Unless you are in a major market I just don’t think it would work.Sure we made great money in the 70’s and early 80’s before ALL THIS NEW MEDIA from TURNER CLASSIC MOVIES to so many expaned cable channels,I think it would be a big risk.
I thought I might have an old press book from one of those movies i could send to you with the rest of the pictures.Ithought i had an SSSSSSS one sheet{HISS IT,Don’t say it } ,but haven’t been able to find it.
Karen Shaw was the Box office girl. It surprized me because Karen worked alot of matinees with Mrs,Smith.She was the one to encounter Kenny Rogers with the 100.00 bill.
The one sheet frame was like we had at Columbia 1 and 2 it snapped down on all four sides.Glad i drove down there and rescued it,from a very trashy theatre,There was another theatre across the street.But it was dry cleaning business i think.
I WAS able to get in the theatres years ago through a busted exit door that has now been welded shut.I took a bunch of pictures,The boothwas just like they left it.ERRIE,and strange like the world ended.
FROM THE 1987 REUNION PARTY…
Karen Harpe and Mike Rogers disagree on Karen being an Assistant Manager when Mike was there. “Mike couldn’t Add, I was alawys redoing our Box office reports,our daily reports,weekly reports and monthly reports!"Karen said. Tommy Capers jumps in,"Karen, that is why you felt like you were an assistant manager!” Karen said “Mike can’t accept a woman being his equal!” Well, I wasn’t taking all of this I asked Mr.Tinney who was at the REUNION party and he backed KAREN. I went off and got a beer.
Tom Weidmeiere tells this story. “We all drove up to the theatres and found NO managers! Bob Smith the relief projectionist was working his usual thursday night had keys and got us in: Still NO managers. We finally found out that Mr.Tinney was broke down somewhere,and it was Mike’s day off. We knew where he lived and someone drove to his place,but no Mike.
All we could do is open the doors,explain our problem to the public and take exact change.None of us could open the safe or even get the Ticket cartridges out for the Box Office. Bob helps out with the Popcorn and somehow Mr.Tinney gets there.
Couldn’t see CLOCKWORK ORANGE In Augusta,CHIEF OF Police Jim Beck said he would raid the IMPERIAL if it was shown.So a friend and myself drove to the CLASSIC which was still a beautiful single screen and watched the movie twice.
In them days one could buy a ticket and watch until closing. I don’t think the screen was as large as NATIONAL HILLS which also showed 70mm.
Ijust figured if i hit an Atlanta theatre someone would be able to explain the WEIS Cinemas because i couldn’t remember the names,but I knew they had screens in Macon and Savannah. A Mr.Crisp was the manager of the Capri,because I have an ad for that theatre when 2001 played there{on very small screens]and he is the contact person for group rates.
I have all the items ready to go. A bit on the NORTH 85 Drive in was torn off thru the years,but 99% of the story is there.I went back to the EXPRESSWAY and looked over your movies had I had a pressbook on one of those movies i was going to send it,but didn’t still i think you should enjoy it.
Never heard of such a thing! At National Hills and the IMPERIAL the carbon rods went in the trash. I will have to mention that to Nick,He has a close friend that ran movies in Tampa for decades.
Tisloews, enjoyed all the stories.I think guys like us should have just sat down and drained our brains on our theatres.You know to have one long story instead of all the posts we both have. But, just the other day i remembered Columbia 1 having gutter problems soon after we opened and had to rope off the Houseleft side of the screen on the first 4 or 5 rows.
The Ice story,Yep, The three downtown theatres here would do the same thing. I got Linda Blair to autograph a AIRPORT 75 one sheet,I couldn’t find an Exorcist.A couple of years ago i ran into Richard Roundtree and he said he would not sign any SHAFT one sheets. I had a CITY HEAT one sheet that he would sign.
I am always going into closed theatres. This one the back exit doors about came off in my hand from rot. Did get a nice wooden standee that was used i bet for years to put one sheets on. I was hoping to find hundreds of one sheets,but found one.
I was later told someone tracked down the owner in Warrenton and the old man GAVE HIM every ONE SHEET in the back room. I bet he sold every one while i keep all of mine. I bet still in this country there are still small town theatres full of materials.
Also not too long a big Wind storm hit the area and blew the big blue numbers 1 and 2 off the marquee. We replaced them with much smaller red colored numbers, couldn’t understand why the contractor wasn’t called back to repair or replace those huge blue numbers.They really made the Marquee. At least i have pictures.
yeah, I guess you are right,Lots of shopping centers around here now occupy Drive in land.However,Most the shopping centers built on these old Drive in spots today sit empty and falling apart,much like the Drive ins they replaced. Most were built in the 70’s and outdated compared to the new stripmalls. Thanks for the info on the Barnwell Drive ins.
Nick, you are right it is hard to add to these long forgotten Drive ind,but I just hate to write only sentence because these old passion pits deserve more than a line even if it is filler.
Unless you are in a major market I just don’t think it would work.Sure we made great money in the 70’s and early 80’s before ALL THIS NEW MEDIA from TURNER CLASSIC MOVIES to so many expaned cable channels,I think it would be a big risk.
I thought I might have an old press book from one of those movies i could send to you with the rest of the pictures.Ithought i had an SSSSSSS one sheet{HISS IT,Don’t say it } ,but haven’t been able to find it.
Karen Shaw was the Box office girl. It surprized me because Karen worked alot of matinees with Mrs,Smith.She was the one to encounter Kenny Rogers with the 100.00 bill.
ONE was in Athens , Georgia and it is on CT, tisloews. Happy New year. I am BACK.
I never SNUCK IN A THEATRE,but had a couple of high school buddies try and sneak in NATIONAL HILLS and i STOPPED them.Did you ever have that problem?
The one sheet frame was like we had at Columbia 1 and 2 it snapped down on all four sides.Glad i drove down there and rescued it,from a very trashy theatre,There was another theatre across the street.But it was dry cleaning business i think.
I WAS able to get in the theatres years ago through a busted exit door that has now been welded shut.I took a bunch of pictures,The boothwas just like they left it.ERRIE,and strange like the world ended.
FROM THE 1987 REUNION PARTY…
Karen Harpe and Mike Rogers disagree on Karen being an Assistant Manager when Mike was there. “Mike couldn’t Add, I was alawys redoing our Box office reports,our daily reports,weekly reports and monthly reports!"Karen said. Tommy Capers jumps in,"Karen, that is why you felt like you were an assistant manager!” Karen said “Mike can’t accept a woman being his equal!” Well, I wasn’t taking all of this I asked Mr.Tinney who was at the REUNION party and he backed KAREN. I went off and got a beer.
FROM THE 1987 REUNION TAPE….
Tom Weidmeiere tells this story. “We all drove up to the theatres and found NO managers! Bob Smith the relief projectionist was working his usual thursday night had keys and got us in: Still NO managers. We finally found out that Mr.Tinney was broke down somewhere,and it was Mike’s day off. We knew where he lived and someone drove to his place,but no Mike.
All we could do is open the doors,explain our problem to the public and take exact change.None of us could open the safe or even get the Ticket cartridges out for the Box Office. Bob helps out with the Popcorn and somehow Mr.Tinney gets there.
CAN’T MAKE THIS UP.
Couldn’t see CLOCKWORK ORANGE In Augusta,CHIEF OF Police Jim Beck said he would raid the IMPERIAL if it was shown.So a friend and myself drove to the CLASSIC which was still a beautiful single screen and watched the movie twice.
In them days one could buy a ticket and watch until closing. I don’t think the screen was as large as NATIONAL HILLS which also showed 70mm.
Go to PASTIME Theatre.MOre Adventures of me in closed Theatres in small towns.
I think Russell SMEAK was a manager there until Larry Anderson, DM ran off some good talent. I told Russell to stay out of Atlanta!
Ijust figured if i hit an Atlanta theatre someone would be able to explain the WEIS Cinemas because i couldn’t remember the names,but I knew they had screens in Macon and Savannah. A Mr.Crisp was the manager of the Capri,because I have an ad for that theatre when 2001 played there{on very small screens]and he is the contact person for group rates.
I did find one picture of the Concession/booth.There was nothing there but tall weeds.
I have all the items ready to go. A bit on the NORTH 85 Drive in was torn off thru the years,but 99% of the story is there.I went back to the EXPRESSWAY and looked over your movies had I had a pressbook on one of those movies i was going to send it,but didn’t still i think you should enjoy it.
Never heard of such a thing! At National Hills and the IMPERIAL the carbon rods went in the trash. I will have to mention that to Nick,He has a close friend that ran movies in Tampa for decades.
Tisloews, enjoyed all the stories.I think guys like us should have just sat down and drained our brains on our theatres.You know to have one long story instead of all the posts we both have. But, just the other day i remembered Columbia 1 having gutter problems soon after we opened and had to rope off the Houseleft side of the screen on the first 4 or 5 rows.
The Ice story,Yep, The three downtown theatres here would do the same thing. I got Linda Blair to autograph a AIRPORT 75 one sheet,I couldn’t find an Exorcist.A couple of years ago i ran into Richard Roundtree and he said he would not sign any SHAFT one sheets. I had a CITY HEAT one sheet that he would sign.
I am always going into closed theatres. This one the back exit doors about came off in my hand from rot. Did get a nice wooden standee that was used i bet for years to put one sheets on. I was hoping to find hundreds of one sheets,but found one.
I was later told someone tracked down the owner in Warrenton and the old man GAVE HIM every ONE SHEET in the back room. I bet he sold every one while i keep all of mine. I bet still in this country there are still small town theatres full of materials.
I saw SSSSSSS at the MILLER theatre I bet we are the only two people that have any idea what the movie was about;unless they look it up in a filmbook.
Looked again it is the BACON THEATRE,not Becon theatre.
Also not too long a big Wind storm hit the area and blew the big blue numbers 1 and 2 off the marquee. We replaced them with much smaller red colored numbers, couldn’t understand why the contractor wasn’t called back to repair or replace those huge blue numbers.They really made the Marquee. At least i have pictures.
yeah, I guess you are right,Lots of shopping centers around here now occupy Drive in land.However,Most the shopping centers built on these old Drive in spots today sit empty and falling apart,much like the Drive ins they replaced. Most were built in the 70’s and outdated compared to the new stripmalls. Thanks for the info on the Barnwell Drive ins.
thanks Chuck, I figured it closed sometime around the late 70’s.don’t have anything else on the STARLITE or SWEETWATER Drive ins in Barnwell? Do you?
Had just a little bit more to add on this one.I was glad i found the TRUCK TURNER newspaper ad. Remember to do the Tenn.Drive-ins.thanks Nick.
Nick, you are right it is hard to add to these long forgotten Drive ind,but I just hate to write only sentence because these old passion pits deserve more than a line even if it is filler.