Boxoffice, Feb. 27, 1966: “Clarence Calland’s Atomic Drive-In, Edgemont, S.D., was damaged badly due to high winds”
Boxoffice, July 16, 1979: “Clarence Calland has sold the Atomic Drive-In Theatre in Edgemont, S.D., to Tony Fries, who is a resident of the nearby town of Custer, S.D.”
Boxoffice, Feb. 13, 1967: “Video Theatres has purchased the Fiesta Drive-In at Las Cruces, N. M., from U. A. Kane, who had operated it and the former Rocket Drive-In there for many years. Kane now will concentrate on his two drive-ins in El Paso, Tex.”
Boxoffice, April 18, 1966: “FLORENCE, COLO. – The Rialto Theatre, which endured six long, cold years of darkness and silence, has now been in operation again for more than a month under the able direction of Harold Andrews. … the Rialto in Florence had encountered hard times after being operated from 1916 on by the McCormick family. Finally, in 1959, after trying running the Rialto on weekends only, Harold McCormick closed the doors permanently … before giving it up to Everett Cole … Early this year, Andrews leased the theatre from Cole … and began remodeling for the March 5 reopening.”
Boxoffice, Dec. 5, 1966: “The Rialto Theatre, Florence, has been closed”
Boxoffice, Oct. 17, 1966: “Black Hills Amusement Co. has taken over operation of the State Theatre and Sioux Drive-In at Rapid City. The State had been operated by John George and the Sioux had been operated by his son Tom.”
Boxoffice, Oct. 31, 1977: “The State Theatre, Rapid City, and the Gem Theatre, Riverton, Wyo., have been reopened by Commonwealth and both theatres will be operating on a first-run basis.”
Boxoffice, Oct. 17, 1966: “Black Hills Amusement Co. has taken over operation of the State Theatre and Sioux Drive-In at Rapid City. The State had been operated by John George and the Sioux had been operated by his son Tom.”
Boxoffice, April 15, 1963: The Trail Theatre … suffered $3,000 in marquee damage when a truck ran into and completely demolished the triangular portion of the marquee."
Boxoffice, Aug. 8, 1966: “Dorrance Schmidt has permanently closed the Trail Theatre, Bridgeport, Neb.”
Boxoffice, Dec. 6, 1965: “George Kelloff, Star Drive-In, Monte Vista, has taken over operation of the Monte Vista Granada Theatre. The house was operated by Atlas Theatres prior to its closing several months ago. At the theatre, now to be called the Vali, Kelloff is installing a new screen, new marquee, new front, new snack bar, as well as carrying out a reseating and redecorating project.”
Boxoffice, April 18, 1966: “(George) Kelloff, after remodeling the former Granada Theatre, reopened it Christmas Day under the name of Vali.”
Boxoffice, March 28, 1966: “U. A. Kane has closed and dismantled the Rocket Drive-In, Las Cruces, N.M., and will concentrate on the operation of the twin screen Fiesta Drive-In”
Boxoffice, Oct. 16, 1967: “John Groy has opened his new Comanche Drive-In at Buena Vista, Colo. It has a 250-car capacity and operates in conjunction with the Pearl Theatre.”
One of the earliest cases of someone adding a motel to his drive-in?
Motion Picture Exhibitor, Feb. 29, 1956: “Lou Clemmer, owner of drive-ins at Eaton and Miamisburg, O., is building a 12-unit motel adjacent to his Cruise-In Drive-In, Eaton.”
The April 1, 1959 issue (the 1959 Theatre Catalog edition) of Motion Picture Exhibitor ran a two-page story on the Shandon Drive-In and Hotel-Motel at Seaton. It was apparently the first drive-in with an adjoining motel with rooms wired for movie sound – I wonder whether the later US drive-in motels took any inspiration from that article.
According to Motion Picture Exhibitor, the Shandon-Seaton held 1,003 cars and had a 100x44-foot screen and a dining patio.
“Most of the motel rooms have excellent screen viewing,” said the caption under the photo of the windows that face away from the screen. :) From the April 1, 1959 issue of Motion Picture Exhibitor.
Boxoffice, Sept. 27, 1965: “Frank Aydelotte, an exhibitor for 35 years, has sold his local Aggie Theatre to Carlin Smith of Wesco Theatres, a Cheyenne-based circuit … Transfer of title to the Aggie became effective September 10.”
Boxoffice, July 24, 1967: “Michael Trent has reopened the Pines Theatre at Manassa on a two-change-a-week basis”
Boxoffice, June 19, 1967: “Jim Trabern plans to reopen the Flagler Theatre at Flagler about July 1. The theatre has been closed several years.”
Boxoffice, June 19, 1967: “Paul Cory had taken over operation of the Panhandle Drive-In at Kimball, Neb.”
Boxoffice, May 22, 1967: “Jim and Jack McMillion have sold the Variety Theatre at Akron, Colo., to William Krause”
Boxoffice, Feb. 27, 1966: “Clarence Calland’s Atomic Drive-In, Edgemont, S.D., was damaged badly due to high winds”
Boxoffice, July 16, 1979: “Clarence Calland has sold the Atomic Drive-In Theatre in Edgemont, S.D., to Tony Fries, who is a resident of the nearby town of Custer, S.D.”
Boxoffice, Feb. 13, 1967: “Video Theatres has purchased the Fiesta Drive-In at Las Cruces, N. M., from U. A. Kane, who had operated it and the former Rocket Drive-In there for many years. Kane now will concentrate on his two drive-ins in El Paso, Tex.”
Boxoffice, April 18, 1966: “FLORENCE, COLO. – The Rialto Theatre, which endured six long, cold years of darkness and silence, has now been in operation again for more than a month under the able direction of Harold Andrews. … the Rialto in Florence had encountered hard times after being operated from 1916 on by the McCormick family. Finally, in 1959, after trying running the Rialto on weekends only, Harold McCormick closed the doors permanently … before giving it up to Everett Cole … Early this year, Andrews leased the theatre from Cole … and began remodeling for the March 5 reopening.”
Boxoffice, Dec. 5, 1966: “The Rialto Theatre, Florence, has been closed”
Boxoffice, Oct. 17, 1966: “Black Hills Amusement Co. has taken over operation of the State Theatre and Sioux Drive-In at Rapid City. The State had been operated by John George and the Sioux had been operated by his son Tom.”
Boxoffice, Oct. 31, 1977: “The State Theatre, Rapid City, and the Gem Theatre, Riverton, Wyo., have been reopened by Commonwealth and both theatres will be operating on a first-run basis.”
Boxoffice, Oct. 17, 1966: “Black Hills Amusement Co. has taken over operation of the State Theatre and Sioux Drive-In at Rapid City. The State had been operated by John George and the Sioux had been operated by his son Tom.”
Boxoffice, April 15, 1963: The Trail Theatre … suffered $3,000 in marquee damage when a truck ran into and completely demolished the triangular portion of the marquee."
Boxoffice, Aug. 8, 1966: “Dorrance Schmidt has permanently closed the Trail Theatre, Bridgeport, Neb.”
Boxoffice, June 6, 1966: “Carlin Smith of Cheyenne, Wyo., has sold the Bison Drive-In, McCook, Neb., to Ron Schaffer and John Hubert.”
Boxoffice, Dec. 6, 1965: “George Kelloff, Star Drive-In, Monte Vista, has taken over operation of the Monte Vista Granada Theatre. The house was operated by Atlas Theatres prior to its closing several months ago. At the theatre, now to be called the Vali, Kelloff is installing a new screen, new marquee, new front, new snack bar, as well as carrying out a reseating and redecorating project.”
Boxoffice, April 18, 1966: “(George) Kelloff, after remodeling the former Granada Theatre, reopened it Christmas Day under the name of Vali.”
Boxoffice, March 28, 1966: “U. A. Kane has closed and dismantled the Rocket Drive-In, Las Cruces, N.M., and will concentrate on the operation of the twin screen Fiesta Drive-In”
Boxoffice, Feb. 28, 1966: “Mr. and Mrs. Lamar Gwaltney are building the 600-car Aggie Drive-In at Las Cruces, N.M.”
Boxoffice, Oct. 16, 1967: “John Groy has opened his new Comanche Drive-In at Buena Vista, Colo. It has a 250-car capacity and operates in conjunction with the Pearl Theatre.”
One of the earliest cases of someone adding a motel to his drive-in?
Motion Picture Exhibitor, Feb. 29, 1956: “Lou Clemmer, owner of drive-ins at Eaton and Miamisburg, O., is building a 12-unit motel adjacent to his Cruise-In Drive-In, Eaton.”
The April 1, 1959 issue (the 1959 Theatre Catalog edition) of Motion Picture Exhibitor ran a two-page story on the Shandon Drive-In and Hotel-Motel at Seaton. It was apparently the first drive-in with an adjoining motel with rooms wired for movie sound – I wonder whether the later US drive-in motels took any inspiration from that article.
According to Motion Picture Exhibitor, the Shandon-Seaton held 1,003 cars and had a 100x44-foot screen and a dining patio.
“Most of the motel rooms have excellent screen viewing,” said the caption under the photo of the windows that face away from the screen. :) From the April 1, 1959 issue of Motion Picture Exhibitor.
From the April 1, 1959 issue of Motion Picture Exhibitor
From the April 1, 1959 issue of Motion Picture Exhibitor
Boxoffice, Sept. 27, 1965: “Frank Aydelotte, an exhibitor for 35 years, has sold his local Aggie Theatre to Carlin Smith of Wesco Theatres, a Cheyenne-based circuit … Transfer of title to the Aggie became effective September 10.”
Boxoffice, Sept. 13, 1965: “Considerable damage was done to Al Kane’s Fiesta Drive-In, Las Cruces, N.M., by flash floods”
Boxoffice, May 10, 1965: “The Sunset Drive-In, Bridgeport, Neb., closed several years, has been reopened”
Boxoffice, April 12, 1965: “Jim Paxton, a resident of Durango, has taken over operation of the Ricon (sic) Drive-In, Aztec, N.M.”
Boxoffice, June 29, 1964: “J. C. West has closed the Sahara Drive-In, Grants, N. M., and is operating the Trails and West theatres”