West Lebanon Valley News, April 28, 2025: “The Fairlee Drive-in’s towering film screen will remain blank this summer as owner Peter Trapp recovers from an illness.” Full story.
Responding to a Google Maps reviewer a year ago, the Corral’s owner wrote, “Unfortunately we had to close down the theater a few years ago, just didn’t want you to make the theater your destination and be disappointed.”
The screen is still there, but this theater should be marked closed.
Some history from one of the drive-in’s Instagram posts: In 2020 the Beckley Family purchased the VBDI with a great dream and ambition to see this once popular destination brought back to its former glory and then some. Countless hours of work began almost immediately clearing the lot that had been reclaimed by nature over the past 30 years. Work was done to the still existing concession stand, part of the ticket building and its roof had to be rebuilt as it had been torn down with the screen. We had a brand new screen built in the same place as the old one (that) had once stood so strong and proud for 62 years. Finally, in September of 2021 we opened gates for the first time in 30 years. We did not yet have use of the ticketbooth nor the concession building, but used tents, port a potties and a generator for lights and the projector in order to bring movies back to the big screen for the community that had been waiting so long to see happen.
“Amy Bracewell, superintendent of the Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt said Monday that an operator has been selected and that the two sides are currently reviewing the terms of the lease agreement.”
That was part of an article at the Daily Freeman that ran one year ago today. Three weeks ago, its headline was “Hyde Park Drive-In in limbo as deal awaits federal OK”.
The King’s most recent Facebook post was in July 2023. Although I can’t find any stories about a change, Google Maps marks it as permanently closed. :(
The former Henagar is now the Ridgeview. Its web site says, “Ridgeview Drive-in is owned and operated by the Smothers family. After buying the drive-in there were major upgrades made and a new name. In November of 2023 Ridgeview Drive-in opened its gates for the first time!”
Boxoffice, Aug. 10, 1957: “Construction of a second drive-in theatre for Pendleton has been started by John Matlock. The outdoor theatre, which will open next March 1, is being built two miles east of town on a county road just off Highway 30. Matlock, who owns Pendleton’s other outdoor theatre and has interest in two downtown Pendleton theatres, said parking spaces for 500 automobiles will be provided. Julian Hart Construction Co., Vancouver, Wash., is building the screen tower and Francis McGee Construction Co., Pendleton, is building the snack bar building and boxoffice. Matlock said the screen tower will be 100 feet long and 75 feet high.”
The Round-up Drive-In’s first appearance in the Motion Picture Almanac was in the 1960 edition. It was listed with a capacity of 385 cars, owned by John Matlock-Adamson Circuit.
Boxoffice, Sept. 11, 1954: “The Family Drive-In, a Jesse Jones operation managed by Paul LaRiviera, has enlarged its screen for CinemaScope showings.”
Boxoffice, July 27, 1957: Under Portland - “Purchase of the Family Drive-In Theatre by Al Forman of United Theatres was announced here Sunday (28). The four-year-old, modern, nine-acre theatre was sold to Forman by Jesse Jones, well-known theatre operator in this area. Jerry Forman of Salem will manage the drive-in. Plans call for a completely equipped playground and an increase in theatre capacity to 800 cars.”
Boxoffice, July 6, 1957: “The Clark Drive-In at Summer Hill, Ill., owned by Russell Armentrout of Louisiana, Mo., was flattened by the tornado of June 11, which also did considerable damage at Jacksonville and Springfield, Ill. The screen tower was blown down and considerable damage was done to the concession-projection building. Armentrout hoped to have it ready for opening at the end of this week.”
Boxoffice, June 1, 1957: “Clyde and Betty Nihiser have purchased the Limberlost Drive-In Theatre and were planning to have it open before the end of May. Clyde and Betty have operated theatres here for seven years, relinquishing their lease on the Limberlost Drive-In, which they were instrumental in getting started, a little over a year ago. W. R. Miller, owner of the Limberlost, had been offering it for sale during the past several months.”
Boxoffice, May 18, 1957: “VERNAL, UTAH – A short circuit in the wiring was blamed for a fire that destroyed the screen at the Starlite Drive-in west of town. Firemen were called at 11:45 p.m. and fought the raging fire, fanned by a high wind, until 2:30 a.m. Flames leaped 100 feet into the air until the 60-foot screen toppled over. Damage was estimated in the region of $1,200, part of which was covered by insurance. The drive-in is operated by Deward and Alson Shiner. They estimated that the theatre would be back in operation about June 1.”
Boxoffice, May 4, 1957: “The Ord Theatre, dark since the first of the year, has been put into operation on a Friday through Sunday policy. The house is under the management of Hugh Haynes, former manager, who moved to Fowler in 1950. Haynes hopes business will justify his going to a fulltime schedule in the near future.”
Boxoffice, May 4, 1957: “Col. Charles A. Watt, commander of Vincent Air Force base just outside Phoenix, has termed a new drive-in theatre near the base a "hazard to air navigation” and ordered it off limits to base personnel. He cited the Tab Drive-In’s 60-foot-high screen as the safety hazard. The theatre is just outside the western boundary of the base on a line with an east-west runway which air force officials hace ceased to use except in emergencies."
The Oceanside’s final advertisement was on Tuesday, April 2, 1974, showing “From China With Death” and “Lust For a Vampire”. It was gone from the Siegels' ads the next day. In October that year, First Baptist Youth staged a haunted house in “the snack bar building at the old Oceanside Drive-In”.
I believe we have misnamed this drive-in. It ended its life as the Oceanside.
The 1968 Los Angeles Film Exchange directory included the Oceanside Drive-In, address 1823 Mission. It was run by Sero Amusement. (In the 1963 LA directory, it was listed as the Midway at the same address.) Its final entry in the Motion Picture Almanac’s annual drive-in list was Oceanside.
Oceanside’s North County Times ran a drive-in retrospective article on April 14, 2002. In it, one of the Siegel brothers said they operated but didn’t own the Midway on Mission Avenue. “The family ran that drive-in in the 1960s until the owner closed it and sold the land.”
In fact, I can’t find any evidence that the Midway/Oceanside was ever called the Vista, which was the name of a drive-in in Vista CA (less than 10 miles away) that also advertised in North County Times. LebowskiT1000 had the right address for that one, and it wasn’t Mission.
Exhibitor, May 6, 1953: “Flexer Theatres announced plans for a new 450-car drive-in at New Albany, Miss. Flexer has also revealed that New Albany will probably be the first city, regardless of size, to have its theatres 100 percent equipped for 3-D and CinemaScope. He is also planning to equip the local Ritz and the Varsity, Amory, Miss., with CinemaScope projection equipment, as well as the Magnolia and the Albany Drive-In, New Albany, now being built.”
Motion Picture Herald, April 10, 1954: “David Flexer of Flexer Theatres, Inc., Memphis, Tenn., has announced the start of construction of his new drive-in at New Albany, Miss.”
Thanks for the note, Ron Pierce! That Sept. 29, 1966 Blue Lake Advocate page also included a grand opening ad (just uploaded here) for the 299. The drive-in charged $2 a carload to see “Paradise Hawaiian Style” and “The Last of the Secret Agents.”
Motion Picture Herald, March 14, 1953: “David Flexer, head of Flexer Theatres, Inc., is building the new 500-car Union drive-in at New Albany, Miss., which he expects to have in operation by May 15.”
Despite that note, a USGS aerial photo taken Oct. 11, 1953 showed no trace of a drive-in at the future Union site. However, another mention indicates that it was open by 1954.
Motion Picture Herald, Nov. 13, 1954: “A. J. Benya, manager of the Magnolia theatre and the Union Drive-In, New Albany, Miss., used life-size cut-outs and street ballyhoo to good advantage on recent pictures.”
West Lebanon Valley News, April 28, 2025: “The Fairlee Drive-in’s towering film screen will remain blank this summer as owner Peter Trapp recovers from an illness.” Full story.
Closed after the 2024 season. ABC4 story.
Responding to a Google Maps reviewer a year ago, the Corral’s owner wrote, “Unfortunately we had to close down the theater a few years ago, just didn’t want you to make the theater your destination and be disappointed.”
The screen is still there, but this theater should be marked closed.
Some history from one of the drive-in’s Instagram posts: In 2020 the Beckley Family purchased the VBDI with a great dream and ambition to see this once popular destination brought back to its former glory and then some. Countless hours of work began almost immediately clearing the lot that had been reclaimed by nature over the past 30 years. Work was done to the still existing concession stand, part of the ticket building and its roof had to be rebuilt as it had been torn down with the screen. We had a brand new screen built in the same place as the old one (that) had once stood so strong and proud for 62 years. Finally, in September of 2021 we opened gates for the first time in 30 years. We did not yet have use of the ticketbooth nor the concession building, but used tents, port a potties and a generator for lights and the projector in order to bring movies back to the big screen for the community that had been waiting so long to see happen.
“Amy Bracewell, superintendent of the Home of Franklin D. Roosevelt said Monday that an operator has been selected and that the two sides are currently reviewing the terms of the lease agreement.”
That was part of an article at the Daily Freeman that ran one year ago today. Three weeks ago, its headline was “Hyde Park Drive-In in limbo as deal awaits federal OK”.
As the above link predicted, the Teton Vu has not reopened for the 2025 season. Google Maps lists it as permanently closed.
The King’s most recent Facebook post was in July 2023. Although I can’t find any stories about a change, Google Maps marks it as permanently closed. :(
Per its most recent Facebook post, the Sand Mountain “temporarily closed” on July 21, 2023.
The former Henagar is now the Ridgeview. Its web site says, “Ridgeview Drive-in is owned and operated by the Smothers family. After buying the drive-in there were major upgrades made and a new name. In November of 2023 Ridgeview Drive-in opened its gates for the first time!”
There’s an MSN story about the unnamed couple who have stepped up to save Memory Lane.
Boxoffice, Aug. 10, 1957: “Construction of a second drive-in theatre for Pendleton has been started by John Matlock. The outdoor theatre, which will open next March 1, is being built two miles east of town on a county road just off Highway 30. Matlock, who owns Pendleton’s other outdoor theatre and has interest in two downtown Pendleton theatres, said parking spaces for 500 automobiles will be provided. Julian Hart Construction Co., Vancouver, Wash., is building the screen tower and Francis McGee Construction Co., Pendleton, is building the snack bar building and boxoffice. Matlock said the screen tower will be 100 feet long and 75 feet high.”
The Round-up Drive-In’s first appearance in the Motion Picture Almanac was in the 1960 edition. It was listed with a capacity of 385 cars, owned by John Matlock-Adamson Circuit.
Boxoffice, Sept. 11, 1954: “The Family Drive-In, a Jesse Jones operation managed by Paul LaRiviera, has enlarged its screen for CinemaScope showings.”
Boxoffice, July 27, 1957: Under Portland - “Purchase of the Family Drive-In Theatre by Al Forman of United Theatres was announced here Sunday (28). The four-year-old, modern, nine-acre theatre was sold to Forman by Jesse Jones, well-known theatre operator in this area. Jerry Forman of Salem will manage the drive-in. Plans call for a completely equipped playground and an increase in theatre capacity to 800 cars.”
Boxoffice, July 6, 1957: “The Clark Drive-In at Summer Hill, Ill., owned by Russell Armentrout of Louisiana, Mo., was flattened by the tornado of June 11, which also did considerable damage at Jacksonville and Springfield, Ill. The screen tower was blown down and considerable damage was done to the concession-projection building. Armentrout hoped to have it ready for opening at the end of this week.”
Boxoffice, June 29, 1957: “The Monument View Drive-In, 350 cars, has been opened at Grand Junction. Ted Knox furnished the equipment”
Boxoffice, June 1, 1957: “Clyde and Betty Nihiser have purchased the Limberlost Drive-In Theatre and were planning to have it open before the end of May. Clyde and Betty have operated theatres here for seven years, relinquishing their lease on the Limberlost Drive-In, which they were instrumental in getting started, a little over a year ago. W. R. Miller, owner of the Limberlost, had been offering it for sale during the past several months.”
Correcting the date.
Boxoffice, May 18, 1957: “VERNAL, UTAH – A short circuit in the wiring was blamed for a fire that destroyed the screen at the Starlite Drive-in west of town. Firemen were called at 11:45 p.m. and fought the raging fire, fanned by a high wind, until 2:30 a.m. Flames leaped 100 feet into the air until the 60-foot screen toppled over. Damage was estimated in the region of $1,200, part of which was covered by insurance. The drive-in is operated by Deward and Alson Shiner. They estimated that the theatre would be back in operation about June 1.”
Boxoffice, May 18, 1957: “The Uptown Theatre in Richmond which was sold recently by Richard Nasser will be converted into a department store”
Boxoffice, May 11, 1957: “The Firebaugh Drive-In at Firebaugh is to be dismantled”
Boxoffice, May 4, 1957: “The Ord Theatre, dark since the first of the year, has been put into operation on a Friday through Sunday policy. The house is under the management of Hugh Haynes, former manager, who moved to Fowler in 1950. Haynes hopes business will justify his going to a fulltime schedule in the near future.”
Boxoffice, May 4, 1957: “Col. Charles A. Watt, commander of Vincent Air Force base just outside Phoenix, has termed a new drive-in theatre near the base a "hazard to air navigation” and ordered it off limits to base personnel. He cited the Tab Drive-In’s 60-foot-high screen as the safety hazard. The theatre is just outside the western boundary of the base on a line with an east-west runway which air force officials hace ceased to use except in emergencies."
The Oceanside’s final advertisement was on Tuesday, April 2, 1974, showing “From China With Death” and “Lust For a Vampire”. It was gone from the Siegels' ads the next day. In October that year, First Baptist Youth staged a haunted house in “the snack bar building at the old Oceanside Drive-In”.
I believe we have misnamed this drive-in. It ended its life as the Oceanside.
The 1968 Los Angeles Film Exchange directory included the Oceanside Drive-In, address 1823 Mission. It was run by Sero Amusement. (In the 1963 LA directory, it was listed as the Midway at the same address.) Its final entry in the Motion Picture Almanac’s annual drive-in list was Oceanside.
Oceanside’s North County Times ran a drive-in retrospective article on April 14, 2002. In it, one of the Siegel brothers said they operated but didn’t own the Midway on Mission Avenue. “The family ran that drive-in in the 1960s until the owner closed it and sold the land.”
In fact, I can’t find any evidence that the Midway/Oceanside was ever called the Vista, which was the name of a drive-in in Vista CA (less than 10 miles away) that also advertised in North County Times. LebowskiT1000 had the right address for that one, and it wasn’t Mission.
Exhibitor, May 6, 1953: “Flexer Theatres announced plans for a new 450-car drive-in at New Albany, Miss. Flexer has also revealed that New Albany will probably be the first city, regardless of size, to have its theatres 100 percent equipped for 3-D and CinemaScope. He is also planning to equip the local Ritz and the Varsity, Amory, Miss., with CinemaScope projection equipment, as well as the Magnolia and the Albany Drive-In, New Albany, now being built.”
Motion Picture Herald, April 10, 1954: “David Flexer of Flexer Theatres, Inc., Memphis, Tenn., has announced the start of construction of his new drive-in at New Albany, Miss.”
Thanks for the note, Ron Pierce! That Sept. 29, 1966 Blue Lake Advocate page also included a grand opening ad (just uploaded here) for the 299. The drive-in charged $2 a carload to see “Paradise Hawaiian Style” and “The Last of the Secret Agents.”
Motion Picture Herald, March 14, 1953: “David Flexer, head of Flexer Theatres, Inc., is building the new 500-car Union drive-in at New Albany, Miss., which he expects to have in operation by May 15.”
Despite that note, a USGS aerial photo taken Oct. 11, 1953 showed no trace of a drive-in at the future Union site. However, another mention indicates that it was open by 1954.
Motion Picture Herald, Nov. 13, 1954: “A. J. Benya, manager of the Magnolia theatre and the Union Drive-In, New Albany, Miss., used life-size cut-outs and street ballyhoo to good advantage on recent pictures.”