W. 5th Ave. Drive-In
900 W. 5th Avenue,
Columbus,
OH
43212
900 W. 5th Avenue,
Columbus,
OH
43212
1 person
favorited this theater
The W. 5th Ave. Drive-In was a small, urban drive-in located between two factories at 900 W. 5th Ave. (W. 5th Ave. at Delashmut).
The theater opened in May 1953 with a showing of "Battle of Apache Pass" and "Ivory Hunter." The theater operated for the next 25 years, closing in October 1978.
The site is now home to a McDonald’s, a carwash, and several industrial buildings.
The theater was operated by Rainbow Theaters.
Contributed by
D.A. Kellough
Want to be emailed when a new comment is posted about this theater?
Just login to your account and subscribe to this theater
Recent comments (view all 9 comments)
This drive-in is still listed in the 1980 IMPA at the address given above. Car capacity at that time was 500.
On May 3, 1965, the screen was blown down by a storm, and the drive-in was forced to close. It reopened with a new screen on 5/17/1965.
Program Friday, April 19 & 20, 1974- Dusk til Dawn horror quintuple feature. “I Dismember Mama,” “Blood-Splattered Bride,” and three other living dead features.
“Up-Chuck Cup” and Sanity Insurance policies offered to all patrons—just in case.
Free breakfast and a pass to a future show offered to patrons making it to dawn.
Pure drive-in.
July 4, 1974- “Spend a night with the nurses!”
Dusk til Dawn all-nurses show at the W. 5th Ave. Drive-In kicks off with “Candy Stripe Nurses,” then “Night Call Nurses,” followed by “Student Nurses,” next “Private Duty Nurses,” and finally “Young Nurses.”
Opened 7/11/1953 with TITANIC (starring Clifton Webb & HITCHHIKER. Advertised “Spacious Entrance and Exit for safety & speed, completely paved parking for greater safety and protection of your car, new and convenient Snack Bar easily accessible for all patrons, Latest Improved Individual speakers for each car, and Enjoy your movies in the cool of the evening.” Among others, good wishes were extended by Crumley Hudson (Columbus' only Hudson dealer), Howard Johnson Restaurant, Marble Cliff Quarries and the Circle Drive In (Stop in after the movie — Convenient Curb service.)
Official name was “West 5th Avenue Auto Theatre”. This theatre was planned as a year-round operation.
Thanks, Mark_L for the great find! So cool to finally see some pictures of the theater! Does it look to you like there was a car lot on W 5th in front of the theater?
Reading through Columbus Dispatch, looks like theater opened to public May 1 and then held grand opening July 11. Maybe once all the final details had been nailed down?
Looking at an aerial picture from 1957, there does appear to be a car lot in front of the theatre. I can see cars parked very closely together on the west side of a barn like building. In a 1971 shot, this structure is gone.
DAK8601 is correct, the theatre opened on 5/1/1953, with a Grand Opening on 7/1/1953. In the Grand Opening ad, there is a “best wishes” ad from West Fifth Auto Sales which was directly in front of the theatre.