Johnny All-Weather Drive-In
1001 Sunrise Highway,
Copiague,
NY
11726
1001 Sunrise Highway,
Copiague,
NY
11726
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Showing 26 - 50 of 59 comments
Here is a photo I assume is the Johnny All Weather. Maybe someone can verify it. Here is a 1966 aerial photo.
4-page article from the September, 1957 issue of popular science can be had at View link
Here is a 1957 photo of the Johnny All Weather marquee.
Frank Buck’s! I remember it well,seeing ‘wild’ animals while eating popcorn.It was great.Later on there was an archery range where the mall is now and also the Howard Johnson’s restaurant was there a long time too. We couldn’t wait for Friday and Saturday nights back in the 50s.Many nights saw us,let’s say circumnavigating the back fence,one step ahead of the guards.Some nights there were so many of us we would sit back there and watch the action going on in front of us,with some of it taking place on the screen.A great time of life.
I go back to Copiague now and then and have to look for the old landmarks.Oh well.Carl S
Great article!!! I went to all those places growing up. NOTE: The Frank Buck Zoo was next to the Massapequa Drive-in. You were able to check out Monkey Mountain while waiting in line to get into the drive-in. Also, there were four All-Weather Drive-in on LI.
This week’s edition of the free Long Island Press newspaper features a reproduction of an original poster heralding the opening of this All-Weather theatre on the front page. The main feature is about lost LI landmarks such as the Drive-In, Nunley’s Amusement Park and the Commack Arena.
The image may be seen here – at least until the next edition of the Press comes out and the website updated. I’ll try to scan an image of the cover into my photobucket album over the weekend and post it here for posterity.
I have many fond memories of this Drive-in. I lived in Copiague as a child and went there often(Even after my family moved to Brooklyn in the 60s we would still come out to the Island to visit. I have a picture of my sister standing in front of the snackbar and on the back my late mother wrote: Opening day Easter Sun 1959. I don’t know if that was the true opening day or not.I remember the playground featured a Big white Whale that had a slide running through it and all the kids inside would get kicked in the head from those coming down( What lawsuits today!)The place was so big ,that there were trams to take you to the snack bar. My one and only encounter with a U.F.O.occured here around 1964 when a huge flat object with revolving lights hovered over the screen and everyone got out of their cars to stare at it till it slowly drifted upward and out of sight. To this day, I have no idea what that was! (I"m not making this up!) I remember in the mid 60s when they used to have fire works displays in front of the screen I used to go to the Roll and Ice across the street alot. I Lived in the American Venice section and used to cross the canal to explore Indian Island. -Anyone know if that ever got developed? Miss my copiague days and that great theater!
don rosen
it was wbic 540 wbic when johnny opened..at the time they were
sunrise to sunset…you could hear them on your car speakers
and when they would sign off at sundown the moiviw would start..
fyi..wbic/wlix is now wlie now 24hrs..
i’m back on long island pm drive 4-8 pm m-f
www.wnygspiritofny.com
click on boom box
wally1975
also Mr.Hefter was manager of johnny aw…
I was certainly there, but who could pooeye be?
“I grew up in Setauket on Long Island, and in 1968 a friend’s mother took my friend, his younger brother, and me to see 2001: A Space Odyssey at a theater on the Island not long after it opened.
I’ve been trying to figure out exactly which theater it was and suspect this may have been it.
Does anyone else recall seeing 2001 at this theater not long after it was released? I’d be grateful to know! Thank you.“ (60smoviekid, Dec 4, 2004)
Doubtful you saw “2001” here if you’re positive this viewing occured during 1968. “2001” was released initially as a roadshow with exclusive engagements in selected regions (the Long Island showing, which started about three months after the NYC premiere, was at the NGC Fox Eastern Twin South Cinerama in Hicksville).
The link below includes details for the New York City area showings (including arrounding counties) of “2001” from 1968-1970. (From there, one can link to a list of the film’s worldwide showings.)
View link
I grew up in Copiague in the 60’s just a few blocks from the drive-in. In the winter time when the trees were not in bloom I could see the screen from my upstairs bedroom. I could see the screen clearly but of course there was no sound. I am now a very good lip reader.
Does anyone know where I can find records of the history of Copiague? I tried the public library (of which my father was on the committee to establish the library) and all I got was a brief one page history. I am interested in facts such as the population in the 50’s, etc. You can email me at
Thanks, Josie
Did you work there in the late 50s-early 60s?
I worked concession for a while at this theatre before moving on to the Sunrise Mall. I loved working concession in the summer time! Very cold in the winter. I use to work with the Corbett’s and Wayne and Victor. Any one remember that crew?
We lived so close to the all weather that on summer nights with
the windows open(who had ac?) we could hear the movie…and if
we went up to the attic,could get a bird’s eye view of the
screen! The rear exit of the drive-in opened onto a quiet
street where lovebirds would sit in their cars also watching
the movie..at times. When the movie ended and the people started
leaving from the various exits it was like..wow! A never ending
stream of lights and horns punctuating a tranquil Long Island
scene. Gone forever.
We used to sit in back of the fence at the rear of the awdi and
watch the movie from there,except on nights that we didn’t..as in
we were great leapers then…ahem. The concession stand had these
wow! food combos like franks and beans together. Some nights we'd
go up to the outside balcony of the indoor theater and watch the
outdoor movie from there. I remember seeing ‘the long hot summer'
there. On the weekends you’d see practically all your classmates,
as well as some nice looking young ladies that you’d try to meet.
I also remember going to the all weather roller rink to do the same.
We would always ask a nice young lady if she’d 'like to skate double'
Remember the 'farmer’s market just down the road? Another good meeting place.
I remember the sign well! It said..paraphrasing now..
Not wanted..gooky mcgook!
It went on to list a lot of no nos
Carl S from Molloy st,just a short walk from the school. I graduated
from the 9th grade from Copiague school..the original in 1956
Anybody remember the sign at the top of the stairs outside Roll-n-Ice that pictured what you could not be dressed like if you wanted to gain admission? The guy was wearing a white tee-shirt with a pack of smokes rolled up in one sleeve, blue jeans, greasy black pompadour and shades. I think the girl was chewing gum, but can’t remember much more. It would be great if someone found a picture of that sign. When I was in Copiague Junior/Senior High (located a short walk across Sunrise Highway from the rink), we often had school sponsored roller skating parties there. That would be around 1962-64. I think I remember hearing that Roll-n-Ice was the first indoor, combination roller skating and ice skating rink.
The Johnny All-Weather had ONE outdoor screen and ONE indoor screen, so it is considered a single screen drive-in.
This Drive-In is quoted in the statistics as being the Largest Drive-In in the country, with room for 2500 autos. I used to manage the North Star Drive-In, in Thornton, Colo (suburb of Denver) which was reputed to be the largest “single screen” Drive-in at 2,000. (All Weather had 2 screens.) Anyone hear of any single/double that are larger?
The photo of the All-Weather brings back fabulous memories!!!! You can see the outdoor seating atop the full service restaurant. Great find, Bill.
Bill:
Finally a confession! I’ve spent more the 30 years looking for the person that sneaked in through the fence.
When I was 6 years old, my brother and I were horsing around in the back seat of the car while my parents were watching Rock Hudson and Joseph Cotton in “The Last Sunset”. I had to stand behind the car for the whole second half of the movie. Ah, All Weather Drive-in memories.
I remember sneaking through the hole in the fence (right after the security car passed) and walking into the snack bar. The bathroom adjoined the indoor theater so we went in through there and just found a seat. The Roll N Ice is now a Ford Dealer and I think they are closing. You can see them both here http://www.fdatcopiague.org/Vintage.html
Maybe one of my posts about the indoor is now missing? It was a pleasure to be present for the
last great night of the indoor theatre at the
Drive-in.
All Weather Roll ‘N’ Ice
Roll'in Ice.