The East 50th Drive-In opened its gates on May 8, 1952 with a one-day showing of Dean Stockwell in “The Boy With The Green Hair” (unknown if extras added). Some of the original installations include RCA sound, a 60x48ft screen (largest in Southern Indiana at the time), an all-weather blacktop, and a capacity of 604 cars.
Both the Bedford Drive-In and the East 50th Drive-In began battling for competition as both theaters became family-oriented theaters right after the Bedford received that policy right at the start of the 1972 season. Before the 1974 season started, the East 50th Drive-In’s screen was knocked down by wind gusts on March 5 of that year causing considerable damage, but managed to fix the screen.
After the neighboring Bedford Drive-In closed after the 1980 season, the East 50th Drive-In became the only drive-in in Bedford but not for long. When its final season kicked in, the East 50th Drive-In dropped its family-oriented policy, and began screening more R-rated and exploitation titles before closing after the 1982 season.
UPDATE: The Bedford Drive-In didn’t close for the final time after October 1971. The Bedford Drive-In reopened for the 1972 season as a family-oriented theater, and would remain like that into as late as the early-1980s. This came months after the management’s reports of patrons throwing corn in inappropriate places.
The Bedford Drive-In closed after the 1980 season, leaving the East 50th Drive-In the only drive-in left in Bedford. It was unknown why but one of those reasons that affect the closure was 20 speakers being vandalized.
It appears that showtimes for the Lincoln Square Theatre disappeared after its July 23, 1950 showings of “No Sad Songs For Me” and “The Big Hangover”.
The Lincoln Square Theatre continued to operate as a special events theater (one of those special events gave fame when Jack Benny stopped by in February 1954 to record an episode on both radio and television).
I’m very sure that this was lastly known as the Smyrna Theatre before the newer one was built in mid-1965. The earliest info I can gather about the Smyrna Theatre’s name date back as early as 1962, but was still known as the Victoria in 1961. The Victoria opened as early as 1927.
New Smyrna Beach had another theater called the Palace Theatre but closed on September 1, 1927 due to a lease sale led by the men team of T.A. and S.L. Hayes who sold the Palace to the Florida Theatre Enterprises Incorporated who also managed the Victoria at the time. The Hayes brothers had been operating the Palace Theatre since 1924.
The older Smyrna Theatre closed on July 6, 1965 with “Beach Blanket Bingo” and “McHale’s Navy Joins The Air Force” due to the opening of the newer Smyrna Theatre the following day.
There are two theaters that are named the Smyrna Theatre. This one replaced an older one, and opened on July 7, 1965 with “The Yellow Rolls-Royce” featuring a capacity of 500 seats and was operated by Thomas E. (Ted) Bell. The older location closed the previous day.
It was lastly known as the “New Smyrna Theatre” before closing in mid-to-late January 1988.
MCM Theatres opened the Vista Theatre on January 10, 1973 with “Fiddler On The Roof”, with a capacity of 300 rocking chair seats and stereophonic sound. It was a single-screener throughout its life.
The Vista Theatre was renamed the Vista Cinema Pub on August 1, 1982 with “Victor/Victoria” after two weeks of remodeling, and was lastly known as Vista Cinema & Restaurant before closing for the final time on September 26, 1996 with “The Nutty Professor”.
The Irving Mall launched on August 4, 1971 and was theaterless for only its first three months of operation. When the Irving I & II opened its doors by General Cinema on November 17, 1971 with “Something Big” in Screen 1 and “Doctor Zhivago” in Screen 2, it had a capacity of 1,350 seats (with 900 seats in Screen 1 and 450 seats in Screen 2). Screen 1 was divided into two in late-1976 and became the Irving I-II-III.
The Tujunga Theatre appears to have opened in October 1938, as the Los Angeles Times began showing showtimes to the Tujunga Theatre beginning on its October 31, 1938 edition, screening “Alexander’s Ragtime Band” (unknown if extras added).
During its final few years as a movie theater, it screened exploitation films. The North closed as a movie theater on June 10, 1976 with “Mean Johnny Barrows” and an unknown second feature.
The East 50th Drive-In opened its gates on May 8, 1952 with a one-day showing of Dean Stockwell in “The Boy With The Green Hair” (unknown if extras added). Some of the original installations include RCA sound, a 60x48ft screen (largest in Southern Indiana at the time), an all-weather blacktop, and a capacity of 604 cars.
Both the Bedford Drive-In and the East 50th Drive-In began battling for competition as both theaters became family-oriented theaters right after the Bedford received that policy right at the start of the 1972 season. Before the 1974 season started, the East 50th Drive-In’s screen was knocked down by wind gusts on March 5 of that year causing considerable damage, but managed to fix the screen.
After the neighboring Bedford Drive-In closed after the 1980 season, the East 50th Drive-In became the only drive-in in Bedford but not for long. When its final season kicked in, the East 50th Drive-In dropped its family-oriented policy, and began screening more R-rated and exploitation titles before closing after the 1982 season.
UPDATE: The Bedford Drive-In didn’t close for the final time after October 1971. The Bedford Drive-In reopened for the 1972 season as a family-oriented theater, and would remain like that into as late as the early-1980s. This came months after the management’s reports of patrons throwing corn in inappropriate places.
The Bedford Drive-In closed after the 1980 season, leaving the East 50th Drive-In the only drive-in left in Bedford. It was unknown why but one of those reasons that affect the closure was 20 speakers being vandalized.
Opened in April 1909 and closed in 1919.
It appears that showtimes for the Lincoln Square Theatre disappeared after its July 23, 1950 showings of “No Sad Songs For Me” and “The Big Hangover”.
The Lincoln Square Theatre continued to operate as a special events theater (one of those special events gave fame when Jack Benny stopped by in February 1954 to record an episode on both radio and television).
This closed in mid-to-late January 1988.
I’m very sure that this was lastly known as the Smyrna Theatre before the newer one was built in mid-1965. The earliest info I can gather about the Smyrna Theatre’s name date back as early as 1962, but was still known as the Victoria in 1961. The Victoria opened as early as 1927.
The older Smyrna Theatre closed on July 6, 1965 with “Beach Blanket Bingo” and “McHale’s Navy Joins The Air Force” due to the opening of the newer Smyrna Theatre the following day.
There are two theaters that are named the Smyrna Theatre. This one replaced an older one, and opened on July 7, 1965 with “The Yellow Rolls-Royce” featuring a capacity of 500 seats and was operated by Thomas E. (Ted) Bell. The older location closed the previous day.
It was lastly known as the “New Smyrna Theatre” before closing in mid-to-late January 1988.
Opened on May 25, 1988 as the Citrus Center Cinemas.
Last known as “Spring Cinema On The Square”, closed on October 1, 1987 with “The Untouchables”.
Tripled in Spring 1986, closed on September 5, 1989.
Closed on June 28, 1957 with Donald O'Connor in “The Buster Keaton Story”.
The four screens were added on October 26, 1984.
MCM Theatres opened the Vista Theatre on January 10, 1973 with “Fiddler On The Roof”, with a capacity of 300 rocking chair seats and stereophonic sound. It was a single-screener throughout its life.
The Vista Theatre was renamed the Vista Cinema Pub on August 1, 1982 with “Victor/Victoria” after two weeks of remodeling, and was lastly known as Vista Cinema & Restaurant before closing for the final time on September 26, 1996 with “The Nutty Professor”.
Closed on September 25, 1998.
First operated by CinemaCal Enterprises.
Once operated by CinemaCal Enterprises.
This was the adjacent to the Irving Mall I-II-III.
The Irving Mall launched on August 4, 1971 and was theaterless for only its first three months of operation. When the Irving I & II opened its doors by General Cinema on November 17, 1971 with “Something Big” in Screen 1 and “Doctor Zhivago” in Screen 2, it had a capacity of 1,350 seats (with 900 seats in Screen 1 and 450 seats in Screen 2). Screen 1 was divided into two in late-1976 and became the Irving I-II-III.
Once operated by Cineplex Odeon.
Demolished in 2020.
Opened in the late-1920s, closed in either the late-1970s or early-1980s.
Opened in the early-1950s, closed in the mid-1980s.
The Tujunga Theatre appears to have opened in October 1938, as the Los Angeles Times began showing showtimes to the Tujunga Theatre beginning on its October 31, 1938 edition, screening “Alexander’s Ragtime Band” (unknown if extras added).
During its final few years as a movie theater, it screened exploitation films. The North closed as a movie theater on June 10, 1976 with “Mean Johnny Barrows” and an unknown second feature.
Closed on March 28, 2008.