Boxoffice, Oct. 27, 1951: “Ralph Green and associates, local conventional and drive-in theatre circuit owners, are selling one of their ozoners, the Racine, Wis., drive-in, to the Pappas chain.”
Boxoffice, Oct. 27, 1951: “Bennie Berger, whose present circuit comprises 14 conventional theatres … will enter the ozoner field next spring with the construction of a 370-car drive-in at Fergus Falls.”
Motion Picture Herald, March 8, 1947: “Pat Harrington, Denver music teacher, buys Isis, Victor, Colo., from D. Mavrogianes.”
Boxoffice, June 19, 1948: “D. J. Mavevgraves has sold the Isis, Vistor (sic), Colo., to M. B. Lovejoy”
Boxoffice, Aug. 28, 1948: “VICTOR, COLO. – The Isis Theatre here reopened recently under the management of Mr. and Mrs. George M. Lovejoy, who purchased the house a few weeks ago. The Isis was extensively remodeled by the new owners.”
Boxoffice, Oct. 20, 1951: “Vincel Fallonsbee has bought the Isis in Victor, Colo., from owners Searle and Denman”
Boxoffice, April 21, 1951: “KIRKLAND, WASH. - Outside the Sunset Drive-In is a concrete backyard bomb shelter, featured prominently in a recent issue of Life magazine. Manager Clark Thompson has installed a kiddy playground and an eye-level screen. The drive-in is located four miles east of the Mercer island end of the Floating bridge.”
Boxoffice, Oct. 20, 1951: “The Wonder Playground at the Sunset Drive-In located just off the Sunset highway at Factoria, Wash., is a very popular spot with its slides and swings.”
Boxoffice, Oct. 6, 1951: “Richard E. Nohlgren and Harold Hanson who designed and built the first drive-in theatre in the Dakotas, at Sioux Falls, back in 1948, have now designed a mobile refreshment unit to "go where the people are.” Called the Eskimo-Kreme Kar, it is a self-contained unit built on a special automotive chassis which includes full 230 volt power necessary to operate the equipment … the car can be operated during the day on neighborhood routes and parked near the rear ramps of the drive-in theatre at night."
Boxoffice, Sept. 29, 1951: “A 500-car capacity drive-in will be built north of Colville. M. A. Hadfield of the Alpine Theatre here started construction September 17. Work will be completed next spring. Construction is expected to cost between $60,000 and $70,000. Hadfield said work on the screen tower will be completed before it snows, then terracing of the theatre and installation of sound and picture equipment will be finished for a June opening.”
By the way, the entire Sunset site is now completely within the Gearhart city limits, per Google Maps.
Most of the houses that populate the site get their mail from the Gearhart post office. Examples include 258 W Kershul Cir, about where the Sunset screen had been; 497 E Kershul Cir, the first house on the old entrance road (now 5th St); and 352 E Kershul Cir, the only house that overlaps the old concession stand site. For some reason, the house at the old boxoffice site, 499 W Kershul Cir, gets its mail from Seaside, which Google Maps shows as being south of Gearhart. Weird!
Boxoffice, Sept. 22, 1951: “Avery Combs of Seaside, Ore., has purchased the interest of Cecil Wright in the Sunset Drive-In at Gearhart, it was learned here recently. The amount of the sale was not given but Combs will be interested with Robert Hennigson and Harold Wright who, with Cecil Wright, constructed the theatre one year ago last April.”
Boxoffice, Sept. 12, 1953: “SEASIDE, ORE. – Robert A. Henningsen has sold his interest in the Sunset Drive-In here to Harold T. Wright and Avery A. Combs. The 500-car open-airer was built in 1950 by Henningsen, Harold and Cecil Wright. Later, Cecil Wright sold his interest to Combs.”
Boxoffice, June 2, 1956: “GEARHART, ORE. – The Sunset Drive-In here has been bought by Mr. and Mrs. Gregory Kershul who purchased it from Coast Theatres, operators of the outdoor theatre since 1950.”
Boxoffice, Sept. 22, 1951: “The Shoreline Drive-In at Reedsport, Ore., has a new treat for the small fry. Every night the theatre is open (which is Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday), youngsters may now ride free the Shetland ponies which Earl Baltazar, owner of the ozoner, has had brought to Reedsport from the Shetland Heaven stables near Gresham. There is no charge but, when the show starts, the riding stops.”
The Sept. 22, 1951 issue of Boxoffice ran a length article about the first anniversary of the Sandy Boulevard and its manager, R. H. Mills. “People often call the theatre for matinee time but, of course, there is none. Inquiries for night show times often are followed with the demand, "Why so late?” To that Mills merely replies, “Did you vote for daylight saving?” … The first anniversary was observed with five days of special programs at the Sandy Boulevard Drive-In, which is owned by Outdoor Theatres, Inc."
Boxoffice, Sept. 22, 1951: “Charles Ereno sold the Owyhee Theatre here to O. J. Thiel of Cottage Grove, Ore., with the latter taking over the first of this month. The Owyhee was built by Ereno and started its prospering business in the community in 1948.”
Please add Iowa City Drive-In as a previous name. It was still listed as such in the 1952 Theatre Catalog, showing a capacity of 392 cars.
Boxoffice, Sept. 22, 1951: “Jim Greene, manager of the Iowa City (Iowa) Drive-In, promoted a home talent show which pleased the audience and attracted extra patronage. The show was staged on top of the concession stand, and Greene reported that the food and sweets sales boomed. Eight amateur acts were presented on a program built around two cowboy singing stars from the local radio station.”
I’d guess that the Motor Vu opened in late summer 1950, based on this.
Boxoffice, Sept. 8, 1951: “The Motor Vu Theatre staff at Coos Bay, Ore., celebrated the ozoner’s first birthday this summer. One night a big cake, donated by Gamer’s bakery, was cut by the staff for patrons.”
Boxoffice, Sept. 1, 1951: “Vincent Youmatz, manager of the Sky-Vue Drive-In at Torrington, Conn., gave patrons an opportunity to see themselves on the big screen and helped to boost his business on two separate nights. Youmatz advertised that a professional photographer would be on hand to film early arrivals at the theatre. After the films were processed they were screened, with most folks coming back to see how they looked ‘in pictures.’”
Boxoffice, Aug. 25, 1951: “Frank Burdick … has taken over operation of the Sage Theatre in Upton, which he purchased in June from William Schloredt. Latter had owned and operated the Upton house for several years.”
Boxoffice, April 1, 1968: “Jerry Bullard is the new owner of the Sage Theatre at Upton, Wyo. The house formerly was operated by Frank Burdick”
Boxoffice, Nov. 26, 1979: “Jerry Bullard is closing the Sage Theatre in Upton, Wyo. The theatre had been in continuous operation since 1936. Bullard has no plans for reopening the facility.”
Boxoffice, Aug. 18, 1951: “The county sheriff’s office got a strange telephone call the other evening, asking, “I know it’s against the law to break INTO a place, but is it against the law to break OUT?” The law officers then learned that H. A. Robinson, his wife and two children had gone to the Motor-In Drive-In, had a flat tire about the time the last show broke. By the time theatre patron Robinson got the tire changed, the ozoner had locked all the gates for the night. So he climbed the airer’s high board fence and walked to a phone to call the sheriff. Deputies located the theatre manager, who came with a key and let the long-suffering movie fan, his wife and two sleeping kids out of the place. That was some two hours after the last show.”
If Google Maps is to believed, the old Redwood site is within the Rohnert Park city limits today. The address of the Walmart that sits where the back of its viewing field has been is 4625 Redwood Dr, Rohnert Park, CA 94928.
Boxoffice, Aug. 18, 1951: “Patrons of the Do Drive-In near Mobile, Ala., were treated to ice cream, cake and chewing gum on the first anniversary of the theatre’s opening. A birthday cake was provided by Manager E. I. Fessler which was intricately decorated and topped with a miniature reproduction of the drive-in, complete with cars, screen, etc.”
In the absence of stronger evidence, my guess was that the Hamlin’s March 1953 opener was just a season opener.
Boxoffice, Aug. 4, 1951: “Simplicity and economy keyed the construction of the new Hamlin Drive-In Theatre, Hamlin, Tex. Owned by Mrs. B. S. Ferguson, the 350-car Hamlin incorporates many comfort features and a few plus values for patrons. The all-steel screen tower is 56 feet high and 60 feet wide, and is covered with corrugated aluminum. The 25x30-foot concession building contains stainless steel equipment. Century projection machines were installed.”
Boxoffice, July 21, 1951: “In a further breakup of the Huish Theatre circuit, Vincent A. Gilhool, manager and operator, has announced sale of two more showhouses. Latest theatres to be disposed of are the Huish and Lyric at Richfield, Utah, to Vern Anderson, operator at Salina. The former, built in memory of the late C. A. Huish, was opened only a couple of years ago. An 800-seat house, it was one of the most elaborate, small-town houses in the west. The latter is a 650-seat theatre. Anderson announced that the houses, particularly the Lyric, would be remodeled.”
Boxoffice, July 21, 1951: “In a further breakup of the Huish Theatre circuit, Vincent A. Gilhool, manager and operator, has announced sale of two more showhouses. Latest theatres to be disposed of are the Huish and Lyric at Richfield, Utah, to Vern Anderson, operator at Salina. The former, built in memory of the late C. A. Huish, was opened only a couple of years ago. An 800-seat house, it was one of the most elaborate, small-town houses in the west. The latter is a 650-seat theatre. Anderson announced that the houses, particularly the Lyric, would be remodeled.”
Boxoffice, July 21, 1951: “Joe Wolcott … the new (boxing) champion, trained for the fight in a drive-in theatre. Using an outdoor theatre as a training site was something new, but it worked profitably at the Rainbow Gardens Drive-In Theatre here. The training ring was set up in front of the screen tower, high enough so spectators could see the workouts from their cars. Special bleachers also were put up closer to the ring for the more avid fans.”
Boxoffice, Oct. 27, 1951: “Ralph Green and associates, local conventional and drive-in theatre circuit owners, are selling one of their ozoners, the Racine, Wis., drive-in, to the Pappas chain.”
Boxoffice, Oct. 27, 1951: “Bennie Berger, whose present circuit comprises 14 conventional theatres … will enter the ozoner field next spring with the construction of a 370-car drive-in at Fergus Falls.”
So many owners' names in such a short time!
Motion Picture Herald, March 8, 1947: “Pat Harrington, Denver music teacher, buys Isis, Victor, Colo., from D. Mavrogianes.”
Boxoffice, June 19, 1948: “D. J. Mavevgraves has sold the Isis, Vistor (sic), Colo., to M. B. Lovejoy”
Boxoffice, Aug. 28, 1948: “VICTOR, COLO. – The Isis Theatre here reopened recently under the management of Mr. and Mrs. George M. Lovejoy, who purchased the house a few weeks ago. The Isis was extensively remodeled by the new owners.”
Boxoffice, Oct. 20, 1951: “Vincel Fallonsbee has bought the Isis in Victor, Colo., from owners Searle and Denman”
Boxoffice, April 21, 1951: “KIRKLAND, WASH. - Outside the Sunset Drive-In is a concrete backyard bomb shelter, featured prominently in a recent issue of Life magazine. Manager Clark Thompson has installed a kiddy playground and an eye-level screen. The drive-in is located four miles east of the Mercer island end of the Floating bridge.”
Boxoffice, Oct. 20, 1951: “The Wonder Playground at the Sunset Drive-In located just off the Sunset highway at Factoria, Wash., is a very popular spot with its slides and swings.”
Boxoffice, Oct. 6, 1951: “Richard E. Nohlgren and Harold Hanson who designed and built the first drive-in theatre in the Dakotas, at Sioux Falls, back in 1948, have now designed a mobile refreshment unit to "go where the people are.” Called the Eskimo-Kreme Kar, it is a self-contained unit built on a special automotive chassis which includes full 230 volt power necessary to operate the equipment … the car can be operated during the day on neighborhood routes and parked near the rear ramps of the drive-in theatre at night."
When did this drive-in open?
Boxoffice, Sept. 29, 1951: “A 500-car capacity drive-in will be built north of Colville. M. A. Hadfield of the Alpine Theatre here started construction September 17. Work will be completed next spring. Construction is expected to cost between $60,000 and $70,000. Hadfield said work on the screen tower will be completed before it snows, then terracing of the theatre and installation of sound and picture equipment will be finished for a June opening.”
By the way, the entire Sunset site is now completely within the Gearhart city limits, per Google Maps.
Most of the houses that populate the site get their mail from the Gearhart post office. Examples include 258 W Kershul Cir, about where the Sunset screen had been; 497 E Kershul Cir, the first house on the old entrance road (now 5th St); and 352 E Kershul Cir, the only house that overlaps the old concession stand site. For some reason, the house at the old boxoffice site, 499 W Kershul Cir, gets its mail from Seaside, which Google Maps shows as being south of Gearhart. Weird!
Boxoffice, Sept. 22, 1951: “Avery Combs of Seaside, Ore., has purchased the interest of Cecil Wright in the Sunset Drive-In at Gearhart, it was learned here recently. The amount of the sale was not given but Combs will be interested with Robert Hennigson and Harold Wright who, with Cecil Wright, constructed the theatre one year ago last April.”
Boxoffice, Sept. 12, 1953: “SEASIDE, ORE. – Robert A. Henningsen has sold his interest in the Sunset Drive-In here to Harold T. Wright and Avery A. Combs. The 500-car open-airer was built in 1950 by Henningsen, Harold and Cecil Wright. Later, Cecil Wright sold his interest to Combs.”
Boxoffice, June 2, 1956: “GEARHART, ORE. – The Sunset Drive-In here has been bought by Mr. and Mrs. Gregory Kershul who purchased it from Coast Theatres, operators of the outdoor theatre since 1950.”
Boxoffice, Sept. 22, 1951: “The Shoreline Drive-In at Reedsport, Ore., has a new treat for the small fry. Every night the theatre is open (which is Friday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday), youngsters may now ride free the Shetland ponies which Earl Baltazar, owner of the ozoner, has had brought to Reedsport from the Shetland Heaven stables near Gresham. There is no charge but, when the show starts, the riding stops.”
The Sept. 22, 1951 issue of Boxoffice ran a length article about the first anniversary of the Sandy Boulevard and its manager, R. H. Mills. “People often call the theatre for matinee time but, of course, there is none. Inquiries for night show times often are followed with the demand, "Why so late?” To that Mills merely replies, “Did you vote for daylight saving?” … The first anniversary was observed with five days of special programs at the Sandy Boulevard Drive-In, which is owned by Outdoor Theatres, Inc."
Boxoffice, Sept. 22, 1951: “Charles Ereno sold the Owyhee Theatre here to O. J. Thiel of Cottage Grove, Ore., with the latter taking over the first of this month. The Owyhee was built by Ereno and started its prospering business in the community in 1948.”
Please add Iowa City Drive-In as a previous name. It was still listed as such in the 1952 Theatre Catalog, showing a capacity of 392 cars.
Boxoffice, Sept. 22, 1951: “Jim Greene, manager of the Iowa City (Iowa) Drive-In, promoted a home talent show which pleased the audience and attracted extra patronage. The show was staged on top of the concession stand, and Greene reported that the food and sweets sales boomed. Eight amateur acts were presented on a program built around two cowboy singing stars from the local radio station.”
I’d guess that the Motor Vu opened in late summer 1950, based on this.
Boxoffice, Sept. 8, 1951: “The Motor Vu Theatre staff at Coos Bay, Ore., celebrated the ozoner’s first birthday this summer. One night a big cake, donated by Gamer’s bakery, was cut by the staff for patrons.”
Boxoffice, Sept. 1, 1951: “Jimmy Edwards … sold his Monterey in Monterey Park to Frank Harris, who recently acquired the Cameo from the Edwards chain”
Boxoffice, Sept. 1, 1951: “Vincent Youmatz, manager of the Sky-Vue Drive-In at Torrington, Conn., gave patrons an opportunity to see themselves on the big screen and helped to boost his business on two separate nights. Youmatz advertised that a professional photographer would be on hand to film early arrivals at the theatre. After the films were processed they were screened, with most folks coming back to see how they looked ‘in pictures.’”
Boxoffice, Aug. 25, 1951: “Frank Burdick … has taken over operation of the Sage Theatre in Upton, which he purchased in June from William Schloredt. Latter had owned and operated the Upton house for several years.”
Boxoffice, April 1, 1968: “Jerry Bullard is the new owner of the Sage Theatre at Upton, Wyo. The house formerly was operated by Frank Burdick”
Boxoffice, Nov. 26, 1979: “Jerry Bullard is closing the Sage Theatre in Upton, Wyo. The theatre had been in continuous operation since 1936. Bullard has no plans for reopening the facility.”
Boxoffice, Aug. 18, 1951: “The county sheriff’s office got a strange telephone call the other evening, asking, “I know it’s against the law to break INTO a place, but is it against the law to break OUT?” The law officers then learned that H. A. Robinson, his wife and two children had gone to the Motor-In Drive-In, had a flat tire about the time the last show broke. By the time theatre patron Robinson got the tire changed, the ozoner had locked all the gates for the night. So he climbed the airer’s high board fence and walked to a phone to call the sheriff. Deputies located the theatre manager, who came with a key and let the long-suffering movie fan, his wife and two sleeping kids out of the place. That was some two hours after the last show.”
If Google Maps is to believed, the old Redwood site is within the Rohnert Park city limits today. The address of the Walmart that sits where the back of its viewing field has been is 4625 Redwood Dr, Rohnert Park, CA 94928.
A date!
Boxoffice, Aug. 18, 1951: “E. Pollock opened his new Skagit Drive-In August 16”
Boxoffice, Aug. 18, 1951: “Patrons of the Do Drive-In near Mobile, Ala., were treated to ice cream, cake and chewing gum on the first anniversary of the theatre’s opening. A birthday cake was provided by Manager E. I. Fessler which was intricately decorated and topped with a miniature reproduction of the drive-in, complete with cars, screen, etc.”
Boxoffice, Aug. 11, 1951: “Messrs. Harris and Cuthbert reported a 135-degree temperature at their Coalinga Drive-In”
In the absence of stronger evidence, my guess was that the Hamlin’s March 1953 opener was just a season opener.
Boxoffice, Aug. 4, 1951: “Simplicity and economy keyed the construction of the new Hamlin Drive-In Theatre, Hamlin, Tex. Owned by Mrs. B. S. Ferguson, the 350-car Hamlin incorporates many comfort features and a few plus values for patrons. The all-steel screen tower is 56 feet high and 60 feet wide, and is covered with corrugated aluminum. The 25x30-foot concession building contains stainless steel equipment. Century projection machines were installed.”
Boxoffice, July 21, 1951: “In a further breakup of the Huish Theatre circuit, Vincent A. Gilhool, manager and operator, has announced sale of two more showhouses. Latest theatres to be disposed of are the Huish and Lyric at Richfield, Utah, to Vern Anderson, operator at Salina. The former, built in memory of the late C. A. Huish, was opened only a couple of years ago. An 800-seat house, it was one of the most elaborate, small-town houses in the west. The latter is a 650-seat theatre. Anderson announced that the houses, particularly the Lyric, would be remodeled.”
Boxoffice, July 21, 1951: “In a further breakup of the Huish Theatre circuit, Vincent A. Gilhool, manager and operator, has announced sale of two more showhouses. Latest theatres to be disposed of are the Huish and Lyric at Richfield, Utah, to Vern Anderson, operator at Salina. The former, built in memory of the late C. A. Huish, was opened only a couple of years ago. An 800-seat house, it was one of the most elaborate, small-town houses in the west. The latter is a 650-seat theatre. Anderson announced that the houses, particularly the Lyric, would be remodeled.”
Boxoffice, July 21, 1951: “Joe Wolcott … the new (boxing) champion, trained for the fight in a drive-in theatre. Using an outdoor theatre as a training site was something new, but it worked profitably at the Rainbow Gardens Drive-In Theatre here. The training ring was set up in front of the screen tower, high enough so spectators could see the workouts from their cars. Special bleachers also were put up closer to the ring for the more avid fans.”