Sunset Drive-In
4205 West Chestnut Expressway,
Springfield,
MO
65802
4205 West Chestnut Expressway,
Springfield,
MO
65802
1 person
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The Sunset Drive-In opened in 1950 as a single screen ozoner and was operated by Commonwealth Amusement. It closed in 1985 and was later demolished and the property was made into a trailer park.
Contributed by
Chuck Van Bibber
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Recent comments (view all 3 comments)
When I worked for Commonwealth in the ‘70s, I was sometimes asked to help out at another manager’s theater in an emergency. My most vivid memory of the Sunset (and this was my childhood theater)was a second run showing of “Smokey and the Bandit”. I was asked to rush over to help on opening night. When I arrived, I was stunned to see a line of cars on Chestnut Expressway stretching(I found out later)over three miles! It must have been timing, but the entire run of the show,all summer, was mostly like that. For once in its life, The Sunset had broken attendence and concession sales for the entire chain. I’ve never seen a sight like that again, even opening day of “Star Wars” at my theater, The Queen City Twin.
The Sunset Drive-In had a capacity for 546 cars.
I was a manager in late 69-70.