Boxoffice, April 27, 1964: “Paul Love, motion picture advertising service salesman and longtime exhibitor, has purchased the Mount Vernon Drive-In in the town by that name from Joe Nickolick. He opened the airer for three-night weekend operation April 10.”
A column in the May 13, 2016 in the Victorville Daily Press said that the El Rancho was twinned in 1976, and that glimpses of it can be spotted in the movie “Electra Glide in Blue.”
A long article in the July 3, 2016 issue of the Daily Press said that the El Rancho’s grand opening was on June 28, 1950. The final performance, on May 20, 1984, was a free showing of “The Bounty” with Mel Gibson.
At the time of the article, the building was the site of the New Beginning Christian Center.
The history of Barstow’s theaters, as told in a front-page story in the Desert Dispatch, Feb. 16, 1950:
“Grand opening of the new Barstow theatre on West Main St., on Wednesday, Feb. 22, will give theatre-goers of Barstow and vicinity a chance to see the result of weeks of careful planning and construction by Western Amusement Co. in bringing this ultra modern theatre here. Today’s theatre is a far cry from the first theatre, The Fletcher "Opera” house of the year 1910, where “first class entertainment was held for all.” And it is a tremendous improvement over the Forum theatre which has been the only theatre in Barstow city limits …
“Color scheme of the theatre is restful and blends well with the desert. The ceiling is beize (sic?), side walls soft restfull green, front panels blend from a soft fuschia to a deep wine …
“The early opera house originated from a hall in the fall of 1909, owned by Mrs. Mary Fletcher who rented it for social programs in the early days before the arrival of moving pictures. Later Mrs. Fletcher and her grandson, Homer Humble, with Charles Eagon working as projectionists, opened it for several years … H. L. Miller … rented the building from Mrs. Fletcher using it as a movie picture house. In the fall of 1922 sudden fire destroyed the entire structure.
“Charley Wallace rented the Bauer and Slaton building … and opened a new theater advertising for a name. Forum was finally selected. Mr. Wallace installed a pipe organ to furnish background music and the theater became most popular! In the early 1930s, Justin LaFont became the proprietor and he moved the show to First and Main streets, where it is now located.”
(Barstow) Desert Dispatch, Dec. 30, 1948: “Barstow’s new $90,000 Bar-Len drive in theater opened December 29. Visitors will see a screen stories high and an auditorium capable of holding 500 cars.” No grand opening ad the week before, unfortunately. The front-page article mentioned a snack bar, in-car speakers, and regular double features.
After digging through the LA Times, I think the Twin Vue’s final appearance in the Pacific Theatres' ad was on Thursday, Oct. 1, 1981. The double feature that night was “American Werewolf in London” and “Hell Night”.
After digging through the LA Times, I think the final ad for the Harbor in the drive-in theater section (between Covina and La Miranda) was Monday, May 15, 1972. The double feature was “The Hospital” and “Bloody Sunday”. In the next day’s ad, there was nothing between Covina and La Miranda.
The current Electric Dusk web site says its address is now 236 N. Central Ave, Glendale CA 91203.
Conforming to CT’s current style, that would mean that a “new” drive-in page should be created in Glendale, and that this page in Los Angeles should remain as “closed”. Which may be another argument in favor of changing CT’s style.
The Motion Picture Almanac changed its drive-in listing from the Sky-Hi (owner F. Kennedy) in its 1982 edition to the Sundowner (owner R. Bethel) in 1983. The MPA had all sorts of problems noticing changes on a timely basis, but the fact that it bothered to change suggests that the drive-in was active enough to request the update then.
Except that a thorough search of the local newspaper failed to turn up any mention of a Sundowner Drive-In nor any Sky-Hi ads in 1982-83. My guess is that the MPA got a wire crossed with another Sky-Hi and that Lebanon’s drive-in, never renamed, was simply dead by 1982.
Cibola County Beacon (Grants, NM), March 31, 2006: “Business Hall of Fame … 1958 … The Sahara Drive In Theater opened east of Grants. The 90-feet wide and 58-feet tall theater could accommodate up to 400 cars. “Battle Cry,” starring Van Heflin, was the inaugural screening.”
The little Claxton Drive-In made its first appearance in the Theatre Catalog in the 1950-51 edition, capacity 175 cars, owner S. G. Tos. By 1961, its subscription to Boxoffice magazine was addressed to “Tos Drive-In / Claxton, Ga.”
The Motion Picture Almanac also listed “Drive-In” under Claxton, eventually changing it to Tos Drive-In and bumping up the capacity to 200. The MPA continued to include the Tos through its final drive-in list in the 1988 edition.
Savino G. Tos died Jan. 30, 1966. According to his obituary in the March 7 Boxoffice, the Italian immigrant moved to Claxton in 1910 to open a bakery which featured “the world-famed Claxton fruit cake” which he originated. Tos opened a theater in Claxton, added others in Reidsville, Collins and Pembroke, and sold the bakery. The obit didn’t mention the drive-in, but we know it was there.
After Tos died, son-in-law Furber Mincey took over the small circuit until he passed away in December 1976. According to the MPA’s annual circuit list, Gil T. Mincey took over the four-theater Tos group, which faded to just the two Claxton theaters beofre the MPA dropped it in 1987.
Boxoffice, July 24, 1972: “Charles Burton, owner of the new Mini-5 Drive-In located north of Lebanon on Route 5, opened the 80-car airer in early June. The Mini-5, which utilizes a wireless sound system whereby the audio is picked up on patrons' car radios or by a portable radio, will be open nightly through August.”
Boxoffice, Jan. 5, 1952: “The Lyric (in Newburg MO) for many years was operated by Mildred Rauth of Rolla, Mo., who still has the State Theatre at Cabool and the Crocker at Crocker, Mo. Several weeks ago she sold her Ritz Theatre at Rolla to R. E. Carney.”
Boxoffice, Jan. 5, 1952: “The Lyric, a 300-seater, has been leased by Clifford Hough, owner of the Moonlite Drive-In on Route 32 just south of Lebanon, Mo. The Lyric for many years was operated by Mildred Rauth of Rolla, Mo., who still has the State Theatre at Cabool and the Crocker at Crocker, Mo. Several weeks ago she sold her Ritz Theatre at Rolla to R. E. Carney. Hough has installed some new equipment, etc., in the Lyric.”
(Decatur IL) Herald and Review, Jan. 3, 1939: “LINCOLN - The Reinheimer Amusement Co. of Chicago Friday announced the sale of the Vogue theater, 622 Broadway, to M. A. Kirkhart of Litchfield. Dillon Kelly, present manager of the theater of the theater, will be transferred to Chicago as manager of the Parkway theater. Mr. Kirkhart, a former employe of the Frisina Amusement Co. and Litchfield theater manager, will move to Lincoln with his family. The change in ownership will become effective Jan. 1.”
The Green Meadows' final ad in the State Journal-Register was on Aug. 8, 1980, when it was showing “Oh Heavenly Dog” + “Scavenger Hunt” / “Love at First Bite” + “Old Dracula”.
That issue’s Movie Week roundup repeated (probably inaccurately) the drive-in’s movies from the week before. A week later, on Aug. 16, it repeated them again, but the final shows were likely to have been on the weekend of Aug. 8.
The Diane’s first ad in Springfield’s Daily Illinois State Journal, in the classifieds under “Carlinville Ads”, was on May 24, 1952. “The new Diane Drive-In Theatre, 1 ½ miles west of Carlinville! 2 shows nightly - rain or clear! First show at dusk! Adults, 50c; children under 12 free in cars.”
Daily Illinois State Journal, April 30, 1949: “Taylorville, April 29 - Dominic Frisina, of the Frisina Amusement Co., Friday announced plans to erect a modern Drive-In theater in the vicinity of Sharpsburg. The new theater will be designed to accommodate 500 cars and will cost approximately $100,000, Frisina said. Tentative plans also call for a supervised play area for the children plus "baby sitting” service, free to patrons of the theater."
Here’s something closer to the opening date, plus an indication that this drive-in always had the same name.
The Exhibitor, Sept. 6, 1950: “In Lincoln, Ill., Steve Bennis held the grand opening of the Bennis Auto Vue drive-in. The 500-car drive-in has been equipped by the St. Louis Theatre Supply Company with deluxe RCA sound and projection equipment, and RCA in-car speakers.”
Boxoffice, May 29, 1978: “ESTHERVILLE, IOWA - A windstorm which produced gusts estimated at 70 miles per hour recently toppled the screen tower at the Chief Drive-In. There has been no estimate of the dollar-value of damage at the theatre, which had planned to present the motion picture "Linda Loveland for President” the night the storm occurred."
The Grizzly (Big Bear Lake), Nov. 1, 1956: “Lake Drive-In Theater at Metcalf Meadows, construction of which was begun this week under direction of owner J. M. (Jim) Boyd of Los Angeles, will encompass 13.89 acres to include parking facilities for 600 cars and a hold-out area for addition 200 vehicles. Completion of the project is slated for early May 1957. The 30'x60' flat screen will be located in the north corner of the area, near the highway. In addition to snack bar, kitchen and sanitary facilites, the two story structure to be located in the center of the area will house a projection room, office and generator storage. An auditorium to seat 140 will be used for large groups, such as youngsters from summer camps arriving in bus loads, or for audiences in inclement weather. The building will be primarily of redwood siding by George M. Lindsey and Robert Lindsey, AIA, of Los Angeles … Mr. Boyd … was manager of the Embassy Theater in San Francisco when in 1928 the first talking picture was presented.”
Boxoffice, April 27, 1964: “Paul Love, motion picture advertising service salesman and longtime exhibitor, has purchased the Mount Vernon Drive-In in the town by that name from Joe Nickolick. He opened the airer for three-night weekend operation April 10.”
A column in the May 13, 2016 in the Victorville Daily Press said that the El Rancho was twinned in 1976, and that glimpses of it can be spotted in the movie “Electra Glide in Blue.”
A long article in the July 3, 2016 issue of the Daily Press said that the El Rancho’s grand opening was on June 28, 1950. The final performance, on May 20, 1984, was a free showing of “The Bounty” with Mel Gibson.
At the time of the article, the building was the site of the New Beginning Christian Center.
The history of Barstow’s theaters, as told in a front-page story in the Desert Dispatch, Feb. 16, 1950:
“Grand opening of the new Barstow theatre on West Main St., on Wednesday, Feb. 22, will give theatre-goers of Barstow and vicinity a chance to see the result of weeks of careful planning and construction by Western Amusement Co. in bringing this ultra modern theatre here. Today’s theatre is a far cry from the first theatre, The Fletcher "Opera” house of the year 1910, where “first class entertainment was held for all.” And it is a tremendous improvement over the Forum theatre which has been the only theatre in Barstow city limits …
“Color scheme of the theatre is restful and blends well with the desert. The ceiling is beize (sic?), side walls soft restfull green, front panels blend from a soft fuschia to a deep wine …
“The early opera house originated from a hall in the fall of 1909, owned by Mrs. Mary Fletcher who rented it for social programs in the early days before the arrival of moving pictures. Later Mrs. Fletcher and her grandson, Homer Humble, with Charles Eagon working as projectionists, opened it for several years … H. L. Miller … rented the building from Mrs. Fletcher using it as a movie picture house. In the fall of 1922 sudden fire destroyed the entire structure.
“Charley Wallace rented the Bauer and Slaton building … and opened a new theater advertising for a name. Forum was finally selected. Mr. Wallace installed a pipe organ to furnish background music and the theater became most popular! In the early 1930s, Justin LaFont became the proprietor and he moved the show to First and Main streets, where it is now located.”
I also saw a reference to the Barstow Theatre in the Desert Dispatch in December 1911, though it apparently opened in 1910.
(Barstow) Desert Dispatch, Dec. 30, 1948: “Barstow’s new $90,000 Bar-Len drive in theater opened December 29. Visitors will see a screen stories high and an auditorium capable of holding 500 cars.” No grand opening ad the week before, unfortunately. The front-page article mentioned a snack bar, in-car speakers, and regular double features.
After digging through the LA Times, I think the Twin Vue’s final appearance in the Pacific Theatres' ad was on Thursday, Oct. 1, 1981. The double feature that night was “American Werewolf in London” and “Hell Night”.
After digging through the LA Times, I think the final ad for the Harbor in the drive-in theater section (between Covina and La Miranda) was Monday, May 15, 1972. The double feature was “The Hospital” and “Bloody Sunday”. In the next day’s ad, there was nothing between Covina and La Miranda.
The current Electric Dusk web site says its address is now 236 N. Central Ave, Glendale CA 91203.
Conforming to CT’s current style, that would mean that a “new” drive-in page should be created in Glendale, and that this page in Los Angeles should remain as “closed”. Which may be another argument in favor of changing CT’s style.
The Motion Picture Almanac changed its drive-in listing from the Sky-Hi (owner F. Kennedy) in its 1982 edition to the Sundowner (owner R. Bethel) in 1983. The MPA had all sorts of problems noticing changes on a timely basis, but the fact that it bothered to change suggests that the drive-in was active enough to request the update then.
Except that a thorough search of the local newspaper failed to turn up any mention of a Sundowner Drive-In nor any Sky-Hi ads in 1982-83. My guess is that the MPA got a wire crossed with another Sky-Hi and that Lebanon’s drive-in, never renamed, was simply dead by 1982.
Cibola County Beacon (Grants, NM), March 31, 2006: “Business Hall of Fame … 1958 … The Sahara Drive In Theater opened east of Grants. The 90-feet wide and 58-feet tall theater could accommodate up to 400 cars. “Battle Cry,” starring Van Heflin, was the inaugural screening.”
The little Claxton Drive-In made its first appearance in the Theatre Catalog in the 1950-51 edition, capacity 175 cars, owner S. G. Tos. By 1961, its subscription to Boxoffice magazine was addressed to “Tos Drive-In / Claxton, Ga.”
The Motion Picture Almanac also listed “Drive-In” under Claxton, eventually changing it to Tos Drive-In and bumping up the capacity to 200. The MPA continued to include the Tos through its final drive-in list in the 1988 edition.
Savino G. Tos died Jan. 30, 1966. According to his obituary in the March 7 Boxoffice, the Italian immigrant moved to Claxton in 1910 to open a bakery which featured “the world-famed Claxton fruit cake” which he originated. Tos opened a theater in Claxton, added others in Reidsville, Collins and Pembroke, and sold the bakery. The obit didn’t mention the drive-in, but we know it was there.
After Tos died, son-in-law Furber Mincey took over the small circuit until he passed away in December 1976. According to the MPA’s annual circuit list, Gil T. Mincey took over the four-theater Tos group, which faded to just the two Claxton theaters beofre the MPA dropped it in 1987.
Boxoffice, July 24, 1972: “Charles Burton, owner of the new Mini-5 Drive-In located north of Lebanon on Route 5, opened the 80-car airer in early June. The Mini-5, which utilizes a wireless sound system whereby the audio is picked up on patrons' car radios or by a portable radio, will be open nightly through August.”
Boxoffice, Jan. 5, 1952: “The Lyric (in Newburg MO) for many years was operated by Mildred Rauth of Rolla, Mo., who still has the State Theatre at Cabool and the Crocker at Crocker, Mo. Several weeks ago she sold her Ritz Theatre at Rolla to R. E. Carney.”
Boxoffice, Jan. 5, 1952: “The Lyric, a 300-seater, has been leased by Clifford Hough, owner of the Moonlite Drive-In on Route 32 just south of Lebanon, Mo. The Lyric for many years was operated by Mildred Rauth of Rolla, Mo., who still has the State Theatre at Cabool and the Crocker at Crocker, Mo. Several weeks ago she sold her Ritz Theatre at Rolla to R. E. Carney. Hough has installed some new equipment, etc., in the Lyric.”
(Decatur IL) Herald and Review, Jan. 3, 1939: “LINCOLN - The Reinheimer Amusement Co. of Chicago Friday announced the sale of the Vogue theater, 622 Broadway, to M. A. Kirkhart of Litchfield. Dillon Kelly, present manager of the theater of the theater, will be transferred to Chicago as manager of the Parkway theater. Mr. Kirkhart, a former employe of the Frisina Amusement Co. and Litchfield theater manager, will move to Lincoln with his family. The change in ownership will become effective Jan. 1.”
The Green Meadows' final ad in the State Journal-Register was on Aug. 8, 1980, when it was showing “Oh Heavenly Dog” + “Scavenger Hunt” / “Love at First Bite” + “Old Dracula”.
That issue’s Movie Week roundup repeated (probably inaccurately) the drive-in’s movies from the week before. A week later, on Aug. 16, it repeated them again, but the final shows were likely to have been on the weekend of Aug. 8.
The Diane’s first ad in Springfield’s Daily Illinois State Journal, in the classifieds under “Carlinville Ads”, was on May 24, 1952. “The new Diane Drive-In Theatre, 1 ½ miles west of Carlinville! 2 shows nightly - rain or clear! First show at dusk! Adults, 50c; children under 12 free in cars.”
Springfield’s Daily Illinois State Journal ran a “Now Open” ad for the Route 4 (“North Edge of Thayer”) on June 28, 1950.
Daily Illinois State Journal, April 30, 1949: “Taylorville, April 29 - Dominic Frisina, of the Frisina Amusement Co., Friday announced plans to erect a modern Drive-In theater in the vicinity of Sharpsburg. The new theater will be designed to accommodate 500 cars and will cost approximately $100,000, Frisina said. Tentative plans also call for a supervised play area for the children plus "baby sitting” service, free to patrons of the theater."
Here’s something closer to the opening date, plus an indication that this drive-in always had the same name.
The Exhibitor, Sept. 6, 1950: “In Lincoln, Ill., Steve Bennis held the grand opening of the Bennis Auto Vue drive-in. The 500-car drive-in has been equipped by the St. Louis Theatre Supply Company with deluxe RCA sound and projection equipment, and RCA in-car speakers.”
Boxoffice, May 29, 1978: “ESTHERVILLE, IOWA - A windstorm which produced gusts estimated at 70 miles per hour recently toppled the screen tower at the Chief Drive-In. There has been no estimate of the dollar-value of damage at the theatre, which had planned to present the motion picture "Linda Loveland for President” the night the storm occurred."
This appeared on the cover of the Sept. 7, 1964 issue of Boxoffice.
The Grizzly (Big Bear Lake), Nov. 1, 1956: “Lake Drive-In Theater at Metcalf Meadows, construction of which was begun this week under direction of owner J. M. (Jim) Boyd of Los Angeles, will encompass 13.89 acres to include parking facilities for 600 cars and a hold-out area for addition 200 vehicles. Completion of the project is slated for early May 1957. The 30'x60' flat screen will be located in the north corner of the area, near the highway. In addition to snack bar, kitchen and sanitary facilites, the two story structure to be located in the center of the area will house a projection room, office and generator storage. An auditorium to seat 140 will be used for large groups, such as youngsters from summer camps arriving in bus loads, or for audiences in inclement weather. The building will be primarily of redwood siding by George M. Lindsey and Robert Lindsey, AIA, of Los Angeles … Mr. Boyd … was manager of the Embassy Theater in San Francisco when in 1928 the first talking picture was presented.”