How many speakers did the Winfield have? The Motion Picture Almanac said 240. The Theatre Catalog said 325. But when it came time to pay taxes…
Arkansas City Daily Traveler, Jan. 22, 1958: “A suit asking reduction in assessment against the Winfield Drive-In theater has been filed in district court by Fred H. Munson, president of the theater company … The Winfield theater has 200 speakers. The petition sets out that other theaters owned by the company in Cowley county were assessed in 1957 the same as they were in 1956. They include the Ark-Vue theater with 400 speakers … and the 166 Drive-In with 350 speakers”
Weleetka American, July 18, 1957: “The Bar-K drive-in theater will open next Tuesday, July 23, it was announced this week by Mrs. Georgia Kelly, Henryette, owner of the new Weleetka business located just north of town on highway 75 … There will be parking space for 100 cars, each space with its car radio. There will also be a concession stand.”
Weleetka American, Aug. 8, 1957: “Mrs. George Kelley, owner of the Bar-K drive-in theatre, announced that the theatre is now officially open … Due to technical difficulties the theatre was unable to open as scheduled. The opening was delayed until Friday of last week (Aug. 2) while new sound equipment was installed. Since school will begin shortly the theatre will operate on a weekend basis only.”
This April 2006 photo by E. Sean Evans is part of the R. Sean Evans Papers at Northern Arizona University’s Colorado Plateau Digital Collections. I think that NAU holds its rights.
More rainout details. Gallup Independent, Sept. 29, 1951: “Gallup’s new drive-in theater, the Yucca, opened to a capacity crowd last night, but the weather man stepped in to cancel tonight’s billing. Manager Bruce Waugh said the access road to the Yucca, leading in from Highway 66 west of town, has not yet been surfaced, and the night-long rainfall left the possibility that the road would be too rough for an audience this evening. With prospect of good weather tomorrow, Waugh said the theater would again be open to the public”
Jim Argo took this photo, dated Oct. 13, 1982, for the Oklahoma Times. Now you can find it in the Oklahoma Publishing Company Photography Collection at the Oklahoma Historical Society, which says that its copyright status is undetermined.
Bob Albright took this photo for the Oklahoma Times, where it appeared on May 20, 1963. It’s part of the Oklahoma Publishing Company Photography Collection at the Oklahoma Historical Society, which says that its copyright status is undetermined.
This photo ran in a 1981 issue of the Daily Oklahoman. You can find it today at the Oklahoma Historical Society, which says that its copyright status is undetermined.
Bob Albright took this photo on Aug. 19, 1960, for the Oklahoma Times. You can find it at the Oklahoma Historical Society, which says that its copyright status is undetermined.
I’ve uploaded the top of the Fair Park’s grand opening ad. It shows that the first program was the Glenn Ford movie “Framed,” plus a two-reel comedy and cartoon. There were two complete shows at 8:10 pm and 10 pm - quick turnaround!
There was a small drive-in almost three miles northwest of Coalgate on US 75. I wouldn’t describe that as “just outside” of town, but I’d still guess it’s the Skyview.
A 1955 aerial photo showed the drive-in there. Topo maps continued to show its outline through at least 1984, but a 1981 aerial photo showed only traces of the old drive-in. I’m having a heck of a time getting a decent address for the site out of Google Maps, so I’ll leave that piece to our other experts here.
This 1982 photo by John Margolies is part of the John Margolies Roadside America photograph archive (1972-2008), Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division. It’s effectively in the public domain.
Confusing for the future researcher, the N'Eastern ran the same ad on Saturday, Aug. 5. From Aug. 6 through at least the 20th, its ad said it was “Open Tonite”; one of those is in the photo section.
That looks like a blurry, cropped version of a circa-1960 photo by M. H. Millard, Sky Signs Aerial Advertising, that can be found at the Tulsa Historical Society.
The May 20, 1950 issue of BoxOffice reported that Video Theatres planned to open the Lariat on May 30. And three weeks later, BoxOffice wrote that the Lariat had opened in May.
But once again, Boxoffice reported an opening before it happened. An ad in the June 8, 1950 Vinita Leader said ““Opening Postponed due to weather delaying paving of the parking area. Opening Date June 14th” I couldn’t find any confirmation of that date, but it’s a better choice than May.
Looks like Joe Vogel nailed the opening year.
Boxoffice, June 20, 1953: “Bonifay, Ala. (sic) - Al’s New Drive-In opened here recently. It is owned by Al Saunders.”
How many speakers did the Winfield have? The Motion Picture Almanac said 240. The Theatre Catalog said 325. But when it came time to pay taxes…
Arkansas City Daily Traveler, Jan. 22, 1958: “A suit asking reduction in assessment against the Winfield Drive-In theater has been filed in district court by Fred H. Munson, president of the theater company … The Winfield theater has 200 speakers. The petition sets out that other theaters owned by the company in Cowley county were assessed in 1957 the same as they were in 1956. They include the Ark-Vue theater with 400 speakers … and the 166 Drive-In with 350 speakers”
Weleetka American, July 18, 1957: “The Bar-K drive-in theater will open next Tuesday, July 23, it was announced this week by Mrs. Georgia Kelly, Henryette, owner of the new Weleetka business located just north of town on highway 75 … There will be parking space for 100 cars, each space with its car radio. There will also be a concession stand.”
Weleetka American, Aug. 8, 1957: “Mrs. George Kelley, owner of the Bar-K drive-in theatre, announced that the theatre is now officially open … Due to technical difficulties the theatre was unable to open as scheduled. The opening was delayed until Friday of last week (Aug. 2) while new sound equipment was installed. Since school will begin shortly the theatre will operate on a weekend basis only.”
In the 2021 historic picture book Tulsa Movie Theaters, the authors wrote: “The Sheridan Drive-In … operated until 1963 at 4500 South Sheridan Road.”
Photo is from late April-early May 1946, when that double feature was playing at the Olympic, per the L.A. Times.
Boxoffice reused this photo in its June 5, 1954 issue, calling it the “Sky Vue” that time.
This April 2006 photo by E. Sean Evans is part of the R. Sean Evans Papers at Northern Arizona University’s Colorado Plateau Digital Collections. I think that NAU holds its rights.
More rainout details. Gallup Independent, Sept. 29, 1951: “Gallup’s new drive-in theater, the Yucca, opened to a capacity crowd last night, but the weather man stepped in to cancel tonight’s billing. Manager Bruce Waugh said the access road to the Yucca, leading in from Highway 66 west of town, has not yet been surfaced, and the night-long rainfall left the possibility that the road would be too rough for an audience this evening. With prospect of good weather tomorrow, Waugh said the theater would again be open to the public”
Jim Argo took this photo, dated Oct. 13, 1982, for the Oklahoma Times. Now you can find it in the Oklahoma Publishing Company Photography Collection at the Oklahoma Historical Society, which says that its copyright status is undetermined.
I just uploaded a postseason 1962 photo showing workers dismantling the screen tower.
This (also?) appeared in the July 7, 1948 issue of Tulsa World.
Bob Albright took this photo for the Oklahoma Times, where it appeared on May 20, 1963. It’s part of the Oklahoma Publishing Company Photography Collection at the Oklahoma Historical Society, which says that its copyright status is undetermined.
This photo ran in a 1981 issue of the Daily Oklahoman. You can find it today at the Oklahoma Historical Society, which says that its copyright status is undetermined.
Bob Albright took this photo on Aug. 19, 1960, for the Oklahoma Times. You can find it at the Oklahoma Historical Society, which says that its copyright status is undetermined.
I’ve uploaded the top of the Fair Park’s grand opening ad. It shows that the first program was the Glenn Ford movie “Framed,” plus a two-reel comedy and cartoon. There were two complete shows at 8:10 pm and 10 pm - quick turnaround!
There was a small drive-in almost three miles northwest of Coalgate on US 75. I wouldn’t describe that as “just outside” of town, but I’d still guess it’s the Skyview.
A 1955 aerial photo showed the drive-in there. Topo maps continued to show its outline through at least 1984, but a 1981 aerial photo showed only traces of the old drive-in. I’m having a heck of a time getting a decent address for the site out of Google Maps, so I’ll leave that piece to our other experts here.
This 1982 photo by John Margolies is part of the John Margolies Roadside America photograph archive (1972-2008), Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division. It’s effectively in the public domain.
The version I found online had an Oklahoma Historical Society© watermark on the upper left corner. It’s part of the Griffith Amusement Company Collection there.
Wesley Horton is right again. The N'Eastern opened on the first Friday in August 1950. He only mistyped the number - it was August 4, 1950.
The N'Eastern ad the day before said it would open on Friday. And then…
Confusing for the future researcher, the N'Eastern ran the same ad on Saturday, Aug. 5. From Aug. 6 through at least the 20th, its ad said it was “Open Tonite”; one of those is in the photo section.
That looks like a blurry, cropped version of a circa-1960 photo by M. H. Millard, Sky Signs Aerial Advertising, that can be found at the Tulsa Historical Society.
This circa-1960 photo by M. H. Millard, Sky Signs Aerial Advertising, can be found at the Tulsa Historical Society.
That 1962 photo by Howard Hopkins, Hopkins Photography Company, can be found at the Tulsa Historical Society.
That circa-1960 photo by M. H. Millard of Sky Signs Aerial Advertising can be found at the Tulsa Historical Society.
The May 20, 1950 issue of BoxOffice reported that Video Theatres planned to open the Lariat on May 30. And three weeks later, BoxOffice wrote that the Lariat had opened in May.
But once again, Boxoffice reported an opening before it happened. An ad in the June 8, 1950 Vinita Leader said ““Opening Postponed due to weather delaying paving of the parking area. Opening Date June 14th” I couldn’t find any confirmation of that date, but it’s a better choice than May.
This was taken Dec. 9, 1957, per MDOT files.