In Sean T. Posey’s book Historic Theaters of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley, he writes that the Elm Road was built by Stephen Hreno, who had thought to build a roller skating rink before visiting Rainbow Gardens in Pennsylvania. “The town had a skating rink and a drive-in theater,” his son Robert recalled. “We went to look at the parking lots on a Saturday night and there were a lot more cars at the drive-in than there were at the skating rink.”
The drive-in has stayed in the family ever since. Stephen passed away in 1960, then Robert and his mother ran the business. They added a second screen in 1979 and switched to radio sound in 1983. The Elm Road’s third screen went up in May 2005.
Robert and his family installed digital projection in May 2013. By that point, his daughter and son-in-law, Sheri and Mark Hocevar, were running the Elm Road.
The 1952 Theatre Catalog listed the Skyway as capacity 300, owner Ohio Th. Service and H. Horstemeier. The 1955-56 edition added R.H. Hanley.
The 1952-66 Motion Picture Almanacs showed the owner or booker as Ohio Theatre Service Corp. The 1978-88 editions listed S. Doane as the owner.
Other records suggest that Stanley Doane, president of the Doane Theater Corporation, owns the Skyway.
According to Vindy.com, on May 9, 1977: Trumbull County deputy sheriffs raid the Skyway Drive-In theater in Warren Township, confiscate an X-rated movie, Russ Meyer’s “Up,” and arrest the theater’s owner, Steve Doane. Sheriff Richard Jakmas said the theater has been under investigation since January, when a complaint was filed.
The May 6, 2005 Daily Kent Stater said the Midway was built in 1949 by Jack Vogel, then Knepp bought the theater from Vogel in 1990. I’m not so sure about those dates.
That Wikipedia entry said Knepp was the one who added the second screen. The first time the Akron Beacon Journal called it the Midway Twin was in a June 1989 traffic accident article. HistoricAerials.com shows a second screen in place by 1994.
The Akron Beacon Journal of Aug. 6, 1997 said the two-screened Midway’s owner was “held in trust by Larry Koerber, leased to John Knepp”. As of 2017, Knepp still owns the Midway.
The Wikipedia entry for the Midway says (as I type) that it was built in 1955. That’s wrong. It probably opened on July 21, 1950, and was definitely open a week later.
The 1952-56 Theatre Catalogs listed the Midway as owned by Paul Vogel, capacity 525.
The 1952-53 Motion Picture Almanac showed the “Mid City Drive-In” in Ravenna, capacity 400, “owner or booker” Ohio Theatre Service Corp. The 1953-63 MPAs changed only the “owner or booker”, to Co-operative.
The 1966 MPA listed two drive-ins for Ravenna, the Mid City and the (newer?) Midway, capacity 600, owner Vogel Theatres. By the 1969 edition, there was only the Midway. Vogel was listed as the owner through the last MPA list in 1988.
In the Theatre Circuits section of the MPAs, Vogel Theatres is shown as owning the Midway in Ravenna in the 1952-86 editions. Makes a guy wonder why whoever was in charge of that section didn’t tell whoever was in charge of the drive-in list.
The first reference to the Midway in the Akron Beacon Journal that I could find was when it (apparently) first advertised on July 27, 1950, saying it was “now open”. An October 1951 classified ad said to report to “back of Midway Drive-in theater” on Kent-Ravenna Rd. On July 21, 1952, the Midway ad said “tonight only” was “Our Anniversary” and promised a giant fireworks display.
That Maisano who owned the Mayfield Road in the 1980s (at least) is probably at least related to Peter Maisano, its manager in 1972 who was named in that unsuccessful lawsuit.
The Geauga County Maple Leaf wrote in 2016 that John Knepp had owned the drive-in since 1993. “Previous to Knepp, it was owned by the Maisano family.”
Also, in 1993, the original screen was lost to a wind storm. Before or after the sale, I wonder.
Finally, even though everyone says the Mayfield Road opened in 1945, nobody says what day or even that it was the Hazelwood back then. On the other hand, I’ve got no independent verification that it existed before 1950 or so, and the typically accurate Theatre Catalogs don’t have it any earlier. Just sayin'.
A commenter on the Mayfield Road web site says that it used to be known as the Hazelwood. That checks out.
The 1948-50 Theatre Catalog drive-in lists did not include anything from Chardon nor any Hazelwood in the Cleveland territory. The 1952 Theatre Catalog listed Chardon’s Hazelwood, Exec: R. H. Manley and H. Horstemeier. (That’s Herbert H. Horstemeier of H.H.H. Enterprises, who bought Coshocton’s Tri-Vale Drive-In in early 1956 just a few months after it opened.) The 1955-56 edition changed the Hazelwood Exec to C. Brinkman and Cooperative Ths. of Ohio.
The Motion Picture Almanac lists in 1952-54 included two drive-ins in Chardon, the Chardon Skyway and the Hazelwood, both owned or booked by the Ohio Theatre Service. In the 1955-61 editions, only the Hazelwood was left, run by V. A. Nelson, then in the 1963-66 editions by Carl Brinkman.
The 1969 MPA still had it as the Hazelwood, but the 1972-76 MPAs listed it as the Mayfield Road, same capacity of 275. It fell off the MPA list in 1978 but was back in 1980-88, owned by Maisano.
It was definitely known as the Mayfield Road in 1972 when it was sued over a carbon monoxide mishap the year before. In 1976, a jury in Cleveland cleared the drive-in of responsibility for the incident.
As of 2017, the Mayfield Road is owned by John Knepp.
Dale R. Morrison’s obituary (Nov. 26, 1997) said that he built the Blue Sky in 1947 and owned it for five years.
The July 7, 1952 Akron Beacon Journal had an article about John Wohler, who ran the Blue Sky at the time. “The nine-acre lot is large enough for 430 cars and provides a large picnic area for those who care to take their supper out.” Earl V. Seitz of Sandusky bought the drive-in “the first of this year from Dale Morrison, who lives next door”.
Seitz still owned the Blue Sky in a Jan. 3, 1961 Beacon Journal article about his indoor Strand, which had shut down a few days earlier.
Gary Grieve owned the Blue Sky in a September 1989 article.
From the Magic City’s About Us page: The Magic City Drive-In was built and opened by Vince Lauter (West Theatre) and Lou Ratener (Montrose Drive-In) in 1953 as a single screen drive-in. It was sold just a few years after opening to Selected Theaters who added a second screen in the mid seventies. Gary Greive purchased it in 1980. Capacity 700 cars. Two screens which both face west. There is a special projection booth at the back of the lot to handle screen 2. Radio sound.
I’m always surprised when a drive-in’s current owners can get its history so wrong. Rivest266’s grand opening ad proves the real date. The 1952 Theatre Catalog listed it, capacity 400, owned Vincent Lauter.
Could it be that everything in the official history is off by two years? The Daily Times wrote on Feb. 20, 1950, “The sale of the Boyer Drive-In Theatre near Strasburg to Ray McCombs of Jewett and Ward B. Franklin of Cadiz was announced today by the former owner, Rollin Boyer.”
It was still being advertised as Boyer’s Auto Theater for the whole 1950 season. On May 18, 1951, it advertised “Lynn Auto Theatre (Formerly Boyer’s) … Will Open Sat., May 19 With Many Improvements, Including in-a-car Speakers and Ramped Ground.”
I wonder why the current owners of the Lynn keep saying it was open in 1937. Also, it looks like we need to add another name to that official history.
The Daily Times of New Philadelphia OH wrote on May 26, 1939, “Boyer’s Auto Theater, the first of its kind south of Cleveland, will be opened to the public tomorrow evening … by Roland and Karl Boyer”.
On May 4, 1941, The Daily Times wrote, “Rollin Boyer of Strasburg purchased the interest of his brother, Karl Boyer of Navarre, in the Boyer Auto Theatre … and became sole owner of the business. The purchase was part of a settlement … which dismissed Karl Boyer’s suit asking for dissolution of the partnership”.
Kerry Segrave’s indispensable book Drive-In Theaters includes a list of the drive-ins with the earliest start dates he could find (through 1939), while cautioning that it doesn’t prove that number 7 on his list was the 7th drive-in to open. It did not include Boyer’s although it did include a Lynn from 1937 – the Lynn Open Air in Lynn MA.
Segrave’s book also has the earliest known list of drive-ins (from the 1942 Film Daily Year Book) and it includes Boyer’s in Navarre OH. The Theatre Catalog’s first list (1948-49) has “Boyers” in Strausburg (sic), capacity 400, owner Roland Boyer.
The construction of the Theatre started in the summer of 1935. In the spring of 1937 the Theatre opened as BOYER’S AUTO THEATRE. The Theatre was built by Andy Thompson and Roland Boyer. A Restaurant, Gas Station, Golf Driving Range and Arcade were also located on the Theatre grounds prior to the Theatre’s opening. The complex was owned and operated by Roland Boyer during the 1930’s and 1940’s.
In the spring of 1948, Ward Franklin and his son-in-law Ray McCombs purchased the Theatre. Changing the name, in honor of McCombs daughter, Judy LYNN, to the Lynn Auto Theatre. In the mid 50’s, the Restaurant, Gas Station, Arcade, and Golf Range were closed.
In the fall of 1957 Richard R. Reding and his son Richard W.“Dick” and his wife Eunice “Abby” purchased the Theatre. In 1970 Rick joined his Mom and Dad in the family owned business. During the 70’s and 80’s Dick, Abby and Rick owned and operated twelve Theatre’s in NE Ohio. The Drive-In Theatre’s are now operated each season by Rick’s two sons Rich and Jamie, making it a four generation business!
In 1967 a second screen was added along with the traditional Speaker Post Sound System to make the Theatre a Twin Drive-In. Most resent in 1996, new Stereo Audio Soundheads, two Digital Dolby FM Stereo Transmitters and Audio Boards were installed in both Theatres allowing patrons to enjoy First Run Movies, in HD Stereo, from their vehicles radio. In 2001 both Theatre’s Projection Systems were overhauled and refurbished. For the 2002 season both screen towers were painted and new counters were installed in the Concession Stand and in 2005 a “Classic Mammoth Retro Neon Marquee” was installed!
In 2012 we installed a new digital projector, server and sound processor in screen 1 projector room. In 2013 we completed our digital conversion with an identical digital projector, server and sound installed in screen 2 projection room.
The Steubenville Herald Star, Feb. 28, 1969: The Steubenville-Wintersville area is getting a new drive-in theater. Work has been started on the outdoor movie center … the theater is being planned and constructed by the Skirball Investment Co., a Cleveland based operation … the theater will be named “the Winter Drive-In”.
Its Facebook page said the Winter opened August 29, 1969.
The Winter didn’t appear in the International Motion Picture Almanacs through 1976. The 1978 IMPA had it, capacity 1000, owned by Skirball, who stayed the owner through the final list in 1988. The IMPAs showed it with two screens by 1980.
The 1952 Theatre Catalog listed it owned by Charles Pittinger and Louis Hanna.
The 1952-66 Motion Picture Almanacs listed it only with with Hanna Theatre Service. In the 1978-82 editions, after ownership info returned, it was Anas Weir. The Hilltop was gone by the 1984 MPA.
In Brian Butko’s book Greetings from the Lincoln Highway, he wrote of the Hilltop (just a short detour away), “The one-screener opened in 1950 and was closed from 1984 to 1989.”
The Weirton Daily Times wrote last year that “the Hilltop Drive-In has been under the same family ownership since Joe Danko bought it in 1988. Danko passed the ownership on to his daughter and son-in-law, Katie and Harry Beaver, of Rogers in 2014.” Danko was the long-time projectionist, and he kept a ledger of every film shown there since 1951.
After being closed for most of 2016, Katie found a 35mm distributor so she could reopen for a few weekends. Then somehow during the off-season, it found a digital projector.
Although it was mentioned in a February 1959 newspaper ad, The Pioneer wasn’t listed in the 1959 edition of the International Motion Picture Almanac. It was there in 1961, capacity 600, owner Chester Demarsh.
The Butler Eagle wrote in August 2014 that the estate of Chester Demarsh still owned the land, and it had quotes from Clint DeMarsh, vice president of Epic Theaters, the Florida-based company that owned the Pioneer. Chester’s obituary (he died Christmas 2012) said that Clint was one of his sons. It also said that “After the war in 1947, (Chester) helped his dad convert part of the (family) farm into a drive-in movie theater.” Don’t know how that fits into a circa-1958 opening timeline for the Pioneer.
I guess this was part of a chain. John Ridilla, described elsewhere as a real estate guy from Latrobe, opened the Hi-Way Drive-In in Latrobe in 1950. In February 1951, Billboard magazine noted the incorporation of Hi-Way Theaters, Inc. in Florida (!), with principals Bruno Ferrari Sr., Bruno Ferrari Jr., John Slate, and John M. Ridilla. Ferrari (Sr?) and Ridilla had built at least two apartment complexes by then.
The 1952 Theatre Catalog shows the Hi-Way, capacity 300, Exec: Thomas Woods, and John M. Ridilla. Ditto for the 1955-56 edition.
THe 1952-59 Motion Picture Almanacs listed the Hi-Way with Owner or Booker as Hanna Theatre Service. For the 1961-66 editions, that changed to J. M. Ridilla. It was missing from the 1978 MPA, then the 1980-82 editions listed it as owned by Cinemette, capacity 500.
For the 1984-88 MPAs, the spell-checker just didn’t care. The Hiway was listed on Roud 1 in Carrolton, owner R. Glaus. Was that a young Rick Glaus, since owner of the Twin Hi-Way in Robinson and the Dependable in Moon?
The Hi-Way is currently owned by Donald Gawel, who also owns the Bar-Ann Drive-In in Portage. The 2007 obituary of Diane Radwanski Gawel, his late wife, said she was “Co-owner of Hi-Way Drive In Theater in Carrolltown and the Bar-Ann Drive In Theater in Portage and previous operator of the Silver Drive In Theater in Johnstown for 12 years.”
From TribLive.com, June 9, 2011, “Nearly three months after the plan was proposed, Unity supervisors on Wednesday gave developers the go-ahead to demolish the landmark Hi-Way Drive-In along Route 30 to make way for a CVS pharmacy. …
“Lee and Kathy Zimmerman, who operated the 730-car drive-in until its final showing last fall also operated a popular flea market at the location every Sunday, … The drive-in was owned by Latrobe-based Dill Construction Co. and leased on a year-to-year basis by the Zimmermans.
“In May, P. Richard Ridilla, owner of the drive-in and the property it has sat on since 1950, wrote a letter to township officials indicating … that the Zimmermans said the drive-in and flea market have not been profitable for some time.”
The 1955-56 Theatre Catalog listed the Bar-Ann, capacity 300, Exec: George Wasko, and Stearn-Hanna Co-Operative Th Serv.
Its first appearance in the International Motion Picture Almanac was the 1956 edition when it was listed as simply “Drive-In”. In 1957-66, it was the Bar An (sic), Geo. Wasko, Hanna Theatre Serv., capacity 276.
The IMPA didn’t fix the name until 1978 when the Bar Ann was still owned by G. Wasko. It stayed that way through the final list in 1988.
The drive-in was advertised in 1985-87 in the Altoona Mirror as Wasko’s Bar-Ann. A July 1985 article said that Wasko had owned the drive-in “since its construction in 1955.”
The June 30, 1991 Altoona Mirror, found at NewspaperArchive.com said that the Bar-Ann had recently reopened “after a three-year hiatus”. The article said that George Wasko named the drive-in after his two daughters, Barbara and Peggy Ann. The original idea came to him “in 1955 after a vacation trip”. He had installed radio sound “during the theater’s most recent season”.
The article continued: The Bar-Ann itself was in limbo for three years. “I had a bout with cancer,” said Wasko, who said he has since received a clean bill of health. And with the return of health came pleas from townspeople to restore nighttime entertainment to Portage, according to Wasko’s wife, Peg.
Wasko’s 1995 obituary said that he owned and operated the Bar-Ann from 1954 to 1994, as well as an assortment of other businesses.
When the Bar-Ann had a flap over its sign in early 2014, its owner was Don Gawel, who spoke through the drive-in’s manager Dustin Grush. Once that was cleared up, it converted to digital projection.
As of Labor Day weekend 2017, the Bar-Ann is still going strong.
Aha! The July 8, 1950 Billboard wrote: Maurice Fruhlinger, for many years manager of the Met Theater, Baltimore, for the Schwaber Circuit, will manage the soon-to-be opened Silver Drive-In at Winber (sic), Pa.
A 1948 wedding announcement said that Fruhlinger, already managing the Met, was from Windber but would move to Baltimore. Whatever brought him back home two years later might make an interesting story.
I’m starting to believe the assertion that the Silver opened in 1950, as is painted on a mural on-site. The 1952 Theatre Catalog listed it under Windber, Exec: Maurice Fruhlinger and Louis Hanna, Hanna Th. Service, capacity 300. The 1952-53 Motion Picture Catalog listed it under Scalp Level, Hanna Theatre Service, 300.
Also, a July 1975 newspaper ad showed that the Silver was already a “CAC” (County Amusement Co.?) theater at that point.
The Silver was listed in the 1961-66 International Motion Picture Almanacs, capacity 300, owner or booker Bud Thomas Cir. It persisted there through at least 1976. The 1978-88 editions listed it in Windber PA, owner County Amus., capacity 400.
A 2008 article in The Tribune-Democrat said that “The reopening of the Silver Drive-In in 2005 fulfilled Rick Rosko’s dream of owning a first-class outdoor theater.” Which means that the Silver was closed for a while? Also, several Trib-Dem articles referenced a 1950 opening for the Silver, but I’d guess they were confusing it with the Westmont, which closed in the early 1960s after the Silver opened.
From The Daily Courier of Connellsville, June 20 1947: The Ruthorn Drive-In Theatre, the first in Westmoreland county, opened Thursday night. Cars came from all points of Westmoreland and Fayette counties to witness and experience the newest type of entertainment.
Owned and operated by Donald J. Ruth of Mount Pleasant and R. M. Thorn of Scottdale, the theater is located midway between Pennsville and Mount Pleasant. … Plenty of ushers were on hand to escort each car to its “seat” and all cars are escorted out after the show to avoid a jam at the exit.
That was Robert M. Thorn, whose March 18 1966 obituary said he was the former partner in the “Everygreen” Drive-In. Which means that the original name is a portmanteau of the two owners' names, and therefore suggests that Ruth might have been by himself when inspired to change the drive-in’s name.
The 1948-50 Theatre Catalogs listed the Ruthorn in Scottdale, owner Donald J. Ruth, capacity 300. The Catalogs later noticed the name change to Evergreen.
The 1952-59 Motion Picture Almanacs also had the Evergreen in Scottdale, the “owner or booker” was Co-op, capacity 400. By the 1966 edition, the owner had changed to S-Hanna Co-op Thea. Serv. The 1978-84 editions had the owner as H. Michael. The Evergreen fell off the MPA list by 1986, never to return. Considering that one family owned it during that period, I wonder if it was ever closed.
im Lipuma purchased and reopened the Moonlite in 1996. He eventually converted to digital projection in November 2015.
There’s a great short called The Man Behind the Screen, shot in 2015. It’s all about the Moonlite and Lipuma in particular.
In Sean T. Posey’s book Historic Theaters of Youngstown and the Mahoning Valley, he writes that the Elm Road was built by Stephen Hreno, who had thought to build a roller skating rink before visiting Rainbow Gardens in Pennsylvania. “The town had a skating rink and a drive-in theater,” his son Robert recalled. “We went to look at the parking lots on a Saturday night and there were a lot more cars at the drive-in than there were at the skating rink.”
The drive-in has stayed in the family ever since. Stephen passed away in 1960, then Robert and his mother ran the business. They added a second screen in 1979 and switched to radio sound in 1983. The Elm Road’s third screen went up in May 2005.
Robert and his family installed digital projection in May 2013. By that point, his daughter and son-in-law, Sheri and Mark Hocevar, were running the Elm Road.
The 1952 Theatre Catalog listed the Skyway as capacity 300, owner Ohio Th. Service and H. Horstemeier. The 1955-56 edition added R.H. Hanley.
The 1952-66 Motion Picture Almanacs showed the owner or booker as Ohio Theatre Service Corp. The 1978-88 editions listed S. Doane as the owner.
Other records suggest that Stanley Doane, president of the Doane Theater Corporation, owns the Skyway.
According to Vindy.com, on May 9, 1977: Trumbull County deputy sheriffs raid the Skyway Drive-In theater in Warren Township, confiscate an X-rated movie, Russ Meyer’s “Up,” and arrest the theater’s owner, Steve Doane. Sheriff Richard Jakmas said the theater has been under investigation since January, when a complaint was filed.
The May 6, 2005 Daily Kent Stater said the Midway was built in 1949 by Jack Vogel, then Knepp bought the theater from Vogel in 1990. I’m not so sure about those dates.
That Wikipedia entry said Knepp was the one who added the second screen. The first time the Akron Beacon Journal called it the Midway Twin was in a June 1989 traffic accident article. HistoricAerials.com shows a second screen in place by 1994.
The Akron Beacon Journal of Aug. 6, 1997 said the two-screened Midway’s owner was “held in trust by Larry Koerber, leased to John Knepp”. As of 2017, Knepp still owns the Midway.
The Wikipedia entry for the Midway says (as I type) that it was built in 1955. That’s wrong. It probably opened on July 21, 1950, and was definitely open a week later.
The 1952-56 Theatre Catalogs listed the Midway as owned by Paul Vogel, capacity 525.
The 1952-53 Motion Picture Almanac showed the “Mid City Drive-In” in Ravenna, capacity 400, “owner or booker” Ohio Theatre Service Corp. The 1953-63 MPAs changed only the “owner or booker”, to Co-operative.
The 1966 MPA listed two drive-ins for Ravenna, the Mid City and the (newer?) Midway, capacity 600, owner Vogel Theatres. By the 1969 edition, there was only the Midway. Vogel was listed as the owner through the last MPA list in 1988.
In the Theatre Circuits section of the MPAs, Vogel Theatres is shown as owning the Midway in Ravenna in the 1952-86 editions. Makes a guy wonder why whoever was in charge of that section didn’t tell whoever was in charge of the drive-in list.
The first reference to the Midway in the Akron Beacon Journal that I could find was when it (apparently) first advertised on July 27, 1950, saying it was “now open”. An October 1951 classified ad said to report to “back of Midway Drive-in theater” on Kent-Ravenna Rd. On July 21, 1952, the Midway ad said “tonight only” was “Our Anniversary” and promised a giant fireworks display.
That Maisano who owned the Mayfield Road in the 1980s (at least) is probably at least related to Peter Maisano, its manager in 1972 who was named in that unsuccessful lawsuit.
The Geauga County Maple Leaf wrote in 2016 that John Knepp had owned the drive-in since 1993. “Previous to Knepp, it was owned by the Maisano family.”
Also, in 1993, the original screen was lost to a wind storm. Before or after the sale, I wonder.
Finally, even though everyone says the Mayfield Road opened in 1945, nobody says what day or even that it was the Hazelwood back then. On the other hand, I’ve got no independent verification that it existed before 1950 or so, and the typically accurate Theatre Catalogs don’t have it any earlier. Just sayin'.
A commenter on the Mayfield Road web site says that it used to be known as the Hazelwood. That checks out.
The 1948-50 Theatre Catalog drive-in lists did not include anything from Chardon nor any Hazelwood in the Cleveland territory. The 1952 Theatre Catalog listed Chardon’s Hazelwood, Exec: R. H. Manley and H. Horstemeier. (That’s Herbert H. Horstemeier of H.H.H. Enterprises, who bought Coshocton’s Tri-Vale Drive-In in early 1956 just a few months after it opened.) The 1955-56 edition changed the Hazelwood Exec to C. Brinkman and Cooperative Ths. of Ohio.
The Motion Picture Almanac lists in 1952-54 included two drive-ins in Chardon, the Chardon Skyway and the Hazelwood, both owned or booked by the Ohio Theatre Service. In the 1955-61 editions, only the Hazelwood was left, run by V. A. Nelson, then in the 1963-66 editions by Carl Brinkman.
The 1969 MPA still had it as the Hazelwood, but the 1972-76 MPAs listed it as the Mayfield Road, same capacity of 275. It fell off the MPA list in 1978 but was back in 1980-88, owned by Maisano.
It was definitely known as the Mayfield Road in 1972 when it was sued over a carbon monoxide mishap the year before. In 1976, a jury in Cleveland cleared the drive-in of responsibility for the incident.
As of 2017, the Mayfield Road is owned by John Knepp.
Dale R. Morrison’s obituary (Nov. 26, 1997) said that he built the Blue Sky in 1947 and owned it for five years.
The July 7, 1952 Akron Beacon Journal had an article about John Wohler, who ran the Blue Sky at the time. “The nine-acre lot is large enough for 430 cars and provides a large picnic area for those who care to take their supper out.” Earl V. Seitz of Sandusky bought the drive-in “the first of this year from Dale Morrison, who lives next door”.
Seitz still owned the Blue Sky in a Jan. 3, 1961 Beacon Journal article about his indoor Strand, which had shut down a few days earlier.
Gary Grieve owned the Blue Sky in a September 1989 article.
From the Magic City’s About Us page: The Magic City Drive-In was built and opened by Vince Lauter (West Theatre) and Lou Ratener (Montrose Drive-In) in 1953 as a single screen drive-in. It was sold just a few years after opening to Selected Theaters who added a second screen in the mid seventies. Gary Greive purchased it in 1980. Capacity 700 cars. Two screens which both face west. There is a special projection booth at the back of the lot to handle screen 2. Radio sound.
I’m always surprised when a drive-in’s current owners can get its history so wrong. Rivest266’s grand opening ad proves the real date. The 1952 Theatre Catalog listed it, capacity 400, owned Vincent Lauter.
Could it be that everything in the official history is off by two years? The Daily Times wrote on Feb. 20, 1950, “The sale of the Boyer Drive-In Theatre near Strasburg to Ray McCombs of Jewett and Ward B. Franklin of Cadiz was announced today by the former owner, Rollin Boyer.”
It was still being advertised as Boyer’s Auto Theater for the whole 1950 season. On May 18, 1951, it advertised “Lynn Auto Theatre (Formerly Boyer’s) … Will Open Sat., May 19 With Many Improvements, Including in-a-car Speakers and Ramped Ground.”
I wonder why the current owners of the Lynn keep saying it was open in 1937. Also, it looks like we need to add another name to that official history.
The Daily Times of New Philadelphia OH wrote on May 26, 1939, “Boyer’s Auto Theater, the first of its kind south of Cleveland, will be opened to the public tomorrow evening … by Roland and Karl Boyer”.
On May 4, 1941, The Daily Times wrote, “Rollin Boyer of Strasburg purchased the interest of his brother, Karl Boyer of Navarre, in the Boyer Auto Theatre … and became sole owner of the business. The purchase was part of a settlement … which dismissed Karl Boyer’s suit asking for dissolution of the partnership”.
Kerry Segrave’s indispensable book Drive-In Theaters includes a list of the drive-ins with the earliest start dates he could find (through 1939), while cautioning that it doesn’t prove that number 7 on his list was the 7th drive-in to open. It did not include Boyer’s although it did include a Lynn from 1937 – the Lynn Open Air in Lynn MA.
Segrave’s book also has the earliest known list of drive-ins (from the 1942 Film Daily Year Book) and it includes Boyer’s in Navarre OH. The Theatre Catalog’s first list (1948-49) has “Boyers” in Strausburg (sic), capacity 400, owner Roland Boyer.
Based on the helpful but old slide show linked by Drive-In 54:
Boyer’s Auto Theatre was open in 1937.
Dick and Abby Reding were owners in the 1980s. They were pictured talking with son Rick and grandson Jamie.
A tornado blew down the screen in Spring 1960. It was replaced by a “new Selby Screen”. Abby Reding is pictured with the damaged screen.
The marquee was smashed by a semi in 1992.
Richard Wallace “Dick” Reding / Owner of the Lynn Auto Theatre from 1957 to 2004 / At age 93 he was the oldest Drive-in Theatre owner in the world!
Manager Rick Reding retired in 1999, passing the torch to his two sons.
The Lynn is now operated by Dick’s grandsons, Rich & Jamie, making it a four-generation business.
Another semi hit the marquee in 2004, but the damage looked less severe.
From the Lynn’s History page:
The construction of the Theatre started in the summer of 1935. In the spring of 1937 the Theatre opened as BOYER’S AUTO THEATRE. The Theatre was built by Andy Thompson and Roland Boyer. A Restaurant, Gas Station, Golf Driving Range and Arcade were also located on the Theatre grounds prior to the Theatre’s opening. The complex was owned and operated by Roland Boyer during the 1930’s and 1940’s.
In the spring of 1948, Ward Franklin and his son-in-law Ray McCombs purchased the Theatre. Changing the name, in honor of McCombs daughter, Judy LYNN, to the Lynn Auto Theatre. In the mid 50’s, the Restaurant, Gas Station, Arcade, and Golf Range were closed.
In the fall of 1957 Richard R. Reding and his son Richard W.“Dick” and his wife Eunice “Abby” purchased the Theatre. In 1970 Rick joined his Mom and Dad in the family owned business. During the 70’s and 80’s Dick, Abby and Rick owned and operated twelve Theatre’s in NE Ohio. The Drive-In Theatre’s are now operated each season by Rick’s two sons Rich and Jamie, making it a four generation business!
In 1967 a second screen was added along with the traditional Speaker Post Sound System to make the Theatre a Twin Drive-In. Most resent in 1996, new Stereo Audio Soundheads, two Digital Dolby FM Stereo Transmitters and Audio Boards were installed in both Theatres allowing patrons to enjoy First Run Movies, in HD Stereo, from their vehicles radio. In 2001 both Theatre’s Projection Systems were overhauled and refurbished. For the 2002 season both screen towers were painted and new counters were installed in the Concession Stand and in 2005 a “Classic Mammoth Retro Neon Marquee” was installed!
In 2012 we installed a new digital projector, server and sound processor in screen 1 projector room. In 2013 we completed our digital conversion with an identical digital projector, server and sound installed in screen 2 projection room.
The Steubenville Herald Star, Feb. 28, 1969: The Steubenville-Wintersville area is getting a new drive-in theater. Work has been started on the outdoor movie center … the theater is being planned and constructed by the Skirball Investment Co., a Cleveland based operation … the theater will be named “the Winter Drive-In”.
Its Facebook page said the Winter opened August 29, 1969.
The Winter didn’t appear in the International Motion Picture Almanacs through 1976. The 1978 IMPA had it, capacity 1000, owned by Skirball, who stayed the owner through the final list in 1988. The IMPAs showed it with two screens by 1980.
The 1952 Theatre Catalog listed it owned by Charles Pittinger and Louis Hanna.
The 1952-66 Motion Picture Almanacs listed it only with with Hanna Theatre Service. In the 1978-82 editions, after ownership info returned, it was Anas Weir. The Hilltop was gone by the 1984 MPA.
In Brian Butko’s book Greetings from the Lincoln Highway, he wrote of the Hilltop (just a short detour away), “The one-screener opened in 1950 and was closed from 1984 to 1989.”
The Weirton Daily Times wrote last year that “the Hilltop Drive-In has been under the same family ownership since Joe Danko bought it in 1988. Danko passed the ownership on to his daughter and son-in-law, Katie and Harry Beaver, of Rogers in 2014.” Danko was the long-time projectionist, and he kept a ledger of every film shown there since 1951.
After being closed for most of 2016, Katie found a 35mm distributor so she could reopen for a few weekends. Then somehow during the off-season, it found a digital projector.
Although it was mentioned in a February 1959 newspaper ad, The Pioneer wasn’t listed in the 1959 edition of the International Motion Picture Almanac. It was there in 1961, capacity 600, owner Chester Demarsh.
The Butler Eagle wrote in August 2014 that the estate of Chester Demarsh still owned the land, and it had quotes from Clint DeMarsh, vice president of Epic Theaters, the Florida-based company that owned the Pioneer. Chester’s obituary (he died Christmas 2012) said that Clint was one of his sons. It also said that “After the war in 1947, (Chester) helped his dad convert part of the (family) farm into a drive-in movie theater.” Don’t know how that fits into a circa-1958 opening timeline for the Pioneer.
The Woodland was advertising itself “between Apollo and Leechburg” in May 1949.
The 1952 Theatre Catalog listed it as Lee’s Woodland, Exec: Harold A. Lee.
I guess this was part of a chain. John Ridilla, described elsewhere as a real estate guy from Latrobe, opened the Hi-Way Drive-In in Latrobe in 1950. In February 1951, Billboard magazine noted the incorporation of Hi-Way Theaters, Inc. in Florida (!), with principals Bruno Ferrari Sr., Bruno Ferrari Jr., John Slate, and John M. Ridilla. Ferrari (Sr?) and Ridilla had built at least two apartment complexes by then.
The 1952 Theatre Catalog shows the Hi-Way, capacity 300, Exec: Thomas Woods, and John M. Ridilla. Ditto for the 1955-56 edition.
THe 1952-59 Motion Picture Almanacs listed the Hi-Way with Owner or Booker as Hanna Theatre Service. For the 1961-66 editions, that changed to J. M. Ridilla. It was missing from the 1978 MPA, then the 1980-82 editions listed it as owned by Cinemette, capacity 500.
For the 1984-88 MPAs, the spell-checker just didn’t care. The Hiway was listed on Roud 1 in Carrolton, owner R. Glaus. Was that a young Rick Glaus, since owner of the Twin Hi-Way in Robinson and the Dependable in Moon?
The Hi-Way is currently owned by Donald Gawel, who also owns the Bar-Ann Drive-In in Portage. The 2007 obituary of Diane Radwanski Gawel, his late wife, said she was “Co-owner of Hi-Way Drive In Theater in Carrolltown and the Bar-Ann Drive In Theater in Portage and previous operator of the Silver Drive In Theater in Johnstown for 12 years.”
From TribLive.com, June 9, 2011, “Nearly three months after the plan was proposed, Unity supervisors on Wednesday gave developers the go-ahead to demolish the landmark Hi-Way Drive-In along Route 30 to make way for a CVS pharmacy. …
“Lee and Kathy Zimmerman, who operated the 730-car drive-in until its final showing last fall also operated a popular flea market at the location every Sunday, … The drive-in was owned by Latrobe-based Dill Construction Co. and leased on a year-to-year basis by the Zimmermans.
“In May, P. Richard Ridilla, owner of the drive-in and the property it has sat on since 1950, wrote a letter to township officials indicating … that the Zimmermans said the drive-in and flea market have not been profitable for some time.”
The 1955-56 Theatre Catalog listed the Bar-Ann, capacity 300, Exec: George Wasko, and Stearn-Hanna Co-Operative Th Serv.
Its first appearance in the International Motion Picture Almanac was the 1956 edition when it was listed as simply “Drive-In”. In 1957-66, it was the Bar An (sic), Geo. Wasko, Hanna Theatre Serv., capacity 276.
The IMPA didn’t fix the name until 1978 when the Bar Ann was still owned by G. Wasko. It stayed that way through the final list in 1988.
The drive-in was advertised in 1985-87 in the Altoona Mirror as Wasko’s Bar-Ann. A July 1985 article said that Wasko had owned the drive-in “since its construction in 1955.”
The June 30, 1991 Altoona Mirror, found at NewspaperArchive.com said that the Bar-Ann had recently reopened “after a three-year hiatus”. The article said that George Wasko named the drive-in after his two daughters, Barbara and Peggy Ann. The original idea came to him “in 1955 after a vacation trip”. He had installed radio sound “during the theater’s most recent season”.
The article continued: The Bar-Ann itself was in limbo for three years. “I had a bout with cancer,” said Wasko, who said he has since received a clean bill of health. And with the return of health came pleas from townspeople to restore nighttime entertainment to Portage, according to Wasko’s wife, Peg.
Wasko’s 1995 obituary said that he owned and operated the Bar-Ann from 1954 to 1994, as well as an assortment of other businesses.
When the Bar-Ann had a flap over its sign in early 2014, its owner was Don Gawel, who spoke through the drive-in’s manager Dustin Grush. Once that was cleared up, it converted to digital projection.
As of Labor Day weekend 2017, the Bar-Ann is still going strong.
Aha! The July 8, 1950 Billboard wrote: Maurice Fruhlinger, for many years manager of the Met Theater, Baltimore, for the Schwaber Circuit, will manage the soon-to-be opened Silver Drive-In at Winber (sic), Pa.
A 1948 wedding announcement said that Fruhlinger, already managing the Met, was from Windber but would move to Baltimore. Whatever brought him back home two years later might make an interesting story.
I’m starting to believe the assertion that the Silver opened in 1950, as is painted on a mural on-site. The 1952 Theatre Catalog listed it under Windber, Exec: Maurice Fruhlinger and Louis Hanna, Hanna Th. Service, capacity 300. The 1952-53 Motion Picture Catalog listed it under Scalp Level, Hanna Theatre Service, 300.
Also, a July 1975 newspaper ad showed that the Silver was already a “CAC” (County Amusement Co.?) theater at that point.
The Silver was listed in the 1961-66 International Motion Picture Almanacs, capacity 300, owner or booker Bud Thomas Cir. It persisted there through at least 1976. The 1978-88 editions listed it in Windber PA, owner County Amus., capacity 400.
A 2008 article in The Tribune-Democrat said that “The reopening of the Silver Drive-In in 2005 fulfilled Rick Rosko’s dream of owning a first-class outdoor theater.” Which means that the Silver was closed for a while? Also, several Trib-Dem articles referenced a 1950 opening for the Silver, but I’d guess they were confusing it with the Westmont, which closed in the early 1960s after the Silver opened.
From The Daily Courier of Connellsville, June 20 1947: The Ruthorn Drive-In Theatre, the first in Westmoreland county, opened Thursday night. Cars came from all points of Westmoreland and Fayette counties to witness and experience the newest type of entertainment.
Owned and operated by Donald J. Ruth of Mount Pleasant and R. M. Thorn of Scottdale, the theater is located midway between Pennsville and Mount Pleasant. … Plenty of ushers were on hand to escort each car to its “seat” and all cars are escorted out after the show to avoid a jam at the exit.
That was Robert M. Thorn, whose March 18 1966 obituary said he was the former partner in the “Everygreen” Drive-In. Which means that the original name is a portmanteau of the two owners' names, and therefore suggests that Ruth might have been by himself when inspired to change the drive-in’s name.
The 1948-50 Theatre Catalogs listed the Ruthorn in Scottdale, owner Donald J. Ruth, capacity 300. The Catalogs later noticed the name change to Evergreen.
The 1952-59 Motion Picture Almanacs also had the Evergreen in Scottdale, the “owner or booker” was Co-op, capacity 400. By the 1966 edition, the owner had changed to S-Hanna Co-op Thea. Serv. The 1978-84 editions had the owner as H. Michael. The Evergreen fell off the MPA list by 1986, never to return. Considering that one family owned it during that period, I wonder if it was ever closed.