L. Walker. The company has headquarters in Oklahoma City.”
That first name was Horace R. Falls, who worked for Griffith Amusement for 20 years before leaving in 1946. Falls the ran a theater in Lawton for 2½ years, then went to Dallas in 1949, where he spent the rest of his life.
Boxoffice, March 11, 1974: “The Rig Theatre, which was built in Borger, Tex., in 1926, has been demolished by the city to make way for a decorative walkway connecting Hutchinson County Library, the City Hall and the Borger Police Department with the 600 block of Main Street. About 1,000 seats were encased in the two-story red brick structure. A model oil rig decorated the marquee in front of the theatre entrance. The oil derrick was about 15 feet tall and was made of wood and metal with decorative lights”