Midway Drive-In
2619 Ashland Road,
Mansfield,
OH
44905
2619 Ashland Road,
Mansfield,
OH
44905
2 people
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Additional Info
Previous Names: Midway Auto Theatre
Nearby Theaters
The Midway Auto Theatre opened on September 18, 1947, screening the 1945 comedy “Anchors Away” with Frank Sinatra, Kathryn Grayson and Gene Kelly. The Midway Auto Theatre was opened and operated by Allen Shaw and Adolph Ochs dba Central Drive-In Theatre Inc., from Cleveland, OH. It was built at a cost of $90,000 with a capacity of 600 cars. Central Drive-In Theatres was building a chain of drive-in theatres in the state of Michigan and Indiana at that time. Co-Operative Theatres from Cleveland, OH was the buying and booking agency.
In 1946, Sam C. Lombardo, J.C. Lombardo and John Masoni purchased the property on which the Midway Auto Theatre was built on. Did Adolph Ochs and Central Drive-In Theatres lease the property from the Lombardo’s? I could not find any record of it. In 1966 Anthony M. Lombardo took over the ownership of the drive-in. In the 1970’s they held a Flea Market at the drive-in. In 1980 the drive-in was sold to Midway Drive-In Theatre Inc. from Rocky River, OH. It closed at the end of the 1982 season for good. The Midway Drive-In was demolished and it is now an empty field. In looking at property records, the ownership of the Midway Drive-In over the years is muddled. So if anybody has information, please feel free to comment.
Contributed by
Randy Studer, Lost Memory
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Recent comments (view all 3 comments)
IN 1956 THE MIDWAY DRIVE IN HAD PARKING FOR 250 CARS SO THIS DRIVE IN MUST HAVE HAD QUITE OF BIT OF LAND ADDED.IT WAS CALLED THE MIDWAY AUTO IN 1956. AND IT WAS OWNED BY COOP THEATRES OHIO. THE SUNSET DRIVE IN IN MANSFIELD WAS ALSO OWNED BY COOP. THEATRES SERVICE. I ALSO KNOW THAT THIS FINE OHIO CITY HAD SPRINGNIL DRIVE IN WHICH PUT 600 CARS IN FOR MOVIES. IT WAS OWNED BY M.MOSSER. SUNSET DRIVE IN PARKED 500 CARS IN THE LATE 50’S. mike rogers.
How could those three movies be rated X? did the manager not want kids on the Lot? Very tame horror films.
Saw a reissue of Psycho there in the 70s and they also rated it X. We were 16 year old kids – so we were amazed when they let us in. We knew nothing about the movie, so we kept waiting and waiting for the big sex scenes!