The Do Drive In had a air conditioned indoor seating area with a glass front in a building located at the back of the lot. As kids, we would walk down the street and were admitted free to the show. We sometimes sat in the indoor seating area or stayed in the play ground area until the double feature ended. The first movie I saw there was Spike Jones in “Fireman Save My Child” and another feature that I can’t remember. When dating my furure wife and we went there often, still being admitted free. I grew up working in the theatres in Gulfport and knew everyone at all the theatres and would always visit the booth to say hello to my friends.
theatreman1, As far I as know, the Beverly is still for sale. I read that another group was looking at it in May, but I do not know the outcome. In Sept of 2008 the Beverly was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in Mississippi. So any rehab work could possibly qualify for tax credits. I understand there has been some moisture damage in the booth and concession areas. The asking price was $1,069,000 for the Beverly and its 12.27 acres of property. Below is the realtor listing link. View link
I sure hope that someone or group will get together and save this old Drive-In before its too late.
When you use the google map service, you can still see the layout of the Beach Drive In. The projection booth and concession building is visible at the rear of the photo with the travel trailers in the general area of the old ramps, and the 2nd screen layout is also visible in the rear of the lot. Cajun RV Park now occupies the Drive In Theatres former site at 1860 Beach Blvd.
Looking through some old ads for the Gaiety Theatre and the Bijou Theatre, I find that both theatres were operating in Biloxi at the same time in the early 1900’s. The Bijou Theatre was located on west Howard Avenue and the Gaiety Theatre on the corner of Lameuse and Jackson Street. After seeing the ads I would not think the Buck Theatre was orginally the Bijou.
Odeus and Calus Meyers, store owners on Division Street, announced on February 16, 1940 thay would build the Meyer Theatre on the corner of Lameuse and Division Streets. In its final years the Meyer was known as the Biloxi Theatre (not to be confused with the later United Artists Biloxi 10 Theatre).
The following item appeared on page one of the local newspaper on December 17, 1936………The Buck Theatre, formerly the Gaiety Theatre, on the northwest corner of Lameuse and Jackson Streets opened in late December. Arsene O. Bourdon was the manager of the movie house, with over 400 seats, which approximately 100 were in the balcony.
Ads from the years of 1917 and 1919 also list the Gaiety theatre in Biloxi with the same manager Arsene O. Bourdon. There are also ads as far back as 1912 for the Gaiety Theatre with the same manager. Arsene O. Bourdon died in 1959.
Could this theatre possibly be the Choctaw Plaza Cinema 4 Theatre? The Choctaw was located at 310 Highway 90 and did not reopen after damage from hurricane Katrina in 2005.
Ed Ortte opened Ortte’s Theatre at the intersection of Washington Street and Beach Boulevard on April 20, 1942. Ed previously operated the Gulf Theatre on Waveland Avenue in Waveland, MS. which was destroyed by a fire.
The A&G Theatre (Ames & Gaspard)was built in 1927 at a cost of $60,000. The building was fire proof and was “the last word in motion picture theatre building” according to the local paper.
Thats great. I wish the owners the best. I remember the Prytania for the 1960’s. I was working for the Legion Theatre in Gulfport, MS and had to drive over one time to the Prytania. We have lost almost all the old theatres on the Gulf Coast and New Orleans. I hope they can keep the Prytania operating for many more years.
This theatre was never actually known as Jerry Lewis Cinema. Before construction was completed on the theatre it was decided to call it the Norwood Village Cinema. It was locally known as just the Village Cinema. This was one of the best maintained and operated theatres in this area. It was family owned and operated.
The Beverly Drive In Theare in Hattiesburg, Ms is still for sale. The last I heard they were asking one and a half million for the property. The back screen is still down, but they seem to be keeping the grass cut. Hope someone or a group will purchase and persevere the Beverly for future generations of movie goers.
The Hardy Court Twin Cinema, located in the Hardy Court Shopping Center, was opened by ABC Midsouth Theatres in the early 1970’s. It replaced the single screen Paramount Theatre in downtown Gulfport which they had closed and sold to the owner of the Sand and Gulf Theatres. After a few years, the largest auditorium was divided into two small auditoriums giving it three screens.
The theatre was sold in the late 1980’s to the owner of the Norwood Village Cinema in Gulfport. This owner enarged the theatre to six screens, and returned the two small auditoriums back to a single auditorium. After enlarging the Hardy Court, they closed the Norwood Village Cinema. The theatre was again enlarged by two screens giving it eight screens.
Around 2003 the owner sold the Hardy Court Cinema Eight to two investors who operated the theatre until Hurricane Katrina damaged the building. It never reopened and was demolished.
The Meyer family also operated the Avenue and the Harlem Theatres in Biloxi
The Avenue was orginally operated by the Meyer family, merchants in Biloxi, who also operated the Meyer and Harlem Theatres.
The Do Drive In had a air conditioned indoor seating area with a glass front in a building located at the back of the lot. As kids, we would walk down the street and were admitted free to the show. We sometimes sat in the indoor seating area or stayed in the play ground area until the double feature ended. The first movie I saw there was Spike Jones in “Fireman Save My Child” and another feature that I can’t remember. When dating my furure wife and we went there often, still being admitted free. I grew up working in the theatres in Gulfport and knew everyone at all the theatres and would always visit the booth to say hello to my friends.
theatreman1, As far I as know, the Beverly is still for sale. I read that another group was looking at it in May, but I do not know the outcome. In Sept of 2008 the Beverly was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in Mississippi. So any rehab work could possibly qualify for tax credits. I understand there has been some moisture damage in the booth and concession areas. The asking price was $1,069,000 for the Beverly and its 12.27 acres of property. Below is the realtor listing link. View link
I sure hope that someone or group will get together and save this old Drive-In before its too late.
The 1936 City Directory lists the Illings Theatre location as 76 Washington Avenue, operated by Eugene W. Illings and Son.
When you use the google map service, you can still see the layout of the Beach Drive In. The projection booth and concession building is visible at the rear of the photo with the travel trailers in the general area of the old ramps, and the 2nd screen layout is also visible in the rear of the lot. Cajun RV Park now occupies the Drive In Theatres former site at 1860 Beach Blvd.
Looking through some old ads for the Gaiety Theatre and the Bijou Theatre, I find that both theatres were operating in Biloxi at the same time in the early 1900’s. The Bijou Theatre was located on west Howard Avenue and the Gaiety Theatre on the corner of Lameuse and Jackson Street. After seeing the ads I would not think the Buck Theatre was orginally the Bijou.
Odeus and Calus Meyers, store owners on Division Street, announced on February 16, 1940 thay would build the Meyer Theatre on the corner of Lameuse and Division Streets. In its final years the Meyer was known as the Biloxi Theatre (not to be confused with the later United Artists Biloxi 10 Theatre).
The following item appeared on page one of the local newspaper on December 17, 1936………The Buck Theatre, formerly the Gaiety Theatre, on the northwest corner of Lameuse and Jackson Streets opened in late December. Arsene O. Bourdon was the manager of the movie house, with over 400 seats, which approximately 100 were in the balcony.
Ads from the years of 1917 and 1919 also list the Gaiety theatre in Biloxi with the same manager Arsene O. Bourdon. There are also ads as far back as 1912 for the Gaiety Theatre with the same manager. Arsene O. Bourdon died in 1959.
The A&G Theatre was featured in a scene of the movie “This Property Is Condemned” with Natlie Wood and Robert Redford in 1966.
O'Neal Cinemas operated the Choctaw from its opening to its closing due to Katrina.
Could this theatre possibly be the Choctaw Plaza Cinema 4 Theatre? The Choctaw was located at 310 Highway 90 and did not reopen after damage from hurricane Katrina in 2005.
Ed Ortte opened Ortte’s Theatre at the intersection of Washington Street and Beach Boulevard on April 20, 1942. Ed previously operated the Gulf Theatre on Waveland Avenue in Waveland, MS. which was destroyed by a fire.
The A&G Theatre (Ames & Gaspard)was built in 1927 at a cost of $60,000. The building was fire proof and was “the last word in motion picture theatre building” according to the local paper.
The Hancock Bank parking garage now occupies the entire block in downtown Gulfport where the Gulf Theatre was located.
The Star Theatre was located at 221 Central Avenue and seated 500.
Thats great. I wish the owners the best. I remember the Prytania for the 1960’s. I was working for the Legion Theatre in Gulfport, MS and had to drive over one time to the Prytania. We have lost almost all the old theatres on the Gulf Coast and New Orleans. I hope they can keep the Prytania operating for many more years.
This theatre was never actually known as Jerry Lewis Cinema. Before construction was completed on the theatre it was decided to call it the Norwood Village Cinema. It was locally known as just the Village Cinema. This was one of the best maintained and operated theatres in this area. It was family owned and operated.
The actual address for the Bayview Theatre was 101 West Bayview Avenue. In 1954, the theatre was known as the Bayview Playhouse.
The Avenue Theatre was located at 211A West Howard Avenue in downtown Biloxi, MS.
The Lobe Theatre was located at 304 Jeff Davis Avenue, Long Beach, MS.
The Biloxi 10 Theatre has been demolished and its site is now just an empty lot.
The Beverly Drive In Theare in Hattiesburg, Ms is still for sale. The last I heard they were asking one and a half million for the property. The back screen is still down, but they seem to be keeping the grass cut. Hope someone or a group will purchase and persevere the Beverly for future generations of movie goers.
The Avalon was locasted at 111 East Beach Blvd., Pass Christian, MS.
The Hardy Court Twin Cinema, located in the Hardy Court Shopping Center, was opened by ABC Midsouth Theatres in the early 1970’s. It replaced the single screen Paramount Theatre in downtown Gulfport which they had closed and sold to the owner of the Sand and Gulf Theatres. After a few years, the largest auditorium was divided into two small auditoriums giving it three screens.
The theatre was sold in the late 1980’s to the owner of the Norwood Village Cinema in Gulfport. This owner enarged the theatre to six screens, and returned the two small auditoriums back to a single auditorium. After enlarging the Hardy Court, they closed the Norwood Village Cinema. The theatre was again enlarged by two screens giving it eight screens.
Around 2003 the owner sold the Hardy Court Cinema Eight to two investors who operated the theatre until Hurricane Katrina damaged the building. It never reopened and was demolished.