Cinema Park Drive-In
800 E. Missouri Avenue,
Phoenix,
AZ
85014
800 E. Missouri Avenue,
Phoenix,
AZ
85014
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Motion Picture Herald, July 5, 1952: “The Cinema Park drive-in, Phoenix, is the subject of an article in the July issue of Holiday magazine, in which this ozoner is names as one of the most best (?) open air theatres in the U.S.”
Boxoffice, Oct. 3, 1953: “the Cinema Park Drive-In … Arizona’s largest ozoner was bought by Ted Karatz of Minneapolis, whose son Stanley will manage the showcase.”
Boxoffice, Aug. 11, 1956: “Pacific Drive-In Theatres of California has purchased an interest in the Cinema Park Drive-In at 5500 North Seventh St. from Ted Karatz, who remains as stockholder in the operation.”
Boxoffice, Feb. 5, 1949: “The drive-in now under construction by Fred Crockett (in Phoenix) was expected to have an opening March 1. To be known as the Cinema Park when completed, the open-airer is being built on a 12-acre tract at a cost of $200,000. It will be the largest drive-in in the state, with a capacity of approximately 1,000 cars.”
I got my first job at age 9 working there, cleaning the place for 75 cents an hour. In high school friends Kirk, Doug and I worked security there. Next door was a farm and a kid that lived there had a side view of the screen. They pulled speaker cable over so they could sit in lawn chairs and watch every night if they wanted to. Climbed that huge screen once. Lots of memories!
April 22nd, 1949 grand opening ad in photo section.
They had consession stand in back corner on 7th St to serve cars waiting in line to enter the theater.
1970 (and other years) aerial photos at
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