The Exhibitor, Dec. 24, 1952: “Delaware / Dogsboro - Al Goodyear, well-known in the industry and formerly with Motion Picture Advertising Service, is now building the Del-Air Drive-In.”
The Exhibitor, Feb. 18, 1953: “Delaware / Dogsboro - Alfred W. Goodyear announced that the buying and booking for his new Del-Air Drive-In, now in the process of being completed, will be handled by Independent Theatres Service, Inc., Washington, D. C.”
The Exhibitor, April 29, 1953: “Harley Davidson’s Independent Theatre Service is booking and buying for the new Del-Air Drive-In, Dagsboro, Del.”
Mr. Goodyear and the Del-Air were mentioned in a May 22, 1954 note in the Wilmington News Journal, so we know it was operating by then.
Be careful what you wish for. I count the Gem, Lee, Evans/Dixie, Stone, and Mountain View theaters in town. (And for every clip here, there were three more noting that actor Dick Powell was born in Mountain View, Ark.)
Moving Picture World, Sept. 24, 1927: “M. E. Hixon has sold the Gem, Mountain View, Ark., to Sherber Brown.”
Boxoffice, June 24, 1939: (quoting Mrs. Margaret F. Harkey, widow of the late John Harkey, owner of the Ozark Amusement Co.) “In April, 1935, we opened our first film house at Mountain View, Ark. We used Simplex portables and a fireproof portable booth. Every attempt was made to produce a first-class performance. After financing this project, which ran into several hundred dollars, we found ourselves virtually broke. We were totally unknown in this territory and had opened our first show with a reserve of $4.35!”
Motion Picture Daily, Oct. 27, 1939: “Mountain View, Ark, Oct. 26. — Walter Lee of Batesville has opened the Lee here, seating 247.”
Variety, Nov. 8, 1939: “Mountain View, Ark.: Nov. 7. Walter Lee, of Batesville, has opened the Lee theatre here. House has 246 seats. Lee also operates the Gem, Heber Springs.”
Film Daily Year Book, 1940: “Mt. View, Lee … 300”
Boxoffice, Feb. 15, 1941: “W. R. Lee, who for the past couple of years has operated the Lee at Mt. View, Ark., and the Gem at Heber Springs, advised that effective February 15, he was selling his house in Mt. View to M. H. Evans.”
Showman’s Trade Review, April 6, 1946: “C. E. McLendon, husband of Mrs. C. E. McLendon, Dixie Theatre manager, Mountain View, Ark., is recovering from an operation at Batesville, Ark.”
Boxoffice, June 28, 1947: “MOUNTAIN VIEW, ARK.— The Evans Theatre here has been renamed the Dixie.”
Boxoffice, Sept. 13, 1947: “MOUNTAIN VIEW, ARK.— Two new theatres are under construction here. Both will have approximately 500 seats. One is being built by a local man, T. T. Foster, who, in his building is including a bakery, and the other is being erected by the Southern Theatre Construction Co. The theatre here owned by McClendon & Decker burned. They were unable to find a suitable site and have been operating in the courthouse.”
Motion Picture Herald, Oct. 18, 1947: “The Southern Theatre Construction Company is building a new theatre to seat 500 at West Mountain View, Ark., W. W. Latham, vice-president, has announced. The theatre will be named the Stone.”
Film Daily, Nov. 28, 1947: “Altec Lansing’s ‘Voice of the Theater’ loudspeaker systems have been purchased by the following theaters: … Stone, Mountain View, Ark.”
Film Daily, Dec. 5, 1947: “The new Mountain View Theater in Mountain View, Ark., is built entirely of native stone with decorative murals inside.”
Motion Picture Herald, Dec. 13, 1947: “R. N. James has opened his newly built stone theatre at Mountain View, Ark. It seats 500, has an interior decorated in wine, gold and blue with murals painted by George Stevens of Marcella.”
Motion Picture Herald, Jan. 17, 1948: “ Mid-south exhibitors visiting on (Memphis) Film Row included : Mrs. T. T. Foster, who has just opened the new Uptown theatre, Mountain View, Ark.”
Film Daily Year Book, 1950: “Mountainview (sic), Stone … 500”
Boxoffice, March 18, 1963: “Gene Thompson has leased the Stone Theatre, Mountain View, Ark., and has closed the Uptown Theatre in the same town.”
Motion Picture Exhibitor, Aug. 10, 1966: “Gene Thompson, Mountain View, Ark., announces that the Stone Theatre has closed and that Stone Drive-In, Mountain View, has opened.”
Boxoffice, Oct. 22, 1973: “Larry Vinson, Tri-State Booking Service, reported two new theatres … Mountain View Theatre, Mountain View, Ark., owned by Art Clemens and opened Thursday (18)”
Boxoffice, Nov. 19, 1973: “MOUNTAIN VIEW, ARK. - Mountain View Theatre, after several weeks of remodeling and the installation of a new screen, new sound and new projection equipment, was reopened to the public late last month.”
Boxoffice, Feb. 1, 1981: “Art Clemons has re-opened the Mountain View Theatre in Mountain View, Ark. after extensive remodeling.”
This drive-in advertised in the local Tangi Talk weekly newspaper as the Skaggs Drive-In in 1959-60, so that’s another alias (plus the no-possessive Mixon Drive-In) to add to this CT page.
The last ad for the Amite Drive-In that I could find in the Tangi Talk was in July 1969, though the newspaper may have dropped all movie ads later that year.
That 1946 date better matches the notes I’ve found of a drive-in under construction a mile north of Amite in early 1946.
Motion Picture Daily, March 25, 1946: “April has been scheduled … for the opening of a new drive-in on the outskirts of Amite, La.”
Showmen’s Trade Review, March 30, 1946: “A new drive-in theatre, scheduled to open early in August, is under construction one mile north of Amite, La.”
Boxoffice, May 10, 1947: “Mr. and Mrs. Neal Mixon of Mixon’s Drive-In Theatre at Amite, La., spent several hours on the (New Orleans Film) Row.”
Independent Film Journal, March 6, 1954: “Recently reopened and due to reopen soon are the Mission D-I, Amite, La., …” (Someone probably misheard Mixon’s as Mission.)
Motion Picture Herald, Dec. 17, 1955: “Neil Mixon closed the Mixon drive-in, Amite, La., with reopening scheduled in early spring.”
Motion Picture Exhibitor, March 4, 1959: “Hiram S. Skaggs has taken over the operation of the Mixon Drive-In, Amite, La., and it has reopened.”
Motion Picture Exhibitor, Jan. 20, 1960: “The Skaggs Drive-In, Amite, La., is now open Saturdays only”
Motion Picture Exhibitor, Feb. 16, 1961: “Joseph Baiamonte is the new owner of the drive-in at Amite, La., renamed the Amite, and formerly known as Skaggs, while Hiram Skaggs held the reins.”
Boxoffice, April 8, 1963: “Donald Dietrich resumed a full-week schedule at the Amite Drive-In”
Motion Picture Exhibitor, Oct. 28, 1964: “Don Dieterich is keeping the Amite, La., Drive-In, damaged by Hurricane Hilda, closed for the season”
Boxoffice, March 9, 1940: “Vincent Currier of the Amite, Amite, La., is also the town banker. He recently installed new seats, sound and rugs in his theatre.”
Motion Picture Exhibitor, Nov. 18, 1959: “Charles and Dorothy Levy took over the operation of the Amite, Amite, La.”
Boxoffice, Aug. 20, 1962: “Eric Pittman closed the Amite, La., theatre indefinitely”
Boxoffice, April 8, 1963: “E. J. Pittman closed the Amite (La.) Theatre”
Boxoffice, Feb. 22, 1965: “Barbara Andrews has reopened the Amite (La.) Theatre. She’s a newcomer to the business”
Motion Picture Exhibitor, March 30, 1966: “Frank Olah, Jr., has taken over the four-walled Amite, Amite, La. He also operates the Star, Albany, La., in partnership with his father.”
Boxoffice, April 17, 1967: “OGDEN, UTAH - The 800-car Motor Vu Drive-In here started operating under the banner of Fox Mountain-Midwest Theatres Wednesday (12), it is announced by William H. Thedford and Dan A. Polier, vice-presidents and co-directors of theatre operations for National General Corp. Howard Coleman will continue as manager of the drive-in which has been acquired from Sam Gillette and Bill Hazan.”
Same drive-in? Motion Picture Daily, Nov. 20, 1956: “LIVINGSTON, Tenn., Nov. 19 - Leland Alfred has taken over the Ritz and Sundown Drive-in theatres here from Mr. and Mrs. Fred Rose and Mr. and Mrs. Dwain Peterson, purchasing both properties and equipment.”
My guess is that the Sundown became the Star-Vue. At least, that’s what the Exhibitor reported on April 29, 1953: “Fred T. McLendon Theatres assumed ownership-operations of the Sundown Drive-In, McKenzie, Ala., from H. C. Jenkins. Al Morgan, booker, advised that operations will resume shortly, and that it was renamed the Star-Vue Drive-In.”
The Exhibitor, April 8, 1953: “The Sundown Drive-In, Tampa, Fla., opened, owned by J. B. Shipley, W. T. Robinson, Jr., and B. N. Pooley, Jr.”
Also, as others have noted, many drive-ins throughout history lasted only one abbreviated season. Three that I’ve researched and written about are the Sands (July 31-Oct. 15, 1953) in Needles CA, the Independent (July 31-Oct. 2, 1949) in Cortez CO, and the Fair Park (July 17-Aug. 18, 1948) in Oklahoma City. That last one would be my nominee for shortest life of any drive-in with graded ramps - as opposed to temporary pop-up drive-ins.
The Exhibitor, Aug. 20, 1952: “Mr. and Mrs. A. Combs and Mr. and Mrs. Wilfred Racine, owners, Desert and Ideal, Burns, Ore., announced the purchase from Roe Davis of a drive-in site on the west side of the highway between Burns and Hines, Ore., upon which a 300-car open-airer will be constructed. The spot will be known as the Sundown Drive-In.”
The 1950 Film Daily Year Book listed three theaters for Newton: The Catawba, the State, and the Gem, which had 400 seats. Was that another name for the Newton?
Motion Picture Exhibitor, Nov. 3, 1954: “The former Gem, Newton, N. C., has been sold by G. Otto Hartsoe to Ed Haupt.”
Motion Picture Herald, Nov. 1, 1947: “The State theatre building, site and equipment, at Newton, N. C, has been sold to Everette Enterprises of Charlotte. Approximately $70,000 was paid for the property.”
The 1952 Theatre Catalog included the Pikeville Drive-In, capacity 300 cars, owned by “Childers and Powell and J. Bressler”. If this was the only drive-in near Pikeville that was active in 1952 (per the aerial photo), then perhaps it became the New.
Motion Picture Herald, Nov. 29, 1952: “ A new gas heating system and other extensive replacements and renovation have been completed at the Liberty theatre, in Pikeville, Ky.”
Motion Picture Herald, June 19, 1954: “The Liberty theatre at Pikeville, Ky., which has been shuttered for the past two years, again has been relighted, although the house will be open only one night per week during the summer months, it was announced by Robert Tarbeck, city manager for Elmart Theatres, which has this house and the Weddington theatre here. The town also has a drive-in theatre which recently opened for the season.”
Boxoffice, Nov. 20, 1961: “Pikeville, Ky. - The Liberty Theatre has been reopened under the new management of Salene Thomas, formerly of Charleston, W. Va., who previously had been in exhibition in Frankfort and Lexington, Ky.”
An ad in the Craig Empire Courier said that the Sunset Drive-In’s “last program of the season” ran through Labor Day, Sept. 7, 1964. Spot checks of later summers failed to find any Sunset ads. That last double feature was “Bikini Beach” and “Donovan’s Reef”.
Craig Empire Courier, June 26, 1974: “Stan Stanfill announced this week that because of the deaths of Fred Kn?II and Charles Gilmour, the West Theatre and the Sunset Drive-In will be ottered for sate as one unit.”
After the Sunset closed, (whenever it closed), it reopened as the Romantic Motor Vu on May 7, 1976. Its show that night was “The Return of the Pink Panther” and “Mr. Majestyk”.
To clarify, at the time of the Skytop’s existence, it was directly on State Highway 24 about a mile west of the edge of Roseboro. The version of 24 that loops around town was built less than 10 years ago.
I’m glad you’re here, LouRugani, but I’m very confused by that last post. Was that a message that you sent out somewhere in 2015? That would match the references to the Cascade, which closed after the 2018 season.
Motion Picture Herald, Jan. 31, 1948: “Blumenfeld Theatre circuit, which acquired the Guild theatre three weeks ago from Robert L. Lippert, has returned the Market Street house to Lippert. Theatre seats 300 and has pursued a policy of reissues of classics.”
I pulled up Google Maps and clicked the former concession building. The result was 21861 Hwy J46. jwmovies' address now points to a spot on the other side of J46.
Although the Hyde Park hasn’t reopened yet for the 2023 season, and its previous operators seem to be out of the picture, its owner says the drive-in is not closed for good. That’s the essence of a story that ran today (behind a paywall) at the Daily Freeman of Kingston NY.
The National Park Service, which bought the site in 2011, had a lease with the drive-in’s operators through last year. This year, the NPS requested proposals to operate the Hyde Park. They’ve received several such proposals, though none from the folks who used to run the drive-in.
“John Harlan Warren, a spokesman for the National Park
Service Region 1, … declined to say whether there was a timeline for making a decision” about who the NPS would choose to operate the Hyde Park.
Opening day hints.
The Exhibitor, Dec. 24, 1952: “Delaware / Dogsboro - Al Goodyear, well-known in the industry and formerly with Motion Picture Advertising Service, is now building the Del-Air Drive-In.”
The Exhibitor, Feb. 18, 1953: “Delaware / Dogsboro - Alfred W. Goodyear announced that the buying and booking for his new Del-Air Drive-In, now in the process of being completed, will be handled by Independent Theatres Service, Inc., Washington, D. C.”
The Exhibitor, April 29, 1953: “Harley Davidson’s Independent Theatre Service is booking and buying for the new Del-Air Drive-In, Dagsboro, Del.”
Mr. Goodyear and the Del-Air were mentioned in a May 22, 1954 note in the Wilmington News Journal, so we know it was operating by then.
Motion Picture Almanac, 1966, under Ontario: “Sault Ste Marie, Sou (sic?), (capacity) 300, Bregman & Cohen”
Motion Picture Almanac, 1966, under New Brunswick: “Martinon, Grand Bay Drive-In, (capacity) 600 & 300, Franklin-Herschorn Theas. Ltd.”
Be careful what you wish for. I count the Gem, Lee, Evans/Dixie, Stone, and Mountain View theaters in town. (And for every clip here, there were three more noting that actor Dick Powell was born in Mountain View, Ark.)
Moving Picture World, Sept. 24, 1927: “M. E. Hixon has sold the Gem, Mountain View, Ark., to Sherber Brown.”
Boxoffice, June 24, 1939: (quoting Mrs. Margaret F. Harkey, widow of the late John Harkey, owner of the Ozark Amusement Co.) “In April, 1935, we opened our first film house at Mountain View, Ark. We used Simplex portables and a fireproof portable booth. Every attempt was made to produce a first-class performance. After financing this project, which ran into several hundred dollars, we found ourselves virtually broke. We were totally unknown in this territory and had opened our first show with a reserve of $4.35!”
Motion Picture Daily, Oct. 27, 1939: “Mountain View, Ark, Oct. 26. — Walter Lee of Batesville has opened the Lee here, seating 247.”
Variety, Nov. 8, 1939: “Mountain View, Ark.: Nov. 7. Walter Lee, of Batesville, has opened the Lee theatre here. House has 246 seats. Lee also operates the Gem, Heber Springs.”
Film Daily Year Book, 1940: “Mt. View, Lee … 300”
Boxoffice, Feb. 15, 1941: “W. R. Lee, who for the past couple of years has operated the Lee at Mt. View, Ark., and the Gem at Heber Springs, advised that effective February 15, he was selling his house in Mt. View to M. H. Evans.”
Showman’s Trade Review, April 6, 1946: “C. E. McLendon, husband of Mrs. C. E. McLendon, Dixie Theatre manager, Mountain View, Ark., is recovering from an operation at Batesville, Ark.”
Boxoffice, June 28, 1947: “MOUNTAIN VIEW, ARK.— The Evans Theatre here has been renamed the Dixie.”
Boxoffice, Sept. 13, 1947: “MOUNTAIN VIEW, ARK.— Two new theatres are under construction here. Both will have approximately 500 seats. One is being built by a local man, T. T. Foster, who, in his building is including a bakery, and the other is being erected by the Southern Theatre Construction Co. The theatre here owned by McClendon & Decker burned. They were unable to find a suitable site and have been operating in the courthouse.”
Motion Picture Herald, Oct. 18, 1947: “The Southern Theatre Construction Company is building a new theatre to seat 500 at West Mountain View, Ark., W. W. Latham, vice-president, has announced. The theatre will be named the Stone.”
Film Daily, Nov. 28, 1947: “Altec Lansing’s ‘Voice of the Theater’ loudspeaker systems have been purchased by the following theaters: … Stone, Mountain View, Ark.”
Film Daily, Dec. 5, 1947: “The new Mountain View Theater in Mountain View, Ark., is built entirely of native stone with decorative murals inside.”
Motion Picture Herald, Dec. 13, 1947: “R. N. James has opened his newly built stone theatre at Mountain View, Ark. It seats 500, has an interior decorated in wine, gold and blue with murals painted by George Stevens of Marcella.”
Motion Picture Herald, Jan. 17, 1948: “ Mid-south exhibitors visiting on (Memphis) Film Row included : Mrs. T. T. Foster, who has just opened the new Uptown theatre, Mountain View, Ark.”
Film Daily Year Book, 1950: “Mountainview (sic), Stone … 500” Boxoffice, March 18, 1963: “Gene Thompson has leased the Stone Theatre, Mountain View, Ark., and has closed the Uptown Theatre in the same town.”
Motion Picture Exhibitor, Aug. 10, 1966: “Gene Thompson, Mountain View, Ark., announces that the Stone Theatre has closed and that Stone Drive-In, Mountain View, has opened.”
Boxoffice, Oct. 22, 1973: “Larry Vinson, Tri-State Booking Service, reported two new theatres … Mountain View Theatre, Mountain View, Ark., owned by Art Clemens and opened Thursday (18)”
Boxoffice, Nov. 19, 1973: “MOUNTAIN VIEW, ARK. - Mountain View Theatre, after several weeks of remodeling and the installation of a new screen, new sound and new projection equipment, was reopened to the public late last month.”
Boxoffice, Feb. 1, 1981: “Art Clemons has re-opened the Mountain View Theatre in Mountain View, Ark. after extensive remodeling.”
Yes, Newspapers.com (among others) has bit me like that before. Always check the date on the image itself.
This drive-in advertised in the local Tangi Talk weekly newspaper as the Skaggs Drive-In in 1959-60, so that’s another alias (plus the no-possessive Mixon Drive-In) to add to this CT page.
The last ad for the Amite Drive-In that I could find in the Tangi Talk was in July 1969, though the newspaper may have dropped all movie ads later that year.
That 1946 date better matches the notes I’ve found of a drive-in under construction a mile north of Amite in early 1946.
Motion Picture Daily, March 25, 1946: “April has been scheduled … for the opening of a new drive-in on the outskirts of Amite, La.”
Showmen’s Trade Review, March 30, 1946: “A new drive-in theatre, scheduled to open early in August, is under construction one mile north of Amite, La.”
Boxoffice, May 10, 1947: “Mr. and Mrs. Neal Mixon of Mixon’s Drive-In Theatre at Amite, La., spent several hours on the (New Orleans Film) Row.”
Independent Film Journal, March 6, 1954: “Recently reopened and due to reopen soon are the Mission D-I, Amite, La., …” (Someone probably misheard Mixon’s as Mission.)
Motion Picture Herald, Dec. 17, 1955: “Neil Mixon closed the Mixon drive-in, Amite, La., with reopening scheduled in early spring.”
Motion Picture Exhibitor, March 4, 1959: “Hiram S. Skaggs has taken over the operation of the Mixon Drive-In, Amite, La., and it has reopened.”
Motion Picture Exhibitor, Jan. 20, 1960: “The Skaggs Drive-In, Amite, La., is now open Saturdays only”
Motion Picture Exhibitor, Feb. 16, 1961: “Joseph Baiamonte is the new owner of the drive-in at Amite, La., renamed the Amite, and formerly known as Skaggs, while Hiram Skaggs held the reins.”
Boxoffice, April 8, 1963: “Donald Dietrich resumed a full-week schedule at the Amite Drive-In”
Motion Picture Exhibitor, Oct. 28, 1964: “Don Dieterich is keeping the Amite, La., Drive-In, damaged by Hurricane Hilda, closed for the season”
kennerado, is this the ad you found? Because it’s from June 1946.
Boxoffice, March 9, 1940: “Vincent Currier of the Amite, Amite, La., is also the town banker. He recently installed new seats, sound and rugs in his theatre.”
Motion Picture Exhibitor, Nov. 18, 1959: “Charles and Dorothy Levy took over the operation of the Amite, Amite, La.”
Boxoffice, Aug. 20, 1962: “Eric Pittman closed the Amite, La., theatre indefinitely”
Boxoffice, April 8, 1963: “E. J. Pittman closed the Amite (La.) Theatre”
Boxoffice, Feb. 22, 1965: “Barbara Andrews has reopened the Amite (La.) Theatre. She’s a newcomer to the business”
Motion Picture Exhibitor, March 30, 1966: “Frank Olah, Jr., has taken over the four-walled Amite, Amite, La. He also operates the Star, Albany, La., in partnership with his father.”
Boxoffice, April 17, 1967: “OGDEN, UTAH - The 800-car Motor Vu Drive-In here started operating under the banner of Fox Mountain-Midwest Theatres Wednesday (12), it is announced by William H. Thedford and Dan A. Polier, vice-presidents and co-directors of theatre operations for National General Corp. Howard Coleman will continue as manager of the drive-in which has been acquired from Sam Gillette and Bill Hazan.”
Independent Film Journal, Dec. 11, 1954: “Sundown Drive-In, Newton, N.C. installed wide screen and CinemaScope.”
Same drive-in? Motion Picture Daily, Nov. 20, 1956: “LIVINGSTON, Tenn., Nov. 19 - Leland Alfred has taken over the Ritz and Sundown Drive-in theatres here from Mr. and Mrs. Fred Rose and Mr. and Mrs. Dwain Peterson, purchasing both properties and equipment.”
My guess is that the Sundown became the Star-Vue. At least, that’s what the Exhibitor reported on April 29, 1953: “Fred T. McLendon Theatres assumed ownership-operations of the Sundown Drive-In, McKenzie, Ala., from H. C. Jenkins. Al Morgan, booker, advised that operations will resume shortly, and that it was renamed the Star-Vue Drive-In.”
The Exhibitor, April 8, 1953: “The Sundown Drive-In, Tampa, Fla., opened, owned by J. B. Shipley, W. T. Robinson, Jr., and B. N. Pooley, Jr.”
Also, as others have noted, many drive-ins throughout history lasted only one abbreviated season. Three that I’ve researched and written about are the Sands (July 31-Oct. 15, 1953) in Needles CA, the Independent (July 31-Oct. 2, 1949) in Cortez CO, and the Fair Park (July 17-Aug. 18, 1948) in Oklahoma City. That last one would be my nominee for shortest life of any drive-in with graded ramps - as opposed to temporary pop-up drive-ins.
The Exhibitor, Aug. 20, 1952: “Mr. and Mrs. A. Combs and Mr. and Mrs. Wilfred Racine, owners, Desert and Ideal, Burns, Ore., announced the purchase from Roe Davis of a drive-in site on the west side of the highway between Burns and Hines, Ore., upon which a 300-car open-airer will be constructed. The spot will be known as the Sundown Drive-In.”
The 1950 Film Daily Year Book listed three theaters for Newton: The Catawba, the State, and the Gem, which had 400 seats. Was that another name for the Newton?
Motion Picture Exhibitor, Nov. 3, 1954: “The former Gem, Newton, N. C., has been sold by G. Otto Hartsoe to Ed Haupt.”
Motion Picture Herald, Nov. 1, 1947: “The State theatre building, site and equipment, at Newton, N. C, has been sold to Everette Enterprises of Charlotte. Approximately $70,000 was paid for the property.”
The 1952 Theatre Catalog included the Pikeville Drive-In, capacity 300 cars, owned by “Childers and Powell and J. Bressler”. If this was the only drive-in near Pikeville that was active in 1952 (per the aerial photo), then perhaps it became the New.
Motion Picture Herald, Nov. 29, 1952: “ A new gas heating system and other extensive replacements and renovation have been completed at the Liberty theatre, in Pikeville, Ky.”
Motion Picture Herald, June 19, 1954: “The Liberty theatre at Pikeville, Ky., which has been shuttered for the past two years, again has been relighted, although the house will be open only one night per week during the summer months, it was announced by Robert Tarbeck, city manager for Elmart Theatres, which has this house and the Weddington theatre here. The town also has a drive-in theatre which recently opened for the season.”
Boxoffice, Nov. 20, 1961: “Pikeville, Ky. - The Liberty Theatre has been reopened under the new management of Salene Thomas, formerly of Charleston, W. Va., who previously had been in exhibition in Frankfort and Lexington, Ky.”
An ad in the Craig Empire Courier said that the Sunset Drive-In’s “last program of the season” ran through Labor Day, Sept. 7, 1964. Spot checks of later summers failed to find any Sunset ads. That last double feature was “Bikini Beach” and “Donovan’s Reef”.
Craig Empire Courier, June 26, 1974: “Stan Stanfill announced this week that because of the deaths of Fred Kn?II and Charles Gilmour, the West Theatre and the Sunset Drive-In will be ottered for sate as one unit.”
After the Sunset closed, (whenever it closed), it reopened as the Romantic Motor Vu on May 7, 1976. Its show that night was “The Return of the Pink Panther” and “Mr. Majestyk”.
To clarify, at the time of the Skytop’s existence, it was directly on State Highway 24 about a mile west of the edge of Roseboro. The version of 24 that loops around town was built less than 10 years ago.
I’m glad you’re here, LouRugani, but I’m very confused by that last post. Was that a message that you sent out somewhere in 2015? That would match the references to the Cascade, which closed after the 2018 season.
A note too odd for me to resist.
Motion Picture Herald, Jan. 31, 1948: “Blumenfeld Theatre circuit, which acquired the Guild theatre three weeks ago from Robert L. Lippert, has returned the Market Street house to Lippert. Theatre seats 300 and has pursued a policy of reissues of classics.”
I pulled up Google Maps and clicked the former concession building. The result was 21861 Hwy J46. jwmovies' address now points to a spot on the other side of J46.
Although the Hyde Park hasn’t reopened yet for the 2023 season, and its previous operators seem to be out of the picture, its owner says the drive-in is not closed for good. That’s the essence of a story that ran today (behind a paywall) at the Daily Freeman of Kingston NY.
The National Park Service, which bought the site in 2011, had a lease with the drive-in’s operators through last year. This year, the NPS requested proposals to operate the Hyde Park. They’ve received several such proposals, though none from the folks who used to run the drive-in.
“John Harlan Warren, a spokesman for the National Park Service Region 1, … declined to say whether there was a timeline for making a decision” about who the NPS would choose to operate the Hyde Park.