According to my reading of Historic Aerials and Google Maps, Chula Vista was both across Main Street and across Industrial Boulevard from the Big Sky site. So it was close, but the drive-in really was in today’s San Diego, if those maps are to be believed.
I’m not so sure about the closing date. The San Francisco News' list of movies on Nov. 14, 1951 included the 19th Avenue’s double feature of “Flying Leathernecks: and "Wabash Avenue.”
Exhibitor, May 30, 1951: “The 19th Avenue Drive-In, San Mateo, Cal., is the first outdoor theatre to drop prices. Operated by H. G. Price, Inc., for General Theatrical, the ozoner now admits a car, regardless of the number of passengers, for $1.”
Exhibitor, Dec. 5, 1951: “General Theatrical closed its 19th Avenue Drive-In, San Mateo, Cal., for the winter.”
“The Paneros' theater on Central Avenue near Five Points, which opened in May 1937, was still a state-of-the-art venue 10 years later, with its curving design features and rich decor. The front of the building had a rounded, opaque glass wall that gave diffuse light inside the lobby and a projection above with its name – SHAFTER – in large neon letters. The box office stood on the left side under the overhang, and inside the swinging doors there was the long candy counter to the left near the box office door. Across the lobby a wide, graceful ramp led down to the beautifully tiled bathrooms. Beyond the inner lobby doors there was thick, richly patterned carpeting that covered the floor between the lower seating and the loges above, a total of 750 seats.”
That’s part of an excellent theater-based memoir article by Dolly Hei in the Shafter Historical Society’s newsletter via the Wacso Tribune of April 8, 2021.
The Pine Breeze appeared in the 1951 Film Daily Year Book and the 1950-51 Theatre Catalog, which listed its capacity as 363 cars. In 1953, it was run by United-California, aka Golden State Theatres.
Joe Bob Briggs, July 31, 1987: “The Mo Kan Drive-In, which sets smack on the Missouri-Kansas state line of Highway 69 near Fort Scott, Kan., is full of cars - smashed-up rusty junk cars. Sometime last year they turned it into a salvage yard.”
Jeff Schaeffer of Key West, Fla., writing to Joe Bob Briggs, July 15, 1988: “It is my sad duty to inform you of the impending demise of what is probably the best drive-in in the whole U.S. of A. - the Stock Island Drive-In in Key West. What makes this drive-in different from all others? Well, it’s built out over the water on Cow Key channel, and to my knowledge it’s the only drive-in in the U.S. where you can fish for snappers and groupers while watching the flick. In fact, there is a place in the back where you can fish from both sides of the car. This was a beautiful place where generations of kids learned math by counting heads, drank beer and caught their next day’s breakfast, but it’s going to be taken over by the Monroe County Land Authority. They plan to use it for the godless activity called affordable housing.”
Joe Bob Briggs, July 14, 1989: “The Starlite Drive-In, on "the old highway” outside of Ashland, Ore., put up a “Closed For The Season” sign - about 18 months ago. How long is the goldurn season? Drive-in fan Max X. Smith reports it’s Communist anti-porno geeks that caused it."
Joe Bob Briggs, Nov. 24, 1989: “The screen from the Starlite Drive-In in Chico, Calif., is becoming the centerfield fence at Butte College. The Starlite was one of the oldest in California, opening in 1939 (sic?), but had been dark the last three years. They had to tear it down, though, because they needed a hay field. Disgusting.”
Joe Bob Briggs, May 2, 1990: “The Frontier Drive-In on Highway 199 just outside Cave Junction, Ore., has a big "For Sale” sign on it, and the wind is not only whipping through the pines around the screen - it’s whipping through the screen."
Joe Bob Briggs, March 3, 1991: “First they announced the demolition of the historic Pickwick Drive-In in Burbank, Calif., so they could put up another shopping center. Burbank Mayor Thomas Flavin, who saw John Wayne’s War Wagon at the Pickwick, objected. Then the drive-in burned down.”
Joe Bob Briggs, April 29, 1990: “Communist Alert! The Lumberjack Drive-In in Nacogdoches, Texas, has vanished without a trace. You know, the woods are real deep out there, and it was one of those Stephen King things.”
Mark Studer’s letter to Joe Bob Briggs, printed July 7, 1991: “I saw your little “Communist Alert” note about the Lumberjack Drive-In and, I’m sorry, but I don’t feel any great loss. Back around 1979 they went from the good old-fashioned low-fidelity 90 percent total-harmonic-distortion window-hung speakers to a high technology system using an AM radio transmitter and a fella’s own personal car stereo. Sounds great, doesn’t it? Good on paper, bad in practice. You always got an overlapping signal from the same cheesy radio station out of Juarez or some place south of the border. It’s hardly dramatic to find out the Darth Vader is Luke’s father while tapping out the beat to a Mexican polka! I think the almighty Drive-In God must have seen this happening and exorcised this drive-in. So be it. The real shame is that Stephen F. Austin students have one less place to party, since they outlawed liquor on campus!”
Joe Bob Briggs, July 21, 1991: “The Buffalo Drive-In in Buffalo, Mo., has reopened after several years of inactivity, and it’s been outfitted with radio sound. Buffalo may be the smallest town in America to have a fully functioning drive-in (population 1,915).”
Joe Bob Briggs, May 15, 1992: “The Sunset Drive-In, at Highway 113 and County Road 27 in Davis, Calif., is being eyed like raw meat by local vulture developers. But fortunately the current plan to turn it into a miniature golf course, driving range, batting-cage facility and arcade is gonna be denied because it might "impact” the endangered Swainson’s hawk. I’m not making this up. Tell these people to let it be a dad-blamed drive-in, like God intended, and the hawks can dive-bomb the hot dog stand for all we care."
Joe Bob Briggs, June 13, 1993: “The Burlingame Drive-In in Burlingame, Calif., has been bought by - you guessed it - the Japanese. The surprising thing is that they’re continuing to lease out the land to be used as a drive-in. Evidently they’re more American than we thought.”
Sounds like the Mission was temporarily closed in 1993.
Joe Bob Briggs, Aug. 8, 1993: “Norman Lear Alert! The Mission IV Drive-In, last remaining drive-in in San Antonio, Texas, recently was shut down by Act III-Santikos Theatres, which is partly owned by Norman Lear. How did we ever let this guy into Texas in the first place?”
Joe Bob Briggs, May 21, 1986: “Communist Alert! The Cayman Islands, home of bank employees with suitcases handcuffed to their arms that go down there to catch a few rays, has LOST its only drive-in. The Pease Bay Outdoor Cinema is littered with palm fronds, and fronded with litter. This is one of the most capitalist places to hide your money in the world, so we KNOW the Commies did it.”
Joe Bob Briggs, May 7, 1986: “Victory over Communism! After two years of utter darkness, the 271 Drive-In in Paris, Texas, got reopened by a Louisiana boy named Jim Moss and a local guy name of David Floyd. First night back, they were set to open at 7 and they had cars lined up out on the highway at 5:30. They been sold out ever since, includin the tornado night, when they were showin Porky’s numbers one, two and three. They get a special commendation for promising never to show Paris, Texas at the 271.”
Joe Bob Briggs, March 5, 1986: “Communist Alert! The Lakeshore Drive-In in Edgewater, Colo., is gonna be ripped down next summer with CITY MONEY. Why? “To improve the physical image of the city,” according to wimp-of-the-year drive-in destroyer Tom Kristopetit, head of the Edgewater Redevelopment Authority. Instead of a drive-in, the Head Wimp wants a Safeway, offices, restaurants and 250 “housing units.” He’s spending $16 million on it. If they’d show decent flicks, they could make that in one night."
Joe Bob Briggs, Dec. 11, 1985: “Communist Alert! There’s not much time left to save the Sunset Drive-In in Tumwater, Wash., where the city is holding meetings to try and confiscate the land for a new City Hall. Same old story - somebody sees a beautiful drive-in and the COVET it for alien uses."
Through its final drive-in list (1988), the Motion Picture Almanac continued to list it as the Varsity. (And still open, for that matter.) But this is probably about that drive-in:
Joe Bob Briggs, Nov. 6, 1985: “Communist Alert! The Portales Drive-In in Portales, N.M., just got bought up for "investment purposes.” I think we all know what that means. Pretty soon it’s gonna be a Richard Simmons Anatomy Asylum if those people don’t act immediately."
Joe Bob Briggs, Aug. 14, 1985: “Victory Over Communism! The Big Sky Drive-In in Phoenix was liberated from the condo developers and is OPEN again. Remember, with faith and a million dollars, anything is possible.”
Boxoffice, July 10, 1948: “A. R. Larson and L. L. Gillette have opened their new 500-car Motor-Vue Drive-In north of Bellingham”
According to my reading of Historic Aerials and Google Maps, Chula Vista was both across Main Street and across Industrial Boulevard from the Big Sky site. So it was close, but the drive-in really was in today’s San Diego, if those maps are to be believed.
I’m not so sure about the closing date. The San Francisco News' list of movies on Nov. 14, 1951 included the 19th Avenue’s double feature of “Flying Leathernecks: and "Wabash Avenue.”
Exhibitor, May 30, 1951: “The 19th Avenue Drive-In, San Mateo, Cal., is the first outdoor theatre to drop prices. Operated by H. G. Price, Inc., for General Theatrical, the ozoner now admits a car, regardless of the number of passengers, for $1.”
Exhibitor, Dec. 5, 1951: “General Theatrical closed its 19th Avenue Drive-In, San Mateo, Cal., for the winter.”
Facebook user Lee Fox wrote that the Del-Kern opened on Sept. 6, 1950.
First sighting in the directories was in the 1950-51 Theatre Catalog: “Del Kern Dr. Exec: Panero Ct. (M12-C375-D7)”
Hyphenated or not, please note the single L.
“The Paneros' theater on Central Avenue near Five Points, which opened in May 1937, was still a state-of-the-art venue 10 years later, with its curving design features and rich decor. The front of the building had a rounded, opaque glass wall that gave diffuse light inside the lobby and a projection above with its name – SHAFTER – in large neon letters. The box office stood on the left side under the overhang, and inside the swinging doors there was the long candy counter to the left near the box office door. Across the lobby a wide, graceful ramp led down to the beautifully tiled bathrooms. Beyond the inner lobby doors there was thick, richly patterned carpeting that covered the floor between the lower seating and the loges above, a total of 750 seats.”
That’s part of an excellent theater-based memoir article by Dolly Hei in the Shafter Historical Society’s newsletter via the Wacso Tribune of April 8, 2021.
The Pine Breeze appeared in the 1951 Film Daily Year Book and the 1950-51 Theatre Catalog, which listed its capacity as 363 cars. In 1953, it was run by United-California, aka Golden State Theatres.
Joe Bob Briggs, July 31, 1987: “The Mo Kan Drive-In, which sets smack on the Missouri-Kansas state line of Highway 69 near Fort Scott, Kan., is full of cars - smashed-up rusty junk cars. Sometime last year they turned it into a salvage yard.”
Jeff Schaeffer of Key West, Fla., writing to Joe Bob Briggs, July 15, 1988: “It is my sad duty to inform you of the impending demise of what is probably the best drive-in in the whole U.S. of A. - the Stock Island Drive-In in Key West. What makes this drive-in different from all others? Well, it’s built out over the water on Cow Key channel, and to my knowledge it’s the only drive-in in the U.S. where you can fish for snappers and groupers while watching the flick. In fact, there is a place in the back where you can fish from both sides of the car. This was a beautiful place where generations of kids learned math by counting heads, drank beer and caught their next day’s breakfast, but it’s going to be taken over by the Monroe County Land Authority. They plan to use it for the godless activity called affordable housing.”
Joe Bob Briggs, July 14, 1989: “The Starlite Drive-In, on "the old highway” outside of Ashland, Ore., put up a “Closed For The Season” sign - about 18 months ago. How long is the goldurn season? Drive-in fan Max X. Smith reports it’s Communist anti-porno geeks that caused it."
Joe Bob Briggs, Nov. 24, 1989: “The screen from the Starlite Drive-In in Chico, Calif., is becoming the centerfield fence at Butte College. The Starlite was one of the oldest in California, opening in 1939 (sic?), but had been dark the last three years. They had to tear it down, though, because they needed a hay field. Disgusting.”
Joe Bob Briggs, May 2, 1990: “The Frontier Drive-In on Highway 199 just outside Cave Junction, Ore., has a big "For Sale” sign on it, and the wind is not only whipping through the pines around the screen - it’s whipping through the screen."
Joe Bob Briggs, March 3, 1991: “First they announced the demolition of the historic Pickwick Drive-In in Burbank, Calif., so they could put up another shopping center. Burbank Mayor Thomas Flavin, who saw John Wayne’s War Wagon at the Pickwick, objected. Then the drive-in burned down.”
Joe Bob Briggs, April 29, 1990: “Communist Alert! The Lumberjack Drive-In in Nacogdoches, Texas, has vanished without a trace. You know, the woods are real deep out there, and it was one of those Stephen King things.”
Mark Studer’s letter to Joe Bob Briggs, printed July 7, 1991: “I saw your little “Communist Alert” note about the Lumberjack Drive-In and, I’m sorry, but I don’t feel any great loss. Back around 1979 they went from the good old-fashioned low-fidelity 90 percent total-harmonic-distortion window-hung speakers to a high technology system using an AM radio transmitter and a fella’s own personal car stereo. Sounds great, doesn’t it? Good on paper, bad in practice. You always got an overlapping signal from the same cheesy radio station out of Juarez or some place south of the border. It’s hardly dramatic to find out the Darth Vader is Luke’s father while tapping out the beat to a Mexican polka! I think the almighty Drive-In God must have seen this happening and exorcised this drive-in. So be it. The real shame is that Stephen F. Austin students have one less place to party, since they outlawed liquor on campus!”
Same drive-in?
Joe Bob Briggs, July 21, 1991: “The Buffalo Drive-In in Buffalo, Mo., has reopened after several years of inactivity, and it’s been outfitted with radio sound. Buffalo may be the smallest town in America to have a fully functioning drive-in (population 1,915).”
Joe Bob Briggs, May 15, 1992: “The Sunset Drive-In, at Highway 113 and County Road 27 in Davis, Calif., is being eyed like raw meat by local vulture developers. But fortunately the current plan to turn it into a miniature golf course, driving range, batting-cage facility and arcade is gonna be denied because it might "impact” the endangered Swainson’s hawk. I’m not making this up. Tell these people to let it be a dad-blamed drive-in, like God intended, and the hawks can dive-bomb the hot dog stand for all we care."
Joe Bob Briggs, June 13, 1993: “The Burlingame Drive-In in Burlingame, Calif., has been bought by - you guessed it - the Japanese. The surprising thing is that they’re continuing to lease out the land to be used as a drive-in. Evidently they’re more American than we thought.”
Joe Bob Briggs, June 27, 1993: “The Starnite Drive-In in Halton (sic), N.D., has been reopened for the first time in 10 years.”
Sounds like the Mission was temporarily closed in 1993.
Joe Bob Briggs, Aug. 8, 1993: “Norman Lear Alert! The Mission IV Drive-In, last remaining drive-in in San Antonio, Texas, recently was shut down by Act III-Santikos Theatres, which is partly owned by Norman Lear. How did we ever let this guy into Texas in the first place?”
Joe Bob Briggs, May 21, 1986: “Communist Alert! The Cayman Islands, home of bank employees with suitcases handcuffed to their arms that go down there to catch a few rays, has LOST its only drive-in. The Pease Bay Outdoor Cinema is littered with palm fronds, and fronded with litter. This is one of the most capitalist places to hide your money in the world, so we KNOW the Commies did it.”
Joe Bob Briggs, May 7, 1986: “Victory over Communism! After two years of utter darkness, the 271 Drive-In in Paris, Texas, got reopened by a Louisiana boy named Jim Moss and a local guy name of David Floyd. First night back, they were set to open at 7 and they had cars lined up out on the highway at 5:30. They been sold out ever since, includin the tornado night, when they were showin Porky’s numbers one, two and three. They get a special commendation for promising never to show Paris, Texas at the 271.”
Joe Bob Briggs, March 5, 1986: “Communist Alert! The Lakeshore Drive-In in Edgewater, Colo., is gonna be ripped down next summer with CITY MONEY. Why? “To improve the physical image of the city,” according to wimp-of-the-year drive-in destroyer Tom Kristopetit, head of the Edgewater Redevelopment Authority. Instead of a drive-in, the Head Wimp wants a Safeway, offices, restaurants and 250 “housing units.” He’s spending $16 million on it. If they’d show decent flicks, they could make that in one night."
Joe Bob Briggs, Dec. 11, 1985: “Communist Alert! There’s not much time left to save the Sunset Drive-In in Tumwater, Wash., where the city is holding meetings to try and confiscate the land for a new City Hall. Same old story - somebody sees a beautiful drive-in and the COVET it for alien uses."
Through its final drive-in list (1988), the Motion Picture Almanac continued to list it as the Varsity. (And still open, for that matter.) But this is probably about that drive-in:
Joe Bob Briggs, Nov. 6, 1985: “Communist Alert! The Portales Drive-In in Portales, N.M., just got bought up for "investment purposes.” I think we all know what that means. Pretty soon it’s gonna be a Richard Simmons Anatomy Asylum if those people don’t act immediately."
Joe Bob Briggs, Aug. 14, 1985: “Victory Over Communism! The Big Sky Drive-In in Phoenix was liberated from the condo developers and is OPEN again. Remember, with faith and a million dollars, anything is possible.”