Western Star Drive-In
714 Elkdom Avenue,
Holbrook,
AZ
86025
714 Elkdom Avenue,
Holbrook,
AZ
86025
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The Western Star Drive-In was opened on March 19, 1955 with Alan Ladd in “Branded”. It was closed on May 13, 1955. There was another drive-in theatre, the 66 Drive-In across the street from this drive-in. Also, the site of this drive-in is now houses but right next to the site of the old drive-in theater is a hotel who’s address I used.
Contributed by
daniel
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Recent comments (view all 9 comments)
Historic Aerials' topo maps for 1957-69 show two drive-ins across Route 66 from each other. Based on Daniel’s descriptions, the one to the east was probably the 66 Drive-In. This would have been the other one, west of the highway and south of Hermosa Road, but was it called the Indian?
The Motion Picture Almanac series mentions only two drive-ins, ever, for Holbrook. One was the 66, and the other was the Western Star, capacity 200, owned by Robert Young. The Western Star was listed in the 1956-59 editions of the MPA, then fell off in 1960, the same as its competitor across the highway.
From the March 14, 1955, Arizona Republic: “Robert Young has announced the opening this week of his new Western Star drive-in theater on Mesa Bonita, (x?) miles northeast of Holbrook.”
In the May 22, 1980, Holbrook Tribune News, its 25 Years Ago (May 1955) notes included: “The Western Star Drive-In offered a double feature which included Riding Shotgun, with Randolph Scott, and His Majesty O'Keefe, starring Burt Lancaster.”
i have that too but maybe it was called the indian at one point?
What source do you have that says there was an Indian Drive-In in Holbrook?
I saw an undated pdf of an old Film Daily Year Book that mentioned an Indian Drive-In, and someone else’s roundup of dead Arizona drive-ins. Who knows what their original source might have been.
But I did find this from Phoenix’s Arizona Republic, March 26, 1955: “HOLBROOK – A large crowd, including many from neighboring towns, attended the opening of the new Western Star drive-in theater here this week. Located at Mesa Bonita, just northeast of Holbrook, the theater is owned by Mr. and Mrs. Robert Young and Young’s mother, Elizabeth Young.”
From the April 13, 1955 issue of The Exhibitor: “Another new drive-in to increase the fast growing number in Arizona is the Northern (sic) Star, Holbrook. Ozoner is owned by Robert Young.”
Just got back from Holbrook where I spent a few hours at the local library trying to nail this down.
First and foremost, I was wrong about which drive-in was which. The Western Star was on the east side of 66, as indicated by its grand opening ad, which I’ve uploaded here. (If I had been smart, I would have noticed the Arizona Republic’s mention of the Mesa Bonita neighborhood on the east side of the road.) Also, the Western Star opened on March 19, 1955.
Please update the address to 714 Elkdom Avenue, Holbrook, AZ 86025.
Opened on 19/3/1955 with “Branded”.
Boxoffice, May 14, 1955: “HOLBROOK, ARIZ. – Robert R. Young opened his Western Star Drive-In here recently and has been enjoying a good spring business. The airer has a modern snack bar capable of handle more than 200 cars. Young built and operated a drive-in in (Dove) Creek, Colo., before coming to Holbrook.”
That surprises me. As I wrote in my book, Drive-Ins of Route 66, the Western Star’s final movie ad in the local newspaper was on May 13, when it begged, “This is your home-owned Drive-In – Your Patronage will help our town grow.” The 66 Drive-In, run by the Nace group that also owned the town’s indoor Roxy, was too much competition for the Western Star.