Howard Larsen, who would later build the Webb City Drive-In, owned the Civic for a while. I wonder whether he was any relation to architect Larry Larsen.
Howard was included in Neosho MO Daily News story on March 28, 1947 as having attended the Kansas-Missouri Theatre Assocation of independent owners. On Feb. 11, 1950, the Joplin Globe quoted Howard to say the scandalous Bergman film “Stromboli” would not be shown at the Civic.
Springfield News-Leader, Feb. 20, 1958: (Russ Wilhoit’s obituary) “With his brother, the late Ed Wilhoit, he owned and operated the old Princess Theater, recently renamed the Four Star”
Variety, June 16, 1954: “Dave Forbes, who formerly operated houses in Freeberg and Vienna, Mo., rushing completion of ozoner near Crocker, Mo.”
Independent Film Journal, June 25, 1954: “Mr. and Mrs. Dave Forbes started construction of a small ozoner about a mile from the city limits of Crocker, Mo. on the road to Iberia, which they plan to open in early July.”
Motion Picture Exhibitor, Jan. 30, 1963: “Mr. and Mrs. David Forbes, Crocker, Mo., were on the (St. Louis Film) Row recently on their first buying trip of the season. They report that they have completed remodeling and redecorating their concession stand and remodeling the projection booth.”
Boxoffice, Sept. 18, 1978: “CROCKER, MO. - The Ozark Drive-In here was sold by Dave and Ruth Forbed to Dale Routh as of August 7. The sale ends 25 years of operation under the Forbes' management.”
This is a crop of a Missouri Department of Transportation photo from the Missouri State Archives. As long as they’re credited, their photos are in the public domain.
Thumbing through some other photos, I discovered that this is a slight crop of a Missouri State Archives picture taken by the Missouri Department of Transportation. Per their usage agreement, as long as you give them credit, their photos are in the public domain.
I don’t know where this fits. Boxoffice, July 11, 1953: “Clifford H. Hough of Lebanon … has opened his new drive-in at Camdenton, Mo., in the Lake of the Ozarks area.”
The Hopkins and Hough families collaborated in 1949 on a drive-in project in Rolla MO that was bought out by Rowe Carney just before it was to open. Maybe they tried again in Camdenton.
Variety, March 15, 1950: “Clifford Hough sold his interest in drive-in near Lebanon, Ill. (sic), to his father; he will build an ozoner near Aurora, Mo.” (Hough was described in early 1952 as the owner of the Moonlite Drive-In south of Lebanon MO.)
Same theater? Film Daily, July 2, 1948: “R. E. Carney Theaters of Rolla, Mo., is erecting a new quonset-type theater in St. James, Mo., where the circuit now operates the 300-seat Lyric.”
The 1950 Film Daily Year Book listed three theaters in St. James: the Lyric (seating 384), the Rowe (600), and the St. James (no figure).
Boxoffice, March 22, 1971: “Commonwealth (Theatres) will acquire three theatres in Rolla … (effective) April 4: Uptown Theatre, Ritz Theatre, Rolla Drive-In and a drive-in theatre site … Completion of the drive-in remodeling, which includes addition of new equipment to serve the finest quality food and drink items, is slated to coincide with the opening of the 1971 drive-in season.”
Boxoffice, Sept. 23, 1950: “Inclement weather has delayed opening date for the Starlight Drive-In near Salem, Mo., owned by L. L. Pruitt of Steelville, Mo., and Paul Hamaker"
According to aerial photos, between the time it opened and 1984, the 19 added two more ramps in the back. It started as a 200-car drive-in, but a 2005 story said the drive-in could pack 300 cars onto its field, thanks to radio sound.
Also, Karen Spreng is taking a one-year break for 2021. She told me she was having projector problems and was looking for a contractor to redo the concession building. And that she was generally busy with other stuff. Let’s hope the 19 answers the bell in 2022.
Cuba Review, Oct. 5, 1944: “Adolph Meier, manager of the Cuba Theatre, is again improving his show house. Recently he had a marquee built on the front of his building and now he is having the lobby and the ticket seller’s booth painted.”
Variety, Sept. 19, 1951: “Mrs. Anna Frances Bousser, part owner of the Cuba Theatre, Cuba, Mo., died at her home there Sept. 7. Her husband and four daughters survive.” Mrs. Bousser was Adolph’s mother-in-law.
Taos News, Sept. 6, 1984: “When Kit Carson Drive-In’s screen faded Saturday night (Sept. 1) on "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom,” the drive-in scene may have gone dark in Taos County for good. Drive-in owner Les Dollison sold the four acres for a rumored $600,000 to Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. He is looking for another location, but associates say the cost of land and zoning restrictions may prohibit building anew. No one remembers the title of the first movie when the drive-in opened in 1954. The founder was a man remembered only as Mr. Taylor, a Texan, who later sold to Billy Buetler … Former manager Eddie Rimbert remembers screening R-rated movies briefly in the mid-70s. The 365-car parking lot would be deserted, but when a Disney film was on the screen, families packed the drive-in."
Later issues confirmed that the Wal-Mart began construction on the site in the summer of 1985. And that at least part of the Kit Carson’s old sign is now used for the Rodeo de Taos.
Deming (NM) Headlight, April 20, 1978: “Les Dollison, who owns the movie theaters here, also owns the theater in Socorro. He recenly sponsored a "Name the Drive-In” contest, according to the “Defensor Chieftain” there. Clair Mirabel, 18, won with “Sierra Vista.” She got a $100 check and a year’s pass to the drive-in."
Santa Fe New Mexican, April 22, 1962: “‘Starlighter’ is the new name for the Espanola Drive-In Theater, formerly known as the Chico, however, it is still operated by the Dollison Theatre chain which has headquarters in Santa Fe.”
Daily Journal (Park Hills, MO), Aug. 17, 2013: “Fifty years ago a Washington County man by the name of Harry Blunt recognized America’s infatuation with the automobile and, in a time of prosperity, its eagerness for entertainment under the stars. His Starlite Drive-in Theater on Highway 21 in Old Mines was not the first in the area, but it is the last … Terry Mercille has owned the Starlite Drive-in since 1968, but his ties with it go back even further. He first worked in the concession stand for Blunt when he was only 14 … Though there is not a lot of hoopla about it, Mercille points out this is actually the 50th season for the theater that opened in 1952. It was a single-screen theater then, the second screen having been added about 15 years ago … There are about 225 parking slots for each screen at the Starlite … Of course, Mercille also admits, the Starlite is not his only means of income. He has an amusement game route that is his primary work and the theater is also used as a flea market during daylight hours on Saturdays and Sundays.”
The Exhibitor, July 23, 1952: “The Ellington Drive-In, Ellington, Mo., had its grand opening. It is owned by Harold Larkin and his business associate as Larkin and Davis. They also own and operate the Strand, Ellington.”
Variety, July 30, 1952: “Harold Larkin and Claud Davis, owner of Strand, Ellington, Mo., lighted new 300-car ozoner near there."
The Current Local (Van Buren MO), Nov. 9, 1961: (classified ad) “REWARD - $500 leading to the arrest and conviction of any person or persons stealing 64 speakers from the 21 Drive In. Notify Harold Larkin or Claude Davis, Ellington, Mo.”
Showmen’s Trade Review, Sept. 22, 1945: “R. E. Carney Theatres, Rolla, Mo., has taken over the Cuba Theatre, Cuba, Mo., formerly operated by A. P. Meier.”
Boxoffice, Dec. 10, 1949: (theatre sales) “Cuba, Mo. - 255-seat Cuba sold to A. P. Meyer (sic) by R. E. Carney.”
In August 1949, Rowe E. Carney had bought out a competing drive-in project in Rolla, so he might have needed the cash or the time to concentrate on building his own Rolla Drive-In. In 1955, Adolph P. Meier built the 19 Drive-In in Cuba. During at least some summers after that, Meier would close the indoor Cuba while operating the 19.
Based on aerial photos, the Highway 59 expanded by three ramps between 1962 and 1964. They also added a house behind the back ramp, but the house was gone by 1973, even though the screen was still up. The screen was gone by 1981.
Not that the MPA was super-accurate, but I don’t know why it always had the I-44’s capacity at just 200 cars. Aerial photos show at least a dozen ramps, and this Boxoffice article from June 18, 1973 mentioned 850 in-car speakers:
“The I-44 Drive-In Theatre, the newest open-air facility in the St. Louis metropolitan area, began its second year of operation March 31. The de luxe 850-speaker ozoner, a Wehrenberg Theatres operation, is located in suburban Peerless Park in St. Louis County at the intersection of Highway 141 and the recently completed super-highway, Interstate 44 … Gordon & Wilson Architects, Clayton, Mo., designed the facility, with Steve Kovac of Kovac Construction Co. handling the construction. The 850 Koropp speakers are located on 16 curved ramps. Each ramp has been specially elevated to provide quality viewing of the 100-foot screen. Three hundred Circle R Simplex in-car heaters have been provided for cold weather use during the year-round operation of the theatre. … The concessions building, featuring modern design and broad expanses of windows on two sides, is done in charcoal gray brightly accented in tangerine on the exterior. The interior design features a white acoustical tile ceiling, spatter-pattern beige asphalt tile floor covering, and avocado green Formica counter tops … The split-level building, with the concessions and storage areas, manager’s office and restrooms on the ground level, rises to a full second story at the extreme end above the restrooms to accommodate the well-placed and superbly equipped booth.”
Not sure what to make of this tidbit. The Holiday’s newspaper ads from Dec. 31, 1955 and Jan. 1, 1956 mentioned that it was “Now open under new management”. Then the Jan. 11, 1956 issue of Motion Picture Daily wrote, “Dick Fitzmaurice, former manager of the Rivoli Theatre in downtown St. Louis, has leased the Holiday Drive-in in Overland, St. Louis County, and has reopened it.”
By 1963, Fitzmaurice was working for Mid-America. Why would the company have leased the Holiday to him so soon after opening it?
Motion Picture Exhibitor, June 15, 1955: “In Highland, Ill., the Air Park Drive-In, 300 cars, will be taken over by R. L. Costilow, a teacher in the Highland High School. Prior to his teaching job here, Costilow had experience in theatre operations in the middle west. Adolph P. List had operated the drive-in since July 30, 1953.”
Howard Larsen, who would later build the Webb City Drive-In, owned the Civic for a while. I wonder whether he was any relation to architect Larry Larsen.
Howard was included in Neosho MO Daily News story on March 28, 1947 as having attended the Kansas-Missouri Theatre Assocation of independent owners. On Feb. 11, 1950, the Joplin Globe quoted Howard to say the scandalous Bergman film “Stromboli” would not be shown at the Civic.
The teaser ads called it “new,” and the Dickinson held its grand opening on March 3, 1946 in Webb City.
Webb City Dickinson grand opening ad 03 Mar 1946, Sun Joplin Globe (Joplin, Missouri) Newspapers.com
The 1950 Film Daily Year Book said that the Dickinson Theatre (466 seats) was on Main Street, as was the Junior (550).
Springfield News-Leader, Feb. 20, 1958: (Russ Wilhoit’s obituary) “With his brother, the late Ed Wilhoit, he owned and operated the old Princess Theater, recently renamed the Four Star”
Variety, June 16, 1954: “Dave Forbes, who formerly operated houses in Freeberg and Vienna, Mo., rushing completion of ozoner near Crocker, Mo.”
Independent Film Journal, June 25, 1954: “Mr. and Mrs. Dave Forbes started construction of a small ozoner about a mile from the city limits of Crocker, Mo. on the road to Iberia, which they plan to open in early July.”
Motion Picture Exhibitor, Jan. 30, 1963: “Mr. and Mrs. David Forbes, Crocker, Mo., were on the (St. Louis Film) Row recently on their first buying trip of the season. They report that they have completed remodeling and redecorating their concession stand and remodeling the projection booth.”
Boxoffice, Sept. 18, 1978: “CROCKER, MO. - The Ozark Drive-In here was sold by Dave and Ruth Forbed to Dale Routh as of August 7. The sale ends 25 years of operation under the Forbes' management.”
This is a crop of a Missouri Department of Transportation photo from the Missouri State Archives. As long as they’re credited, their photos are in the public domain.
Thumbing through some other photos, I discovered that this is a slight crop of a Missouri State Archives picture taken by the Missouri Department of Transportation. Per their usage agreement, as long as you give them credit, their photos are in the public domain.
I don’t know where this fits. Boxoffice, July 11, 1953: “Clifford H. Hough of Lebanon … has opened his new drive-in at Camdenton, Mo., in the Lake of the Ozarks area.”
The Hopkins and Hough families collaborated in 1949 on a drive-in project in Rolla MO that was bought out by Rowe Carney just before it was to open. Maybe they tried again in Camdenton.
Variety, March 15, 1950: “Clifford Hough sold his interest in drive-in near Lebanon, Ill. (sic), to his father; he will build an ozoner near Aurora, Mo.” (Hough was described in early 1952 as the owner of the Moonlite Drive-In south of Lebanon MO.)
Same theater? Film Daily, July 2, 1948: “R. E. Carney Theaters of Rolla, Mo., is erecting a new quonset-type theater in St. James, Mo., where the circuit now operates the 300-seat Lyric.”
The 1950 Film Daily Year Book listed three theaters in St. James: the Lyric (seating 384), the Rowe (600), and the St. James (no figure).
Boxoffice, March 22, 1971: “Commonwealth (Theatres) will acquire three theatres in Rolla … (effective) April 4: Uptown Theatre, Ritz Theatre, Rolla Drive-In and a drive-in theatre site … Completion of the drive-in remodeling, which includes addition of new equipment to serve the finest quality food and drink items, is slated to coincide with the opening of the 1971 drive-in season.”
Boxoffice, Sept. 23, 1950: “Inclement weather has delayed opening date for the Starlight Drive-In near Salem, Mo., owned by L. L. Pruitt of Steelville, Mo., and Paul Hamaker"
According to aerial photos, between the time it opened and 1984, the 19 added two more ramps in the back. It started as a 200-car drive-in, but a 2005 story said the drive-in could pack 300 cars onto its field, thanks to radio sound.
Also, Karen Spreng is taking a one-year break for 2021. She told me she was having projector problems and was looking for a contractor to redo the concession building. And that she was generally busy with other stuff. Let’s hope the 19 answers the bell in 2022.
Two more stray bits.
Cuba Review, Oct. 5, 1944: “Adolph Meier, manager of the Cuba Theatre, is again improving his show house. Recently he had a marquee built on the front of his building and now he is having the lobby and the ticket seller’s booth painted.”
Variety, Sept. 19, 1951: “Mrs. Anna Frances Bousser, part owner of the Cuba Theatre, Cuba, Mo., died at her home there Sept. 7. Her husband and four daughters survive.” Mrs. Bousser was Adolph’s mother-in-law.
Taos News, Sept. 6, 1984: “When Kit Carson Drive-In’s screen faded Saturday night (Sept. 1) on "Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom,” the drive-in scene may have gone dark in Taos County for good. Drive-in owner Les Dollison sold the four acres for a rumored $600,000 to Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. He is looking for another location, but associates say the cost of land and zoning restrictions may prohibit building anew. No one remembers the title of the first movie when the drive-in opened in 1954. The founder was a man remembered only as Mr. Taylor, a Texan, who later sold to Billy Buetler … Former manager Eddie Rimbert remembers screening R-rated movies briefly in the mid-70s. The 365-car parking lot would be deserted, but when a Disney film was on the screen, families packed the drive-in."
Later issues confirmed that the Wal-Mart began construction on the site in the summer of 1985. And that at least part of the Kit Carson’s old sign is now used for the Rodeo de Taos.
Deming (NM) Headlight, April 20, 1978: “Les Dollison, who owns the movie theaters here, also owns the theater in Socorro. He recenly sponsored a "Name the Drive-In” contest, according to the “Defensor Chieftain” there. Clair Mirabel, 18, won with “Sierra Vista.” She got a $100 check and a year’s pass to the drive-in."
Santa Fe New Mexican, April 22, 1962: “‘Starlighter’ is the new name for the Espanola Drive-In Theater, formerly known as the Chico, however, it is still operated by the Dollison Theatre chain which has headquarters in Santa Fe.”
Daily Journal (Park Hills, MO), Aug. 17, 2013: “Fifty years ago a Washington County man by the name of Harry Blunt recognized America’s infatuation with the automobile and, in a time of prosperity, its eagerness for entertainment under the stars. His Starlite Drive-in Theater on Highway 21 in Old Mines was not the first in the area, but it is the last … Terry Mercille has owned the Starlite Drive-in since 1968, but his ties with it go back even further. He first worked in the concession stand for Blunt when he was only 14 … Though there is not a lot of hoopla about it, Mercille points out this is actually the 50th season for the theater that opened in 1952. It was a single-screen theater then, the second screen having been added about 15 years ago … There are about 225 parking slots for each screen at the Starlite … Of course, Mercille also admits, the Starlite is not his only means of income. He has an amusement game route that is his primary work and the theater is also used as a flea market during daylight hours on Saturdays and Sundays.”
The Exhibitor, July 23, 1952: “The Ellington Drive-In, Ellington, Mo., had its grand opening. It is owned by Harold Larkin and his business associate as Larkin and Davis. They also own and operate the Strand, Ellington.”
Variety, July 30, 1952: “Harold Larkin and Claud Davis, owner of Strand, Ellington, Mo., lighted new 300-car ozoner near there."
The Current Local (Van Buren MO), Nov. 9, 1961: (classified ad) “REWARD - $500 leading to the arrest and conviction of any person or persons stealing 64 speakers from the 21 Drive In. Notify Harold Larkin or Claude Davis, Ellington, Mo.”
Showmen’s Trade Review, Sept. 22, 1945: “R. E. Carney Theatres, Rolla, Mo., has taken over the Cuba Theatre, Cuba, Mo., formerly operated by A. P. Meier.”
Boxoffice, Dec. 10, 1949: (theatre sales) “Cuba, Mo. - 255-seat Cuba sold to A. P. Meyer (sic) by R. E. Carney.”
In August 1949, Rowe E. Carney had bought out a competing drive-in project in Rolla, so he might have needed the cash or the time to concentrate on building his own Rolla Drive-In. In 1955, Adolph P. Meier built the 19 Drive-In in Cuba. During at least some summers after that, Meier would close the indoor Cuba while operating the 19.
Boxoffice, Nov. 13, 1948: “ELGIN, ILL. - The Star View Drive-In, located four miles east of Elgin on route 20, opened recently.”
Based on aerial photos, the Highway 59 expanded by three ramps between 1962 and 1964. They also added a house behind the back ramp, but the house was gone by 1973, even though the screen was still up. The screen was gone by 1981.
Not that the MPA was super-accurate, but I don’t know why it always had the I-44’s capacity at just 200 cars. Aerial photos show at least a dozen ramps, and this Boxoffice article from June 18, 1973 mentioned 850 in-car speakers:
“The I-44 Drive-In Theatre, the newest open-air facility in the St. Louis metropolitan area, began its second year of operation March 31. The de luxe 850-speaker ozoner, a Wehrenberg Theatres operation, is located in suburban Peerless Park in St. Louis County at the intersection of Highway 141 and the recently completed super-highway, Interstate 44 … Gordon & Wilson Architects, Clayton, Mo., designed the facility, with Steve Kovac of Kovac Construction Co. handling the construction. The 850 Koropp speakers are located on 16 curved ramps. Each ramp has been specially elevated to provide quality viewing of the 100-foot screen. Three hundred Circle R Simplex in-car heaters have been provided for cold weather use during the year-round operation of the theatre. … The concessions building, featuring modern design and broad expanses of windows on two sides, is done in charcoal gray brightly accented in tangerine on the exterior. The interior design features a white acoustical tile ceiling, spatter-pattern beige asphalt tile floor covering, and avocado green Formica counter tops … The split-level building, with the concessions and storage areas, manager’s office and restrooms on the ground level, rises to a full second story at the extreme end above the restrooms to accommodate the well-placed and superbly equipped booth.”
Not sure what to make of this tidbit. The Holiday’s newspaper ads from Dec. 31, 1955 and Jan. 1, 1956 mentioned that it was “Now open under new management”. Then the Jan. 11, 1956 issue of Motion Picture Daily wrote, “Dick Fitzmaurice, former manager of the Rivoli Theatre in downtown St. Louis, has leased the Holiday Drive-in in Overland, St. Louis County, and has reopened it.”
By 1963, Fitzmaurice was working for Mid-America. Why would the company have leased the Holiday to him so soon after opening it?
Motion Picture Exhibitor, June 15, 1955: “In Kevil, Ky., the Park Drive-In, 225 cars, opened in 1949, has been closed indefinitely.”
Motion Picture Exhibitor, June 15, 1955: “In Highland, Ill., the Air Park Drive-In, 300 cars, will be taken over by R. L. Costilow, a teacher in the Highland High School. Prior to his teaching job here, Costilow had experience in theatre operations in the middle west. Adolph P. List had operated the drive-in since July 30, 1953.”