This drive in is the reason I got into the theatre business. My parents would take us every Saturday night. I remember my dad getting upset with me as I would stand outside the projection booth and watch the projectionist. Later I would come to know Stephnie who owned the theatres(the daughter of the man who built the theatre) as we had the same booking agent, Pat Wheeler. I ran the Plano Theatre in Plano, IL at the time. I was so glad that Buck Kolkmeyer’s company took her over and keep her going until the end.
I did get a few things form the drive in and indoor before they came down. The developer was very kind and really tired to get someone to buy it but as it was annexed into Aurora it would of had to be brought up to city codes and that was prohibitive. I finally got my own drive in to operate last year as I leased the Salem Drive In in Salem, IL. Hope to keep it running as long as possible.
This was where I learned to be a projectionist. Operating Brenkert carbon arcs, Simplex Standards and RCA 9030’s. Manual changerovers running 2000 foot reels. This was back in the day when being a projectionist was a profession. I have always had a special place in my heart for this great old theatre. Started out at $1.50 an hour in 1973. One Sunday afternoon my little brother, Jeff at 9 years old came to the Matinee. I took him up to the booth to see how the projectors operated. You should have seen his wide eyes. He watched part of the movie form the booth. I had to run all day and later that eveing I heard the fire sirens go off. The theatre being only about 150 feet from the fire station made the siren sound come right down the exhaust for the lamps. When I got home that night I walked into the house to find my mother crying. My little brother was hit by a freight train and killed. So the last place I saw my brother was at the Plano. A couple years later my wife who was the manager,and myself purchased the theatre. I was so proud to annouce the birth of our first child on that great old Marquee. “IT’S A GIRL 7LB 9 OUNCES” on the bottom line right above the chasing lights.
The Plano is gone now and I cannot as of this day drive down 16 North Center Street in Plano without getting very emotional. I just hope that all theatre people out there can love their theatre as I have loved the Plano.
Went to see her again only a shell of her former self. As I stood underneath the marquee got that sick feeling in my stomach. Just like seeing a family member on their deathbed (seen that too many times). I quess they will probably tear her down soon.
If you happen to be lucky enough to have an old movie palace in your town support it. If it is closed try to get like minded people such as yourself and save it. I came back to my hometown and reopened a twin that had been opened and closed many times over the last 15 years. The theatre had been converted into a church. Been open since 2005 and doing just great thanks to the wonderful people in the area. You will need the support of the community and a lot of hard work, but it is worth it. We renamed the theatre in honor and memory of the old downtown palace that once graced this little town of 10,000. So the PRINCESS lives on. Small town theatres can be a great asset to the community. This morning I am running a screening for the Kevil Center (center for mentally disabled adults) at 9:30 which we do every other week. Most of these great friends can’t get out in the public much. After the show they will come out and hug me and say thanks, what a wonderful feeling. Well its time to pop the popcorn and thread the projector got to go. If you would like some advice or help feel free to email me at been doing this for 34 years since I was 19. Lord I miss the carbon arcs.
Went back to drive in site last year and actually found it. It has grown up so bad it looks just like forrest. I watched over the years as trees grew up in the field. Found several poles some still standing and the concession stand projection booth lay in ruins (looked like somebody set it afire). Use to go here as a child when we came down to Kentucky on vacation from Chicago area.
I remember the screen tower was built as a barn(could not find any remains of screen). The owner had some old cars (model T’s and the like) in the base of tower and there were Disney characters painted on screen building. I believe this was built by the same man who built the Calvert Drive In in Calvert City, KY.
I remember meeting the owner of the Calvert back in early 70"s when a tornado took a couple chunks out of wooden screen (had singles for facing). They were putting up bed sheets to cover holes so show could go on that night. That is called showmanship folks.
If you folks want to see what a drive in theatre looked like in the 1950’s go see this one. It is operated by a man named Ron Magnoni who takes pride in this great drive in. It was built by Charles (Chuck)Dyas who owned and operated a indoor theatre in this little farm town as well. Both Ron and myself use to love to listen to Charlie talk about the good old days riding the train into Chicago to book pictures. With grass ramps and food cooked to order this drive in is a great memorial to all the drive ins of the past and our friend forever Charles (Chuck) Dyas.
I remember this great old lady well. I am wiping away tears as I write this. My wife and I were the last operators of this theatre. I came to Kentucky (were I was born) to my grandparents farm in Benton, KY for a visit. My grandfathers brother was in the Metropolis hospital and we went to see him. There was a “for rent” sign in the boxoffice window. To make a long story short I met Mr. Eddie Clark and ended up renting the theatre for a one year term. Sadly Mr. Clark died during heart surgery before we were able to get the theatre reopened. I did get a chance to sit down and talk to him about the good old days. The Massac had a balcony with a cry room and seperate restrooms. The ladies room on the main floor had a lounge room before you entered the main restroom. There was a big back stage area where we found a old piano and a big box of old speakers from the El Capatain Drive In Theatre that use to be there. In fact we would pass the old drive in site on the way to the theatre. The theatre office was upstairs just past the balcony (and behind the cry room) and I remember going thru a great deal of old theatre records and finding old issues of Boxoffice magazine.
The booth had Simplex E-7’s, sh1000 soundheads, Peerless Magnarcs and an old motor generator. The sound system was shot so I put in a new amp and replaces the old photo tubes with solar cells.
On opening night we sold out. I don’t remember what picture we opend with but it was a Disney because I have always open my theatres with Disney pictures. After lease was up we couldn’t afford to buy building so we had to leave. The old air conditioning system was so old that only one really old guy knew to work on it. How long ago that was I was only 22 at that time. I just wished I would of had known the fate that awaited her maybe I could of had done something.
This drive in is the reason I got into the theatre business. My parents would take us every Saturday night. I remember my dad getting upset with me as I would stand outside the projection booth and watch the projectionist. Later I would come to know Stephnie who owned the theatres(the daughter of the man who built the theatre) as we had the same booking agent, Pat Wheeler. I ran the Plano Theatre in Plano, IL at the time. I was so glad that Buck Kolkmeyer’s company took her over and keep her going until the end.
I did get a few things form the drive in and indoor before they came down. The developer was very kind and really tired to get someone to buy it but as it was annexed into Aurora it would of had to be brought up to city codes and that was prohibitive. I finally got my own drive in to operate last year as I leased the Salem Drive In in Salem, IL. Hope to keep it running as long as possible.
This was where I learned to be a projectionist. Operating Brenkert carbon arcs, Simplex Standards and RCA 9030’s. Manual changerovers running 2000 foot reels. This was back in the day when being a projectionist was a profession. I have always had a special place in my heart for this great old theatre. Started out at $1.50 an hour in 1973. One Sunday afternoon my little brother, Jeff at 9 years old came to the Matinee. I took him up to the booth to see how the projectors operated. You should have seen his wide eyes. He watched part of the movie form the booth. I had to run all day and later that eveing I heard the fire sirens go off. The theatre being only about 150 feet from the fire station made the siren sound come right down the exhaust for the lamps. When I got home that night I walked into the house to find my mother crying. My little brother was hit by a freight train and killed. So the last place I saw my brother was at the Plano. A couple years later my wife who was the manager,and myself purchased the theatre. I was so proud to annouce the birth of our first child on that great old Marquee. “IT’S A GIRL 7LB 9 OUNCES” on the bottom line right above the chasing lights.
The Plano is gone now and I cannot as of this day drive down 16 North Center Street in Plano without getting very emotional. I just hope that all theatre people out there can love their theatre as I have loved the Plano.
Went to see her again only a shell of her former self. As I stood underneath the marquee got that sick feeling in my stomach. Just like seeing a family member on their deathbed (seen that too many times). I quess they will probably tear her down soon.
If you happen to be lucky enough to have an old movie palace in your town support it. If it is closed try to get like minded people such as yourself and save it. I came back to my hometown and reopened a twin that had been opened and closed many times over the last 15 years. The theatre had been converted into a church. Been open since 2005 and doing just great thanks to the wonderful people in the area. You will need the support of the community and a lot of hard work, but it is worth it. We renamed the theatre in honor and memory of the old downtown palace that once graced this little town of 10,000. So the PRINCESS lives on. Small town theatres can be a great asset to the community. This morning I am running a screening for the Kevil Center (center for mentally disabled adults) at 9:30 which we do every other week. Most of these great friends can’t get out in the public much. After the show they will come out and hug me and say thanks, what a wonderful feeling. Well its time to pop the popcorn and thread the projector got to go. If you would like some advice or help feel free to email me at been doing this for 34 years since I was 19. Lord I miss the carbon arcs.
Went back to drive in site last year and actually found it. It has grown up so bad it looks just like forrest. I watched over the years as trees grew up in the field. Found several poles some still standing and the concession stand projection booth lay in ruins (looked like somebody set it afire). Use to go here as a child when we came down to Kentucky on vacation from Chicago area.
I remember the screen tower was built as a barn(could not find any remains of screen). The owner had some old cars (model T’s and the like) in the base of tower and there were Disney characters painted on screen building. I believe this was built by the same man who built the Calvert Drive In in Calvert City, KY.
I remember meeting the owner of the Calvert back in early 70"s when a tornado took a couple chunks out of wooden screen (had singles for facing). They were putting up bed sheets to cover holes so show could go on that night. That is called showmanship folks.
If you folks want to see what a drive in theatre looked like in the 1950’s go see this one. It is operated by a man named Ron Magnoni who takes pride in this great drive in. It was built by Charles (Chuck)Dyas who owned and operated a indoor theatre in this little farm town as well. Both Ron and myself use to love to listen to Charlie talk about the good old days riding the train into Chicago to book pictures. With grass ramps and food cooked to order this drive in is a great memorial to all the drive ins of the past and our friend forever Charles (Chuck) Dyas.
I remember this great old lady well. I am wiping away tears as I write this. My wife and I were the last operators of this theatre. I came to Kentucky (were I was born) to my grandparents farm in Benton, KY for a visit. My grandfathers brother was in the Metropolis hospital and we went to see him. There was a “for rent” sign in the boxoffice window. To make a long story short I met Mr. Eddie Clark and ended up renting the theatre for a one year term. Sadly Mr. Clark died during heart surgery before we were able to get the theatre reopened. I did get a chance to sit down and talk to him about the good old days. The Massac had a balcony with a cry room and seperate restrooms. The ladies room on the main floor had a lounge room before you entered the main restroom. There was a big back stage area where we found a old piano and a big box of old speakers from the El Capatain Drive In Theatre that use to be there. In fact we would pass the old drive in site on the way to the theatre. The theatre office was upstairs just past the balcony (and behind the cry room) and I remember going thru a great deal of old theatre records and finding old issues of Boxoffice magazine.
The booth had Simplex E-7’s, sh1000 soundheads, Peerless Magnarcs and an old motor generator. The sound system was shot so I put in a new amp and replaces the old photo tubes with solar cells.
On opening night we sold out. I don’t remember what picture we opend with but it was a Disney because I have always open my theatres with Disney pictures. After lease was up we couldn’t afford to buy building so we had to leave. The old air conditioning system was so old that only one really old guy knew to work on it. How long ago that was I was only 22 at that time. I just wished I would of had known the fate that awaited her maybe I could of had done something.