Unfortunately for us, the original 2007 photo by Flickr user Noel Kerns is marked there as Copyright, all rights reserved. On the other hand, the original is still available to view, and it looks even better than this copy.
Revisit Denver posted an article about the Federal’s restoration, noting that it opened in 1923. Tha article was mostly about Louis A. Siener, the swindler responsible for its construction.
Film Daily, Aug. 1, 1941: “H. W. Eggert arrived in Denver recently on an equipment buying trip for his 200-seat Victory Theater which he is erecting in Upton, Wyo.”
Film Daily, Aug. 29, 1941: “Upton, Wyo. — Henry W. Egert is building a new theater, the Victory, here, and is planning for an early opening. RCA Photophone is being installed.”
Showmen’s Trade Review, March 16, 1946: “Mrs. Gertrude Calhoun, operating the Victory, Upton, Wyo., reports she is out of business, following her landlord’s three-day notice to move.”
Film Daily, July 29, 1926: “Worland, Wyo. - Thomas Kirby (sic) has taken over the Elk.”
Film Daily, Aug. 16, 1926: “Sheridan, Wyo. - D. & M. Cir?? has acquired the Gem from Thomas Kirby (sic) who has purchased the Elk at Worland, from J. W. Corder, operator of the Temple at Cody.”
When Tom Kerby passed away in 1942 at the age of 77, Motion Picture Herald wrote that he moved to Worland in 1927.
The Sky-Hi Drive-In Theater opened on June 27, 1963 with a free screening of “Alias Jesse James” starring Bob Hope and Rhonda Fleming. That’s from an email from Robert Henning, director of the Campbell County Rockpile Museum. (Thanks!)
There was another drive-in, the Sunset, that operated from late July 1955 through at least 1957, based on that anecdote about the deer.
Boxoffice, Oct. 5, 1957: “Ernest Martini, owner of the Alvin and Rancho theatres, and Leta Myers, as partners, have reopened the River Theatre in Oildale, a suburb of Bakersfield. The River had been closed, except for a short run by Orville Scott, since the death of original owner and builder Jim Banducci last year. The 800-seat concrete and steel showcase is enjoying good business with its new admission rate for 50 cents for all adult seats and 25 cents for children under 12. Admissions at the River for many years had been 65 cents for regular seats and 75 cents for loges. The other theatres owned by Ernest Martini are in the town of Arvin, 20 miles south of Bakersfield.”
Boxoffice, Oct. 5, 1957: “The Desert Theatre, Hawthorne, Nev., has been closed and dismantled. The owner is Mrs. E. M. Bearden. Booking was done by Motion Picture Purchasing”
Boxoffice, Oct. 5, 1957: “FRONT ROYAL, VA. - The new Twi-Lite Drive-In, which opened here recently, is owned and operated by Dan Griffin and Sid Mullins. Opening ceremonies for the new drive-in included a program headed by Mayor Harry I. Wilson and the broadcast of ceremonies over radio station WFTR. Women attending the opening were given orchids.”
Boxoffice, Sept. 21, 1957: “The Cinema Park at Calgary, Alta., staged a Freckle Nite recently in which the King and Queen of Freckles was crowned. Decision was by count of the skin flecks - estimated. Prized included two wrist watches, ten cases of the Stubby soft drink and other gifts.”
Boxoffice, Sept. 14, 1957: “Mrs. E. M. Bearden, Cactus and Desert Theatre in Hawthorne, has purchased the Mineralite Drive-In, Hawthorne, and the Babbitt Court Theatre, Babbitt, Nev., from Charles Leonard for an undisclosed sum. Motion Picture Purchasing, Inc., will handle all four situations.”
According to ArtBlart, this photo was taken in 1941 by J. Baylor Roberts. It’s part of the National Geographic Image Collection / Steven Kasher Gallery.
The Mustang Drive-in opened May 25, 1966, on property owned by The Newhall Land and Farming Co. at 21021 Soledad Canyon Road in Saugus. Canyon Country wasn’t called “Canyon Country” at the time; this area of Saugus was known as Honby, the name of an old rail stop.
The Mustang closed in October 1984 and was torn down in 1986 to make way for a small business park where, in December 1987, the brand-new City of Santa Clarita set up a temporary administrative headquarters before moving into the (then-) Valencia National Bank building at 23920 W. Valencia Blvd.
This Utah Theaters page has this photo and a half-dozen more, all taken by Grant Smith on June 10, 2011. I would wager that Grant Smith still owns the copyright.
Emery County Progress, May 26, 1955: (Green River News) “The new outdoor River Vu Drive In Theatre opened last Thursday (19) with a free showing of Queen of Africa. Over 200 cars witnessed the show. The shows will continue every night with three changes of shows a week. Gene Hunt, Alma Scovill, Lewis Allen and Jay Vetere are the owners and Lee Carroll is the Projectionist.”
Independent Film Journal, July 9, 1955: “Jack Swanson of Swanson Bros. Circuit opened his River-Vu Drive-In at Green River, Utah, and the new ozoners at Blanding, Utah and Dillon, Mont.”
Green River Journal, Aug, 11, 1955: “The River Vu Drive-In Theater … is operated by Eugene Hunt, Jay Vetere, Alma Scoville, and Lewis Allen, all residents of Green River.”
Price Sun-Advocate, July 26, 1978: “Green River” note about Mrs. Geneva Powell, plus nephews and cousins, ten in all. “One of their projects has been the River Vu drive-in movie, and the Snack Bar has been painted and renovated, the movie projectors repaired and the speakers overhauled, with some new ones purchased. Ms. Powell plans to show family-type films … and hopes for better turnouts the rest of the summer.”
According to the Indianapolis Star, Starlite owner Will Langman has put it up for sale. It will continue to operate as normal until sold, he said. The motive for the sale is to raise money to buy a different drive-in in Terre Haute, Langman’s home town.
On the Shoebox’s Facebook page, from when it reopened in the summer of 2020 until January 2023, its photos show the Highland name (as does the Facebook URL itself). It apparently changed its name to Shoebox by April 2023.
The new owners are sooo close to being ready to open, according to their Facebook post yesterday. The Moonlite has already scheduled a particular couple of movies for dates in July 2025.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Unfortunately for us, the original 2007 photo by Flickr user Noel Kerns is marked there as Copyright, all rights reserved. On the other hand, the original is still available to view, and it looks even better than this copy.
Revisit Denver posted an article about the Federal’s restoration, noting that it opened in 1923. Tha article was mostly about Louis A. Siener, the swindler responsible for its construction.
Looks like the Victory opened in 1941.
Film Daily, Aug. 1, 1941: “H. W. Eggert arrived in Denver recently on an equipment buying trip for his 200-seat Victory Theater which he is erecting in Upton, Wyo.”
Film Daily, Aug. 29, 1941: “Upton, Wyo. — Henry W. Egert is building a new theater, the Victory, here, and is planning for an early opening. RCA Photophone is being installed.”
Showmen’s Trade Review, March 16, 1946: “Mrs. Gertrude Calhoun, operating the Victory, Upton, Wyo., reports she is out of business, following her landlord’s three-day notice to move.”
From the one of the photos here, the Kerby was at least scheduled to have its grand opening on Sept. 21, 1938.
From a Paramount ad in the Dec. 10, 1938 issue of Motion Picture Herald, in the public domain. (Possibly ran elsewhere as well.)
Film Daily, July 29, 1926: “Worland, Wyo. - Thomas Kirby (sic) has taken over the Elk.”
Film Daily, Aug. 16, 1926: “Sheridan, Wyo. - D. & M. Cir?? has acquired the Gem from Thomas Kirby (sic) who has purchased the Elk at Worland, from J. W. Corder, operator of the Temple at Cody.”
When Tom Kerby passed away in 1942 at the age of 77, Motion Picture Herald wrote that he moved to Worland in 1927.
The Sky-Hi Drive-In Theater opened on June 27, 1963 with a free screening of “Alias Jesse James” starring Bob Hope and Rhonda Fleming. That’s from an email from Robert Henning, director of the Campbell County Rockpile Museum. (Thanks!)
There was another drive-in, the Sunset, that operated from late July 1955 through at least 1957, based on that anecdote about the deer.
Boxoffice, Oct. 5, 1957: “Ernest Martini, owner of the Alvin and Rancho theatres, and Leta Myers, as partners, have reopened the River Theatre in Oildale, a suburb of Bakersfield. The River had been closed, except for a short run by Orville Scott, since the death of original owner and builder Jim Banducci last year. The 800-seat concrete and steel showcase is enjoying good business with its new admission rate for 50 cents for all adult seats and 25 cents for children under 12. Admissions at the River for many years had been 65 cents for regular seats and 75 cents for loges. The other theatres owned by Ernest Martini are in the town of Arvin, 20 miles south of Bakersfield.”
Boxoffice, Oct. 5, 1957: “The Desert Theatre, Hawthorne, Nev., has been closed and dismantled. The owner is Mrs. E. M. Bearden. Booking was done by Motion Picture Purchasing”
Boxoffice, Oct. 5, 1957: “FRONT ROYAL, VA. - The new Twi-Lite Drive-In, which opened here recently, is owned and operated by Dan Griffin and Sid Mullins. Opening ceremonies for the new drive-in included a program headed by Mayor Harry I. Wilson and the broadcast of ceremonies over radio station WFTR. Women attending the opening were given orchids.”
Boxoffice, Sept. 21, 1957: “The Cinema Park at Calgary, Alta., staged a Freckle Nite recently in which the King and Queen of Freckles was crowned. Decision was by count of the skin flecks - estimated. Prized included two wrist watches, ten cases of the Stubby soft drink and other gifts.”
Boxoffice, Sept. 14, 1957: “Mrs. E. M. Bearden, Cactus and Desert Theatre in Hawthorne, has purchased the Mineralite Drive-In, Hawthorne, and the Babbitt Court Theatre, Babbitt, Nev., from Charles Leonard for an undisclosed sum. Motion Picture Purchasing, Inc., will handle all four situations.”
According to ArtBlart, this photo was taken in 1941 by J. Baylor Roberts. It’s part of the National Geographic Image Collection / Steven Kasher Gallery.
For the gold standard on capacity, I turn to the 1955-56 Theatre Catalog. It said that Lee Guthrie’s Mustang held 150 cars.
From the SCV History web site:
The Mustang Drive-in opened May 25, 1966, on property owned by The Newhall Land and Farming Co. at 21021 Soledad Canyon Road in Saugus. Canyon Country wasn’t called “Canyon Country” at the time; this area of Saugus was known as Honby, the name of an old rail stop.
The Mustang closed in October 1984 and was torn down in 1986 to make way for a small business park where, in December 1987, the brand-new City of Santa Clarita set up a temporary administrative headquarters before moving into the (then-) Valencia National Bank building at 23920 W. Valencia Blvd.
This Utah Theaters page has this photo and a half-dozen more, all taken by Grant Smith on June 10, 2011. I would wager that Grant Smith still owns the copyright.
A few more notes.
Emery County Progress, May 26, 1955: (Green River News) “The new outdoor River Vu Drive In Theatre opened last Thursday (19) with a free showing of Queen of Africa. Over 200 cars witnessed the show. The shows will continue every night with three changes of shows a week. Gene Hunt, Alma Scovill, Lewis Allen and Jay Vetere are the owners and Lee Carroll is the Projectionist.”
Independent Film Journal, July 9, 1955: “Jack Swanson of Swanson Bros. Circuit opened his River-Vu Drive-In at Green River, Utah, and the new ozoners at Blanding, Utah and Dillon, Mont.”
Green River Journal, Aug, 11, 1955: “The River Vu Drive-In Theater … is operated by Eugene Hunt, Jay Vetere, Alma Scoville, and Lewis Allen, all residents of Green River.”
Price Sun-Advocate, July 26, 1978: “Green River” note about Mrs. Geneva Powell, plus nephews and cousins, ten in all. “One of their projects has been the River Vu drive-in movie, and the Snack Bar has been painted and renovated, the movie projectors repaired and the speakers overhauled, with some new ones purchased. Ms. Powell plans to show family-type films … and hopes for better turnouts the rest of the summer.”
According to the Indianapolis Star, Starlite owner Will Langman has put it up for sale. It will continue to operate as normal until sold, he said. The motive for the sale is to raise money to buy a different drive-in in Terre Haute, Langman’s home town.
On the Shoebox’s Facebook page, from when it reopened in the summer of 2020 until January 2023, its photos show the Highland name (as does the Facebook URL itself). It apparently changed its name to Shoebox by April 2023.
As Splashcat66 noted, the Twilight is now permanently closed. :(
The new owners are sooo close to being ready to open, according to their Facebook post yesterday. The Moonlite has already scheduled a particular couple of movies for dates in July 2025.