Whitestone Drive-In

I believe that the Whitestone was also the only drive-in theatre within the New York City limits, which is one of the reasons why it was the "most famous." It had no competition!

There were one or two on Staten Island....and before the Whitestone closed, it was 'triplexed' in the late 70's, early 80's...

Joe, you're probably right. For most of us who lived in the other four boroughs of NYC, Staten Island was an unknown territory, reachable only by a long ferry ride until the building of the Verrazano Bridge. Most of the SI theatres were patronized by locals or New Jerseyites. The SI theatres were never advertised in the New York daily newspapers until the 1960s or even later.

Staten Island had only one Drive-in , The Staten Island Drive-In Theater, which was torn down in the mid sixties and replaced by the Island theater, now torn down.

The 1949 Film Daily Year Book lists a New Springfield Drive-In for Staten Island, with no exact address given. At that time, the nearest drive-in to the NYC limits appears to be the Sunrise D.I. in Valley Stream, Long Island, which was close to the Nassau County border with Queens. The Whitestone D.I. had not yet been built.

The Whitestone Multiplex Theater sits on the site of the drive in now. That theater is not that good. But back in the day that was where we took our dates to see "House Party" and I believe I saw "Boyz N The Hood" there.

For those of us living in Manhattan in the late 50s/early 60s, another DI choice was the Route 3 DI outside the Lincoln Tunnel, where the Meadowlands is now. Jerry from 42nd Street Memories

In November of 1968 this drive-in was playing a double bill of "Around The World In 80 Days" and "Hang Em High". It was also playing at it's sister theatre in Valley Stream. By the way this theatre is advertised as The Whitestone-Sunrise Drive-In. It's counterpart is just Sunrise Drive-In

I see the style is listed as Cinerama. I could be wrong, but the only Cinerama Drive-In I ever heard of was the Century Drive in Los Angeles (Inglewood) California.

I think the 11/68 advertising is just linking the names of the two theatres with a dash. To the best of my knowledge, this was never known individually as the Whitestone-Sunrise Drive-In. It was simply Whitestone Drive-In.

I see the Cinerama was removed from the style of this drive-in and I think that is correct. As things would happen the day after I made the above entry I found information on the second Cinerama Drive-In. The Mann, France Avenue Drive-In at 7800 (HWY 494) France Ave South, Bloomington, Minesota (Mineapolis suburb). It opened June 15, 1966 and the ad says it was equipped for Cinerama (most likley 70mm), Todd-AO, 70 MM, and all other film processes. The ad goes on to say it had the "World's Largest Screen!" 150ft by 92ft (the Cinerama expert Roland Lataille writes that the screen size has not been confirmed) and had a 1700 car capacity (that seems awful big), but it did end up with 3 screens. It closed in 1982, was demolished in 1986 and is now the Minnesota Center office complex. Now, is there a third Cinerama Drive-In?

On the listing that I have for drive-ins, this theater is listed as the "Whitestone Bridge Drive-In". Its also listed as a twin screen. The screens were labeled as the "red" screen and the "blue" screen. Here is a quote from a story that I read, "The theater was twinned in 1978. First show after the twinning was “Jaws 2” on both screens, staggered start times. The original curved screen, whose back faced the elevated Cross Bronx Expressway, became the "Red" screen. A new, flat (not curved) screen, the "Blue," was built about 45 degrees to the left in the back of the property. The tower for the "Blue" screen was very high, to compensate for the fact that the incline of the rows was not adjusted for the new position. Some cars actually faced down when parked next to a speaker, while others sat on level ground. The theater closed in 1983 to make way for the current Multiplex (same owner, National Amusements)".

Look at this picture from the 1940's.

http://www.nytimes.com/nytstore/photos/americanexp/1950/NSAPDI.html

http://editorial.gettyimages.com/source/search/FrameSet.aspx?s=ImagesSearchState%7c0%7c0%7c28%7c0%7c0%7c0%7c1%7c%7c%7c0%7c0%7c0%7c0%7c0%7c0%7c0%7c0%7c7%7cdrive-in+theater%7c0%7c0%7c0%7c0%7c0&p=7&tag=1

Type whitestone drive in into the search box for 3 old photos.

Movie Playing at Whitestone Bridge Drive-In
Original caption: 6/13/1951-New York: A general view of the Whitestone Bridge Drive-In Movie Theater. The theater, one of two in the Greater New York area, sprawls over 22 acres accomodating up to 1,200 cars. The screen is four times the size of an ordinary screen, and there are two projectors.Drive-in theaters are growing increasingly popular. Today there are 3,000 such theaters in the U.S., 800 more than there were just a year ago.
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a13/ChmnofBrd/Movie%20Theatres/WhitestoneDrive-in.jpg

As a kid (especially in the mid-1950s), I remember we used to go by this drive-in all the time, and I suspect that some of my drive-in memories are of this theater (although my more distinct memories are of drive-ins near relatives out on Long Island).

Actually, now that I think about it, I probably do have some memories of going to the Whitestone Drive-In with my relatives from the "old neighborhood" in the South Bronx, too -- people whom I doubt would have gone out to the Island with us to a drive-in.

Perhaps the strongest memories of drive-ins that I have, though, are of the little playground area that they all seemed to invariably have, just in front of the screen, for the early (daylight) arrivals. I really looked forward to this part of the drive-in experience. In particular I associated a "kid powered" carousel-like piece of play equipment that I really liked with drive-ins. (Also, since the playgrounds were up front by the screen, maybe it was also fun because it was a way to get to see what it was like being up front and onstage?)

As a little kid, I also liked the excitement of getting out of the car and going to the bustling centrally located refreshment stand.

Drive-ins were a lot of fun. Somehow the fun of going to a drive-in reminds me of the fun of being driven around in a convertible with the top down. (This is something that I rarely got to do, as my family never owned a convertible.) It was just such a different and special "take" on an otherwise commonplace experience.

Here's a 1959 ad showing the Whitestone, Sunrise & Newark Drive-Ins.
That's Steve Reeves GOLIATH & THE BARBARIANS at the Newark. Hard to read. Check out the FREE IN-CAR ELECTRIC HEATERS!

http://photobucket.com/albums/a56/42ndStreetMemories/?action=view¤t=Whitestone.jpg

My time at the Whitestone was in the late 60s-early 70s. Some of the double features that I saw then were:

Beneath the Valley of the Dolls/Chamber of Horrors
Bloody Mama/Wild in the Streets (AIP)
3 in the Attic/Chastity (AIP)
Cherry Harry & Requel/Good Morning and Goodbye (Russ Meyer)
Count Yorga Vampire/Crimson Cult (AIP)
El Condor/The Grasshopper
Fearless Vampire Killers/House of Dark Shadows
The AMbushers (Matt Helm)/Liberation of LB Jones
Night of Bloody Horror/Black Cat
Rosemary's Baby/Sterile Cuckoo
True Grit/The Lawyer

Last time that I recall being there was 1974 for Golden Voyage of Sinbad. This time with my kids. j

See if the Bronx Historical Society has photos of the drive in.
When it opened as a multiplex in 1983, it was worth the trip from nearby Yonkers and I commend National Amusements for maintaining it so well that it doesn't appear to have aged one day in 20 years. They added on two more screens years back and I think it's mentioned in Sumner Redstone's biography as being one of their top earning theaters. They were leery about building this theater because the the left over Bronx stigma from the 1970's. Now literally every retailer in America sees the money to made in Da' Bronx. Another possible multiplex coming to Marble Hill at Broadway and West 233 Street.

At the bottom of the page is an ad for the Whitestone playing a double bill of "Salt & Pepper" and "Yours Mine & Ours".
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a13/ChmnofBrd/Movie%20Ads/Corruption.jpg

The back of the big screen, white with WHITESTONE DRIVE-IN in huge red letters, was a familiar landmark alongside the Hutch -- even during all those years when the massive interchange construction project was going on. Seeing just another single-story building with a generic multiplex sign has never been the same.

I lived in a four family house about a half mile from the Whitestone Drive-in (i952 to 1946). We had an unobstructed view of the screen from our bathroom and kitchen windows. We could see the film without sound of course. I remember that when Cinemascope was introduced the screen was added on to to allow for the new technology.

I too remember this drive-in. I moved to NYC in March '82 and when I would make frequent treks back to New England you could see this drive-in from either the Bruckner or Route 95. I am surprised that a drive-in theatre in the Bronx lasted as late as '83.

Jan of 1968 the Bible at popular prices even included the Whitestone & Sunrise Drive-Ins.
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a13/ChmnofBrd/Movie%20Ads/Bible1966.jpg

This theater was named the Whitestone Bridge Drive-In at one time.

NY Times May 23, 1953

"RELIGIOUS SERVICES IN DRIVE-IN SLATED; Bronx Theatre Will Be Used by Protestants on Sunday Mornings Starting June 7.

The Whitestone Bridge Drive-In Theatre, Bruckner Boulevard and Hutchinson River Parkway, the Bronx, will be the scene this summer of a new venture in Protestant religious circles. Sunday services, starting at 9 A. M., will be conducted there from June 7 through Sept. 6".

This lawsuit states that the drive-in had space for 1500 cars:
http://tinyurl.com/yktja5

This first opened on August 12th, 1949 as the Whitestone Bridge Drive-in-Theatre. The double bill had already completed a run on the Loew's neighborhood circuit:
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/whitestonedi.jpg

Interesting. The name Whitestone Bridge Drive-In is the same name that I posted on Oct 12, 2004 and again on Nov 11, 2006. Maybe the third time is the charm.

The Whitestone Bridge Drive-In was built and operated by Redstone Drive-In Theatres, which in 1949 also owned the Sunrise D-I in Valley Stream, Long Island; Dedham D-I, Dedham, Mass.; and Revere D-I, Revere, Mass.. Based in Boston, the company had Michael Redstone as president and treasurer. Redstone was the father of current movie mogul Sumner. The original family name was Rothstein.

In 1951, the Whitestone was depending on late-run movies and reissues. Patrons driving there via the Whitestone or Triborough Bridges were entitled to a rebate on a one-way toll charge. I wonder how much that would have been?: http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/whitestone1951.jpg

The toll was 25 cents when the Bronx-Whitestone Bridge (as it is officially known) opened in 1939. I suspect it was still the same in 1951.

Listed in the 1975 IMPA as the Whitestone Bridge Drive-In with a capacity for 850 cars. That capacity seems to be on the low side. Maybe that was the capacity as a single screen.

A 1951 view of the site can be purchased here: http://12.220.96.245/ProdDetail.aspx?prodId=2365

There's something very odd about that New York Times photo -- it appears to have been taken during the day! How is that even possible??

The picture on the screen looks superimposed.

Yes, the picture on the screen DOES look superimposed -- but the lot is full of cars, which leads me to wonder if the entire thing was staged.