Boxoffice, Sept. 15, 1951: “WINSLOW, ARIZ. – The Nace theatre interests will start construction here soon on a $50,000 drive-in to accommodate 500 cars. Vaughn Taylor, Nace manager, will be a partner-manager in the outdoorer, which will be operated by a staff of 15.”
Boxoffice, Sept. 29, 1951: “Construction is under way on Winslow’s first drive-in, the Tonto, with present plans calling for an opening the first week in October. The 500-car drive-in is being built on U.S. highway 66 by Michael A. Parker … The Tonto screen will be 60x55 feet, and the projection room and concession stand will be housed in a 36x40-foot building. … At recent ground-breaking ceremonies, Mayor F. C. Whipple turned the first shovel of earth.”
Boxoffice, July 28, 1951: “GALLUP, N. M. – Construction has been launched on this city’s first drive-in, a 300-car ozoner being built by William Nagle and Theatre Enterprises. It is being constructed on a ten-acre site on Highway 66. Theatre Enterprises also operates the Chief and El Morro, conventional houses here, with Bruce Waugh as city manager.”
Boxoffice, Sept. 22, 1951: “GALLUP, N. M. – Construction of Gallup’s first drive-in by Theatre Enterprises and William Nagle is proceeding on schedule, according to Bruce Waugh, manager of the Chief and El Morro theatres. The project is located on Highway 66 just west of the city limits. J. E. Waller, Roswell, N. M., contractor, has installed five poles 46 feet high to support the screen tower. Ramps are already built and grading and drainage are now being processed.”
Boxoffice, Sept. 22, 1951: “Mr. and Mrs. J. T. Latimore opened their new drive-in at Arco, Ida., in record time after start of construction. The owners of the new theatre are calling it the Motor-Vu”
Leo’s did not became the Rio, which didn’t open before 1954. A 1962 topo map points to the 198 Park Street address for a drive-in (the Rio), and a 1964 aerial shows it active, but a 1954 aerial photo of the site looks a lot more like an empty field than the 1964 drive-in.
That site was just north of town, and here’s the note that pointed me to the actual location of Leo’s (at present-day 162 Lane 3 in Thermopolis).
Boxoffice, Sept. 22, 1951: “Leo Roncco and Leo Roncco jr. have sold the Leo’s Drive-In to Fred Curtis, owner of the Tepee Theatre. The ozoner is located south of here.”
Boxoffice, Aug. 25, 1951: “An opening date for the Hondo Drive-In will be announced soon, according to Harry A. Hammill, whose new airer is located on the west edge of Hondo on Highway 90. The public will be admitted free opening night.”
Yet another spelling of the owner’s name, and a city name that’s nowhere near his drive-in, in this note in the Aug. 18, 1951 issue of Boxoffice: “The new drive-in at Hot Springs, N. M. is near completion. Called the Palms, it is owned by Oscar Conwell, who had hoped to open by July 4th.”
Motion Picture Herald, April 26, 1947: “Clarence Martin buys Gem, Hugo, Colo., from Earl Behrens.”
Boxoffice June 9, 1951: “HUGO, COLO. – Sam Feinstein and Charles McCarthy have purchased the Gem Theatre here from Clarence Martin, who operated the house since June 1947.”
Boxoffice, June 9, 1951: “Robert L. Lippert’s new Terrace Drive-In, which opened here (in San Francisco) recently, is an unusual theatre installation. Instead of scooping out the earth to provide the customary flat surface, designer Gale Santocono tailored a drive-in to fit San Francisco’s hilly contour. The parking area resembles an amphitheatre.”
Boxoffice, May 12, 1951: “The Showboat Drive-In at Tracy has been purchased by Mrs. Ada and M. Rosenberg, owners of the Grand and Arlon theatres in Tracy, from five partners, Vincent Trains, Robert Byers, Charles Gubser, Stewart Fletcher and Alex Balanesi.”
Looks like it opened in 1950. Boxoffice, May 5, 1951: “HARDIN, MONT. – The Sky-Vu Drive-In here, owned by Conrad Seader and managed by D. J. McGillan, has opened for its second season.”
Boxoffice, April 21, 1951: “Floyd Bailey recently purchased the Starlight Drive-In from Dave Simon and plans to open for the season on April 17. Bailey also owns the Roxy and Liberty theatres. Simon, originally from Missoula, built the theatre and opened it in 1950. He is employed by a construction company.”
The arrival of the guy who later opened the Sands Drive-In. Boxoffice, April 7, 1951: “E. R. Couch has taken over as manager of the Needles Theatre, Needles, operated by the Midwest Amusement Co. He succeeds Chester Bostick, who has been transferred to the circuit’s showcase in El Centro. Couch hails from Kansas City.”
Boxoffice, March 31, 1951: “The Western Amusement Co., Los Angeles, plans to open a new 320-car drive-in in La Grande, Ore., early in May. … The company operates theatres in Coos Bay, La Grande, Baker, Hood River and some time ago bought out the Gamble interests here. A local contest will be conducted to name the new auto theatre.”
Boxoffice, March 10, 1951: “MISSOULA, MONT. – Veteran theatre executive E. K. Taylor has purchased part interest in the Mtn-Vu Drive-In here. Speaker outlets will be increased from 380 to 425 before the spring opening.”
The Kar-Vu held its Grand Opening on April 8, 1950, showing Glenn Ford in “The Man From Colorado” and Abbott and Costello in “Keep ‘em Flying,” per its ads in the Brighton Blade.
There was a drive-in on the northeast side of Cortez, and it’s very clear that it was the Arroyo. There was also a drive-in on the southwest side, at about 321 S. Broadway, so by elimination, that one must have been the Tsaya.
Spending some time with Cortez Sentinel issues from 1950, I learned a few things:
After a few misfires, the Arroya opened on Sept. 3, 1950 with the movie El Paso.
All along the way, every reference used an A at the end of that name. Perhaps someone later told the owners that “arroya” isn’t a word, because just two weeks after the grand opening, the ads changed to Arroyo.
The Arroyo was on the northeast side of town, approximately 948 Lebanon Road.
On Dec. 12, 2019, the Sioux City Journal ran this photo, crediting the Sioux City Public Museum, with this caption: “The Gordon Twin opened in 1954 and closed in 1985. The merry-go-round at the theater was from the old Riverview Amusement Park in Riverside Park. There were two screens on opposite ends of the theater grounds, with the projection building in the center.”
Boxoffice, Feb. 17, 1951: “Don Gillman and Robert Carter, both of Sidney, Neb., will have their 350-car $50,000 drive-in, the Plains, ready for opening in April.”
Boxoffice, Feb. 17, 1951: “Seth D. Perkins, 63-year-old pioneer theatrical man, who built the first drive-in in California, died recently following a long illness. … Perkins' first drive-in, the second in the world, was built in 1934 on Pico boulevard in Los Angeles. Later he built a chain of theatres throughout southern California.”
Boxoffice, Sept. 15, 1951: “WINSLOW, ARIZ. – The Nace theatre interests will start construction here soon on a $50,000 drive-in to accommodate 500 cars. Vaughn Taylor, Nace manager, will be a partner-manager in the outdoorer, which will be operated by a staff of 15.”
Boxoffice, Sept. 29, 1951: “Construction is under way on Winslow’s first drive-in, the Tonto, with present plans calling for an opening the first week in October. The 500-car drive-in is being built on U.S. highway 66 by Michael A. Parker … The Tonto screen will be 60x55 feet, and the projection room and concession stand will be housed in a 36x40-foot building. … At recent ground-breaking ceremonies, Mayor F. C. Whipple turned the first shovel of earth.”
Boxoffice, July 28, 1951: “GALLUP, N. M. – Construction has been launched on this city’s first drive-in, a 300-car ozoner being built by William Nagle and Theatre Enterprises. It is being constructed on a ten-acre site on Highway 66. Theatre Enterprises also operates the Chief and El Morro, conventional houses here, with Bruce Waugh as city manager.”
Boxoffice, Sept. 22, 1951: “GALLUP, N. M. – Construction of Gallup’s first drive-in by Theatre Enterprises and William Nagle is proceeding on schedule, according to Bruce Waugh, manager of the Chief and El Morro theatres. The project is located on Highway 66 just west of the city limits. J. E. Waller, Roswell, N. M., contractor, has installed five poles 46 feet high to support the screen tower. Ramps are already built and grading and drainage are now being processed.”
Boxoffice, Sept. 22, 1951: “Mr. and Mrs. J. T. Latimore opened their new drive-in at Arco, Ida., in record time after start of construction. The owners of the new theatre are calling it the Motor-Vu”
Leo’s did not became the Rio, which didn’t open before 1954. A 1962 topo map points to the 198 Park Street address for a drive-in (the Rio), and a 1964 aerial shows it active, but a 1954 aerial photo of the site looks a lot more like an empty field than the 1964 drive-in.
That site was just north of town, and here’s the note that pointed me to the actual location of Leo’s (at present-day 162 Lane 3 in Thermopolis).
Boxoffice, Sept. 22, 1951: “Leo Roncco and Leo Roncco jr. have sold the Leo’s Drive-In to Fred Curtis, owner of the Tepee Theatre. The ozoner is located south of here.”
Boxoffice, Aug. 25, 1951: “An opening date for the Hondo Drive-In will be announced soon, according to Harry A. Hammill, whose new airer is located on the west edge of Hondo on Highway 90. The public will be admitted free opening night.”
Yet another spelling of the owner’s name, and a city name that’s nowhere near his drive-in, in this note in the Aug. 18, 1951 issue of Boxoffice: “The new drive-in at Hot Springs, N. M. is near completion. Called the Palms, it is owned by Oscar Conwell, who had hoped to open by July 4th.”
This photo was published in the Aug. 11, 1951 issue of Boxoffice, so it’s probably in the public domain.
Motion Picture Herald, April 26, 1947: “Clarence Martin buys Gem, Hugo, Colo., from Earl Behrens.”
Boxoffice June 9, 1951: “HUGO, COLO. – Sam Feinstein and Charles McCarthy have purchased the Gem Theatre here from Clarence Martin, who operated the house since June 1947.”
Boxoffice, June 9, 1951: “Robert L. Lippert’s new Terrace Drive-In, which opened here (in San Francisco) recently, is an unusual theatre installation. Instead of scooping out the earth to provide the customary flat surface, designer Gale Santocono tailored a drive-in to fit San Francisco’s hilly contour. The parking area resembles an amphitheatre.”
Boxoffice, May 12, 1951: “The Showboat Drive-In at Tracy has been purchased by Mrs. Ada and M. Rosenberg, owners of the Grand and Arlon theatres in Tracy, from five partners, Vincent Trains, Robert Byers, Charles Gubser, Stewart Fletcher and Alex Balanesi.”
Looks like it opened in 1950. Boxoffice, May 5, 1951: “HARDIN, MONT. – The Sky-Vu Drive-In here, owned by Conrad Seader and managed by D. J. McGillan, has opened for its second season.”
Boxoffice, April 21, 1951: “Floyd Bailey recently purchased the Starlight Drive-In from Dave Simon and plans to open for the season on April 17. Bailey also owns the Roxy and Liberty theatres. Simon, originally from Missoula, built the theatre and opened it in 1950. He is employed by a construction company.”
The arrival of the guy who later opened the Sands Drive-In. Boxoffice, April 7, 1951: “E. R. Couch has taken over as manager of the Needles Theatre, Needles, operated by the Midwest Amusement Co. He succeeds Chester Bostick, who has been transferred to the circuit’s showcase in El Centro. Couch hails from Kansas City.”
Boxoffice, March 31, 1951: “The Western Amusement Co., Los Angeles, plans to open a new 320-car drive-in in La Grande, Ore., early in May. … The company operates theatres in Coos Bay, La Grande, Baker, Hood River and some time ago bought out the Gamble interests here. A local contest will be conducted to name the new auto theatre.”
Boxoffice, March 10, 1951: “MISSOULA, MONT. – Veteran theatre executive E. K. Taylor has purchased part interest in the Mtn-Vu Drive-In here. Speaker outlets will be increased from 380 to 425 before the spring opening.”
Boxoffice, March 10, 1951: “J. C. Parker is readying his new 350-car $65,000 drive-in, Dalhart, Tex., for a spring opening.”
The Kar-Vu held its Grand Opening on April 8, 1950, showing Glenn Ford in “The Man From Colorado” and Abbott and Costello in “Keep ‘em Flying,” per its ads in the Brighton Blade.
There was a drive-in on the northeast side of Cortez, and it’s very clear that it was the Arroyo. There was also a drive-in on the southwest side, at about 321 S. Broadway, so by elimination, that one must have been the Tsaya.
Spending some time with Cortez Sentinel issues from 1950, I learned a few things:
After a few misfires, the Arroya opened on Sept. 3, 1950 with the movie El Paso.
All along the way, every reference used an A at the end of that name. Perhaps someone later told the owners that “arroya” isn’t a word, because just two weeks after the grand opening, the ads changed to Arroyo.
The Arroyo was on the northeast side of town, approximately 948 Lebanon Road.
On Dec. 12, 2019, the Sioux City Journal ran this photo, crediting the Sioux City Public Museum, with this caption: “The Gordon Twin opened in 1954 and closed in 1985. The merry-go-round at the theater was from the old Riverview Amusement Park in Riverside Park. There were two screens on opposite ends of the theater grounds, with the projection building in the center.”
Boxoffice, Feb. 17, 1951: “Don Gillman and Robert Carter, both of Sidney, Neb., will have their 350-car $50,000 drive-in, the Plains, ready for opening in April.”
Boxoffice, Feb. 17, 1951: “Seth D. Perkins, 63-year-old pioneer theatrical man, who built the first drive-in in California, died recently following a long illness. … Perkins' first drive-in, the second in the world, was built in 1934 on Pico boulevard in Los Angeles. Later he built a chain of theatres throughout southern California.”
This photo appeared in the Feb. 3, 1951 issue of Boxoffice, so it should be in the public domain AFAIK.
This photo appeared in the Feb. 3, 1951 issue of Boxoffice, so it fell into the public domain AFAIK.
This photo appeared in the Feb. 3, 1951 issue of Boxoffice, where it fell into the public domain AFAIK.