Opened on November 23, 1973 as the Showcase Cinemas 1-2-3. A fourth screen was added in 1977, followed by a fifth screen in 1978, and three more in 1979 bringing a total to eight. Two more were added in 1984 bringing a total to ten, and the final two screens were added in 1991 bringing the grand total to twelve screens.
The RCE was located right next to the Oakland Shopping Center that opened theater-less in August 1965. Despite the Oakland Shopping Center being constructed in the Fall of 1964, the parking lot of the strip mall was actually constructed on the site of a drive-in theater, known as the Starlite Drive-In (1948-1964), which will have its own CT page soon.
In August 2017, the State Theatre went up for auction until it was sold the following year to Marcus Silva, the president of Villagio Hospitality Group and the high bidder at the sale hosted by the Tranzon Amazon Company.
The State Theatre reopened in 2018 as a resturant with a mix of live performances and a “destination brewery campus”. It was originally planned to become a dining and entertainment attraction, but was scrapped.
The State Theatre now operates as both a restaurant and a venue house with a mix of live performances, performing arts, and concerts.
The Pitts Drive-In opened around Halloween 1950, renamed the Culpeper Drive-In in 1970, and closed on September 1, 1985 with “Beverly Hills Cop” and “Risky Business”.
The Piedmont Drive-In opened on September 14, 1949 with Andrea Leeds in 1938’s “The Goldwyn Follies” along with an unnamed cartoon and a newsreel, and closed in Early 1975.
The Circle Drive-In opened its gates on March 4, 1970 with Don Knotts in “The Shakiest Gun In The West” and Phyllis Diller in “Did You Hear The One About The Traveling Saleslady?”
On December 23, 1970, manager Frank Farrar was working at the Circle Drive-In when two negro teenaged men stopped by. One of which got out of his car, reached inside the ticket booth, placed his arm around Farrar’s neck, and held a hawk-bill knife over his head. He sustained several minor cuts on the stomach, hands, and arms, and was forced to face behind the brick wall. The negro stole $70 in cash and ran off. Earlier in the scene, taxi driver John W. Harris said that a man who he picked up at the bus station on Friendly Avenue placed a gun at his head. Harris said the man asked to go to the store on Patterson Avenue. As they neared the store, the man placed a pistol to his head and ordered him to continue driving. The driver said when he stopped at a red light at the intersection of Patterson Avenue and Holden Road, he took off from the car and ran.
The Circle Drive-In continued to screen regular movies in the late-1970s, but flipped to adult films by the early-1980s.
The Park Drive-In opened its gates on July 7, 1950 with a one-day showing of Randolph Scott in “Albuquerque” with no extras. There is text confusion with reads “added attraction” at the bottom of the main attraction text, thinking that it may also opened with another unknown feature but could be an error.
The Park Drive-In closed for the final time on November 17, 1970 with George C. Scott in “Patton” and a cartoon show before the feature.
Opened with Jack Carson in “Romance On The High Seas” along with an unnamed cartoon and an unknown two-reel comedy (both were unlisted on grand opening ad).
The Drive-In opened its gates on July 24, 1941 with Ginger Rogers in “Bachelor Mother” along with the Mickey Mouse cartoon “Hawaiian Holiday” and a Grantland Rice Sportlight. It was renamed the South Drive-In on May 6, 1949.
Closed on October 14, 1985 with “Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome” and “After The Fall Of New York” after a fire destroyed the drive-in.
This closed in the late-1980s, not early-1970s.
Opened on November 23, 1973 as the Showcase Cinemas 1-2-3. A fourth screen was added in 1977, followed by a fifth screen in 1978, and three more in 1979 bringing a total to eight. Two more were added in 1984 bringing a total to ten, and the final two screens were added in 1991 bringing the grand total to twelve screens.
This was actually taken in 1997, around a few to several months right after the game’s release in North America.
The Gaston Drive-In actually has a capacity of 341 cars (not 750), and was originally operated by General Amusements Inc.
The RCE was located right next to the Oakland Shopping Center that opened theater-less in August 1965. Despite the Oakland Shopping Center being constructed in the Fall of 1964, the parking lot of the strip mall was actually constructed on the site of a drive-in theater, known as the Starlite Drive-In (1948-1964), which will have its own CT page soon.
In August 2017, the State Theatre went up for auction until it was sold the following year to Marcus Silva, the president of Villagio Hospitality Group and the high bidder at the sale hosted by the Tranzon Amazon Company.
The State Theatre reopened in 2018 as a resturant with a mix of live performances and a “destination brewery campus”. It was originally planned to become a dining and entertainment attraction, but was scrapped.
The State Theatre now operates as both a restaurant and a venue house with a mix of live performances, performing arts, and concerts.
Actual closing date is April 9, 2000.
Actual closing date is October 26, 2003 with “Finding Nemo” in Screen 1 and both “S.W.A.T” and “Open Range” in Screen 2.
The Culpeper Movies 4’s permanent closure didn’t last long. The theater reopened later in 2021, and was still open today.
The Pitts Drive-In opened around Halloween 1950, renamed the Culpeper Drive-In in 1970, and closed on September 1, 1985 with “Beverly Hills Cop” and “Risky Business”.
The actual opening date is May 23, 1938 with Alice Faye in “Sally, Irene, and Mary” along with a newsreel, novelty, and a cartoon.
Opened on July 14, 2000.
Closed on April 16, 1987 with “Stand By Me” in Screen 1 and “The Color Of Money” in Screen 2.
Still open in 1982, but was already demolished in the 1990s.
Closed after the 1966 season.
The Piedmont Drive-In opened on September 14, 1949 with Andrea Leeds in 1938’s “The Goldwyn Follies” along with an unnamed cartoon and a newsreel, and closed in Early 1975.
The Circle Drive-In opened its gates on March 4, 1970 with Don Knotts in “The Shakiest Gun In The West” and Phyllis Diller in “Did You Hear The One About The Traveling Saleslady?”
The Circle Drive-In continued to screen regular movies in the late-1970s, but flipped to adult films by the early-1980s.
The Park Drive-In opened its gates on July 7, 1950 with a one-day showing of Randolph Scott in “Albuquerque” with no extras. There is text confusion with reads “added attraction” at the bottom of the main attraction text, thinking that it may also opened with another unknown feature but could be an error.
The Park Drive-In closed for the final time on November 17, 1970 with George C. Scott in “Patton” and a cartoon show before the feature.
Opened with Jack Carson in “Romance On The High Seas” along with an unnamed cartoon and an unknown two-reel comedy (both were unlisted on grand opening ad).
The Skyline closed in late-1979.
The Drive-In opened its gates on July 24, 1941 with Ginger Rogers in “Bachelor Mother” along with the Mickey Mouse cartoon “Hawaiian Holiday” and a Grantland Rice Sportlight. It was renamed the South Drive-In on May 6, 1949.
The South Drive-In closed in September 1977.
Edited from my June 20, 2021 (12:54 PM) post:
Closed on September 25, 1997.
Closed in 1997.
This is a very rare find, due to this being a customized variant of the Space Tag dater.
The theater has received a $40,000 grant from T-Mobile, meaning that the theater will now screen movies again.