Auto-In Drive-In

2001 Anderson Ferry Road,
Cincinnati, OH 45238

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Additional Info

Previous Names: Auto-In Outdoor Drive-In

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Auto-In Drive-In

The Auto-In Outdoor Drive-In was opened April 22, 1947, screening the 1945 musical “Diamond Horseshoe” with Betty Grable, Dick Haymes and Phil Silvers. It was opened by Harry Brown, Edward J. Moore and Jerome J. Kunz (dba Auto-In Theatre Co.). All three gentlemen were employed by the county. In July 1949, they would open the Dent Auto Theatre.

The new ozoner could park 400 cars with RCA in-a-car speakers. On April 1, 1949 it was renamed Auto-In Drive-In. Theatres Owner Corp.(TOC) from Cincinnati, OH was the booking and buying agency starting in 1952. In 1968, Marshall H. Fine (dba Associated Theatres from Cleveland, OH) took over the operation of the Auto-In and the Dent Auto. Fine formed the Cincinnati Theatre Co. to operate his Cincinnati interests.

In May 1971, Cincinnati Theatre Co. sold the Auto-In to Roy B. White (dba Mid-State Theatres). The sale also included the Dent Drive-In and the Twin Drive-In. I believe the last operators of the Auto-In were Holiday Amusements from Hamilton, OH. until 1982 when it closed for good. The Auto-In was demolished and an office building is on the site.

Contributed by Randy Studer, Marc Edward Heuck

Recent comments (view all 11 comments)

pianoman
pianoman on December 24, 2004 at 8:37 am

Gee whiz, I haven’t heard of this one either! If only it would’ve survived, I would have given anything to see a movie here! (I’ve never even been to a drive in.)

Mike Rogers
Mike Rogers on March 29, 2010 at 7:01 pm

okay,Believe or not this same double features plays at the Hilltop Drive-in in North Augusta, S.C. “MAGNUM FORCE” and “THE MACKINTOSH MAN” . This double feature is also playing at the TWIN DRIVE-IN in Cincinnati.August 9 1974.

Joeallen
Joeallen on September 25, 2010 at 3:01 pm

The last time I was at the Auto In was whatever year “The Bad News Bears” was playing and I took the kids to see it. Had a Ford station wagon at the time and I would back it into the space and the kids would sit on the tailgate watching the movie. The wife and I had lawn chairs along side of them. Those were the days. I really miss those days!!! The kids are now grown and on their own.

Mike Rogers
Mike Rogers on June 22, 2011 at 10:04 pm

1976 on the “Bears” i think.

rivest266
rivest266 on May 31, 2015 at 10:24 am

April 22nd, 1947 grand opening ad in photo section.

meheuck
meheuck on January 30, 2021 at 9:11 pm

Apparently, the Auto-In was rechristened Captain Kidd in the early ‘80s. I found a newspaper ad and uploaded it here.

Also, the address should be changed to 2501 Anderson Ferry Rd.

Drive-In 54
Drive-In 54 on January 30, 2021 at 10:05 pm

The address is correct…I believe that was a misprint on the movie ad. The Auto-In opened as the Auto-In and closed as the Auto-In

meheuck
meheuck on February 7, 2021 at 10:12 pm

Both the ad for THE ROAD WARRIOR listing the Auto-In and for SWEET SIXTEEN listing it as the Captain Kidd read 2501 Anderson Ferry Rd.

I grew up in Cincinnati devouring the movie pages as a child, and I remember much fanfare in the drive-in listings promoting the “new” Captain Kidd, so that is not a misprint. Maybe they gave up the new name after one season and went back to calling the place Auto-In, but that alternate name is not a mistake.

http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/8490/photos/334715

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore on July 27, 2021 at 4:53 pm

Boxoffice, May 7, 1949: “Feature of the Western Hills Auto-In Theatre, Aurora, Ind. (sic), is a show garden planted with 1,500 tulips and Paul’s scarlet climbing roses arranged to grow over the front fence. The drive-in has been equipped with a children’s playground and new neon lighting on the screen tower. It is located on Anderson Ferry road, between Sidney road and Crookshank.”

davidcoppock
davidcoppock on November 8, 2022 at 5:10 am

Reopened as Auto-in Drive-in on 1st April 1949 with “Drums”.

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