Westbury Drive-In

Wow! Marilyn Monroe and Robert Mitchum on a 130' Cinemascope screen. Life was sweet back in the day.

in the mid to late 80s my parents and i went to the drive in a lot and now they tell me about getting a kick out of seeing these dogs and cats on the screen before the shows started for the evening. i really dont remember too well as i was so young.

Hello, can someone tell me where I can find information as to what movies played at the Westbury drive in…in the summer of 1996?? Thanks

I guess it was the late 60’s when I saw some Jerry Lewis film and I may have seen the Long Long Trailer with Lucy .

Lost Memory, is it possible that the fact that the highway was always backed up (traffic-wise) on both sides due to people trying to enter the Sunrise Drive-In contributed to that drive-in’s ultimate closing down? Just curious.

btw—sounds like you all had lots of fun going to the drive-ins.

Thanks Jim Bono for sending me this site. I managed the Westbury Drive-In in the early 80’s and know at least 2 people writing into this forum – Bill Mitchell who took over as manager of the Drive-In when I became Divsion Manager, and Bob Tooley who managed the Cinema 150 Theatre in Syosset(Woodbury). Bob was fortunate and deserving to run the premier showcase of UA theatres in Nassau County, at the time. Beautifully run and maintained and I’m glad to let Bob know that now. Bill, hope you see this and thanks for the cases of nacho trays when I needed them.
My e-mail is

The “information” contradicts that in the CT listing. Where did that website find a capacity of 1,900 cars? Wikipedia?

If I remember the dating scene at the Westbury or for that matter any drive in during the good old 1960’s…wasn’t the date a success if you didn’t get see much of what was on the screen!!

BMitchell, I just noticed the initial description stating a capacity of 950 cars. You guys were bigger than that, I’m sure. We were listed around 800 cars in theater #1 and 600 cars in theater #2, over at Bay Shore.

We were drive-in people. I cannot remember my Dad ever going to the movies in a standard theater. He simply refused. Oddly, he WAS always willing to go to the drive in. When I was a child we went regularly. All 6 of us would pile in the white station wagon. My sisters were older and stayed awake for the whole movie. My brother and I were little and since we always fell asleep, we went in our pj’s with sleeping bags. We bought our own popcorn and sodas. If my sisters had money they
went to the concession stand, probably to check out the boys. The inevitably led to a lecture by my Dad about wasting money. We all listened. My Mom tactfully agreed. They went anyway. I cannot tell you how much fun our family drive-in excursions were. I don’t remember any of the movies, but I do remember those times as some of the happiest of my childhood.

In March, 1977, the UA Westbury Drive-In was “pleased to announce a new low price admission policy. Now $3 per carload.” The current booking was a double bill of “Marathon Man” and “Straw Dogs.” Advertising also boasted of a “free children’s playground.”

It’s great having those pictures on the site. Thanks Ed and B Mitchell. I really enjoyed doing maintenance work at this theater, in the 80’s and 90’s. This was a cool theater, and actually had the unusual duty of being the UA Nassau DM’s, office, many years ago (very rare for a DI: most DM’s wanted their office to be in an indoor theater). That’s a rather useless fact; but more seriously, there’s a whole generation out there that has no idea what a Drive-In Theater is. It’s a shame.
BMitchell, did you ever think the nearest DI would be in Orange County? Also, I’m guessing you don’t have a white Mustang anymore?
JP

This is a 1954 photo. Its an Ebay link so I don’t know how long it will last.