Lynn Open Air Theatre
780 Lynnway,
Lynn,
MA
01905
780 Lynnway,
Lynn,
MA
01905
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Additional Info
Previously operated by: E.M. Loew's Theaters Inc.
Previous Names: E.M. Loew's Open Air Theatre
Nearby Theaters
E.M. Loew’s Open Air Theatre was opened on August 14, 1937 with Beniamino Gigli in “Forever Yours”. It had a capacity for 500 cars. It had closed by 1978.
Contributed by
Jim Powers
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Recent comments (view all 10 comments)
This was an E. M. Loew’s drive-in on the Lynnway in Lynn (I believe roughly where the Walmart is). For a time in the early 80’s it was listed in the Guinness book of records as the largest drive-in in North America (or possibly the world?) with over 4,000 cars. It must have closed soon afterwards. As far as I know there is no trace of it left.
The “Guiness” comment is not accurate. I attendede the Lynn Open Air Theater many times, and it was average Drive-In size..actually smaller than the nearby Revere Drive In. Also it closed in the late sixties or yery early 70’s..
As just plain “Open Air”, this drive-in is listed under the E.M. Loew circuit in the “Theatre Circuits in United States and Canada” section of the 1942-43 Motion Picture Almanac. E.M. Loew also ran the Capitol Theatre in Lynn at that time.
The Lynn Open Air Theatre opened in either 1937 or 1938. Elmo Benedetto, in an article about Lynn theatres, says “1937”, while an unknown person who compiled a list of Lynn theatres, says “1938”. He also says that it was “on the Lynnway near the General Edwards Bridge”. Both the article and the list were found at the Lynn public library by CT member Barry Goodkin. The Benedetto article has a date “Feb. 17, 1972” on it. Benedetto also states that the Lynn Open Air Theatre, run by E.M. Loew, was still open when he wrote his article.
Further to my comments above, I should point out that the date “Feb. 17, 1972” stamped on Elmo Benedetto’s article on Lynn theaters at the Lynn Public Library could have been placed there at the time the article was taken into the library’s collection which may have happened long after he actually wrote it. Who knows, today? It would have been helpful if he had actually typed the current date on the last page of the article when he finished it.
780 Lynnway, Lynn, MA 01905
The above address will map acurately to the location of the drive-in, which is currently occupied by another insidious Walmart.
Here is a 1955 aerial photo of the drive-in, courtesy of HistoricAerials.com.
Using the aerial photo site you can select dates. In 1971 the theatre is still there but who goes to a drive in during the day when an aerial picture would be taken, so it may not be functional. In 1978 it has clearly been replaced.
I worked with an old Italian man who ran the projector at the Lynn,Mass drive in theater.we worked for Cefalo and Kiley construction in the Early 70’s… I went there often,and the last movie I saw was Blazing saddles and that may have been the last movie played there… I’m pretty sure it was 1974…
Fun note in the Motion Picture Herald from Oct. 9, 1937:
E. M. Loew, circuit theatre owner in New England, is complaining bitterly to police that spectators in boats are forming non-paying audiences at his new Drive-In theatre on a filled-in march site outside of Lynn, Mass. The Lynn police, however, not having a navy, are at a complete loss on how to proceed, and Mr. Loew may be forced to build a navy himself, or at least a string of flatboats. Anyway, he could change the name to the Sail-In theatre.
Opened August 14th, 1937. Grand opening ads posted.