This News-Gazette photo from “1950-59” is part of the Champaign County Historical Archives, found at the Illinois Digital Archives site. It’s free to use for education purposes; all others are supposed to check with The Urbana Free Library.
I deeply appreciate the wealth of information I find at CinemaTreasures. I hope that we are working together, not in competition, to pool information and uncover the historical facts of these theaters.
It would be very helpful for us all to cite sources of information. If you were there in person, mention that. If you’re quoting the Motion Picture Almanac, we’ve learned that it was often slow to notice changes. If the source is Boxoffice, we know that it sometimes prematurely announced openings. And so forth.
I spot-checked the Pettit-owned theater ads in July issues of Ava’s Douglas County Herald. Listings for “the drive-in” there continued in 1955 and 1956. That was not included in the July 1957 and 1958 issues I checked.
Just sayin', the use of the one-word Lakeside in this drive-in’s name vs. two words was about 10-1 in Boxoffice. Its ads in the Conneautville Courier and Greenville Record-Argus used the one-word name. And yes, I’m a little ashamed to care about which is correct. Here’s a data dump:
Boxoffice, April 16, 1949: “Conneaut Lake, Pa. - 425-car drive-in planned by F. E. Hasley, East Pittsburgh operator, and Sam Yakins (sic), Coverdale exhibitor.”
Boxoffice, May 14, 1949: “Conneaut Lake, Pa. - Lakeside Drive-In, 425 cars, to open soon for F. E. Hasley, East Pittsburgh, and Sam Yakish, Coverdale.”
Boxoffice, June 4, 1949: “Two Pittsburgh exhibitors, F. E. Hasley and Sam Yakish, are making plans for the opening of their new Lakeside Drive-In near Conneaut Lake, Pa.”
Variety, June 22, 1949: “Leonard Tischler acquired Colonial, Coverdale, Pa., from Sam Yakish, who will devote all his time to Lakeside drive-in at Conneaut Lake which he and Elmer Hasley, East Pittsburgh exhib, are opening soon.”
Boxoffice, Sept. 11, 1961: “Something different and fascinating is the early evening projection at Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Hasley’s Lakeside Drive-In Theatre, Conneaut Lake, Pa. Starting just before dusk, a cartoon is projected via special lens to make a strong 12x16 picture and then, in turn, each following film subject becomes larger via change of machines, change of lens and change of aperatures. After about six different sizes, each one progressively larger, darkness has set in and the feature picture is projected wide-screen on the giant concrete screen tower. The Hasleys, veterans in exhibition, have remodeled and outfitted the concessions.”
Boxoffice, Nov. 12, 1962: “Elmer Hasley closed the Lakeside Drive-In at Conneaut Lake several weeks ago, when one weekend night not one car entered the property, and he knew the season was over. His season was three weeks late opening this year and three weeks earlier in closing.”
Boxoffice, Dec. 12, 1966: “Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Hasley are installing a complete sewage system at their Lakeside Drive-In at Conneaut Lake. The septic system will be removed”
Boxoffice, Sept. 23, 1968: “Exhibitor F. Elmer Hasley sr., 66, a member of the motion picture industry for nearly half a century, died Thursday (12) while en route to a Shrine ceremonial at Atlantic City. Hasley, together with his wife Mildred, owned and managed the Lake Side Drive-In at Conneaut Lake.”
Boxoffice, May 19, 1969: “Chester DeMarsh Theatres acquired the LakeSide Drive-In, Conneaut Lake, the transfer being made from Mrs. F. Elmer Hasley”
Boxoffice, June 9, 1969: “Chester DeMarsh Theatres opened the Lakeside Drive-In at Conneaut Lake, recently leased from Mrs. F. Elmer Hasley.”
Boxoffice, March 22, 1971: “Sam Yakish, in many years past an exhibitor at Coverdale, now Bethel Park, … was a partner in exhibition at a drive-in at Conneaut Lake with the late Frederick Elmer Hasley”
Boxoffice, Jan. 1, 1973: “PITTSBURGH - Cinemette Corp. of America, with headquarters in the Fulton Building here, has brought its total screens to 80 with the acquisition of 12 theatres from the Chester DeMarsh circuit … units acquired by Cinemette include: … Lakeside Drive-In, Conneaut Lake, Pa.”
The 1966 aerial photo of the site showed a racing oval, later repeated on those slow-to-update topo maps. So it looks like the Downs Auto was built in 1967.
Boxoffice, May 29, 1967: “George Pappas, general manager of Manos Theatres, reports his circuit will take over the Hazelwood Theatre at Chardon Wednesday (31). Manos' new drive-in at Wheeling, W. Va., has been named Downs Auto.”
Boxoffice, June 25, 1962: “Geauga County’s only indoor theatre, the local Geauga, went into new hands recently with a real estate transfer of .17 acres from Mr. and Mrs. Carl Brinkman to the Chardon Theatre Enterprises. The new owners are Lester Miller, president; William Shiffler, vice-president, and Robert Marshall, treasurer … Brinkman, retiring owner and manager, bought the theatre July 1, 1946, after leasing it in 1945 … The (new) owners have had no previous experience with the motion picture industry”
Please add a note that this was once known as the Hazelwood Drive-In.
The June 25, 1953 Chadron Record included an ad that mentioned “GOODBYE
MOSQUITOES! /
The Hazelwood Drive-In Is Now
Being Fogged Each Night For
Mosquitoes. /
WATCH US KILL THEM”
That was still its name in 1962, per this article in the June 25, 1962 issue of Boxoffice about Mr. and Mrs. Carl Brinkman’s sale of the indoor Geauga to Chardon Theatre Enterprises. “Brinkman, retiring owner and manager … will continue to operate the Hazelwood Drive-In which was not sold.”
Boxoffice, Aug. 18, 1969: “De Kalb County’s only outdoor theatre, the De-Val Drive-In, located behind the shopping center of the same name on Sycamore Road, reopened Friday (11) after being closed for several years. The airer will be operated by Valos Theatres, which also has the Egyptian in De Kalb, and will run on an 11-month schedule utilizing in-car heaters during the winter months.”
Russellville News-Democrat, June 9, 1949: “Construction of a 700-car drive-in theatre, located on the Russellville Road about 1¼ miles west of Franklin, began a week ago. Mr. G. C. Jones and Mr. T. H. Jones, owners and operators of the Liberty Theatre and partners in the new enterprize, have announced. The drive-in theatre is expected to be in operation by early fall.”
Russellville News-Democrat, May 20, 1971: “A Cincinnati based firm, Holiday Amusement, Inc., this week purchased the Russellville Drive-In and the downtown Logan Theater … from Charles Bowles, whose theaters have been plagued by fires during the past year … Fred Douglas, general manager of the company … announced that the downtown theater will be completely re-worked with new chairs, carpeting and air-conditioning added, and will reopen this fall. A new front will be constructed on the building … Last summer the drive-in screen was damaged by fire and this winter the downtown location was the scene of an explosion-fire which heavily damaged the facility.”
Russellville News-Democrat, May 9, 1952: (display ad) “Notice is hereby given that on May 3, 1952, an application was filed in the office of the Clerk of the Logan County Court by Shelby McCallum, R. E. Foust, Homer Soloman and George Lilly, doing business as Russellville Drive-In Theatre for a permit to operate a place of public entertainment and a drive-in moving picture theatre in Logan County, Kentucky, about 1½ miles South of Russellville on the West side of Highway No. 75.”
The Russellville Drive-In was advertising in the News-Democrat by July 11, 1952. No mention of a grand opening.
Boxoffice, Nov. 28, 1953: (Classified ad, under Theatres For Sale) “Only Logan county drive-in, Russellville, Ky. 300 speakers, latest Century equipment. Shelby McCallum, Benton, Ky.” (The ad continued off and on through at least May 8, 1954.)
The Motion Picture Almanac listed this as the Russellville Drive-In from its first appearance in the 1953-54 edition until 1977.
Theatre Catalog, 1955-56: “Russellville, Ky., Drive In. Exec: S. McCollum. (300)”
Russellville News-Democrat, May 20, 1971: “A Cincinnati based firm, Holiday Amusement, Inc., this week purchased the Russellville Drive-In and the downtown Logan Theater … from Charles Bowles, whose theaters have been plagued by fires during the past year … The drive-in, which has been renamed The Jesse James Drive-In, will open full time, Wednesday, May 27 … Last summer the drive-in screen was damaged by fire and this winter the downtown location was the scene of an explosion-fire which heavily damaged the facility.”
Commonwealth included “The Pines” in its circuit listing in the 1959 Motion Picture Almanac, but dropped it for the 1960 edition.
The last mention of the Pines (or was it the The Pines?) I could find with my limited online newspapers was the Aug. 21, 1958 Lathrop Optimist, a note about a group who attended the movie there. That and the Commonwealth timing suggest the drive-in didn’t reopen in 1959.
I had to go to the USGS site to find a photo, but there it was. By 1970, it had been replaced by a car dealership at 1910 W Jesse James Rd. Google Earth and Google Street View show no trace of the old screen or ramps.
(And dallasmovietheatres, I sent an email about my book to your Yahoo address.)
Boxoffice, Jan. 5, 1952: “The Tri-States circuit is giving up eight theatres in the Iowa-Nebraska area … They are the Hastings, Neb., Strand and Hastings Drive-In, the Grand at Grand Island, Neb., and the Hollywood, Victory, Iowa, State and Sioux City Drive-In at Sioux City, Iowa. Fred Teller, former manager of Tri-State’s Omaha Theatre, will run both Hastings setups. He is vice-president of the Strand Amusement Co.”
Bringing William’s 2005 comment up to date, the poorly-received 1978 comedy “Loose Shoes” (sometimes called “Coming Attractions”) ends with a lengthy shot of the Gilmore. It starts with the final frame of the final skit projected on the Gilmore’s screen, then a helicopter view sweeps around the darkened drive-in, ending on the front sign lettered with “The End.”
The good news, if you can call it that, is that the movie is now available on YouTube. The closing credit sequence begins around 1:10:35.
Boxofice, Dec. 1, 1951: “After 13 years as a United Artists salesman, Jack Drumm has resigned to take over the operation and management of the Big Sky Drive-In near Monrovia, in which he is a partner with Lou Berman. The latter is heading for Ventura to manage the 101 Drive-In, which he and Drumm have acquired from Reeves Espy.”
Boxofice, Dec. 22, 1951: “Lou Berman has disposed of his interests in the Big Sky Drive-In near Monrovia to Jack Drumm and a group of associates, and has purchased Reeves Espy’s interest in the 101 Drive-In in Ventura. Berman will have J. Arthur Drielsma, theatrical architect, and Job Sanderson as partners in the latter venture.”
Boxofice, Dec. 1, 1951: “After 13 years as a United Artists salesman, Jack Drumm has resigned to take over the operation and management of the Big Sky Drive-In near Monrovia, in which he is a partner with Lou Berman. The latter is heading for Ventura to manage the 101 Drive-In, which he and Drumm have acquired from Reeves Espy.”
Boxofice, Dec. 22, 1951: “Lou Berman has disposed of his interests in the Big Sky Drive-In near Monrovia to Jack Drumm and a group of associates, and has purchased Reeves Espy’s interest in the 101 Drive-In in Ventura. Berman will have J. Arthur Drielsma, theatrical architect, and Job Sanderson as partners in the latter venture.”
Boxoffice, Nov. 14, 1966: “The Lamont Drive-In Theatre, Lamont, Calif., has been taken over by Cecil Carlton, who has been operating the Crest Drive-In, Bakersfield, for the past 15 years. Also in his chain are the Mount Baldy Drive-In, Pomona; Magnolia Drive-In, Riverside, and others in Arizona and California.”
Boxoffice, July 14, 1958: “Beaver Falls, Pa. - Beaver Valley’s Hi-Way 51 Drive-In has been transferred from the New Castle operating company headed by Al Tate and the widow of John Wincek to Cook & Anderson Theatre Enterprises of this city.”
Boxoffice, July 14, 1958: “The University of Pittsburgh confirmed it has purchased the Schenley Theatre in Oakland from the Stanley Warner Corp., and it closed this week, permanently ending the Forbes street theatre’s entertainment after 44 years. The Schenley was built in 1914 for presentation of musical comedies, dramas and operettas, and in 1922 it became a film house. The property was acquired in 1924 by the forerunners of the present SW Corp. No sale price was mentioned.”
Boxoffice, July 14, 1958: “Very popular with parents and kiddies at the Blue Dell Drive-In is the 7:30 p.m. cartoon show on the daylight screen. This is rear-screen projection rigged up at the screen frame near the playground.”
Boxoffice, July 14, 1958: “Dr. and Mrs. C. P. Church … recently sold the Blackshere Drive-In … to Joe Carunchia and O. S. Carpenter, both former employes with Ted Laskey outdoor theatres at Fairmont and Morgantown.”
What happened to that formatting? Weird! Anyway, it was J. B. Beeson who started the caption.
This News-Gazette photo from “1950-59” is part of the Champaign County Historical Archives, found at the Illinois Digital Archives site. It’s free to use for education purposes; all others are supposed to check with The Urbana Free Library.
My dear friends and colleagues,
I deeply appreciate the wealth of information I find at CinemaTreasures. I hope that we are working together, not in competition, to pool information and uncover the historical facts of these theaters.
It would be very helpful for us all to cite sources of information. If you were there in person, mention that. If you’re quoting the Motion Picture Almanac, we’ve learned that it was often slow to notice changes. If the source is Boxoffice, we know that it sometimes prematurely announced openings. And so forth.
I spot-checked the Pettit-owned theater ads in July issues of Ava’s Douglas County Herald. Listings for “the drive-in” there continued in 1955 and 1956. That was not included in the July 1957 and 1958 issues I checked.
Independent Film Journal, April 30, 1955: “New Owen ozoner at Seymour, Mo., owned by Harold Owen, is scheduled for a May opening.”
The Exhibitor, April 23, 1952: “Harold Owen, airport owner at Seymour, Mo., and his partner, Lloyd Schmidt are planning to build a drive-in.”
1955-56 Theatre Catalog: “Mansfield, Mo., Owen D. I., Exec: Harold Owen. (100)”
Just sayin', the use of the one-word Lakeside in this drive-in’s name vs. two words was about 10-1 in Boxoffice. Its ads in the Conneautville Courier and Greenville Record-Argus used the one-word name. And yes, I’m a little ashamed to care about which is correct. Here’s a data dump:
Boxoffice, April 16, 1949: “Conneaut Lake, Pa. - 425-car drive-in planned by F. E. Hasley, East Pittsburgh operator, and Sam Yakins (sic), Coverdale exhibitor.”
Boxoffice, May 14, 1949: “Conneaut Lake, Pa. - Lakeside Drive-In, 425 cars, to open soon for F. E. Hasley, East Pittsburgh, and Sam Yakish, Coverdale.”
Boxoffice, June 4, 1949: “Two Pittsburgh exhibitors, F. E. Hasley and Sam Yakish, are making plans for the opening of their new Lakeside Drive-In near Conneaut Lake, Pa.”
Variety, June 22, 1949: “Leonard Tischler acquired Colonial, Coverdale, Pa., from Sam Yakish, who will devote all his time to Lakeside drive-in at Conneaut Lake which he and Elmer Hasley, East Pittsburgh exhib, are opening soon.”
Boxoffice, Sept. 11, 1961: “Something different and fascinating is the early evening projection at Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Hasley’s Lakeside Drive-In Theatre, Conneaut Lake, Pa. Starting just before dusk, a cartoon is projected via special lens to make a strong 12x16 picture and then, in turn, each following film subject becomes larger via change of machines, change of lens and change of aperatures. After about six different sizes, each one progressively larger, darkness has set in and the feature picture is projected wide-screen on the giant concrete screen tower. The Hasleys, veterans in exhibition, have remodeled and outfitted the concessions.”
Boxoffice, Nov. 12, 1962: “Elmer Hasley closed the Lakeside Drive-In at Conneaut Lake several weeks ago, when one weekend night not one car entered the property, and he knew the season was over. His season was three weeks late opening this year and three weeks earlier in closing.”
Boxoffice, Dec. 12, 1966: “Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Hasley are installing a complete sewage system at their Lakeside Drive-In at Conneaut Lake. The septic system will be removed”
Boxoffice, Sept. 23, 1968: “Exhibitor F. Elmer Hasley sr., 66, a member of the motion picture industry for nearly half a century, died Thursday (12) while en route to a Shrine ceremonial at Atlantic City. Hasley, together with his wife Mildred, owned and managed the Lake Side Drive-In at Conneaut Lake.”
Boxoffice, May 19, 1969: “Chester DeMarsh Theatres acquired the LakeSide Drive-In, Conneaut Lake, the transfer being made from Mrs. F. Elmer Hasley”
Boxoffice, June 9, 1969: “Chester DeMarsh Theatres opened the Lakeside Drive-In at Conneaut Lake, recently leased from Mrs. F. Elmer Hasley.”
Boxoffice, March 22, 1971: “Sam Yakish, in many years past an exhibitor at Coverdale, now Bethel Park, … was a partner in exhibition at a drive-in at Conneaut Lake with the late Frederick Elmer Hasley”
Boxoffice, Jan. 1, 1973: “PITTSBURGH - Cinemette Corp. of America, with headquarters in the Fulton Building here, has brought its total screens to 80 with the acquisition of 12 theatres from the Chester DeMarsh circuit … units acquired by Cinemette include: … Lakeside Drive-In, Conneaut Lake, Pa.”
The 1966 aerial photo of the site showed a racing oval, later repeated on those slow-to-update topo maps. So it looks like the Downs Auto was built in 1967.
Boxoffice, May 29, 1967: “George Pappas, general manager of Manos Theatres, reports his circuit will take over the Hazelwood Theatre at Chardon Wednesday (31). Manos' new drive-in at Wheeling, W. Va., has been named Downs Auto.”
Boxoffice, June 25, 1962: “Geauga County’s only indoor theatre, the local Geauga, went into new hands recently with a real estate transfer of .17 acres from Mr. and Mrs. Carl Brinkman to the Chardon Theatre Enterprises. The new owners are Lester Miller, president; William Shiffler, vice-president, and Robert Marshall, treasurer … Brinkman, retiring owner and manager, bought the theatre July 1, 1946, after leasing it in 1945 … The (new) owners have had no previous experience with the motion picture industry”
Please add a note that this was once known as the Hazelwood Drive-In.
The June 25, 1953 Chadron Record included an ad that mentioned “GOODBYE MOSQUITOES! / The Hazelwood Drive-In Is Now Being Fogged Each Night For Mosquitoes. / WATCH US KILL THEM”
That was still its name in 1962, per this article in the June 25, 1962 issue of Boxoffice about Mr. and Mrs. Carl Brinkman’s sale of the indoor Geauga to Chardon Theatre Enterprises. “Brinkman, retiring owner and manager … will continue to operate the Hazelwood Drive-In which was not sold.”
Boxoffice, Aug. 18, 1969: “De Kalb County’s only outdoor theatre, the De-Val Drive-In, located behind the shopping center of the same name on Sycamore Road, reopened Friday (11) after being closed for several years. The airer will be operated by Valos Theatres, which also has the Egyptian in De Kalb, and will run on an 11-month schedule utilizing in-car heaters during the winter months.”
This sure sounds like the same drive-in.
Russellville News-Democrat, June 9, 1949: “Construction of a 700-car drive-in theatre, located on the Russellville Road about 1¼ miles west of Franklin, began a week ago. Mr. G. C. Jones and Mr. T. H. Jones, owners and operators of the Liberty Theatre and partners in the new enterprize, have announced. The drive-in theatre is expected to be in operation by early fall.”
Russellville News-Democrat, May 20, 1971: “A Cincinnati based firm, Holiday Amusement, Inc., this week purchased the Russellville Drive-In and the downtown Logan Theater … from Charles Bowles, whose theaters have been plagued by fires during the past year … Fred Douglas, general manager of the company … announced that the downtown theater will be completely re-worked with new chairs, carpeting and air-conditioning added, and will reopen this fall. A new front will be constructed on the building … Last summer the drive-in screen was damaged by fire and this winter the downtown location was the scene of an explosion-fire which heavily damaged the facility.”
Russellville News-Democrat, May 9, 1952: (display ad) “Notice is hereby given that on May 3, 1952, an application was filed in the office of the Clerk of the Logan County Court by Shelby McCallum, R. E. Foust, Homer Soloman and George Lilly, doing business as Russellville Drive-In Theatre for a permit to operate a place of public entertainment and a drive-in moving picture theatre in Logan County, Kentucky, about 1½ miles South of Russellville on the West side of Highway No. 75.”
The Russellville Drive-In was advertising in the News-Democrat by July 11, 1952. No mention of a grand opening.
Boxoffice, Nov. 28, 1953: (Classified ad, under Theatres For Sale) “Only Logan county drive-in, Russellville, Ky. 300 speakers, latest Century equipment. Shelby McCallum, Benton, Ky.” (The ad continued off and on through at least May 8, 1954.)
The Motion Picture Almanac listed this as the Russellville Drive-In from its first appearance in the 1953-54 edition until 1977.
Theatre Catalog, 1955-56: “Russellville, Ky., Drive In. Exec: S. McCollum. (300)”
Russellville News-Democrat, May 20, 1971: “A Cincinnati based firm, Holiday Amusement, Inc., this week purchased the Russellville Drive-In and the downtown Logan Theater … from Charles Bowles, whose theaters have been plagued by fires during the past year … The drive-in, which has been renamed The Jesse James Drive-In, will open full time, Wednesday, May 27 … Last summer the drive-in screen was damaged by fire and this winter the downtown location was the scene of an explosion-fire which heavily damaged the facility.”
Commonwealth included “The Pines” in its circuit listing in the 1959 Motion Picture Almanac, but dropped it for the 1960 edition.
The last mention of the Pines (or was it the The Pines?) I could find with my limited online newspapers was the Aug. 21, 1958 Lathrop Optimist, a note about a group who attended the movie there. That and the Commonwealth timing suggest the drive-in didn’t reopen in 1959.
I had to go to the USGS site to find a photo, but there it was. By 1970, it had been replaced by a car dealership at 1910 W Jesse James Rd. Google Earth and Google Street View show no trace of the old screen or ramps.
(And dallasmovietheatres, I sent an email about my book to your Yahoo address.)
Boxoffice, Jan. 5, 1952: “The Tri-States circuit is giving up eight theatres in the Iowa-Nebraska area … They are the Hastings, Neb., Strand and Hastings Drive-In, the Grand at Grand Island, Neb., and the Hollywood, Victory, Iowa, State and Sioux City Drive-In at Sioux City, Iowa. Fred Teller, former manager of Tri-State’s Omaha Theatre, will run both Hastings setups. He is vice-president of the Strand Amusement Co.”
Bringing William’s 2005 comment up to date, the poorly-received 1978 comedy “Loose Shoes” (sometimes called “Coming Attractions”) ends with a lengthy shot of the Gilmore. It starts with the final frame of the final skit projected on the Gilmore’s screen, then a helicopter view sweeps around the darkened drive-in, ending on the front sign lettered with “The End.”
The good news, if you can call it that, is that the movie is now available on YouTube. The closing credit sequence begins around 1:10:35.
Boxoffice, Nov. 5, 1962: “Fred Stein’s Statewide Theatres has refurnished the Lyric Theatre, Monrovia. The new edifice will then be renamed the Crest”
Boxofice, Dec. 1, 1951: “After 13 years as a United Artists salesman, Jack Drumm has resigned to take over the operation and management of the Big Sky Drive-In near Monrovia, in which he is a partner with Lou Berman. The latter is heading for Ventura to manage the 101 Drive-In, which he and Drumm have acquired from Reeves Espy.”
Boxofice, Dec. 22, 1951: “Lou Berman has disposed of his interests in the Big Sky Drive-In near Monrovia to Jack Drumm and a group of associates, and has purchased Reeves Espy’s interest in the 101 Drive-In in Ventura. Berman will have J. Arthur Drielsma, theatrical architect, and Job Sanderson as partners in the latter venture.”
Boxofice, Dec. 1, 1951: “After 13 years as a United Artists salesman, Jack Drumm has resigned to take over the operation and management of the Big Sky Drive-In near Monrovia, in which he is a partner with Lou Berman. The latter is heading for Ventura to manage the 101 Drive-In, which he and Drumm have acquired from Reeves Espy.”
Boxofice, Dec. 22, 1951: “Lou Berman has disposed of his interests in the Big Sky Drive-In near Monrovia to Jack Drumm and a group of associates, and has purchased Reeves Espy’s interest in the 101 Drive-In in Ventura. Berman will have J. Arthur Drielsma, theatrical architect, and Job Sanderson as partners in the latter venture.”
Boxoffice, Nov. 14, 1966: “The Lamont Drive-In Theatre, Lamont, Calif., has been taken over by Cecil Carlton, who has been operating the Crest Drive-In, Bakersfield, for the past 15 years. Also in his chain are the Mount Baldy Drive-In, Pomona; Magnolia Drive-In, Riverside, and others in Arizona and California.”
Boxoffice, July 14, 1958: “Beaver Falls, Pa. - Beaver Valley’s Hi-Way 51 Drive-In has been transferred from the New Castle operating company headed by Al Tate and the widow of John Wincek to Cook & Anderson Theatre Enterprises of this city.”
Boxoffice, July 14, 1958: “The University of Pittsburgh confirmed it has purchased the Schenley Theatre in Oakland from the Stanley Warner Corp., and it closed this week, permanently ending the Forbes street theatre’s entertainment after 44 years. The Schenley was built in 1914 for presentation of musical comedies, dramas and operettas, and in 1922 it became a film house. The property was acquired in 1924 by the forerunners of the present SW Corp. No sale price was mentioned.”
Boxoffice, July 14, 1958: “Very popular with parents and kiddies at the Blue Dell Drive-In is the 7:30 p.m. cartoon show on the daylight screen. This is rear-screen projection rigged up at the screen frame near the playground.”
Boxoffice, July 14, 1958: “Dr. and Mrs. C. P. Church … recently sold the Blackshere Drive-In … to Joe Carunchia and O. S. Carpenter, both former employes with Ted Laskey outdoor theatres at Fairmont and Morgantown.”