Motion Picture Exhibitor, June 13, 1962: “Amos Page has taken over the operation of the Capada Drive In, Floydada, Tex. He operates the Avalon and Derby Drive-In at McLean, Tex. In addition page buys and books for the Rogue and Mustange (sic), Wheeler, and the Rogue and Matador Drive In at Matador, Tex. and the Bearcat Drive In at Erock (sic), Okla.”
Motion Picture Exhibitor, May 30, 1962: “The screen tower at the Skyway Drive-In, Mattoon, Ill., a Frisina theatre, blew down. As a result, the Charleston, Ill., drive-in will go into a full time operation.”
Motion Picture Exhibitor, May 23, 1962: “East Prairie Drive-In, East Prairie, Mo., was taken over April 1 by Clyde Gregory. The former owner was Mrs. G. McGee.”
Motion Picture Exhibitor, May 2 1962: “Fred Smith, Belton, Tex., has taken over operation of the Preston Royal and the 77 Drive-In, Cameron, where the Milam was destroyed by fire last year.”
Motion Picture Exhibitor, May 2 1962: “Fred Smith, Belton, Tex., has taken over operation of the Preston Royal and the 77 Drive-In, Cameron, where the Milam was destroyed by fire last year.”
The May 2, 1962 issue of Motion Picture Exhibitor printed a letter from the president of the Chicagoland Drive-In Theatre Association accusing the 53 Drive-In (and the nearby Starlite) of booking up to five features on a program and then skipping a reel or two of each. I have no idea whether that was ever true, and I’d never heard of that practice until I read that letter today.
Motion Picture Exhibitor, April 25, 1962: “A tornado wrecked much of the business section at Mineola, Tex. About 80 children in the Select watching "One, Two, Three,” escaped injury although the theatre front was blown out. Employees evacuated the children without panic."
There are a zillion notes of drive-in burglaries, but this one was different enough to share. Motion Picture Exhibitor, April 18, 1962: “Police arrested three men and their wives looting the snack bar of the Fiesta Drive-In, El Paso, Tex., which is owned and operated by William M. Burke.”
An odd note in the Feb. 13, 1957 issue of Variety: “Earl Hargis whose ozoner is near Lebanon, had closed it for an indefinite period and no relighting date has been set for another in the same area.”
Motion Picture Exhibitor, March 7, 1962: “The SkiHi Drive-In, Lebanon, has been sold to Olen Barton, of St. Louis.”
Motion Picture Exhibitor, April 18, 1962: “Another drive-in, the Ski-Hi, Lebanon, Mo., was sold again. Olen Barton, who bought it recently from Earl Hargis, has sold it to Howard E. Thompson.”
From the 1962 Theatre Catalog (AKA the April 4, 1962 issue of Motion Picture Exhibitor), which I believe is in the public domain. The original caption:
Above photo shows projectionist of the modern North Star Drive-In, Denver, Col. converting one of two new Norelco Universal 70/35mm projectors. With a 135 ft. screen, the North Star is built on terrain that slopes towards the screen providing a natural amphitheatre effect. The two projectors must throw 552 ft. to fill the wide North Star screen with picture. Management of the Wolfsberg Theatre circuit, owners, report that the 70mm picture fills the giant screen with “brilliant” light.
This was one of the photos of the Q-Twin published in the 1962 Theatre Catalog (AKA the April 4, 1962 issue of Motion Picture Exhibitor), which I understand to be in the public domain.
Billboard’s 1952 notes indicate that the Tower opened a few months before the Rietta, but otherwise, this story checks out. Motion Picture Exhibitor, Jan. 30, 1963: “Soon after opening his Rietta Drive-In at Henrietta, Tex., several years ago, an opposition drive-in was opened on the other side of town, but this one didn’t do so well; Claude Thorp bought the property. Now Thorp is constructing a building on the drive-in land for a garage and used car lot. Thorp has the Rietta and Dorothy, an indoor house in Henrietta, the Gem in Ryan, the Empress in Waurika, and a theatre in Burkburnett.”
Motion Picture Exhibitor, Dec. 19, 1962: “Mrs. Virgil Harris, exhibitor from Malden, Mo., died Nov. 29. She and her husband operated the Liberty, Malden, and the All-Star Drive-In, Holcomb.”
Pawnshop, apparently that was related. Motion Picture Exhibitor, Nov. 7, 1962: “Lloyd Stone opened his new Pam, Madisonville, Tex., which was named after his seeing eye dog.”
Motion Picture Exhibitor, Oct. 31, 1962: “The Trail Drive-In, El Paso, has been sold by Richard Roland to a partnership of Dallas, Tex., businessmen, Wooley, Kreiger and Hager.”
Motion Picture Exhibitor, Oct. 24, 1962: “The Twin Drive-In, Amarillo, Tex., has constructed a well lighted fence separating the two screen areas with a two lane exit. With different programs now showing on each screen, another marquee has been constructed above the box office, denoting the choice the patron must make on entering the drive-in, according to Kenneth Lane, manager.”
It lasted through at least 1962. Motion Picture Exhibitor, Oct. 24, 1962: “The Route 4 Drive-In, Thayer, Ill., closed (for the season) Sept. 30. It is owned by Bill Smith.”
Motion Picture Exhibitor, Sept. 19, 1962: “Don Gilbert and his partner Ross Erlow have reported that they have closed the LaRita, Delhart, Tex., and the building has been sold. They operate the Mission, an indoor house, and the El Rancho Drive-In, Dalhart.”
Motion Picture Exhibitor, Sept. 19, 1962: “Don Gilbert and his partner Ross Erlow have reported that they have closed the LaRita, Delhart, Tex., and the building has been sold.”
Motion Picture Exhibitor, Sept. 19, 1962: “The Tascosa Drive-In, Amarillo, Tex., is now free of the detour maze as the expressway construction has extended beyond the drive-in. Alex Gilbert, manager, has opened the back exit to relieve the traffic snarl.”
Motion Picture Exhibitor, Aug. 15, 1962: “Crossroads Theatres has reopened the Skyway Drive-In, Amarillo, Tex., with Mexican made pictures on a double bill at $1 a carload.”
Motion Picture Exhibitor, Aug. 1, 1962: “Services were held for Mary Worley Oliver, 84, at Shamrock, Tex. … Mr. and Mrs. Oliver in 1921 opened the Liberty at Shamrock and later the new Liberty and Texas.”
Motion Picture Exhibitor, June 13, 1962: “Amos Page has taken over the operation of the Capada Drive In, Floydada, Tex. He operates the Avalon and Derby Drive-In at McLean, Tex. In addition page buys and books for the Rogue and Mustange (sic), Wheeler, and the Rogue and Matador Drive In at Matador, Tex. and the Bearcat Drive In at Erock (sic), Okla.”
Motion Picture Exhibitor, May 30, 1962: “The screen tower at the Skyway Drive-In, Mattoon, Ill., a Frisina theatre, blew down. As a result, the Charleston, Ill., drive-in will go into a full time operation.”
Motion Picture Exhibitor, May 23, 1962: “East Prairie Drive-In, East Prairie, Mo., was taken over April 1 by Clyde Gregory. The former owner was Mrs. G. McGee.”
Motion Picture Exhibitor, May 2 1962: “Fred Smith, Belton, Tex., has taken over operation of the Preston Royal and the 77 Drive-In, Cameron, where the Milam was destroyed by fire last year.”
Motion Picture Exhibitor, May 2 1962: “Fred Smith, Belton, Tex., has taken over operation of the Preston Royal and the 77 Drive-In, Cameron, where the Milam was destroyed by fire last year.”
The May 2, 1962 issue of Motion Picture Exhibitor printed a letter from the president of the Chicagoland Drive-In Theatre Association accusing the 53 Drive-In (and the nearby Starlite) of booking up to five features on a program and then skipping a reel or two of each. I have no idea whether that was ever true, and I’d never heard of that practice until I read that letter today.
Motion Picture Exhibitor, April 25, 1962: “A tornado wrecked much of the business section at Mineola, Tex. About 80 children in the Select watching "One, Two, Three,” escaped injury although the theatre front was blown out. Employees evacuated the children without panic."
There are a zillion notes of drive-in burglaries, but this one was different enough to share. Motion Picture Exhibitor, April 18, 1962: “Police arrested three men and their wives looting the snack bar of the Fiesta Drive-In, El Paso, Tex., which is owned and operated by William M. Burke.”
An odd note in the Feb. 13, 1957 issue of Variety: “Earl Hargis whose ozoner is near Lebanon, had closed it for an indefinite period and no relighting date has been set for another in the same area.”
Motion Picture Exhibitor, March 7, 1962: “The SkiHi Drive-In, Lebanon, has been sold to Olen Barton, of St. Louis.”
Motion Picture Exhibitor, April 18, 1962: “Another drive-in, the Ski-Hi, Lebanon, Mo., was sold again. Olen Barton, who bought it recently from Earl Hargis, has sold it to Howard E. Thompson.”
From the 1962 Theatre Catalog (AKA the April 4, 1962 issue of Motion Picture Exhibitor), which I believe is in the public domain. The original caption:
Above photo shows projectionist of the modern North Star Drive-In, Denver, Col. converting one of two new Norelco Universal 70/35mm projectors. With a 135 ft. screen, the North Star is built on terrain that slopes towards the screen providing a natural amphitheatre effect. The two projectors must throw 552 ft. to fill the wide North Star screen with picture. Management of the Wolfsberg Theatre circuit, owners, report that the 70mm picture fills the giant screen with “brilliant” light.
This was one of the photos of the Q-Twin published in the 1962 Theatre Catalog (AKA the April 4, 1962 issue of Motion Picture Exhibitor), which I understand to be in the public domain.
Motion Picture Exhibitor, March 28, 1962: “The Fairview Drive-In, Newton, Ill., has been sold by C. B. Simmons to Joe Hasler and Lamar Kinder.”
Billboard’s 1952 notes indicate that the Tower opened a few months before the Rietta, but otherwise, this story checks out. Motion Picture Exhibitor, Jan. 30, 1963: “Soon after opening his Rietta Drive-In at Henrietta, Tex., several years ago, an opposition drive-in was opened on the other side of town, but this one didn’t do so well; Claude Thorp bought the property. Now Thorp is constructing a building on the drive-in land for a garage and used car lot. Thorp has the Rietta and Dorothy, an indoor house in Henrietta, the Gem in Ryan, the Empress in Waurika, and a theatre in Burkburnett.”
Motion Picture Exhibitor, Jan. 9, 1963: “Sam Kellog has taken over operation of the Surf Drive-In and the Palm Drive-In, Corpus Christi, Tex.”
Motion Picture Exhibitor, Jan. 9, 1963: “Sam Kellog has taken over operation of the Surf Drive-In and the Palm Drive-In, Corpus Christi, Tex.”
Motion Picture Exhibitor, Dec. 19, 1962: “Mrs. Virgil Harris, exhibitor from Malden, Mo., died Nov. 29. She and her husband operated the Liberty, Malden, and the All-Star Drive-In, Holcomb.”
Pawnshop, apparently that was related. Motion Picture Exhibitor, Nov. 7, 1962: “Lloyd Stone opened his new Pam, Madisonville, Tex., which was named after his seeing eye dog.”
Motion Picture Exhibitor, Oct. 31, 1962: “The Trail Drive-In, El Paso, has been sold by Richard Roland to a partnership of Dallas, Tex., businessmen, Wooley, Kreiger and Hager.”
Motion Picture Exhibitor, Oct. 24, 1962: “The Twin Drive-In, Amarillo, Tex., has constructed a well lighted fence separating the two screen areas with a two lane exit. With different programs now showing on each screen, another marquee has been constructed above the box office, denoting the choice the patron must make on entering the drive-in, according to Kenneth Lane, manager.”
It lasted through at least 1962. Motion Picture Exhibitor, Oct. 24, 1962: “The Route 4 Drive-In, Thayer, Ill., closed (for the season) Sept. 30. It is owned by Bill Smith.”
Motion Picture Exhibitor, Sept. 19, 1962: “Don Gilbert and his partner Ross Erlow have reported that they have closed the LaRita, Delhart, Tex., and the building has been sold. They operate the Mission, an indoor house, and the El Rancho Drive-In, Dalhart.”
Motion Picture Exhibitor, Sept. 19, 1962: “Don Gilbert and his partner Ross Erlow have reported that they have closed the LaRita, Delhart, Tex., and the building has been sold.”
Motion Picture Exhibitor, Sept. 19, 1962: “The Tascosa Drive-In, Amarillo, Tex., is now free of the detour maze as the expressway construction has extended beyond the drive-in. Alex Gilbert, manager, has opened the back exit to relieve the traffic snarl.”
Motion Picture Exhibitor, Aug. 15, 1962: “Crossroads Theatres has reopened the Skyway Drive-In, Amarillo, Tex., with Mexican made pictures on a double bill at $1 a carload.”
Motion Picture Exhibitor, Aug. 1, 1962: “Services were held for Mary Worley Oliver, 84, at Shamrock, Tex. … Mr. and Mrs. Oliver in 1921 opened the Liberty at Shamrock and later the new Liberty and Texas.”