Motion Picture Exhibitor, April 17, 1957: “The Charleston Drive-In, Charleston, Mo., has been leased by Geraldine Twitty and Earl Ferrell for the season. Andy Dietz, Cooperative Theatres, will buy and book. The owner of the situation, Doby Stout, appears to be gradually withdrawing from exhibition."
Variety, Jan. 14, 1949: “Commonwealth Amus. Co., Kansas City, purchased the Wayne, Waynesville, Mo., from J. T. Ghosen, Sedalia, Mo. House will be closed since the Commonwealth owns the Fort Wood, 800-seater in same town.”
Looks like the Woodlane had more than a soft opening in 1954, based on what I just unearthed.
The Exhibitor, April 28, 1954: “The new Woodlane Drive-In, Waynesville, Mo., had a grand opening at which balloons were given to the children, flowers to the ladies, and cigars to the men. Prizes were given to the oldest person present, the car with the most people, and the oldest mother or father present. Commonwealth Company, provided a free playground for kiddies.”
If you want to get picky, the drive-in was bounded by present-day Texas and Ohio avenues, and by Crisp Road and Kansas Street, which was its entrance. The building that’s on the site today, Truck Parts and Supply Co., has an address of 500 Texas Avenue.
As far as I know, this drive-in is the only one with the location and approximate date that matches this wire service story, which ran in the Vinita (OK) Daily Journal on Oct. 12, 1963: “PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (UPI) – Movies have become so long that a new drive-in theater here has had to install watering troughs and buckets of oats. The oats and water are placed near hitching posts provided by the drive-in for equestrian movie goers.”
Pauls Valley Daily Democrat, Sept. 23, 1962: “Charles Smith has leased the Corral Drive-in theater south of Pauls Valley from E. B. Anderson of Norman. He has moved to Pauls Valley with his family and has assumed management of the Corral … Anderson, who owns the Corral theater, operates a drive-in theater at Norman.”
Okfuskee County News, March 7, 1957: “Construction will begin immediately on a 400-car capacity drive-in theater east of Okemah on U.S. highway 62 north of the airport, Bill Slepka, owner of the Jewel and Crystal theaters here, announced today … Plans call for the theater to open on Friday, May 3.”
Okmulgee Daily News, July 26, 1950: “Construction work on a drive-in theater to be erected one mile south of Checotah on the Harvey Griffin farm will start within the next two or three weeks, it has been announced. J. P. Jones and Jack LeMasters of the Cozy theater, Dick Crumpler of the Gentry theater and Harvy Griffin will be the owners of the new enterprise … The theater will be operated under the name of "66 (sic) Drive-In theater.” A playground for children to be located inside the theater will be a novel feature of the new movie house."
Boxoffice, March 29, 1965: “SALLISAW, OKLA. - Carl Phillips, 57, longtime Oklahoma exhibitor, died Thursday (18) after suffering a heart attack while setting out evergreen trees along the drive-way at the Sooner Drive-In, which he opened last summer.”
Boxoffice, July 28, 1969: (after other Sallisaw notes) “The Sooner Drive-In, owned by Wanda Lamb, did not open this year.”
In a roundup of drive-in openings, the Sept. 13, 1952 issue of Boxoffice included: “Columbus, Kas. - The Cherokee Drive-In, owned by Stein Theatres, has been opened.”
The Cherokee was also included in an ad in the Oct. 4, 1952 Parsons (KS) Sun, so we know it was open by then.
Although I love the idea of the flooded Sooner’s last show being “Take the High Ground,” it actually continued to advertise through Friday, June 18, when it added, “Notice To Our Sooner Drive-In Patrons! Due to heavy rains and damage to drives and ramps surfaces, the Sooner Drive-In will be closed after last show Saturday (19) for resurfacing of parking area, and will remain closed until all repairs are complete! Attend the Tri-State Drive-In for the Best Movies Under The Stars!”
Assuming it never reopened, the Sooner’s final movies were “Titanic” (1953, Clifton Webb) and “Roar of the Crowd” (1953, Howard Duff).
Daily Oklahoman, July 18, 1948: “Oklahoma City Saturday night (17) claimed to have the first drive-in theater in the southwest exclusively for Negroes. The $50,000 Fairpark Drive-In theater opened here Saturday night on NE 10, one mile east of Eastern. The theater was built by Southwestern Theaters Co., operated by H. R. Falls, H. E. McKenna and E. L. Walker. The company has headquarters in Oklahoma City.”
That first name was Horace R. Falls, who worked for Griffith Amusement for 20 years before leaving in 1946. Falls the ran a theater in Lawton for 2½ years, then went to Dallas in 1949, where he spent the rest of his life.
Boxoffice, March 11, 1974: “The Rig Theatre, which was built in Borger, Tex., in 1926, has been demolished by the city to make way for a decorative walkway connecting Hutchinson County Library, the City Hall and the Borger Police Department with the 600 block of Main Street. About 1,000 seats were encased in the two-story red brick structure. A model oil rig decorated the marquee in front of the theatre entrance. The oil derrick was about 15 feet tall and was made of wood and metal with decorative lights”
Boxoffice, Dec. 17, 1973: “Video (Theatres)’s Lawton manager Clyde Walker reports that a wave of downtown urban renewal in Lawton is about to sweep away three circuit houses there - the Diana, Rita and Lawton … Walker expects the Diana Theatre will be torn down soon after January 1.”
Boxoffice, Dec. 17, 1973: “Video (Theatres)’s Lawton manager Clyde Walker reports that a wave of downtown urban renewal in Lawton is about to sweep away three circuit houses there - the Diana, Rita and Lawton. The latter has been closed for more than a year.”
Boxoffice, April 10, 1961: “J. E. Poynter … said that he and C. E. Langford and associates will open their first Star Dust Drive-In at Bakersfield about May 1.”
Boxoffice, April 10, 1961: “The Big Sky Drive-In at San Diego, owned by J. E. Poynter and Wade E. Allen, has been sold to Lou Berman and associates. Berman also operates the Harbor Drive-In at Chula Vista, 101 at Ventura and Sky View at Oxnard.”
Boxoffice, Nov. 10, 1956: “A weekend fire gutted the newly redecorated Centenary Theatre here Sunday (4), just 12 hours before the 700-seat house was scheduled to reopen as an art film showplace. The theatre, operated by the McElroy chain, was demolished from stage to lobby before firemen reached the scene … According to Tom Dunn of McElroy Theatres, there are no immediate plans for reopening of the gutted theatre.”
Boxoffice, Oct. 27, 1956: “The marquee and office building of the Dixie Drive-In on the Jeffersonville road were destroyed by fire during a driving rain. Loss was estimated at from $4,000 to $5,000. The frame office structure, located between the two neon signs advertising the attraction at the theatre, as well as the signs, were almost consumed before the deputies could reach the scene. The flames cut power lines into the drive-in disrupting the picture and blacking out the theatre. The theatre manager was quoted as saying the fire evidently started from faulty wiring in the attic of the building. The building had been remodeled only recently at a cost of $2,000.”
Same drive-in? Boxoffice, Oct. 27, 1956: “A new drive-in, the 25 Drive-In Theatre, opened for fulltime operation October 19 at Fulton, Miss., operated by W. N. Jamerson and Grover Platt.”
Boxoffice, Oct. 27, 1956: “Louis Sutter and Alex Shniderman, who operate the 63rd Street Drive-In, announced an expansion program will start the last week in October with the building of a new entrance on Highway 50. New Electricmode in-car heaters are already being installed and the drive-in will operate all winter.”
Boxoffice, Oct. 27, 1956: “Bob Fellers, manager of Mid-Central Theatres, reports negotiations are under way for the circuit to dispost of some of its fringe theatres. Allied Theatres, Inc., of Perry, Okla., will take over on November 9 … the Mid-Way Drive-In between (Paola and Osawatomie). James McKenna, the son of B. J. McKenna at Manley, Inc., will have charge of the operation.”
Boxoffice, Oct. 27, 1956: “Thirteen acres of prime industrial land, formerly the Starlight (sic) Drive-In Theatre in South San Francisco have been purchased for industrial subdivisions by builders Hart and Hyding, Inc., and Edward Rosemont”
Motion Picture Exhibitor, April 17, 1957: “The Charleston Drive-In, Charleston, Mo., has been leased by Geraldine Twitty and Earl Ferrell for the season. Andy Dietz, Cooperative Theatres, will buy and book. The owner of the situation, Doby Stout, appears to be gradually withdrawing from exhibition."
Variety, Jan. 14, 1949: “Commonwealth Amus. Co., Kansas City, purchased the Wayne, Waynesville, Mo., from J. T. Ghosen, Sedalia, Mo. House will be closed since the Commonwealth owns the Fort Wood, 800-seater in same town.”
Looks like the Woodlane had more than a soft opening in 1954, based on what I just unearthed.
The Exhibitor, April 28, 1954: “The new Woodlane Drive-In, Waynesville, Mo., had a grand opening at which balloons were given to the children, flowers to the ladies, and cigars to the men. Prizes were given to the oldest person present, the car with the most people, and the oldest mother or father present. Commonwealth Company, provided a free playground for kiddies.”
The Exhibitor, July 23, 1952: “The Autovue Drive-In, a 300-car theatre near Mountain Grove, Mo., was opened by Austin E. Allcorn, Poplar Bluff, Mo.”
If you want to get picky, the drive-in was bounded by present-day Texas and Ohio avenues, and by Crisp Road and Kansas Street, which was its entrance. The building that’s on the site today, Truck Parts and Supply Co., has an address of 500 Texas Avenue.
As far as I know, this drive-in is the only one with the location and approximate date that matches this wire service story, which ran in the Vinita (OK) Daily Journal on Oct. 12, 1963: “PALM SPRINGS, Calif. (UPI) – Movies have become so long that a new drive-in theater here has had to install watering troughs and buckets of oats. The oats and water are placed near hitching posts provided by the drive-in for equestrian movie goers.”
Pauls Valley Daily Democrat, Sept. 23, 1962: “Charles Smith has leased the Corral Drive-in theater south of Pauls Valley from E. B. Anderson of Norman. He has moved to Pauls Valley with his family and has assumed management of the Corral … Anderson, who owns the Corral theater, operates a drive-in theater at Norman.”
Okfuskee County News, March 7, 1957: “Construction will begin immediately on a 400-car capacity drive-in theater east of Okemah on U.S. highway 62 north of the airport, Bill Slepka, owner of the Jewel and Crystal theaters here, announced today … Plans call for the theater to open on Friday, May 3.”
Okmulgee Daily News, July 26, 1950: “Construction work on a drive-in theater to be erected one mile south of Checotah on the Harvey Griffin farm will start within the next two or three weeks, it has been announced. J. P. Jones and Jack LeMasters of the Cozy theater, Dick Crumpler of the Gentry theater and Harvy Griffin will be the owners of the new enterprise … The theater will be operated under the name of "66 (sic) Drive-In theater.” A playground for children to be located inside the theater will be a novel feature of the new movie house."
Boxoffice, March 29, 1965: “SALLISAW, OKLA. - Carl Phillips, 57, longtime Oklahoma exhibitor, died Thursday (18) after suffering a heart attack while setting out evergreen trees along the drive-way at the Sooner Drive-In, which he opened last summer.”
Boxoffice, July 28, 1969: (after other Sallisaw notes) “The Sooner Drive-In, owned by Wanda Lamb, did not open this year.”
In a roundup of drive-in openings, the Sept. 13, 1952 issue of Boxoffice included: “Columbus, Kas. - The Cherokee Drive-In, owned by Stein Theatres, has been opened.”
The Cherokee was also included in an ad in the Oct. 4, 1952 Parsons (KS) Sun, so we know it was open by then.
Although I love the idea of the flooded Sooner’s last show being “Take the High Ground,” it actually continued to advertise through Friday, June 18, when it added, “Notice To Our Sooner Drive-In Patrons! Due to heavy rains and damage to drives and ramps surfaces, the Sooner Drive-In will be closed after last show Saturday (19) for resurfacing of parking area, and will remain closed until all repairs are complete! Attend the Tri-State Drive-In for the Best Movies Under The Stars!”
Assuming it never reopened, the Sooner’s final movies were “Titanic” (1953, Clifton Webb) and “Roar of the Crowd” (1953, Howard Duff).
Daily Oklahoman, July 18, 1948: “Oklahoma City Saturday night (17) claimed to have the first drive-in theater in the southwest exclusively for Negroes. The $50,000 Fairpark Drive-In theater opened here Saturday night on NE 10, one mile east of Eastern. The theater was built by Southwestern Theaters Co., operated by H. R. Falls, H. E. McKenna and E. L. Walker. The company has headquarters in Oklahoma City.”
That first name was Horace R. Falls, who worked for Griffith Amusement for 20 years before leaving in 1946. Falls the ran a theater in Lawton for 2½ years, then went to Dallas in 1949, where he spent the rest of his life.
Boxoffice, March 11, 1974: “The Rig Theatre, which was built in Borger, Tex., in 1926, has been demolished by the city to make way for a decorative walkway connecting Hutchinson County Library, the City Hall and the Borger Police Department with the 600 block of Main Street. About 1,000 seats were encased in the two-story red brick structure. A model oil rig decorated the marquee in front of the theatre entrance. The oil derrick was about 15 feet tall and was made of wood and metal with decorative lights”
Boxoffice, Dec. 17, 1973: “Video (Theatres)’s Lawton manager Clyde Walker reports that a wave of downtown urban renewal in Lawton is about to sweep away three circuit houses there - the Diana, Rita and Lawton … Walker expects the Diana Theatre will be torn down soon after January 1.”
Boxoffice, Dec. 17, 1973: “Video (Theatres)’s Lawton manager Clyde Walker reports that a wave of downtown urban renewal in Lawton is about to sweep away three circuit houses there - the Diana, Rita and Lawton. The latter has been closed for more than a year.”
Boxoffice, April 10, 1961: “J. E. Poynter … said that he and C. E. Langford and associates will open their first Star Dust Drive-In at Bakersfield about May 1.”
Boxoffice, April 10, 1961: “The Big Sky Drive-In at San Diego, owned by J. E. Poynter and Wade E. Allen, has been sold to Lou Berman and associates. Berman also operates the Harbor Drive-In at Chula Vista, 101 at Ventura and Sky View at Oxnard.”
Boxoffice, Nov. 10, 1956: “A weekend fire gutted the newly redecorated Centenary Theatre here Sunday (4), just 12 hours before the 700-seat house was scheduled to reopen as an art film showplace. The theatre, operated by the McElroy chain, was demolished from stage to lobby before firemen reached the scene … According to Tom Dunn of McElroy Theatres, there are no immediate plans for reopening of the gutted theatre.”
That photo ran in the Oct. 27, 1956 issue of Boxoffice, which is now in the public domain.
Boxoffice, Oct. 27, 1956: “The marquee and office building of the Dixie Drive-In on the Jeffersonville road were destroyed by fire during a driving rain. Loss was estimated at from $4,000 to $5,000. The frame office structure, located between the two neon signs advertising the attraction at the theatre, as well as the signs, were almost consumed before the deputies could reach the scene. The flames cut power lines into the drive-in disrupting the picture and blacking out the theatre. The theatre manager was quoted as saying the fire evidently started from faulty wiring in the attic of the building. The building had been remodeled only recently at a cost of $2,000.”
Same drive-in? Boxoffice, Oct. 27, 1956: “A new drive-in, the 25 Drive-In Theatre, opened for fulltime operation October 19 at Fulton, Miss., operated by W. N. Jamerson and Grover Platt.”
Boxoffice, Oct. 27, 1956: “Louis Sutter and Alex Shniderman, who operate the 63rd Street Drive-In, announced an expansion program will start the last week in October with the building of a new entrance on Highway 50. New Electricmode in-car heaters are already being installed and the drive-in will operate all winter.”
Boxoffice, Oct. 27, 1956: “Bob Fellers, manager of Mid-Central Theatres, reports negotiations are under way for the circuit to dispost of some of its fringe theatres. Allied Theatres, Inc., of Perry, Okla., will take over on November 9 … the Mid-Way Drive-In between (Paola and Osawatomie). James McKenna, the son of B. J. McKenna at Manley, Inc., will have charge of the operation.”
Boxoffice, Oct. 27, 1956: “Thirteen acres of prime industrial land, formerly the Starlight (sic) Drive-In Theatre in South San Francisco have been purchased for industrial subdivisions by builders Hart and Hyding, Inc., and Edward Rosemont”