The theater was located at 34.234074, -86.174210, which smacks it at around 2647 AL-205 (or Baltimore Ave). It appears that the Shadyside Drive-In appears operational throughout the remainder of the 1980s judging by aerials, but the theater was completely wiped by the remainder of the 1990s.
Video Independent Theaters opened the Corral Drive-In’s gates on April 28, 1951 with a one-day showing of Audie Murphy in “Sierra” along with two Disney cartoons (an unnamed Donald Duck cartoon and an unnamed Pluto cartoon) before the feature and a fireworks show after the feature. It was first managed by Fred Brewer.
On April 11, 1956, the Corral Drive-In became statewide headlines following an unexpected attempted robbery. Two armed men (one armed with a sawed-up shotgun and the other armed with a German Luger pistol) drove up in a stolen car to the ticket booth where employee Bud Curry was inside. The man with the shotgun got out of the car and ordered Curry to give him the theater’s receipts, while the man with the pistol remained inside the car while pointing his pistol to the employees. As the man on foot reached inside the opening in the box office window to seize $10 to $20, he accidentally tripped and his weapon discharged on the bandit, wounding his left arm. The wounded man ran back to his car and took off, but it wasn’t long until two deputies shot out the rear window of the stolen car they were in. The car was found abandoned near a Ralston cemetery with its front seat being completely saturated with blood, as both men were believed to be headed across the fields to the Arkansas River bottoms. Various departments from Osage, Pawnee, and Kay Counties joined the search, including K9s being sent out.
The Corral Drive-In was still open in the 1980s and was still standing in the 1990s, but the screen was removed by the early-2000s. As of 2024, the concession stand/projection booth still stands, and Google Earth view still demonstrates its traces but was faded.
Actually, the Roxy did not end its run with the 1953 fire.
After the fire, part owner and manager Roy D. Tidwell announced four days later that he would rebuild the theater and will start work as soon as settlement is made with insurance companies. The then-650-seat Roxy in the early morning hours of May 3, 1953 was preparing to show its first out of a three-day run of “Everything I Have Is Yours” plus an unnamed comedy and newsreel when the fire was discovered around 3:00 AM that morning, causing an estimate $100,000 in damage. Former Roxy owners Mr. and Mrs. Robert O. Edwards also traveled all the way to Barnsdall from their home in Puento, California, to clean up the damage.
When Cleveland, Oklahoma resident John C. Sanders leased the theater building during construction, Sanders and manager Ed Burlson (also from Cleveland) reopened the Roxy Theatre’s doors on November 24, 1953 with Bing Crosby in “Little Boy Lost” (unknown if extras added). It had 450 seats in total which was 200 seats less than the older 650-seat Roxy, and features a unique spun glass hung ceiling as well as green plastered walls. Sanders also knew about the popularity of 3D and widescreen formats at the time, and the theater ran its first 3D feature the following week. CinemaScope was installed there in March 1955.
It ran seven-days-a-week, but in May 1955 only, the Roxy ran only four days a week (except Sundays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays), until closing with John Payne in “Silver Lode” along with an unnamed Donald Duck cartoon on May 17, 1955 due to extensive remodeling, major renovation, and the theater being purchased by ex-Barnsdall and then-Bismarck, North Dakota resident Gene E. Thompson from Tulsa resident D. McGlumphy, who purchased the theater also during 1953 reconstruction. McGlumphy also helped rebuild the theater and leased it over to Sanders. Sanders only operated the Roxy for a few months before Joel Johnson took the Roxy in 1954. Thompson on June 16, 1955 traveled to Oklahoma City to sign contracts and also to make arrangement for a theatrical engineer to Barnsdall and equip the theater for showing features.
The Roxy Theatre was renamed the Thompson Theatre and reopened its doors on July 1, 1955 with Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis in “3 Ring Circus” along with an unnamed comedy, unnamed cartoon, and a newsreel. The Thompson Theatre did had a full-year closure from late-1959 until reopening on July 5, 1961 with Elvis in “The Flaming Star” following Thompson’s retirement from the Air Force in North Dakota and him returning to his home in Barnsdall. It was still open in the early-1970s.
Loews Cineplex took over the Cherry Tree in October 1996, although showtimes from the Indianapolis Star continued to show the Cherry Tree being listed as a Sony theater into as late as April 1999.
You’re right. I recently did see later advertisements of the Gerald. After its July 30, 1957 showing of “The Giant” has a note written by the manager saying that the theater “will be closed until further notice”. It did had a full-year closure though, but it wasn’t until during the first week of October 1958 when Mr. Cleo Brame of Van Buren, Missouri, told his plans to resume the showing of films at the Gerald Theater only six nights a week (except Tuesdays). The business men there said that they would be glad to see the show open again and a number of them pledged to chip in $2 a month for $10 attended prizes to be awarded at the show each Saturday evening providing the scheme could be made to comply with the state’s lottery laws.
The Gerald Theater reopened its doors on October 17, 1958 with “The Kettles On Old McDonald’s Farm” and “Joe Dakota” (unknown if any short subjects added). Unfortunately this did not last long at all. The Gerald Theater closed again on August 31, 1959 with “A Certain Smile” due to theater manager Roy Wheeler said that he had too much things to do. He also didn’t have much time to operate his cafe as well. This was all due to his wife’s surgery the previous week at the Lutheran Hospital in St. Louis and won’t be able to help both the theater and the cafe at the time. I cannot find any listings of any showtimes later on.
It closed because of the Wehrenberg chain’s bankruptcy. Wehrenberg Theatres began operating the Battlefield Mall 6 in late-1989 after General Cinema operated the theater for its first seven years of operation.
The Pettit’s Drive-In opened its doors on May 23, 1952 With Jon Hall in “Gypsy Wildcat” (unknown if any short subjects). It was part of the Pettit Theatres chain who also operated other theaters across Ava and several other towns.
The Pettit’s Drive-In closed after the 1956 season, sat abandoned for two years, and reopened as the Drive-In of Ava (later Ava Drive-In which closed in 1978; which has its own page on Cinema Treasures).
It never opened in the 2000s at all, it’s just a goof I accidentally misadded.
When the Avalon Theatre opened its doors on October 26, 1955 with Robert Mitcheum in “River Of No Return” along with the Donald Duck cartoon “Bearly Asleep”, it had a capacity of 360 seats in a 30x90ft auditorium with a 15x60ft lobby and a 13x25ft screen. The Avalon Theatre actually did not close in 1972. It actually operated as a seasonal-theater during its later years at the time, only running through winter months. This continued throughout the remainder of the 1970s and the first half of the 1980s.
After closing in 1986, Ava was left without any movie business, leaving moviegoers to see first-run features in either Seymour or Springfield. The theater reopened on March 28, 1995 by Chuck and Lee Borrow under live performances called the Ava Live Theatre, and in December 1999, movies returned to Ava and became the Ava Family Theatre following ownership changes led by Tim and Deirdra Carnell.
It closed in 2016 for a full-year and reopened on December 15, 2017 under the current ownership of Patricia Ketzler and Kent Hicks, and was renamed back the Avalon Theatre.
The Riverview Drive-In opened its gates on May 18, 1950 with Ralph Morgan in “Blue Grass Of Kentucky” along with the travelogue “Your Kentucky”, an unnamed cartoon (I’m very sure it could be Mighty Mouse in “My Old Kentucky Home”, but I could definitely be wrong), and a newsreel.
The Riverview Drive-In closed for the final time on November 1, 1964 with Frankie Avalon in “Bikini Beach” and Jimmy Clanton in “Teenage Millionaire”.
The Preston Drive-In opened its gates on October 22, 1949 with Mark Stevens in “Sand” (unknown if any short subjects added). The theater closed after the 1984 season.
The Skyway opened its gates in mid-1947. Construction started that May and started its operation by August of that same year. The Skyway closed after the 1972 season.
The theater was located at 34.234074, -86.174210, which smacks it at around 2647 AL-205 (or Baltimore Ave). It appears that the Shadyside Drive-In appears operational throughout the remainder of the 1980s judging by aerials, but the theater was completely wiped by the remainder of the 1990s.
Video Independent Theaters opened the Corral Drive-In’s gates on April 28, 1951 with a one-day showing of Audie Murphy in “Sierra” along with two Disney cartoons (an unnamed Donald Duck cartoon and an unnamed Pluto cartoon) before the feature and a fireworks show after the feature. It was first managed by Fred Brewer.
The Corral Drive-In was still open in the 1980s and was still standing in the 1990s, but the screen was removed by the early-2000s. As of 2024, the concession stand/projection booth still stands, and Google Earth view still demonstrates its traces but was faded.
Opened on December 12, 1914 with Annette Kellerman in “Neptune’s Daughter”. First managed by C.E. Parker.
Opened on June 7, 1910.
Actually, the Roxy did not end its run with the 1953 fire.
After the fire, part owner and manager Roy D. Tidwell announced four days later that he would rebuild the theater and will start work as soon as settlement is made with insurance companies. The then-650-seat Roxy in the early morning hours of May 3, 1953 was preparing to show its first out of a three-day run of “Everything I Have Is Yours” plus an unnamed comedy and newsreel when the fire was discovered around 3:00 AM that morning, causing an estimate $100,000 in damage. Former Roxy owners Mr. and Mrs. Robert O. Edwards also traveled all the way to Barnsdall from their home in Puento, California, to clean up the damage.
When Cleveland, Oklahoma resident John C. Sanders leased the theater building during construction, Sanders and manager Ed Burlson (also from Cleveland) reopened the Roxy Theatre’s doors on November 24, 1953 with Bing Crosby in “Little Boy Lost” (unknown if extras added). It had 450 seats in total which was 200 seats less than the older 650-seat Roxy, and features a unique spun glass hung ceiling as well as green plastered walls. Sanders also knew about the popularity of 3D and widescreen formats at the time, and the theater ran its first 3D feature the following week. CinemaScope was installed there in March 1955.
It ran seven-days-a-week, but in May 1955 only, the Roxy ran only four days a week (except Sundays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays), until closing with John Payne in “Silver Lode” along with an unnamed Donald Duck cartoon on May 17, 1955 due to extensive remodeling, major renovation, and the theater being purchased by ex-Barnsdall and then-Bismarck, North Dakota resident Gene E. Thompson from Tulsa resident D. McGlumphy, who purchased the theater also during 1953 reconstruction. McGlumphy also helped rebuild the theater and leased it over to Sanders. Sanders only operated the Roxy for a few months before Joel Johnson took the Roxy in 1954. Thompson on June 16, 1955 traveled to Oklahoma City to sign contracts and also to make arrangement for a theatrical engineer to Barnsdall and equip the theater for showing features.
The Roxy Theatre was renamed the Thompson Theatre and reopened its doors on July 1, 1955 with Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis in “3 Ring Circus” along with an unnamed comedy, unnamed cartoon, and a newsreel. The Thompson Theatre did had a full-year closure from late-1959 until reopening on July 5, 1961 with Elvis in “The Flaming Star” following Thompson’s retirement from the Air Force in North Dakota and him returning to his home in Barnsdall. It was still open in the early-1970s.
Loews Cineplex took over the Cherry Tree in October 1996, although showtimes from the Indianapolis Star continued to show the Cherry Tree being listed as a Sony theater into as late as April 1999.
You’re right. I recently did see later advertisements of the Gerald. After its July 30, 1957 showing of “The Giant” has a note written by the manager saying that the theater “will be closed until further notice”. It did had a full-year closure though, but it wasn’t until during the first week of October 1958 when Mr. Cleo Brame of Van Buren, Missouri, told his plans to resume the showing of films at the Gerald Theater only six nights a week (except Tuesdays). The business men there said that they would be glad to see the show open again and a number of them pledged to chip in $2 a month for $10 attended prizes to be awarded at the show each Saturday evening providing the scheme could be made to comply with the state’s lottery laws.
The Gerald Theater reopened its doors on October 17, 1958 with “The Kettles On Old McDonald’s Farm” and “Joe Dakota” (unknown if any short subjects added). Unfortunately this did not last long at all. The Gerald Theater closed again on August 31, 1959 with “A Certain Smile” due to theater manager Roy Wheeler said that he had too much things to do. He also didn’t have much time to operate his cafe as well. This was all due to his wife’s surgery the previous week at the Lutheran Hospital in St. Louis and won’t be able to help both the theater and the cafe at the time. I cannot find any listings of any showtimes later on.
It closed because of the Wehrenberg chain’s bankruptcy. Wehrenberg Theatres began operating the Battlefield Mall 6 in late-1989 after General Cinema operated the theater for its first seven years of operation.
The screen was removed in 2020 and an O'Reilly Auto Parts was built at the former theater site in 2022.
Edited from my May 31, 2020 (7:47 AM) comment:
The Pettit’s Drive-In opened its doors on May 23, 1952 With Jon Hall in “Gypsy Wildcat” (unknown if any short subjects). It was part of the Pettit Theatres chain who also operated other theaters across Ava and several other towns.
The Pettit’s Drive-In closed after the 1956 season, sat abandoned for two years, and reopened as the Drive-In of Ava (later Ava Drive-In which closed in 1978; which has its own page on Cinema Treasures).
When the Avalon Theatre opened its doors on October 26, 1955 with Robert Mitcheum in “River Of No Return” along with the Donald Duck cartoon “Bearly Asleep”, it had a capacity of 360 seats in a 30x90ft auditorium with a 15x60ft lobby and a 13x25ft screen. The Avalon Theatre actually did not close in 1972. It actually operated as a seasonal-theater during its later years at the time, only running through winter months. This continued throughout the remainder of the 1970s and the first half of the 1980s.
After closing in 1986, Ava was left without any movie business, leaving moviegoers to see first-run features in either Seymour or Springfield. The theater reopened on March 28, 1995 by Chuck and Lee Borrow under live performances called the Ava Live Theatre, and in December 1999, movies returned to Ava and became the Ava Family Theatre following ownership changes led by Tim and Deirdra Carnell.
It closed in 2016 for a full-year and reopened on December 15, 2017 under the current ownership of Patricia Ketzler and Kent Hicks, and was renamed back the Avalon Theatre.
Closed on September 26, 1965 with Dick Van Dyke in “The Art Of Love”.
The Riverview Drive-In opened its gates on May 18, 1950 with Ralph Morgan in “Blue Grass Of Kentucky” along with the travelogue “Your Kentucky”, an unnamed cartoon (I’m very sure it could be Mighty Mouse in “My Old Kentucky Home”, but I could definitely be wrong), and a newsreel.
The Riverview Drive-In closed for the final time on November 1, 1964 with Frankie Avalon in “Bikini Beach” and Jimmy Clanton in “Teenage Millionaire”.
Nice! Have you ever met Orero Bernardini, the longtime person who worked at the Mountain View, before?
Edited from my May 10, 2022 (7:53 AM) comment:
The Preston Drive-In opened its gates on October 22, 1949 with Mark Stevens in “Sand” (unknown if any short subjects added). The theater closed after the 1984 season.
The Skyway opened its gates in mid-1947. Construction started that May and started its operation by August of that same year. The Skyway closed after the 1972 season.
Closed on October 4, 1966 with “Battle Of The Bulge” and “Inside Daisy Clover”.
Closed on July 4, 1966 with “The Singing Nun” and “Kissin' Cousins”.
Closed in the mid-to-late 1970s.
The actual opening date is May 12, 1921 with Elliott Dexter in “The Witching Hour” (unknown if any short subjects were added).
First operated by Lockwood-Friedman Theatres, then USA Cinemas, then Loews, then Sony, then Loews Cineplex, and finally Entertainment Cinemas.
Traces were still in clear shape as of 1954 and 1955, but was faded by 1958.
Actual opening date is June 3, 1977.
Closed on January 13, 2000.
Last operated by Martin Theatres.