Atlantic Drive-In

http://www.drive-ins.com/theater/njtatla

Wanna buy an old key chain from this theater?
http://cgi.ebay.com/ATLANTIC-DRIVE-IN-THEATRE-PLEASANTVILLE-NJ-WRISTBAND_W0QQitemZ7546461058QQcategoryZ197QQssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

I thought that I was the only one that could find weird stuff. This tops my record label photo of a recording made at the Valencia Theater. :)

"Bidding has ended for this item". The world mourns.

I worked at the Atlantic in one form or another from 1969, until 1985, when it closed. The Atlantic was designed by Jack Vogel. "THE FRANKS" opened it in 1966 or '67.I saw "Casino Royale" there in 1967. The concession was operated by Berlo Vending Co. (ABC Mr. Dee-Lish)& then Walter Reade Org.

Below is a link to a photo of me in 1984 managing the Atlantic Drive-in. I loved the job so much that I wore suits to work!

http://doctorgrooveband.com/AtlanticDIcrazybob.jpg

Crazy Bob
Wasn't the original screen that was in the front blown down during a storm which is when they moved it in the back? I never knew the Frank's owned it from the begining.

Hi, Mike. I believe that the original screen blew down during the March, 1962, noreaster. It seems that it was replaced in short order. At that time, I believe that Walter Reade owned the Atlantic & Absecon drive-in's. the Atlantic Drive-in & the Anchor motel sat on the land where the Shore Mall (Searstown) was built in 1966. The back of the screen faced the Tilton road circle an said 1400 WOND on the back. Somewhere in the early sixties,"THE FRANKS" acquired the Atlantic & Absecon drive-in's. They already had the Circus drive-in, in Hammonton, NJ. I heard that THE FRANKS were paid big money to relocate the Atlantic several hundred feet back next to the Parkway on ramp. I heard that the Shore Mall paid to build the new Atlantic Drive-in, with no expense spared. It was sure beautiful compared to the other drive-ins. It was paved and stayed open all year with in-car heaters. A large all brick concession stand, with glass front. Very simular to the Bengies drive-in, near Baltomore. Upstairs booth with new Century water cooled projectors & Ashcraft Super Core Lite carbon arc lamps Tony, aka: "Blackie" Gallina was the main projectionist. He was from Egg Harbor City & had worked at the Colonial in EHC, and the Rivoli in Hammonton. They never had any form of radio sound ever. Just in-car speakers.

There was a motel where the Shore Mall is located? Did it front the Black Horse Pike or was it set on the back of the property?

I remember the motel was facing the BHP. The Kinney Shoe Store aka: Crazy Ned's, was across the pike, between the circles, near Tilton Road.

I went to the grand opening of the Grants department store at the Shore Mall, circa 1969. I got a free hot dog and a balloon. I think Grants closed in the late seventies.

For some reason I often have this persistent memory of a summer night maybe late sixties or early seventies. Three movies are playing to a packed house. My mom and I were at the Shore mall for some reason, and I remember vividly the movies flickering on the big screens.

It was probably a happy time in your life and thats why it sticks in your memory. Nothing wrong with that, I think its perfectly normal.

Can anyone mark where it was located on a screen shot of Google Maps (or any)? I live right down the street and was hoping to explore about where it was. Unless it was completely demolished and cleaned up. It'd be neat it there was something left to see. Thanks.

The drive-in screens were directly behind where the Towne multiplex is now. Walk behind the theater and then straight ahead about three hundred yards.

Thanks Ken.

I just posted a google earth image on drive-ins.com. You can still see the Atlantic drive-in footprint. The screen was to the south. GSP entrance ramp ran behind it.
http://www.drive-ins.com/detail/njtatla

As a little kid,in the '50s, My parents took me to a place just south of the oringinal Atlantic drive-in, called "Frontierland" or something like that.

Hey I heard that they just tore down "Adventure Village" on the Black Horse Pike. We went to "Story Book Land" on our kindergarten trip back in 1958. Thats still open!

I'm not sure why I put Egg Harbor as the city originally. This would be either Pleasantville or Cardiff, I think.

Google returns no city for the above location, but Pleasantville will map.

I think that's the one. Egg Harbor is much further west, near Hammonton.

The site is in Egg Harbor Township (not to be confused with Egg Harbor City), but during the time that the drive-in was open it would have had a Pleasantville mailing address and was shown as a Pleasantville theater in newspaper listings.

This is from Boxoffice magazine, August 1962:

ATLANTIC CITY, N.J.-Expansion of Al Frank's Atlantic Drive-In, recently acquired from Walter Reade, was made possible by replacement of the old wood tower by a new and larger Selby screen tower following the big Atlantic coast storm this spring.

Space on the back of the screen, visible from the Garden State Parkway and busy Route 40, was rented to a local radio station. Sign lettering was painted directly on the reverse side of Selby's surface panels.

This is from Boxoffice in June 1950:

Walter Reade Theatres will open the 800-car Atlantic Drive-In Friday June 16 at Pleasantville, N.J. It will be the second drive-in opened by the circuit this year. An 850-car drive-in was opened April 21 at Eatontown, N.J. The Atlantic is the sixth drive-in on the Walter Reade circuit. It is located eight miles from Atlantic City and is the first to be built in the area. A play area has been constructed on the grounds. Jack Hamilton will be manager.

Here is a 1970 aerial photo. The Towne 4 is at the right:
http://tinyurl.com/yfodvbt

How COOL! If you click on the 1963 or the 1957 link, you see the old Atantic DI.

The area south, between the screen, & the G.S. Parkway ramp was called Pioneer Town, I believe. I went there as a small kid.

My father had the Sinclair gas station on the Cardiff circle in 1957.