I did work for Westates Theaters when I lived in Utah. It was owned by the Late Tony Rudman. I’m not sure if he ever built this drive in or not. He never mentioned having had it. But he did build a sizable Drive in in Elko, NV. I did work for them up till 2017 when Tony’s kids sold all the locations to Megaplex.
I serviced this theater up to the time it closed. The man who built Movieworks and also the Twin Cinema took it over, and they ran regular release stuff up until it closed. The entire building is made from field stone and it is quite visible in the projection room, and some areas down stairs.This theater never was converted to digita projection. Rumor has it that the Dailies for Shane were run there in 1952 while the film was in production in the area.
I serviced the Price and King Koal theaters for a long time till I retired. The Price is a cool single screen theater that’s still in good shape. It’s open and closed right now depending on film booking availability. I converted both theaters to digital projection back about 2012.
I would cost several million dollars just to get the building in shape again to be able re-open it. This was one of those buildings built back when electricity was really cheap and as a result the entire building is 100% electric. That wouldn’t fly today in the world of high electric costs.
I aquired a pair of the 70mm projectors that were still in Cinedome late last year and while in there I went through the place top to bottom. There is still a huge hand painted “Empire Strikes Back” sign up stairs in the air handler room! The 60 foot wide curved screens are still both there and intact. Some of the speakers have been removed or the drivers stripped. All the seats are there as well but they are in rough shape. Much of the copper wire in the building has been striped out by vandals and the roof top air conditioning units have been completely striped by vandals. The building would have to be 100% updated and it would still not make enough money in today’s multiplex oriented world to pay it’s way. Sadly, it is now an extinct dinosaur.
Red Carpet Cimenas went bankrupt in October 09 and the theater is presently closed and has been stripped out. Cinemark Theaters has leased the property and plans on doing a full renovation. It was always a lousy theater so this will be welcomed by everyone in town!
I service the projection equipment in this theater from time to time. This is a three screen movie theater and video store combination and it’s pretty well kept up. About 100 to 120 seats per room. It is operated by a man who was at ome time a projectionist in the old Salt Lake City projectionists union. All screens are stereo and the original theater as built was just two screens. A third screen was added on to the west side of the building along with offices. It is the only operating movie theater between Salt Lake City and Elko, NV, about 100 miles in each direction!
I service the projection equipment in theis theater from time to time. This is a three screen movie theater and video store combination and it’s pretty well kept up. About 100 to 120 seats per room. It is operated by a man who was at ome time a projectionist in the old Salt Lake City projectionists union. All screens are stereo and the original theater as built was just two screens. A third screen was added on to the west side of the building along with offices. It is the only operating movie theater between Salt Lake City and Elko, NV, about 100 miles in each direction!
Having grown up in Glen Ellyn and also having done maintainance on the projection and sound systems there for a number of years it’s great to hear this theater lives on. However I’m trying to figure out just whats so grand about it. Both the Glen and the Wheaton Theaters were just plain jane big barns in their days. I grew up in Glen Ellyn and attended the DuPage, Glen, and the Wheaton theaters regularly and the Dupage was the only gem of the trio. Sadly the real gem is gone.
It’s great to hear the theater lives on but I’m trying to figure out whats so grand about it. Both the Glen and the Wheaton Theaters were just plain jane big barns in their days. I grew up in Glen Ellyn and attended the DuPage, Glen, and the Wheaton theaters regularly and the Dupage was the only gem of the trio. Sadly the real gem is gone.
I did work for Westates Theaters when I lived in Utah. It was owned by the Late Tony Rudman. I’m not sure if he ever built this drive in or not. He never mentioned having had it. But he did build a sizable Drive in in Elko, NV. I did work for them up till 2017 when Tony’s kids sold all the locations to Megaplex.
I serviced this theater up to the time it closed. The man who built Movieworks and also the Twin Cinema took it over, and they ran regular release stuff up until it closed. The entire building is made from field stone and it is quite visible in the projection room, and some areas down stairs.This theater never was converted to digita projection. Rumor has it that the Dailies for Shane were run there in 1952 while the film was in production in the area.
I serviced the Price and King Koal theaters for a long time till I retired. The Price is a cool single screen theater that’s still in good shape. It’s open and closed right now depending on film booking availability. I converted both theaters to digital projection back about 2012.
This is about as picturedsque as a drive-in gets… It is surrounded by wonderful red rock bluffs!
The book store has vacated the new building and has moved to another location in Bountiful.
I would cost several million dollars just to get the building in shape again to be able re-open it. This was one of those buildings built back when electricity was really cheap and as a result the entire building is 100% electric. That wouldn’t fly today in the world of high electric costs.
I aquired a pair of the 70mm projectors that were still in Cinedome late last year and while in there I went through the place top to bottom. There is still a huge hand painted “Empire Strikes Back” sign up stairs in the air handler room! The 60 foot wide curved screens are still both there and intact. Some of the speakers have been removed or the drivers stripped. All the seats are there as well but they are in rough shape. Much of the copper wire in the building has been striped out by vandals and the roof top air conditioning units have been completely striped by vandals. The building would have to be 100% updated and it would still not make enough money in today’s multiplex oriented world to pay it’s way. Sadly, it is now an extinct dinosaur.
Red Carpet Cimenas went bankrupt in October 09 and the theater is presently closed and has been stripped out. Cinemark Theaters has leased the property and plans on doing a full renovation. It was always a lousy theater so this will be welcomed by everyone in town!
It is back open now for almost a year. Info below…
Main Street Theatre
55 North Main Street
Beaver, UT 84713
435-438-1234
I service the projection equipment in this theater from time to time. This is a three screen movie theater and video store combination and it’s pretty well kept up. About 100 to 120 seats per room. It is operated by a man who was at ome time a projectionist in the old Salt Lake City projectionists union. All screens are stereo and the original theater as built was just two screens. A third screen was added on to the west side of the building along with offices. It is the only operating movie theater between Salt Lake City and Elko, NV, about 100 miles in each direction!
I service the projection equipment in theis theater from time to time. This is a three screen movie theater and video store combination and it’s pretty well kept up. About 100 to 120 seats per room. It is operated by a man who was at ome time a projectionist in the old Salt Lake City projectionists union. All screens are stereo and the original theater as built was just two screens. A third screen was added on to the west side of the building along with offices. It is the only operating movie theater between Salt Lake City and Elko, NV, about 100 miles in each direction!
Having grown up in Glen Ellyn and also having done maintainance on the projection and sound systems there for a number of years it’s great to hear this theater lives on. However I’m trying to figure out just whats so grand about it. Both the Glen and the Wheaton Theaters were just plain jane big barns in their days. I grew up in Glen Ellyn and attended the DuPage, Glen, and the Wheaton theaters regularly and the Dupage was the only gem of the trio. Sadly the real gem is gone.
It’s great to hear the theater lives on but I’m trying to figure out whats so grand about it. Both the Glen and the Wheaton Theaters were just plain jane big barns in their days. I grew up in Glen Ellyn and attended the DuPage, Glen, and the Wheaton theaters regularly and the Dupage was the only gem of the trio. Sadly the real gem is gone.