Boxoffice, Feb. 16, 1970: “Manuel Duarte’s Hecker Pass Drive-In reopened recently with plans to feature American movies on Fridays and Saturdays and Spanish-language films on Sundays. During the opening weekend every car received a ticket for a free car wash.”
Boxoffice, Feb. 9, 1970: “Twin-Aire West Drive-In on Clinton Highway has been opened as the companion theatre to Twin-Aire East, which has been in operation since last fall. Twin-Aire West, which has a capacity of 512 speakers and 250 in-car heaters, was unveiled Christmas night with a cartoon carnival, "True Grit” and “My Side of the Mountain.” The other section of the Twin-Aire has speakers for 600 cars and 300 in-car heaters."
Boxoffice, Feb. 9, 1970: “Richard L. Davis has sold his 50 per cent interest in four theatres to Heartland Cinema Co. of Des Moines. The houses involved are the Wakonda Arcade Theatre, Des Moines; the Twixt-Town Drive-In, Marion, and the Century Cinema I and II in Ames.”
Boxoffice, Feb. 9, 1970: “Richard L. Davis … recently leased to Robert Fridley Theatres two Des Moines indoor houses, Eastgate Cinema I and II, and the Plantation Drive-In.”
Boxoffice, Feb. 9, 1970: “Family-type films for the teen population and other newer releases are planned for Cadillac’s Drive-In this year, according to James Chipman, the new manager. The drive-in was purchased by the Robert Goodrich Corp. early in January … Remodeling the concession stand is planned and they hope to have safe, gas, in-car heaters installed soon.”
Boxoffice, July 28, 1969: “NORCO, CALIF. - National General Theatre Corp. has acquired the Crest Drive-In Theatre here effective Wednesday (16), it was announced by William Hertz, NGC southern California division manager. Former operators were June Poynter and Associates. Alan Bamossy is district manager and Larry McMilon is manager.”
Atchison Globe, Nov. 18, 1990: “The Liberty Theatre in Horton ran its last show in the early 1980s according to Forrest Keener, one of a group of citizens who purchased the theater from Eddie Landau in the 1960s to try to keep it going. The building is now condemned and has barricade blocking the entrance. LeRoy Paden, mayor of Horton, said the city plans to tear it down.”
From an article in the Leavenworth Times on Feb. 3, 1977, Crown Cinema Corp. closed the Hollywood on Feb. 8 that year and gave it to the City of Leavenworth “for staging plays and other events.”
In his well-researched 1992 book “Drive-In Theaters,” Kerry Segrave included a list of “Early Drive-ins.” The first Texas entry of the list was presumably this one in Corpus Christi. Seagrave wrote that it opened in March 1939 and was owned by Nick Katsaris, Pete Katsaris, Leon Newman, C. A. Richter, and F. D. Smith. He said he based that information on a note on Page 126 of the March 30, 1940 Boxoffice magazine, but I couldn’t find any of that in the online version of that issue.
Looks like the Alpharetta drive-in opened in 1957 and had a name matching the indoor theater at the time.
Motion Picture Exhibitor, Oct. 23, 1957: (under Atlanta notes) “The new Alpha Drive-In, Alpharetta, Ga., owned by Mel Brown, is managed by Hans Toler, former manager, Buckhead, here.”
Motion Picture Exhibitor, Dec. 25, 1957: “Ernest Watson was named manager, Alpha Drive-In, Alpharetta, Ga., replacing Hanson Tolar, who joined Wilby Kincey as treasurer.”
Boxoffice, Nov. 15, 1971: “ARTESIA, N.M. - Extensive remodeling has been completed at the Landsun Theatre, … it was announced by Creighton Gilcrist, who recently leased theatres in the Artesia area … The Hermosa Drive-In will remain open all year to permit film choice for patrons, according to Gilcrist.”
Boxoffice, Nov. 15, 1971: “George Stamm, operator of the Campanil Theatre and the Stamm Theatre, has announced that he will begin to twin the Bridgehead Drive-In, Antioch. The work is slated to start around the first of the year and should take approximately four months to complete.”
Boxoffice, May 2, 1977: “Tom Moyer’s Luxury Theatres … has taken over operation of the Coeur d' Alene, Ida., Drive-In which is managed by Bud McKay, a local resident.”
The Starview opened on Oct. 3, 1947, based on its grand opening ad in the Santa Cruz Sentinel. No mention of its opening program, but its ads soon added that there was “Never a foggy night at the Starview Drive-In Theatre.”
The Starview (“No Fog!”) continued to advertise in the Sentinel through August 24, 1956. Its movies on that Friday were “Escape From Fort Bravo” and “Naked Alibi.”
A note in January 1958 mentioned new houses going up “on the site of the old Starview drive-in theater”.
Just sayin', the Ocean City site was in Ocean City FL, a census-designated place across Cinco Bayou from most of Fort Walton Beach. It gets its mail service from a FWB post office, but it’s not within the city limits.
Exhibitor, March 26, 1952: “Louis Craig, manager. Park Drive-In, Crestview, Fla., will also manage the Ocean City Drive-In.”
Motion Picture Herald, April 5, 1952: “L. E. Craig opened his new Ocean City drive-in, Ocean City, Fla., on March 22, completely equipped with RCA equipment.”
Exhibitor, April 9, 1952: “Raymond Gremillion, Southeastern’s sales and service representative, checked in after installing RCA equipment in L. E. Craig’s new Ocean City Drive-In, Ocean City, Fla. It has accommodations for 250 cars.”
Motion Picture Exhibitor, Dec. 18, 1957: “Mr. and Mrs. Tom Barrow, western Florida circuit operators, acquired ownership of the Ocean City Drive-In, Ocean City, Fla., from L. E. Craig.”
Motion Picture Exhibitor, Jan. 7, 1959: “Lewis Craig, owner, reassumed management of the Ocean City Drive-In, Ft. Walton, Fla., previously operated by Tom Barrow.”
On Feb. 3, 1964, Boxoffice said that Gulf States Theatres had acquired the Ocean City from Craig.
I went looking for the date of the name change, and I remain confused. The first reference I could find in the San Jose News to “Frontier Auto Movie” was in its movie listings column in April 22, 1964. However, the drive-in’s advertisement in that issue was for the “Frontier Drive-in Theatre”.
A May 3, 1952 note in Motion Picture Herald mentioned that James Totten was (still) running the Lakeview. Although Edward Campbell was a serial drive-in entrepreneur of the region at that time, I haven’t found any mentions of him at the Lakeview. OTOH…
The Exhibitor, July 15, 1953: “William Powars has taken over the operation of the Lakeview Drive-In, Pendleton, Ky., from R. H. Totton (sic?). Powars has been a representative of the Alexander Film Company.”
The Exhibitor, July 29, 1953: “(Louisville) Out-of-town exhibitors seen included … Bill Powers (sic), Lakeview Drive-In, Pendleton, Ky.”
Boxoffice, May 30, 1977: “Exhibitors visiting the (Cincinnati) exchanges included Bill Powars, Pendleton, Ky.”
The last mention of the Frontier Auto Movie that I could find in the San Jose News was on May 22, 1973, showing “The Folks at Red Wolf Inn” (AKA “Terror at Red Wolf Inn”) and “Frenzy”. The Frontier was absent from the News' listings the next day.
Boxoffice, Feb. 16, 1970: “Manuel Duarte’s Hecker Pass Drive-In reopened recently with plans to feature American movies on Fridays and Saturdays and Spanish-language films on Sundays. During the opening weekend every car received a ticket for a free car wash.”
Boxoffice, Feb. 9, 1970: “Twin-Aire West Drive-In on Clinton Highway has been opened as the companion theatre to Twin-Aire East, which has been in operation since last fall. Twin-Aire West, which has a capacity of 512 speakers and 250 in-car heaters, was unveiled Christmas night with a cartoon carnival, "True Grit” and “My Side of the Mountain.” The other section of the Twin-Aire has speakers for 600 cars and 300 in-car heaters."
Boxoffice, Feb. 9, 1970: “Richard L. Davis has sold his 50 per cent interest in four theatres to Heartland Cinema Co. of Des Moines. The houses involved are the Wakonda Arcade Theatre, Des Moines; the Twixt-Town Drive-In, Marion, and the Century Cinema I and II in Ames.”
Boxoffice, Feb. 9, 1970: “Richard L. Davis … recently leased to Robert Fridley Theatres two Des Moines indoor houses, Eastgate Cinema I and II, and the Plantation Drive-In.”
Boxoffice, Feb. 9, 1970: “Family-type films for the teen population and other newer releases are planned for Cadillac’s Drive-In this year, according to James Chipman, the new manager. The drive-in was purchased by the Robert Goodrich Corp. early in January … Remodeling the concession stand is planned and they hope to have safe, gas, in-car heaters installed soon.”
Boxoffice, Feb. 9, 1970: “The West 11th Street Twin Drive-In Theatre which opened Aug. 6, 1969, was built by Moyer Theatres”
From the Feb. 17, 1969 issue of Boxoffice.
Boxoffice, July 28, 1969: “NORCO, CALIF. - National General Theatre Corp. has acquired the Crest Drive-In Theatre here effective Wednesday (16), it was announced by William Hertz, NGC southern California division manager. Former operators were June Poynter and Associates. Alan Bamossy is district manager and Larry McMilon is manager.”
Atchison Globe, Nov. 18, 1990: “The Liberty Theatre in Horton ran its last show in the early 1980s according to Forrest Keener, one of a group of citizens who purchased the theater from Eddie Landau in the 1960s to try to keep it going. The building is now condemned and has barricade blocking the entrance. LeRoy Paden, mayor of Horton, said the city plans to tear it down.”
On Feb. 3, 1977, the Leavenworth Times noted in passing that Crown Cinema Corp. was operating the Skylark Drive-In.
From an article in the Leavenworth Times on Feb. 3, 1977, Crown Cinema Corp. closed the Hollywood on Feb. 8 that year and gave it to the City of Leavenworth “for staging plays and other events.”
In his well-researched 1992 book “Drive-In Theaters,” Kerry Segrave included a list of “Early Drive-ins.” The first Texas entry of the list was presumably this one in Corpus Christi. Seagrave wrote that it opened in March 1939 and was owned by Nick Katsaris, Pete Katsaris, Leon Newman, C. A. Richter, and F. D. Smith. He said he based that information on a note on Page 126 of the March 30, 1940 Boxoffice magazine, but I couldn’t find any of that in the online version of that issue.
Pre-mural photo by Noel Kerns, who didn’t mention anything about donating it to the public domain.
Looks like the Alpharetta drive-in opened in 1957 and had a name matching the indoor theater at the time.
Motion Picture Exhibitor, Oct. 23, 1957: (under Atlanta notes) “The new Alpha Drive-In, Alpharetta, Ga., owned by Mel Brown, is managed by Hans Toler, former manager, Buckhead, here.”
Motion Picture Exhibitor, Dec. 25, 1957: “Ernest Watson was named manager, Alpha Drive-In, Alpharetta, Ga., replacing Hanson Tolar, who joined Wilby Kincey as treasurer.”
Boxoffice, Nov. 15, 1971: “ARTESIA, N.M. - Extensive remodeling has been completed at the Landsun Theatre, … it was announced by Creighton Gilcrist, who recently leased theatres in the Artesia area … The Hermosa Drive-In will remain open all year to permit film choice for patrons, according to Gilcrist.”
Boxoffice, Nov. 15, 1971: “Dan Rundell jr. advised industry officials that he has closed permanently his Cave Theatre in Delhi.”
Boxoffice, Nov. 15, 1971: “George Stamm, operator of the Campanil Theatre and the Stamm Theatre, has announced that he will begin to twin the Bridgehead Drive-In, Antioch. The work is slated to start around the first of the year and should take approximately four months to complete.”
This 1979 photo by John Margolies is part of the John Margolies Roadside America photograph archive of the Library of Congress, and is effectively in the public domain.
Lloyd Honey’s obituary in the May 2, 1977 issue of Boxoffice mentioned that he and his father built the Starvue.
Boxoffice, May 2, 1977: “Tom Moyer’s Luxury Theatres … has taken over operation of the Coeur d' Alene, Ida., Drive-In which is managed by Bud McKay, a local resident.”
The Starview opened on Oct. 3, 1947, based on its grand opening ad in the Santa Cruz Sentinel. No mention of its opening program, but its ads soon added that there was “Never a foggy night at the Starview Drive-In Theatre.”
The Starview (“No Fog!”) continued to advertise in the Sentinel through August 24, 1956. Its movies on that Friday were “Escape From Fort Bravo” and “Naked Alibi.”
A note in January 1958 mentioned new houses going up “on the site of the old Starview drive-in theater”.
Just sayin', the Ocean City site was in Ocean City FL, a census-designated place across Cinco Bayou from most of Fort Walton Beach. It gets its mail service from a FWB post office, but it’s not within the city limits.
Exhibitor, March 26, 1952: “Louis Craig, manager. Park Drive-In, Crestview, Fla., will also manage the Ocean City Drive-In.”
Motion Picture Herald, April 5, 1952: “L. E. Craig opened his new Ocean City drive-in, Ocean City, Fla., on March 22, completely equipped with RCA equipment.”
Exhibitor, April 9, 1952: “Raymond Gremillion, Southeastern’s sales and service representative, checked in after installing RCA equipment in L. E. Craig’s new Ocean City Drive-In, Ocean City, Fla. It has accommodations for 250 cars.”
Motion Picture Exhibitor, Dec. 18, 1957: “Mr. and Mrs. Tom Barrow, western Florida circuit operators, acquired ownership of the Ocean City Drive-In, Ocean City, Fla., from L. E. Craig.”
Motion Picture Exhibitor, Jan. 7, 1959: “Lewis Craig, owner, reassumed management of the Ocean City Drive-In, Ft. Walton, Fla., previously operated by Tom Barrow.”
On Feb. 3, 1964, Boxoffice said that Gulf States Theatres had acquired the Ocean City from Craig.
I went looking for the date of the name change, and I remain confused. The first reference I could find in the San Jose News to “Frontier Auto Movie” was in its movie listings column in April 22, 1964. However, the drive-in’s advertisement in that issue was for the “Frontier Drive-in Theatre”.
A May 3, 1952 note in Motion Picture Herald mentioned that James Totten was (still) running the Lakeview. Although Edward Campbell was a serial drive-in entrepreneur of the region at that time, I haven’t found any mentions of him at the Lakeview. OTOH…
The Exhibitor, July 15, 1953: “William Powars has taken over the operation of the Lakeview Drive-In, Pendleton, Ky., from R. H. Totton (sic?). Powars has been a representative of the Alexander Film Company.”
The Exhibitor, July 29, 1953: “(Louisville) Out-of-town exhibitors seen included … Bill Powers (sic), Lakeview Drive-In, Pendleton, Ky.”
Boxoffice, May 30, 1977: “Exhibitors visiting the (Cincinnati) exchanges included Bill Powars, Pendleton, Ky.”
The last mention of the Frontier Auto Movie that I could find in the San Jose News was on May 22, 1973, showing “The Folks at Red Wolf Inn” (AKA “Terror at Red Wolf Inn”) and “Frenzy”. The Frontier was absent from the News' listings the next day.