53 Drive-In
Route 53 at Route 12 (Northwest Highway),
Palatine,
IL
60074
Route 53 at Route 12 (Northwest Highway),
Palatine,
IL
60074
2 people
favorited this theater
One of the more popular of the suburban Chicago-area drive-in theaters, the 53 Drive-In originally opened in 1960 with a single screen and a capacity from 765 cars. It was located near Routes 12 and 53 in the northwestern suburb of Palatine.
In the mid-1970’s, two more screens were added to the 53. Until the 1980’s, the 53 played everything from art movies to Z-grade horror movies to adult films. During its last few years in operation, the 53 Drive-In played mainly mainstream commercial Hollywood fare.
It closed in 1986 and was demolished a year later to make way for a UPS shipping facility.
Contributed by
Bryan Krefft
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Recent comments (view all 12 comments)
“It closed in 1986 and was demolished a year later to make way for a UPS shipping facility.” Nice move, UPS!
I remember flying up 53 with my girlfriend as the sun set, trying to get there before the movie started. The car was a 72 Plymouth with a huge hood. My would cover up in blankets and lay on the hood and watch the movies in the open air-it was GREAT!!! I really miss tghis one!!!
Remember The 53 From 1962 to 1967 With all the kids from Palatine .Had some of the best times and memories of my life there.Sure miss it! Grits
I believe the place opened with CLEOPATRA and much fanfare. There was a playground (very low-rent) beneath the screen which was slowly consumed by the earth beneath it. I remember seeing a double bill of PEYTON PLACE and SINK THE BISMARK as a kid, but coming back as a teen to sneak in beers and (not so successfully)try to “make out” with dates. Another double bill, barely remembered from this ear was BARBARELLA and THE GREEN BERET.
By the time multiple screen were added, the place was turning into a open air gindhouse I vividly remember seeing rats run between the cars as LOVE CAMP 7 played on one of the screens. I also remember a cop coming by to shine a flashlight in our car during the winter (very Orwellian) because they could, I guess.
The stories about car wrecks due to passersby trying to catch a glimpse of the porno flicks was at least reported as true by the local press.
By the early 70s, more discriminating tastes headed to Wheeling’s TWIN DRIVE-IN where we could watch airplanes land next door should the movie get too boring.
Ten minutes to showtime….
Seen as a 5 picture marathon in around 1980:
Massacre at Central High
Night of the Living Dead
The Corpse Grinders
The Rats are Coming, the Werewolves are Here
I begged my Mom to take me to this monster fest and she did. However, by the time “rats” rolled, it was enough. I don’t remember what the fifth movie was as we didn’t see it.
I guess my girlfriend and I were among the earliest patrons of the 53 Drive-In as we frequented it in 1960-61 from our homes in Barrington. I never had any money so I’d hide her in the trunk to avoid paying admission, which I believe was 50 cents. Yes, I got curious looks from those in the ticket booth when I drove in, seemingly alone.
Remember those in-car heaters? These were the times of which fond memories were made.
BarringtonBob
Here is a 1982 marquee photo:
http://tinyurl.com/mnfdb3
Another beauty.
There was an article about the 53 Drive-In, June 1960, from Boxoffice magazine:
http://tinyurl.com/yagbgqr
The 53 Drive-in was at Hicks Road (Old Route 53) just south of Route 12, which is Rand Road (Northwest Highway is Route 14).
My friends and I saw Purple Rain at the 53 Drive-in. What a hoot, a carload of girls in a Firebird watching Prince. Can you imagine? Tinny little drive-in speaker hanging on the window for a music concert movie! We had big hair, big shoulder pads, and thought we were So Cool.