The Rodeo 3 Drive-in Theater in Port orchard/Bremerton, Washington is an excellent theater. They have digital sound and very bright, clear pictures on all three screens. Coupled with reasonable prices, excellent food, and they even have a fully functioning playground for the kids.
February 25 to March 6, 1937 the theater was closed for repairs/remodeling due to a previous small fire in mid February 1937. Then came the big fire of April 24, 1937.
The theater got remodeled again in 1948. Theater reopened on Friday May 7, 1948. Installed were Gulistan carpets and draperies along with Heywood-Wakefield seats.
Major fire damages theater. Balcony, mezzanine, and projection booth destroyed. Roof and ceiling damaged. Fire alarm turned in at 9:28 A.M. of Saturday April 24, 1937. Cause of fire determined to be spontaneous combustion of a single reel of nitrate 35mm film that had just been delivered the night before and was temporarily in the janitor’s closet in the mezzanine awaiting to be taken to the projection booth. Theater will be closed for several months to repair the damage.
Theater reopens after repairing the fire damage on Wednesday August 25, 1937. A brand new Western Electric “Mirrophonic” sound system was installed along with hearing assistance headphones available in selected seats.
Looks like a pair of RCA model MI-12245 amplifiers mounted in the sound rack and a spare amplifier sitting under the worktable. The Sunset Drive-in theater in Tumwater, Washington also used this model of amplifier.
An announcement of the planning to build the theater appeared in the May 21, 1978 issue of the Daily Olympian newspaper. The theater opened on Wednesday November 14, 1979.
There is a parking lot now where the Weir Theater used to stand.
The picture shows Reed brand speakers on the post.
Boxoffice magazine did a story about the theater being remodeled in their January 8, 1949 issue:
http://www.boxofficemagazine.com/the_vault/issue_page?issue_id=1949-1-8&page_no=137#page_start
Terraserver aerial picture:
http://www.terraserver.com/view.asp?cx=-122.7493536&cy=47.5058658&proj=4326&mpp=0.75&pic=-1&prov=-1&stac=-1&sdrt=jax
Terraserver aerial picture:
http://www.terraserver.com/view.asp?cx=-123.09465890000001&cy=47.1452942&proj=4326&mpp=0.75&pic=-1&prov=-1&stac=-1&sdrt=jax
Link to an aerial photo of the Lacey drive-in taken in 1957.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/58299528@N05/5375694066/in/photostream
Aerial picture of the theater in 1957. This was long before the Tumwater High School was built across the street from the theater. Here is the link:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/58299528@N05/5375209553/
1949 to 1951 Berg & Miller owned the theater.
1951 to 1954 United Drive-ins owned the theater.
1954 to 1977 The Zabel family owned the theater.
1977 to 1986 Tom Moyer’s Luxury Theatres owned the theater.
The Rodeo 3 Drive-in Theater in Port orchard/Bremerton, Washington is an excellent theater. They have digital sound and very bright, clear pictures on all three screens. Coupled with reasonable prices, excellent food, and they even have a fully functioning playground for the kids.
http://www.rodeodrivein.com/
Eprad “Co-Operator” automation unit controlled the projectors.
This ad was from March 2, 1937.
May 6, 1950 issue of Boxoffice magazine profiles the theater’s seating, auditorium, and artwork on the walls.
http://www.boxofficemagazine.com/the_vault/issue_page?issue_id=1950-5-6&page_no=130#page_start
February 25 to March 6, 1937 the theater was closed for repairs/remodeling due to a previous small fire in mid February 1937. Then came the big fire of April 24, 1937.
Boxoffice magazine covered the opening in their December 3, 1949 issue:
http://www.boxofficemagazine.com/the_vault/issue_page?issue_id=1949-12-3&page_no=52#page_start
There is a typo in the theater phone number listed here on CT. The correct number is 360.426.4707
Boxoffice magazine did a story about the April 24, 1937 fire. It is on this page:
http://www.boxofficemagazine.com/the_vault/issue_page?issue_id=1937-5-8&page_no=50#page_start
The theater got remodeled again in 1948. Theater reopened on Friday May 7, 1948. Installed were Gulistan carpets and draperies along with Heywood-Wakefield seats.
Timelines:
Theater opens Tuesday October 7, 1924.
Theater remodeled March 1937.
Major fire damages theater. Balcony, mezzanine, and projection booth destroyed. Roof and ceiling damaged. Fire alarm turned in at 9:28 A.M. of Saturday April 24, 1937. Cause of fire determined to be spontaneous combustion of a single reel of nitrate 35mm film that had just been delivered the night before and was temporarily in the janitor’s closet in the mezzanine awaiting to be taken to the projection booth. Theater will be closed for several months to repair the damage.
Theater reopens after repairing the fire damage on Wednesday August 25, 1937. A brand new Western Electric “Mirrophonic” sound system was installed along with hearing assistance headphones available in selected seats.
Theater opened on Tuesday November 22, 1949. The theater manager at that time was Archie Zarewski.
Mr. G.K. Porterfield was one of the first projectionists at this theater.
Opened in August 2005.
Looks like a pair of RCA model MI-12245 amplifiers mounted in the sound rack and a spare amplifier sitting under the worktable. The Sunset Drive-in theater in Tumwater, Washington also used this model of amplifier.
Opened on Thursday October 5, 1978.
An announcement of the planning to build the theater appeared in the May 21, 1978 issue of the Daily Olympian newspaper. The theater opened on Wednesday November 14, 1979.
Opened on Thursday April 26, 1928 and closed Sunday June 1, 1952.
Opened August 24, 1926.