Red Rock Drive-In

190 Taylor Lane,
Chinook, MT 59523

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Red Rock Drive-In

The Red Rock Drive-In is located on the west side of the town and sits just to the north of the airport.

Owned and operated by L. Eliason, the Red Rock Drive-In was opened on May 22, 1957. Today, the drive-in is closed and the property is now a truck trailer yard.

However, the screen is still standing.

Contributed by Ken McElhaney

Recent comments (view all 5 comments)

jwmovies
jwmovies on December 15, 2016 at 8:20 am

Now Triple T Truck Sales.

The address for this Drive-in is now 190 Taylor Ln, Chinook MT 59523.

Please update.

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore on December 1, 2019 at 1:25 am

The Dec. 12, 1977 Boxoffice ran an obituary of Herbert Bonifas, who “built the Blaine Theatre, a 450-seat house, in 1948. This replaced the Orpheum and Gem Theatres opened in 1911 by his father-in-law, Johnnie Griffin. The Red Rock Drive-In was opened in 1957. When land was needed for a rest home in the community, he gave part of the Drive-In acreage for it, and when it was built, he wired in sound for the benefit of the guests who had a clear view of the screen. In 1973 he sold the theatres to Leon Eliason and retired”.

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore on January 17, 2020 at 2:52 pm

Boxoffice, May 11, 1957: “CHINOOK, MONT. – Three people in this area were winners in a contest … for naming the new drive-in theatre at the west side of town. Red Rock is the name chosen for the new drive-in.” (The winner and two other entrants, suggesting Spur and Many Moons, won annual passes.)

Boxoffice, June 15, 1957: “Chinook’s newest enterprise, the Red Rock Drive-in Theatre, was opened to the public recently for the first time by Herb Bonifas. The Red Rock, which will accommodate 200 cars, is equipped with RCA sound and has a CinemaScope screen.”

kennerado
kennerado on September 3, 2021 at 2:50 pm

opened on May 22nd, 1957.

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore on September 3, 2021 at 4:03 pm

We have overwhelming evidence that the Red Rock opened in May 1957. (kennerado, I presume you found that date in the Great Falls Tribune.) So what should we make of the aerial photo I just posted, showing a small drive-in at 190 Taylor Lane in 1956? If HistoricAerials is accurate, Herb Bonifas built his drive-in well in advance of its opening date.

And according to Google Earth, the original projection building and screen are still there.

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