Boxoffice, Nov. 30, 1957: “W. C. Silver, owner of the Silver Theatre, Cameron, Mo., … also has a drive-in, the Patio, which has 332 speakers, for summer showings.”
It’s undeniable that whatever is on the old drive-in site gets its mail from an Akron post office, but Google Maps indicates that the Montrose was actually in, well, Montrose. The Akron city limit is over a mile away, if Google Maps is to be believed. Contemporary sources also placed the drive-in in Montrose. Maybe CT should join them?
Boxoffice, Nov. 16, 1957: “Nahoon (sic, should be Nathan) Sawaya, 74, longtime theatre man, died at his Trinidad home following a long illness. He owned the Strand as well as the Peak Drive-In there. He is survived by four daughters and two sons - Georgette, Julian, Marie, Salma, George and John.”
Boxoffice, Nov. 9, 1957: “Donald Coffee, manager of the Car View Drive-In, Louisberg, N. C., utilizes small newspaper ad space to the fullest extent. In one recent one-column, three-inch ad, Coffee included a full week’s programs, including a triple feature on Friday-Saturday, plus the offer of free prizes for children on those nights; his Sunday-Monday program, plus an offer of one dollar in free trade to the first seven cars arriving; the fact that the theatre is closed Tuesdays; then his Wednesday-Thursday bill, and his Lucky License night.”
Boxoffice, Nov. 9, 1957: “Irvin Westenskow has leased his two local theatres, the Pix and the Woodburn Drive-In, to Mr. and Mrs. Lafe Potter, present operators of the drive-in, for five years, beginning Jan. 1, 1958. Westenskow has been in the theatre business here for nine years, building both the Pix and the airer during that period. He has no definite future plans beyond a vacation in California.”
That Yumpu-stomped image is fron the Nov. 2, 1957 issue of Boxoffice, which is in the public domain. The original caption:
Here is the front display arranged by Manager Ray Vassler of the James Theatre in Newport News, Va., for “Jet Pilot.” Of course, Vassley got the cooperation of the nearby Langley Air Force base, and he used it imaginatively. He and two air base tech sergeants put on a stage show, “Talent in Blue,” with boys from the base, on opening night. To cap this, Vassler added seven beautiful girl contestants for Queen Loreli VIII, to reign at the New Port News Lions Club annual Seafood Festival.
There was an article last month in the Copperas Cove Leader Press about a sort-of reopening of the Joy. Jodie Nobles has refurbished the screen, which now faces an RV park. It’s fun for the park residents, plus “there will be room for about 30 automobiles” when it opens around January 2026.
A bit of Joy history from Nobles: “Cotton Lightfoot built the Joy originally and Reed Whatley ran it in the 70’s and 80’s … I wanted to bring back something that special to so many generations beginning from 1953”.
The Baytown Historical Preservation Society put out a 2025 Christmas ornament with a photo of the original Decker screen tower. On the back, it listed its dates as 1949-1985. All shown in the Baytown Sun article.
CapeCod.com says that Falmouth officials have picked the old, old Cod Drive-In site, owned by “the Augusta family”, for a new police station.
According to Google Maps, Teaticket is a census-designated place in the town of Falmouth. (And of course, the Cod is completely within Falmouth.) If it were up to me, I’d include the Cod Drive-In under Falmouth.
Boxoffice, Nov. 20, 1972: “Construction is at a standstill for the Harold Thompson Twin Drive-In outside of Galion. The concession stand and tower already have been erected”
Boxoffice, Nov. 20, 1972: “The May Theatre in Mayville had been operated by the C. W. Doctor and Merton Miller families since Jan. 1, 1911, more than 60 continuous years. October 10 the theatre was purchased by Mr. and Mrs. Paul Kurtz, who are making arrangements for its reopening and operation.”
Boxoffice, Nov. 20, 1972: “Jack and Linda Boucher, who have the Erie Theatre and Circus Drive-In at Hugo, will move their mobile home to the drive-in property soon”
Boxoffice, Nov. 20, 1972: “The Jefferson Theatre, a downtown house with 1,878 seats and a still valuable organ, was closed temporarily, or perhaps permanently, Saturday, October 28. No decision has been made on the future of the immense, highly decorated entertainment center which made its debut in 1927, when it was considered "the most splendid movie house between New Orleans and Houston.” Al Sacker, Jefferson organist since 1949, still plays the immense organ".
Boxoffice, Nov. 20, 1972: “Judge John W. Walesky, Schuylkill County Court, has ruled two movies, which were exhibited at the Valley Drive-In on Route 309 in Rush Township, to be obscene. The films, which had been seized, were "Keep It Up” and “Danish and Blue.” He ordered the motion pictures destroyed, saying they were “utterly without redeeming value.” The theatre owner and the drive-in projectionist were freed by Judge Walesky."
Boxoffice, Dec. 7, 1957: (in San Francisco notes) “Sam S. Millard is doing quite nicely since reopening the local Lyceum Theatre.”
Boxoffice, Dec. 7, 1957: “The Hi-Ho Theatre, Paso Robles, Fox West Coast theatre, has been renamed the Fox.”
Updated speaker count. Maybe Silver expanded?
Boxoffice, Nov. 30, 1957: “W. C. Silver, owner of the Silver Theatre, Cameron, Mo., … also has a drive-in, the Patio, which has 332 speakers, for summer showings.”
It’s undeniable that whatever is on the old drive-in site gets its mail from an Akron post office, but Google Maps indicates that the Montrose was actually in, well, Montrose. The Akron city limit is over a mile away, if Google Maps is to be believed. Contemporary sources also placed the drive-in in Montrose. Maybe CT should join them?
Boxoffice, Nov. 16, 1957: “Nahoon (sic, should be Nathan) Sawaya, 74, longtime theatre man, died at his Trinidad home following a long illness. He owned the Strand as well as the Peak Drive-In there. He is survived by four daughters and two sons - Georgette, Julian, Marie, Salma, George and John.”
Boxoffice, Nov. 9, 1957: “Donald Coffee, manager of the Car View Drive-In, Louisberg, N. C., utilizes small newspaper ad space to the fullest extent. In one recent one-column, three-inch ad, Coffee included a full week’s programs, including a triple feature on Friday-Saturday, plus the offer of free prizes for children on those nights; his Sunday-Monday program, plus an offer of one dollar in free trade to the first seven cars arriving; the fact that the theatre is closed Tuesdays; then his Wednesday-Thursday bill, and his Lucky License night.”
Boxoffice, Nov. 9, 1957: “Irvin Westenskow has leased his two local theatres, the Pix and the Woodburn Drive-In, to Mr. and Mrs. Lafe Potter, present operators of the drive-in, for five years, beginning Jan. 1, 1958. Westenskow has been in the theatre business here for nine years, building both the Pix and the airer during that period. He has no definite future plans beyond a vacation in California.”
That Yumpu-stomped image is fron the Nov. 2, 1957 issue of Boxoffice, which is in the public domain. The original caption:
Here is the front display arranged by Manager Ray Vassler of the James Theatre in Newport News, Va., for “Jet Pilot.” Of course, Vassley got the cooperation of the nearby Langley Air Force base, and he used it imaginatively. He and two air base tech sergeants put on a stage show, “Talent in Blue,” with boys from the base, on opening night. To cap this, Vassler added seven beautiful girl contestants for Queen Loreli VIII, to reign at the New Port News Lions Club annual Seafood Festival.
There was an article last month in the Copperas Cove Leader Press about a sort-of reopening of the Joy. Jodie Nobles has refurbished the screen, which now faces an RV park. It’s fun for the park residents, plus “there will be room for about 30 automobiles” when it opens around January 2026.
A bit of Joy history from Nobles: “Cotton Lightfoot built the Joy originally and Reed Whatley ran it in the 70’s and 80’s … I wanted to bring back something that special to so many generations beginning from 1953”.
The Baytown Historical Preservation Society put out a 2025 Christmas ornament with a photo of the original Decker screen tower. On the back, it listed its dates as 1949-1985. All shown in the Baytown Sun article.
CapeCod.com says that Falmouth officials have picked the old, old Cod Drive-In site, owned by “the Augusta family”, for a new police station.
According to Google Maps, Teaticket is a census-designated place in the town of Falmouth. (And of course, the Cod is completely within Falmouth.) If it were up to me, I’d include the Cod Drive-In under Falmouth.
According to the Guthrie News Page, the Beacon was sold a few days ago for $2.2 million and will be replaced by a credit union building. :(
Maybe winter weather note?
Boxoffice, Nov. 20, 1972: “Construction is at a standstill for the Harold Thompson Twin Drive-In outside of Galion. The concession stand and tower already have been erected”
Boxoffice, Nov. 20, 1972: “The May Theatre in Mayville had been operated by the C. W. Doctor and Merton Miller families since Jan. 1, 1911, more than 60 continuous years. October 10 the theatre was purchased by Mr. and Mrs. Paul Kurtz, who are making arrangements for its reopening and operation.”
Boxoffice, Nov. 20, 1972: “Jack and Linda Boucher, who have the Erie Theatre and Circus Drive-In at Hugo, will move their mobile home to the drive-in property soon”
Boxoffice, Nov. 20, 1972: “The Jefferson Theatre, a downtown house with 1,878 seats and a still valuable organ, was closed temporarily, or perhaps permanently, Saturday, October 28. No decision has been made on the future of the immense, highly decorated entertainment center which made its debut in 1927, when it was considered "the most splendid movie house between New Orleans and Houston.” Al Sacker, Jefferson organist since 1949, still plays the immense organ".
Boxoffice, Nov. 20, 1972: “Judge John W. Walesky, Schuylkill County Court, has ruled two movies, which were exhibited at the Valley Drive-In on Route 309 in Rush Township, to be obscene. The films, which had been seized, were "Keep It Up” and “Danish and Blue.” He ordered the motion pictures destroyed, saying they were “utterly without redeeming value.” The theatre owner and the drive-in projectionist were freed by Judge Walesky."
And here’s another step closer to the source, hosted at the Library of Congress. It was taken in 1990 by Jet Lowe as part of a survey.
Here is the link to that VintageAerial.com photo, which says it’s “Copyright © Vintage Aerial, Ltd. Duplication strictly prohibited. Sharing encouraged.” If that link doesn’t work, try the Internet Archive version.
Probably not public domain, since that page says, “Copyright © Vintage Aerial, Ltd. Duplication strictly prohibited. Sharing encouraged.”
Here is the link to that VintageAerial.com photo. Its page says, “Copyright © Vintage Aerial, Ltd. Duplication strictly prohibited. Sharing encouraged.” Is this duplication or sharing?
VintageAerial.com has a pretty good 1981 photo of the Iola 54. If that link isn’t available, try the Internet Archive version.
Here is the link to that Vintage Aerial page, which notes: “Copyright © Vintage Aerial, Ltd. Duplication strictly prohibited. Sharing encouraged.” So is this duplication or sharing?
VintageAerial.com has a very nice 1965 photo of this drive-in. If the current link is not working, you can also try the Internet Archive version.
That image is from the April 4, 1962 edition of Motion Picture Exhibitor, in the 1962 Theatre Catalog section. It’s probably in the public domain.