In a March 27, 1954 article about the area drive-ins that had reopened for the season, BoxOffice mentioned that the Fairview was owned by C. B. Simmons, Cisne.
The March 27, 1954 issue of BoxOffice, noting that the 67 had reopened for the season, added that it was owned by Howard F. Busey, Elmore Suter, and Ed Bonacorsi.
The March 27, 1954 issue of BoxOffice noted that the 460, owned by Donald R. Toliver, had reopened for the season, implying that it was active by 1953.
Apparently it wasn’t 100 when it opened, according to a small story in the Jan. 8, 1962 issue of BoxOffice:
The Community Drive-In Theatre at Keystone Heights, Fla., which was cited in this publication in February 1952 as perhaps one of the smallest drive-ins in the country with space for 52 cars, has now grown to accommodate 100 cars.
This was one of the first drive-ins in Florida to install CinemaScope, and the present screen tower is 50 feet wide, with the concessions running the full width under the tower.
The Community is located right in the heart of the summer resort town and backs up to Lake Brooklyn with a perfect view of the lake at all times from the entrance. It was built, literally, by Bill Lee, veteran motion picture engineer.
The renaming must have occurred before Dec. 5, 1953, when BoxOffice mentioned that Carter Smalley of Van Buren MO operated “the 250-car Winona Drive-In between Eminence and Bartlett.”
The Nov. 21, 1953 issue of BoxOffice mentioned that George Barber owned a drive-in “about a mile and a half west and south of Tuscola, where he operated the Strand.”
“LEMONT, ILL. – After being closed since December 1953 (sic), the Arthur Theatre has been reopened under the auspices of the Lemont Chamber of Commerce which hopes to promote community growth with a theatre of its own. The Arthur will seat 310 persons.” —BoxOffice, Nov. 21, 1953
“COLUMBUS, KAS. – The Snack Bar of the Columbus Drive-In, operated by Art Pugh, was damaged by fire here early in the morning. Apparently the fire started in the popcorn machine, which was melted by the intense heat, and considerable damage was done to other equipment before the fire department arrived. The concession building was of fireproof construction so did not burn. A film delivery man discovered and reported the fire. Pugh was out of town at the time.” —BoxOffice, Nov. 7, 1953
“Glenn Jones, owner-operator of the Gravois Mills Drive-In, has inaugurated a popularity contest among girls in the area. The winner will be determined by the number of votes cast for her by drive-in patrons.” —BoxOffice, Sept. 19, 1953
“The name of the Family Drive-In, recently purchased by A. B. McCollum from Frank Stewart of Danville, has been changed to the Clinton Outdoor Theatre. McCollum also owns the Clintonia and Kaye theatres (in Clinton).” —BoxOffice, Sept. 19, 1953
“The Wehrenberg-Krueger theatre interests will construct a 1,000-car twin-screen drive-in at a cost of about $350,000, to be opened early in 1954. It will be located at Lemay and Ferry and Buckley road and named the South Drive-In.” —BoxOffice, Sept. 19, 1953
The Vandalia may have opened in late 1953 or 1954. The Aug. 15, 1953 issue of BoxOffice reported that National Theatre Supply sold “Simplex sound and projection, speakers and posts for the Vandalia Drive-In on Highway 54 about one mile west of Vandalia, Mo., to be owned and operated by Dr. D. A. Squires, osteopathis physician of Fulton, Mo. That drive-in is scheduled to open early in September.”
The July 18, 1953 issue of Box Office reported that an 800-car drive-in was being built by “Komm Theatres” in Granite City.
The Aug. 15 issue added that the St. Louis branch of National Theatre Supply “furnished equipment for the Bel-Air Drive-In on state Route 111 and U.S. 66 north of Granite City, Ill., to be owned and operated by the Komm theatre interests of St. Louis. Equipment for that drive-in includes Simplex X-L sound and projection, lights and generators, Simplex speakers and posts. This drive-in is scheduled for opening about September.”
The name change must have happened by 1953, based on this note from the Aug. 15, 1953 issue of BoxOffice: “Word comes from Eldon, Mo., that Mr. and Mrs. Bill Fitchpatrick have assumed their duties as managers of the Corral Drive-In and Ozark Theatre in the city for Tom Edwards. They are successors to Bill Smith, who resigned recently to take his family to California.”
“The El Capitan Drive-In at Metropolis re-opened July 11. Its screen tower was wrecked in a tornado on June 13. The new screen tower is of concrete block construction and designed to withstand a wind of 120 miles an hour.” —BoxOffice, Aug. 8, 1953
“RANTOUL, ILL. – Harry Fryer is manager of the new Rantoul Drive-In, 485-car situation opened last month by Kerasotes Theatres of Springfield.” —BoxOffice, Aug. 1, 1953
The Oct. 15, 1977 issue of the Chanute Tribune reported that the Neosho County Attorney’s Office had issued a warning to the owners of the Neocha against any further obscene material. It quoted Bob Buscher, one of the owners of B&B Booking and Buying Company of Iola, as saying he couldn’t determine what is or isn’t obscene.
Betty Croley, who managed the Neocha, said part of the problem was people parked along the highway to watch. She called the highway patrol but was told it couldn’t do anything unless the landowner across the highway filed a complaint.
The movies in question were reportedly Panorama Blue and All the Loving Couples, which Buscher said were rated R. IMDb shows Panorama Blue (1974) and All the Loving Couples (1969) with X ratings, though it’s possible that these were edited versions.
In a March 27, 1954 article about drive-ins' season opening dates, BoxOffice mentioned that W. A. Collins of De Soto owned the “Skyview”.
In a March 27, 1954 article about the area drive-ins that had reopened for the season, BoxOffice mentioned that the Fairview was owned by C. B. Simmons, Cisne.
The March 27, 1954 issue of BoxOffice, noting that the 67 had reopened for the season, added that it was owned by Howard F. Busey, Elmore Suter, and Ed Bonacorsi.
The March 27, 1954 issue of BoxOffice noted that the 460, owned by Donald R. Toliver, had reopened for the season, implying that it was active by 1953.
The March 27, 1954 issue of BoxOffice noted that the Sky-Hi had reopened for the season, implying that it was active by 1953.
The March 27, 1954 issue of BoxOffice noted that the Skylark had reopened for the season, implying that it was active by 1953.
Apparently it wasn’t 100 when it opened, according to a small story in the Jan. 8, 1962 issue of BoxOffice:
The Community Drive-In Theatre at Keystone Heights, Fla., which was cited in this publication in February 1952 as perhaps one of the smallest drive-ins in the country with space for 52 cars, has now grown to accommodate 100 cars.
This was one of the first drive-ins in Florida to install CinemaScope, and the present screen tower is 50 feet wide, with the concessions running the full width under the tower.
The Community is located right in the heart of the summer resort town and backs up to Lake Brooklyn with a perfect view of the lake at all times from the entrance. It was built, literally, by Bill Lee, veteran motion picture engineer.
The renaming must have occurred before Dec. 5, 1953, when BoxOffice mentioned that Carter Smalley of Van Buren MO operated “the 250-car Winona Drive-In between Eminence and Bartlett.”
The Nov. 21, 1953 issue of BoxOffice mentioned that George Barber owned a drive-in “about a mile and a half west and south of Tuscola, where he operated the Strand.”
“George Barber has purchased the Okaw Drive-in on Highway 36 near Camargo from Tomey Falk and Jack Taylor of Mattoon.” —BoxOffice, Nov. 21, 1953
“LEMONT, ILL. – After being closed since December 1953 (sic), the Arthur Theatre has been reopened under the auspices of the Lemont Chamber of Commerce which hopes to promote community growth with a theatre of its own. The Arthur will seat 310 persons.” —BoxOffice, Nov. 21, 1953
“COLUMBUS, KAS. – The Snack Bar of the Columbus Drive-In, operated by Art Pugh, was damaged by fire here early in the morning. Apparently the fire started in the popcorn machine, which was melted by the intense heat, and considerable damage was done to other equipment before the fire department arrived. The concession building was of fireproof construction so did not burn. A film delivery man discovered and reported the fire. Pugh was out of town at the time.” —BoxOffice, Nov. 7, 1953
“RANTOUL, ILL. – Bernard J. Baker is the new manager of the Twilite Drive-In, four miles north of town on Route 45.” —BoxOffice, Nov. 7, 1953
“Glenn Jones, owner-operator of the Gravois Mills Drive-In, has inaugurated a popularity contest among girls in the area. The winner will be determined by the number of votes cast for her by drive-in patrons.” —BoxOffice, Sept. 19, 1953
“The name of the Family Drive-In, recently purchased by A. B. McCollum from Frank Stewart of Danville, has been changed to the Clinton Outdoor Theatre. McCollum also owns the Clintonia and Kaye theatres (in Clinton).” —BoxOffice, Sept. 19, 1953
“The Wehrenberg-Krueger theatre interests will construct a 1,000-car twin-screen drive-in at a cost of about $350,000, to be opened early in 1954. It will be located at Lemay and Ferry and Buckley road and named the South Drive-In.” —BoxOffice, Sept. 19, 1953
That’s from the Sept. 5, 1953 issue of BoxOffice, which had a three-page spread on the Forest Hills.
“Exhibitors seen along (St. Louis) Filmrow included … A. Schwartz, Grande Drive-In, Sullivan, Mo.” —BoxOffice, Aug. 29, 1953
The Vandalia may have opened in late 1953 or 1954. The Aug. 15, 1953 issue of BoxOffice reported that National Theatre Supply sold “Simplex sound and projection, speakers and posts for the Vandalia Drive-In on Highway 54 about one mile west of Vandalia, Mo., to be owned and operated by Dr. D. A. Squires, osteopathis physician of Fulton, Mo. That drive-in is scheduled to open early in September.”
The July 18, 1953 issue of Box Office reported that an 800-car drive-in was being built by “Komm Theatres” in Granite City.
The Aug. 15 issue added that the St. Louis branch of National Theatre Supply “furnished equipment for the Bel-Air Drive-In on state Route 111 and U.S. 66 north of Granite City, Ill., to be owned and operated by the Komm theatre interests of St. Louis. Equipment for that drive-in includes Simplex X-L sound and projection, lights and generators, Simplex speakers and posts. This drive-in is scheduled for opening about September.”
The name change must have happened by 1953, based on this note from the Aug. 15, 1953 issue of BoxOffice: “Word comes from Eldon, Mo., that Mr. and Mrs. Bill Fitchpatrick have assumed their duties as managers of the Corral Drive-In and Ozark Theatre in the city for Tom Edwards. They are successors to Bill Smith, who resigned recently to take his family to California.”
“The El Capitan Drive-In at Metropolis re-opened July 11. Its screen tower was wrecked in a tornado on June 13. The new screen tower is of concrete block construction and designed to withstand a wind of 120 miles an hour.” —BoxOffice, Aug. 8, 1953
“RANTOUL, ILL. – Harry Fryer is manager of the new Rantoul Drive-In, 485-car situation opened last month by Kerasotes Theatres of Springfield.” —BoxOffice, Aug. 1, 1953
The August 1, 1953 issue of BoxOffice reported that the Lake Estes, capacity 302 cars, had opened.
The Oct. 15, 1977 issue of the Chanute Tribune reported that the Neosho County Attorney’s Office had issued a warning to the owners of the Neocha against any further obscene material. It quoted Bob Buscher, one of the owners of B&B Booking and Buying Company of Iola, as saying he couldn’t determine what is or isn’t obscene.
Betty Croley, who managed the Neocha, said part of the problem was people parked along the highway to watch. She called the highway patrol but was told it couldn’t do anything unless the landowner across the highway filed a complaint.
The movies in question were reportedly Panorama Blue and All the Loving Couples, which Buscher said were rated R. IMDb shows Panorama Blue (1974) and All the Loving Couples (1969) with X ratings, though it’s possible that these were edited versions.