Bakersfield Californian, Sept. 22, 1967: “Two ice cream bars and an unknown amount of soft drinks were taken from the snack bar of the Desert Lake Drive-In in Boron, manager Gaylen Horswill reported to sheriff’s deputies. Entry was gained by breaking some windows.”
I found some big clues in the Eureka CA Humboldt Standard. The Oct. 8, 1952 issue said the the county board of supervisors “approved plans of B.B. Byard and A. E. Vann for opening of a drive-in theatre one-quarter mile north of Garberville”
The Jan. 13, 1957 issue reported that car plunged 200 feet off US 101 “just north of Garberville”. It was believed to have been traveling north when the driver lost control “and plunged down a 200-foot canyon just north of the Garberville Drive-Inn.” The canyon just north of town is Bear Canyon, and that report places the drive-in just south of it.
Another clue in the Standard on Feb. 28, 1964. An assault victim told police “that he was sleeping in his car on the beach at Eel River, near the Garberville Drive-In Theater,” which pretty much guarantees that it was somewhere along today’s Redwood Drive.
My current guess is that the drive-in was east of Redwood Drive about where the Eel River bends farthest east. When preparing to build the modern Redwood Highway (completed between 1967 and 1969, per official state highway maps), CDOT probably bought the drive-in’s land. That would place the site just on the north side of the current US 101 intersection with Redwood Drive.
About the resident to capacity ratio, I would argue for desperation. A lot of those towns along 101 (and other towns about a dozen miles east and west of Garberville) had no theaters, and I’ll bet TV reception was difficult. I’m not saying the Garberville sold out every night, but maybe the developers saw that the incremental cost of the last 100 speakers was worth not having to turn anyone away on a busy weekend. OTOH, we are talking about a drive-in that died within 15 years - sometimes developers made poor choices. (See the Sands in Needles CA.)
More date clues: A 1953 aerial photo of the site showed an empty field, photos from 1964 and 1978 showed the Alvarado intact, and a 1980 photo showed it already replaced.
Irwin Joseph passed away in 1964. His widow briefly retained the Hilltop, then sold it before the 1965 season to something called “Joliet View Corp., headed by G. J. Shimbach” (per Boxoffice). L&M Theatres, or L&M Management, acquired the Hilltop in April 1967.
The Motion Picture Almanac listed the L&M Management circuit, with the Hilltop as one of its holdings, through the 1986 edition. The MPA’s drive-in list kept the Hilltop one more year, but it dropped out in the 1988 edition. This is a strong indication that the drive-in was closed for a few years before Saul Ornelas and Adrian and Arturo Contreras bought it in 1995 (per edison’s post above).
A letter to the editor of the local Herald News, published July 15, 2001, said, “On July 1, when there was no sign of a movie starting by the customary 8:30-8:45 p.m. time, several cars began to honk their horns. A bit annoying, yes, but pretty normal behavior for a drive-in theater. One of the employees of the Hilltop stepped out of the projection room and loudly yelled a string of profanities at the crowd … If this is the way that the Hilltop is going to be managed, with a total lack of professionalism and customer courtesy, it is sure to be nothing more then a memory in the very near future!” That author was right.
Boxoffice, April 14, 1975: “PERRYVILLE, MO. - Kerasotes Theatres has acquired the Mercier Theatre and Hilltop Drive-In from the Mercier family and assumed operations Sunday, March 30 … Kelly P. Fulton will remain as resident manager and the theatres will be under the jurisdiction of district supervisor Sam Sheridan, Poplar Bluff, Mo.”
This appeared in the Feb. 7, 1953 issue of Boxoffice, which is in the public domain. The original caption:
Video Theatres, Oklahoma City, have made special use of changeable copy display boards to promote the circuit’s drive-in theatres. Free-standing, illuminated panels are being installed at road intersections a considerable distance from the drive-ins themselves, with some located directly across from competition. This installation is for the Hill Top Drive-In, Henrietta (sic), Okla. Wagner porcelain steel enamel panels and slotted letters were used.
Boxoffice, Sept. 20, 1952: “Russell Tate and J. M. Hutchinson will open the new Pullman Drive-In in Pullman around October 1. Smith Enterprises, headed by Buck Smith, will do the booking and buying.”
Boxoffice, Nov. 8, 1952: “PULLMAN, WASH. - Russell Tate and Jack Hutchison have opened their new Pullman Drive-In. The airer is situated on the site of the old Pullman trailer court. The land has been leased from Lloyd Bury, who in turn had leased the area from the city.”
A note in the April 18, 1953 issue called the co-owner G. R. Tate.
Boxoffice, May 1, 1954: “George Blair and E. W. Smith of Smith Enterprises have taken over the operations of the Pullman Drive-In, Pullman, Wash.”
(Spokane) Statesman-Review, June 29, 1954: “BANKRUPTCIES FILED: John McCune Hutchinson and G. R. Tate, Pullman Drive-In theater, Pullman, Wash., liabilities $45,450, assets none.”
Boxoffice, Oct. 23, 1961: “A picture in the LaGrange Journel shows what was left of the Sky-Vu Drive-In after Carla visited there. The tower was a pile of lumber almost flat on the ground.”
As mentioned above, plans for the Bel-Air included a (single?) 135 by 90-foot screen, and the drive-in opened showing a single program. Less than two months later, the Bel-Air was advertising shows on its North and South screens. Considering its layout, with a double-sided screen in the middle of the lot, I’d guess that’s what it looked like when it opened, and the first few chilly spring weeks only had movies on one side. Here’s the first double-screen ad:
To refine Kenmore’s suggestion, what if the Finklea never had ramps or a projection booth, at least before Huggins’s remodeling? That kind of setup, even for a “permanent” drive-in, wasn’t unheard of in rural areas. Somebody with a 16mm projector and a loudspeaker could present a show for a few dozen carefully positioned cars. (The aerial photos show few neighbors who could object to the noise.) All you’d really need is a screen and the fencing to keep out freeloaders. And if Connie knocked over that screen, with television on its way, maybe the owner decided it wasn’t worth rebuilding it.
Boxoffice, Dec. 17, 1955: “Verne Lindholm, owner of the Ainsworth Theatre, has sold his holdings to Cecil See, effective immediately … Lindholm said he is keeping his interest in the new drive-in a mile east of Long Pine.”
Boxoffice, Dec. 17, 1955: “Norris Stephens, buying and booking agent for a number of operations in Georgia, has leased the Grand Theatre and Screven Drive-In, Sylvania, effective January 1.”
The 28th Street opened on Dec. 5, 1950 with “Colt .45” starring Zachary Scot. The Tampa Bay Times said it held 750 cars and was owned by P. J. Sones and S. T. Wilson. Landscaping included palms and tropical shrubbery.
The 28th Street’s final night was June 30, 2000, showing “Mission Impossible 2” followed by “Rules of Engagement.” The Pinellas County School District bought the 14.5 acres for $1.52 million.
Boxoffice, Aug. 27, 1955: “TUPELO, MISS. - The new Lee Drive-In here has been opened by owners Joe Chambers and Frank Heard. Construction was started on the 400-car situation last October, but opening was delayed until August because of rains and other obstacles. The Lee is the only home-owned theatre in Tupelo.”
Boxoffice, Aug. 27, 1955: “Midway Drive-In, New Bern, N. C., was damaged by Hurricane Connie and will be closed a week or two for repairs, according to Manager P. G. Parrot. The Midway is a new theatre, which opened recently”
Boxoffice, Aug. 27, 1955: “DECATUR, ALA. - The Bowline Drive-in, with a capacity of 600 cars, opened here Wednesday (17). Owners are W. W. Hammonds jr., C. B. Goss and G. D. Wheeler, Albertville, and A. W. Hammonds, Florence. They also operate the Wilson Drive-In in Florence and the Marshall Drive-In in Albertville. Carlton Mann, who has been in show business almost ten years, is manager. He was formerly with the Sunset Drive-In. The theatre features CinemaScope, a kiddy playground, patio for 100 persons for refreshments, plus in-car heaters. The theatre is located on a 20-acre tract.”
Boxoffice, Aug. 27, 1955: “The Dania Drive-In has been sold by George Hertner of Fort Lauderdale and George Koelliker, Dania, doing business as the Herkel Corp., to the Ochs Management Corp. of Cleveland, Ohio … The chain owns the Auto Park and Fortieth Street drive-ins in Tampa, and the Siesta in St. Petersburg.”
Boxoffice, Aug. 27, 1955: “FLORALA, ALA. - Manager Olin Evans reopened the Starlite Drive-In after a fire which destroyed the projection room and concession stand several weeks ago.”
Boxoffice, March 19, 1955: “Malco Theatres … has purchased the local Bellevue and Summer drive-ins from Kemmons Wilson and associates. The purchase, which gives Malco eight theatres in Memphis itself, was announced by M. A. Lightman jr., who is associated with his father in the operation of the circuit.”
Bakersfield Californian, Sept. 22, 1967: “Two ice cream bars and an unknown amount of soft drinks were taken from the snack bar of the Desert Lake Drive-In in Boron, manager Gaylen Horswill reported to sheriff’s deputies. Entry was gained by breaking some windows.”
I found some big clues in the Eureka CA Humboldt Standard. The Oct. 8, 1952 issue said the the county board of supervisors “approved plans of B.B. Byard and A. E. Vann for opening of a drive-in theatre one-quarter mile north of Garberville”
The Jan. 13, 1957 issue reported that car plunged 200 feet off US 101 “just north of Garberville”. It was believed to have been traveling north when the driver lost control “and plunged down a 200-foot canyon just north of the Garberville Drive-Inn.” The canyon just north of town is Bear Canyon, and that report places the drive-in just south of it.
Another clue in the Standard on Feb. 28, 1964. An assault victim told police “that he was sleeping in his car on the beach at Eel River, near the Garberville Drive-In Theater,” which pretty much guarantees that it was somewhere along today’s Redwood Drive.
My current guess is that the drive-in was east of Redwood Drive about where the Eel River bends farthest east. When preparing to build the modern Redwood Highway (completed between 1967 and 1969, per official state highway maps), CDOT probably bought the drive-in’s land. That would place the site just on the north side of the current US 101 intersection with Redwood Drive.
About the resident to capacity ratio, I would argue for desperation. A lot of those towns along 101 (and other towns about a dozen miles east and west of Garberville) had no theaters, and I’ll bet TV reception was difficult. I’m not saying the Garberville sold out every night, but maybe the developers saw that the incremental cost of the last 100 speakers was worth not having to turn anyone away on a busy weekend. OTOH, we are talking about a drive-in that died within 15 years - sometimes developers made poor choices. (See the Sands in Needles CA.)
More date clues: A 1953 aerial photo of the site showed an empty field, photos from 1964 and 1978 showed the Alvarado intact, and a 1980 photo showed it already replaced.
Irwin Joseph passed away in 1964. His widow briefly retained the Hilltop, then sold it before the 1965 season to something called “Joliet View Corp., headed by G. J. Shimbach” (per Boxoffice). L&M Theatres, or L&M Management, acquired the Hilltop in April 1967.
The Motion Picture Almanac listed the L&M Management circuit, with the Hilltop as one of its holdings, through the 1986 edition. The MPA’s drive-in list kept the Hilltop one more year, but it dropped out in the 1988 edition. This is a strong indication that the drive-in was closed for a few years before Saul Ornelas and Adrian and Arturo Contreras bought it in 1995 (per edison’s post above).
A letter to the editor of the local Herald News, published July 15, 2001, said, “On July 1, when there was no sign of a movie starting by the customary 8:30-8:45 p.m. time, several cars began to honk their horns. A bit annoying, yes, but pretty normal behavior for a drive-in theater. One of the employees of the Hilltop stepped out of the projection room and loudly yelled a string of profanities at the crowd … If this is the way that the Hilltop is going to be managed, with a total lack of professionalism and customer courtesy, it is sure to be nothing more then a memory in the very near future!” That author was right.
Boxoffice, April 14, 1975: “PERRYVILLE, MO. - Kerasotes Theatres has acquired the Mercier Theatre and Hilltop Drive-In from the Mercier family and assumed operations Sunday, March 30 … Kelly P. Fulton will remain as resident manager and the theatres will be under the jurisdiction of district supervisor Sam Sheridan, Poplar Bluff, Mo.”
This photo ran in the Dec. 4, 1948 issue of Boxoffice, which is in the public domain.
This photo ran in the Dec. 4, 1948 issue of Boxoffice, which is in the public domain.
This appeared in the Feb. 7, 1953 issue of Boxoffice, which is in the public domain. The original caption:
Video Theatres, Oklahoma City, have made special use of changeable copy display boards to promote the circuit’s drive-in theatres. Free-standing, illuminated panels are being installed at road intersections a considerable distance from the drive-ins themselves, with some located directly across from competition. This installation is for the Hill Top Drive-In, Henrietta (sic), Okla. Wagner porcelain steel enamel panels and slotted letters were used.
Boxoffice, Sept. 20, 1952: “Russell Tate and J. M. Hutchinson will open the new Pullman Drive-In in Pullman around October 1. Smith Enterprises, headed by Buck Smith, will do the booking and buying.”
Boxoffice, Nov. 8, 1952: “PULLMAN, WASH. - Russell Tate and Jack Hutchison have opened their new Pullman Drive-In. The airer is situated on the site of the old Pullman trailer court. The land has been leased from Lloyd Bury, who in turn had leased the area from the city.”
A note in the April 18, 1953 issue called the co-owner G. R. Tate.
Boxoffice, May 1, 1954: “George Blair and E. W. Smith of Smith Enterprises have taken over the operations of the Pullman Drive-In, Pullman, Wash.”
(Spokane) Statesman-Review, June 29, 1954: “BANKRUPTCIES FILED: John McCune Hutchinson and G. R. Tate, Pullman Drive-In theater, Pullman, Wash., liabilities $45,450, assets none.”
Boxoffice, Oct. 23, 1961: “A picture in the LaGrange Journel shows what was left of the Sky-Vu Drive-In after Carla visited there. The tower was a pile of lumber almost flat on the ground.”
As mentioned above, plans for the Bel-Air included a (single?) 135 by 90-foot screen, and the drive-in opened showing a single program. Less than two months later, the Bel-Air was advertising shows on its North and South screens. Considering its layout, with a double-sided screen in the middle of the lot, I’d guess that’s what it looked like when it opened, and the first few chilly spring weeks only had movies on one side. Here’s the first double-screen ad:
The Bel-Air added its third screen in 1979, switching its newspaper ad from two programs to three on June 15.
The 1950 Film Daily Year Book listed only the Roan Theatre, 175 seats, under De Beque. That’s got to be the same theater, right?
The address of the old IOOF building is 416 Curtis Avenue.
From the Modern Theatre section of the May 8, 1961 issue of Boxoffice, which is in the public domain.
To refine Kenmore’s suggestion, what if the Finklea never had ramps or a projection booth, at least before Huggins’s remodeling? That kind of setup, even for a “permanent” drive-in, wasn’t unheard of in rural areas. Somebody with a 16mm projector and a loudspeaker could present a show for a few dozen carefully positioned cars. (The aerial photos show few neighbors who could object to the noise.) All you’d really need is a screen and the fencing to keep out freeloaders. And if Connie knocked over that screen, with television on its way, maybe the owner decided it wasn’t worth rebuilding it.
Boxoffice, Dec. 17, 1955: “Verne Lindholm, owner of the Ainsworth Theatre, has sold his holdings to Cecil See, effective immediately … Lindholm said he is keeping his interest in the new drive-in a mile east of Long Pine.”
Boxoffice, Dec. 17, 1955: “W. B. Sockwell of United Theatres, new owners of the 65 Drive-In, Conway, Ark., will book and buy in Memphis”
Boxoffice, Dec. 17, 1955: “Norris Stephens, buying and booking agent for a number of operations in Georgia, has leased the Grand Theatre and Screven Drive-In, Sylvania, effective January 1.”
The 28th Street opened on Dec. 5, 1950 with “Colt .45” starring Zachary Scot. The Tampa Bay Times said it held 750 cars and was owned by P. J. Sones and S. T. Wilson. Landscaping included palms and tropical shrubbery.
The 28th Street’s final night was June 30, 2000, showing “Mission Impossible 2” followed by “Rules of Engagement.” The Pinellas County School District bought the 14.5 acres for $1.52 million.
Boxoffice, Dec. 17, 1955: “Neal Robinson … has taken over the Dixie Drive-In, Crestview, Fla., from Tom Barrow to whom he was leasing the theatre.”
Boxoffice, Aug. 27, 1955: “TUPELO, MISS. - The new Lee Drive-In here has been opened by owners Joe Chambers and Frank Heard. Construction was started on the 400-car situation last October, but opening was delayed until August because of rains and other obstacles. The Lee is the only home-owned theatre in Tupelo.”
Boxoffice, Aug. 27, 1955: “Midway Drive-In, New Bern, N. C., was damaged by Hurricane Connie and will be closed a week or two for repairs, according to Manager P. G. Parrot. The Midway is a new theatre, which opened recently”
Boxoffice, Aug. 27, 1955: “DECATUR, ALA. - The Bowline Drive-in, with a capacity of 600 cars, opened here Wednesday (17). Owners are W. W. Hammonds jr., C. B. Goss and G. D. Wheeler, Albertville, and A. W. Hammonds, Florence. They also operate the Wilson Drive-In in Florence and the Marshall Drive-In in Albertville. Carlton Mann, who has been in show business almost ten years, is manager. He was formerly with the Sunset Drive-In. The theatre features CinemaScope, a kiddy playground, patio for 100 persons for refreshments, plus in-car heaters. The theatre is located on a 20-acre tract.”
Boxoffice, Aug. 27, 1955: “The Dania Drive-In has been sold by George Hertner of Fort Lauderdale and George Koelliker, Dania, doing business as the Herkel Corp., to the Ochs Management Corp. of Cleveland, Ohio … The chain owns the Auto Park and Fortieth Street drive-ins in Tampa, and the Siesta in St. Petersburg.”
Boxoffice, Aug. 27, 1955: “FLORALA, ALA. - Manager Olin Evans reopened the Starlite Drive-In after a fire which destroyed the projection room and concession stand several weeks ago.”
Boxoffice, March 19, 1955: “Malco Theatres … has purchased the local Bellevue and Summer drive-ins from Kemmons Wilson and associates. The purchase, which gives Malco eight theatres in Memphis itself, was announced by M. A. Lightman jr., who is associated with his father in the operation of the circuit.”