The original Starlite closed for the final time on September 4, 1988 with “Crocodile Dundee II” following concession concerns by the Bozeman Police Department on alcohol sales after four 17-to-19-year-old Bozeman teenagers were arrested and charged with single misdemeanor charges involving possessions of underage drinking that same day (either during intermission or during the movie).
Closed and demolished. The ‘new’ Starlite only operated for almost two months, and was demolished right after the ‘new’ Starlite’s only partial season which featured a selection of first-runs, second-runs, independents, classics, and family-oriented films (as well as films that were filmed in Montana) all on a 25ft daylight LED screen.
The theater closed on September 19, 2020 with a one-day showing of “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” (although its last classic film shown there was the 1964 Disney classic “Mary Poppins” a day prior. What’s funny about it is that they placed a photo of a crooked 2004 United Kingdom Disney DVD cover of the movie on its website rather than the original 1964 poster that most theaters have placed. It appears that the only one person just copied a random image of the movie off of Google or some site and placed it on its website for some funny reason).
Its website which was created by SquareSpace only lasted until October 2020 when their website license expired. Aerial views from a year later show nothing being left, although there was a blue house on the property that could be its former concession stand.
This probably either closed during the final weeks of 1990 or the first couple months of 1991. The theater’s former phone number was still attached in Newport News Daily News’s theater list into the first few months of 1991.
The 550-car capacity Super 17 Drive-In opened its gates on August 12, 1950 with “Massacre River” along with four unnamed cartoons, featuring installations of RCA Victor sound. It was first operated by the Cradock Amusement Company who also operated Newport News’s Green Acres Drive-In and Petersburg’s Park Drive-In, and the concession building was constructed entirely by the Bierio Vending Company.
The Clarion Theatre opened its doors on July 28, 1938 with Lewis Stone in “Love Finds Andy Hardy” along with a Captain and the Kids cartoon, a newsreel (featuring the behinds of “Wrong Way Atlantic Flyer”), and a sportlight (a fishing sportlight but was unnamed) and was first operated by Eagle Grove resident E.E. Morris (with it being managed by Larry Day).
On December 2, 1982, the Clarion Theatre was forced to close its doors for the season due to high heating bills and low attendance during the winter months. At the same time, the town’s scheduled showing of “An Officer And A Gentleman” at the Clarion Theatre was canceled due to Paramount’s printing issues and shipping delays. Unfortunately, the theater took a wrong turn, because later that same day, the Clarion Theatre was gutted by a fire.
The Clarion was rebuilt and reopened on June 22, 1984. At the time of the reopening, the management promised towngoers on bringing back some titles that didn’t pick up at the Clarion throughout the past year due to the fire.
The Raynham Drive-In closed sometime in the late-1980s or early-1990s. It was still in operation as late as 1987 judging by a Boston Globe article, but was demolished by 1995 when the current Market Basket was currently in place of the former drive-in.
Nice! There is also a Webb Theatre as well. I looked through it on Cinematour and newspapers and the only article I can find about the Webb is a February 3, 1952 article on a local agriculture program from the Jackson Sun.
The Rice Drive-In is located on 1254 Thornton Rd, Brownsville, TN 38012. The Rice only managed to operate for at least a few seasons, as it was demolished in the 1960s to make way for a race track at the county’s defunct fairgrounds.
The Mackes operated the Blue Ridge Drive-In throughout the theater’s entire history and for the longest time until they both closed the theater for the final time at the end of the 1992 season after 40 years of first-run films and family entertainment in the Saylorsburg/Brodheadsville area.
The screen continued to partially stand for the next couple of years but was in pretty rough shape and beaten condition, as some of the remaining blocks at one of the sides of the 1955-installed CinemaScope screen were either removed for unknown reasons or partially destroyed, as well as some missing blocks from the main screen. The screen was then later removed in the mid-1990s possibly due to its condition.
Nearly five years later, Raymond Mackes passed away at 83 on July 16, 1997 in their Pleasant Valley home. The Blue Ridge Drive-In’s co-owner is LeRoy R. Mackes of Sciota (Unknown date 1916 in Sciota–September 10, 2003 in East Stroudsburg), who also both co-owned and operated the theater from the start until the end.
It appears that the main screen was demolished right after the 2019 season. The main screen was shown standing but was missing a few parts of the screen in the September 2019 Google Maps view, but a September 2020 Google Earth view shows the main screen demolished.
Now reopened. The Virginia Theatre reopened on July 14, 2022, featuring classic films, live music, and a venue. The Virginia Theatre reopened for the first time since the Virginia Theatre’s roof collapse during a 1994 ice storm.
Exactly a year right after the Kentucky Theatre closed in November 1982, Bill and Ruth Scott (former operators of the Kentucky Theatre before closure; and one member a former computer operator for Crane Company) told the Commonwealth Journal that the theater went through renovation and refurbishing including installations of a new Bose sound system. Scott replied that all kinds of films will be offered, except X-rated films (although some typical X-typical R-rated stuff were shown sometimes). Scott did not disclose a dollar figure for admission prices although he did say prices were vary.
The Kentucky Theatre reopened as the “New Sound Cinema” on November 15, 1983 with “Lazer Blast”. Unfortunately, the Sound Cinema did not do as much business, especially with their two 15 to 18-year-old brothers and 13-year-old sister who assist in running the business at the time of opening. The New Sound Cinema closed on April 8, 1984 with “Strange Brew” and “Romantic Comedy” as a matinee double-feature.
Information about the Kentucky Theatre as of 1937 goes as follows: The Kentucky Theatre was first managed by Mrs. Adaline Ward Burnett, and was first operated by the Somerset Amusement Company (who also operated the nearby Virginia Theatre at the time as well). The building at the time was owned by the Somerset Lodge #238 I. O. O. F, and the front of the building was remodeled by that organization. More than $37,000 were spent in repairing the building and remodeling the former Gem auditorium. Soft colors of green and orange are the main colors of the interior walls which are Masonite. The Alexander Smith Company of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania’s Crestwood carpet covers the floor, and Simplex International projectors featuring RCA wide range high fidelity sound were placed on the booth. All 440 seats were 9-spring fully cushioned. The marquee in the front of the theater is a Navajo design (which is the first of its type in the state’s floors in the entrance) and the hallways were done in concrete (both painted red and black). The ticket booth is built out of tile. Both Bill Reid and Joe Ashurst did the decoration of the theater, while the lumber was furnished by the Fish Lumber Company.
The original Starlite closed for the final time on September 4, 1988 with “Crocodile Dundee II” following concession concerns by the Bozeman Police Department on alcohol sales after four 17-to-19-year-old Bozeman teenagers were arrested and charged with single misdemeanor charges involving possessions of underage drinking that same day (either during intermission or during the movie).
Closed and demolished. The ‘new’ Starlite only operated for almost two months, and was demolished right after the ‘new’ Starlite’s only partial season which featured a selection of first-runs, second-runs, independents, classics, and family-oriented films (as well as films that were filmed in Montana) all on a 25ft daylight LED screen.
The theater closed on September 19, 2020 with a one-day showing of “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” (although its last classic film shown there was the 1964 Disney classic “Mary Poppins” a day prior. What’s funny about it is that they placed a photo of a crooked 2004 United Kingdom Disney DVD cover of the movie on its website rather than the original 1964 poster that most theaters have placed. It appears that the only one person just copied a random image of the movie off of Google or some site and placed it on its website for some funny reason).
Its website which was created by SquareSpace only lasted until October 2020 when their website license expired. Aerial views from a year later show nothing being left, although there was a blue house on the property that could be its former concession stand.
The actual opening date is November 14, 1945 with Lee Bowman in “She Wouldn’t Say Yes” with no extra short subjects.
This probably either closed during the final weeks of 1990 or the first couple months of 1991. The theater’s former phone number was still attached in Newport News Daily News’s theater list into the first few months of 1991.
First operated by Cinema City Theatres. This opened in the 1970s, although I cannot find its grand opening advertisement.
The 550-car capacity Super 17 Drive-In opened its gates on August 12, 1950 with “Massacre River” along with four unnamed cartoons, featuring installations of RCA Victor sound. It was first operated by the Cradock Amusement Company who also operated Newport News’s Green Acres Drive-In and Petersburg’s Park Drive-In, and the concession building was constructed entirely by the Bierio Vending Company.
Opened on June 26, 1970 with “Paint Your Wagon” at Screen 1 and “A Boy Named Charlie Brown” at Screen 2.
Closed on September 29, 1991. Last operated by Harkins.
The Clarion Theatre opened its doors on July 28, 1938 with Lewis Stone in “Love Finds Andy Hardy” along with a Captain and the Kids cartoon, a newsreel (featuring the behinds of “Wrong Way Atlantic Flyer”), and a sportlight (a fishing sportlight but was unnamed) and was first operated by Eagle Grove resident E.E. Morris (with it being managed by Larry Day).
On December 2, 1982, the Clarion Theatre was forced to close its doors for the season due to high heating bills and low attendance during the winter months. At the same time, the town’s scheduled showing of “An Officer And A Gentleman” at the Clarion Theatre was canceled due to Paramount’s printing issues and shipping delays. Unfortunately, the theater took a wrong turn, because later that same day, the Clarion Theatre was gutted by a fire.
The Clarion was rebuilt and reopened on June 22, 1984. At the time of the reopening, the management promised towngoers on bringing back some titles that didn’t pick up at the Clarion throughout the past year due to the fire.
I believe both the A and B stand for Aubrey’s full name.
The Raynham Drive-In closed sometime in the late-1980s or early-1990s. It was still in operation as late as 1987 judging by a Boston Globe article, but was demolished by 1995 when the current Market Basket was currently in place of the former drive-in.
Mid-1977.
Nice! There is also a Webb Theatre as well. I looked through it on Cinematour and newspapers and the only article I can find about the Webb is a February 3, 1952 article on a local agriculture program from the Jackson Sun.
Why is it called the “A and B”? It sounds more like a twin-screen name than a single-screen name.
Ripley also had two other theaters and a short-lived drive-in.
The Rice Drive-In is located on 1254 Thornton Rd, Brownsville, TN 38012. The Rice only managed to operate for at least a few seasons, as it was demolished in the 1960s to make way for a race track at the county’s defunct fairgrounds.
According to the article, a couple of sections read that the Clinton Point Theatre opened in 1935 and closed on September 29, 1988.
Closed in September 1988.
The Mackes operated the Blue Ridge Drive-In throughout the theater’s entire history and for the longest time until they both closed the theater for the final time at the end of the 1992 season after 40 years of first-run films and family entertainment in the Saylorsburg/Brodheadsville area.
The screen continued to partially stand for the next couple of years but was in pretty rough shape and beaten condition, as some of the remaining blocks at one of the sides of the 1955-installed CinemaScope screen were either removed for unknown reasons or partially destroyed, as well as some missing blocks from the main screen. The screen was then later removed in the mid-1990s possibly due to its condition.
Nearly five years later, Raymond Mackes passed away at 83 on July 16, 1997 in their Pleasant Valley home. The Blue Ridge Drive-In’s co-owner is LeRoy R. Mackes of Sciota (Unknown date 1916 in Sciota–September 10, 2003 in East Stroudsburg), who also both co-owned and operated the theater from the start until the end.
It appears that the main screen was demolished right after the 2019 season. The main screen was shown standing but was missing a few parts of the screen in the September 2019 Google Maps view, but a September 2020 Google Earth view shows the main screen demolished.
Now reopened. The Virginia Theatre reopened on July 14, 2022, featuring classic films, live music, and a venue. The Virginia Theatre reopened for the first time since the Virginia Theatre’s roof collapse during a 1994 ice storm.
Exactly a year right after the Kentucky Theatre closed in November 1982, Bill and Ruth Scott (former operators of the Kentucky Theatre before closure; and one member a former computer operator for Crane Company) told the Commonwealth Journal that the theater went through renovation and refurbishing including installations of a new Bose sound system. Scott replied that all kinds of films will be offered, except X-rated films (although some typical X-typical R-rated stuff were shown sometimes). Scott did not disclose a dollar figure for admission prices although he did say prices were vary.
The Kentucky Theatre reopened as the “New Sound Cinema” on November 15, 1983 with “Lazer Blast”. Unfortunately, the Sound Cinema did not do as much business, especially with their two 15 to 18-year-old brothers and 13-year-old sister who assist in running the business at the time of opening. The New Sound Cinema closed on April 8, 1984 with “Strange Brew” and “Romantic Comedy” as a matinee double-feature.
Information about the Kentucky Theatre as of 1937 goes as follows: The Kentucky Theatre was first managed by Mrs. Adaline Ward Burnett, and was first operated by the Somerset Amusement Company (who also operated the nearby Virginia Theatre at the time as well). The building at the time was owned by the Somerset Lodge #238 I. O. O. F, and the front of the building was remodeled by that organization. More than $37,000 were spent in repairing the building and remodeling the former Gem auditorium. Soft colors of green and orange are the main colors of the interior walls which are Masonite. The Alexander Smith Company of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania’s Crestwood carpet covers the floor, and Simplex International projectors featuring RCA wide range high fidelity sound were placed on the booth. All 440 seats were 9-spring fully cushioned. The marquee in the front of the theater is a Navajo design (which is the first of its type in the state’s floors in the entrance) and the hallways were done in concrete (both painted red and black). The ticket booth is built out of tile. Both Bill Reid and Joe Ashurst did the decoration of the theater, while the lumber was furnished by the Fish Lumber Company.
Judging by the construction, it probably opened either in the middle of 1952 or at the start of 1953.
I believe that the theater first went under the name “Super 52 Drive-In”.