There’s a lot I could say about this theater that was for about 14 years, my home away from home. I lived on the West side down 171st street, at the corner of 34th Ave. My family moved to Carol City at the very beginning of having been established as a community. In a symbolic way, the North Dade Drive-In and I started out together. What I’ve always remembered about the North Dade Drive-In were two individuals who helped run the theater. The first was the gray-haired, rather distinguished looking manger, always dressed in what looked like a tuxedo. The old-man managed the theater until he suffered a heart-attack and then was replaced. Second, and perhaps the most popular was the blonde curly haired lady at the snack-counter by the name of “Bonnie.” During the many years she worked behind the counter, either passing out drinks, food or at the register, she would become a remarkably recognizable figure, so strongly associated to the drive-in.
Like it is with any neighborhood theater, going to the drive-in was a weekly ritual. If not with my family, we’d go every Saturday night with other neighbors, pouring ourselves into the back crowded seat of a station wagon or even a neighbor’s truck! It was always an exciting time, come Saturday night, meeting up with other friends, who were also making it a weekend routine to see a movie at North Dade Drive-In. It’s always been interesting to me that while growing up and going to the theater, I also learned or was exposed to various aspects of life. The drive-in and whatever movie was showing was as much a learning experience as it was being at home in front of our little black and white television set or those times at school. North Dade Drive-In was a place that allowed all of us growing up in Carol City, a window to view the outside world on a grand scale. It was a world that for all intended purposes was mostly “make-believe” and was basically an escape all of us sought, looking forward to this refuge the drive-in offer us.
Perhaps the biggest of all exciting times at North Dade Drive-In was the annual 4th of July fireworks display. This event turned out to be for many kids who lived in Carol City and the adjoining communities, the very first time we saw a real pyrotechnics presentation. I remember the combustible devices, place at the bottom front of the big screen, being lit one by one, flying fast and high into the night sky, lighting up the big screen in reflective colors. I imagine the homes around the theater enjoyed the fireworks, as did people many outside the perimeter of theater, in park cars who freely watched as the night sky colorfully lit up that area of 27th Avenue.
What a wonderful time those long ago nights were for us growing up in a community that was pretty much a rather forgotten, if not, out of the way corner of Dade County. Yet, the glory or supposed dominance of the North Dade Drive-In for the area was in some ways closely shadowed that year of 1956, when North Dade opened for business, after the eariler opening of the grand and even bigger Golden Glades Twin drive-in. What made this situation of the Golden Glades Twin significant for my family was being only two blocks from where we lived. With two big screens and close access, naturally this brought on some decision making and debates among the neighbors on where to go for that Saturday night. What gave the twin drive-in an advantage from the perspective of the kids was its playground facilities that the North Dade didn’t have.
Another wonderful occurrence to remember about North Dade Drive-in was a few of those traveling carnival magic shows and the occasional “Ghost-Horror Show” hired as an extra attraction. The most memorable of these shows that were part of the promotional publicity for a film was the one that included the classic horror movie “Black Sunday.” This was about the only time the drive-in would be filled to capacity having to turn away automobiles and then simply allowing people to walk-in. These traveling shows certainly succeeded in giving the neighborhood excitement and something to talk about at school with friends after the weekend romp.
Of all the films that I can remember having seen at North Dade, perhaps the most memorable experience was the big Paramount Pictures musical version of “Li’l Abner.” What made this showing at the drive-in so special was a rare, Wometco Enterprise “first run” of a major motion picture at one of their local drive-in theaters! Instead of having to drive down-town to see the movie in the air-condition comfort of a big theater, we received the opportunity to have the movie smack-dab, right in our own neighborhood! Interestingly, about a month later, when the film went into general release, “Li’l Abner” showed up at Golden Glades Twin and most everybody I knew went again to see the movie. There had to be this competitive spirit between both Golden Glades and North Dade being so close to each other.
My life in Carol City wouldn’t have been so fruitful and splendid had it not been for those delightful nights I spent with family and friends at North Dade Drive-In. Yet, on a sad note, one of my childhood friends that I went to the drive-in with passed away recently. One of the first things I thought about in association to the passing away of my friend was this drive-in that for me has come to represent numerously special, admirable memories that I experienced growing up. It might sound a bit melodramatic or archaic, but that Drive-In was in so many ways a part of my life and a second, beloved home that offered me at times a magical atmosphere beyond all of life’s simple and chaotic phases. I consider myself lucky to have had the place a part of me and will remain so until the day I leave this earth.
As a child growing up in South Florida during the 1950s, I frequented The Center Theater. It was right around the corner from where my grandparents lived. On weekends, when we’d go over to see them in the morning, by the afternoon, we might managed to go over to The Center and see a movie. Usually, most of the films were B-Movies. The bulk of films shown were low budget. Occasionally, a major film only made it to the theater out on general release. On Saturday mornings, the theater offered the usual “Kiddies Matinee†that consisted mostly of Looney tunes and then some old comedy film, like “Abbott & Costello†or a “Three Stooges†marathon. My older cousins always went to The Center to see the horror and Sci-Fi films. The three most popular ever shown at the theater over an extended period of repeated showings were “The Blob,†“House on Haunted Hill†and the most popular repeat of them all, “Attack of The 50 Foot Woman.†If anything might be said about the old Center Theater was that it introduced me to some of the best in what is now considered cult films. Some of which scared the heck out of me. One I’ll always remember going to see with my cousins was “The Return of Dracula.†What got me so hyped up was all the screaming and excitement created by the audience. I was only seven years old at the time and I guess at that age you’re very impressionable. Perhaps the strangest of all things to remember about the little Center Theater was that the building was painted a stark bright pink!
There were also a series of major films, out on general release that I would see a second time at The Center Theater. Most notable was the Bob Hope comedy “That Certain Feeling,†that I had previously seen at The Miami Theater on Flagler street in widescreen. Then, another I remember well was the historic drama, “Far Horizons.†But, perhaps my fondest of all memories of going to see movies at The Center was when there was a tremendous “double bill†of the two big war films, “Run Silent, Run Deep†and “The Enemy Below.†This was the first time I ever saw the theater packed to the hilt. Then, adding even more intrigue to the situation was when the two films were over, we got outside to see a line of new patrons already formed all the way around the building, standing out there in the heat waiting to see the next showing! The theater manager had to ask people to please leave and not sit through a second showing. After all these years, I’ve come to understand that what made the little theater so special was that it was the only one severing the community of “Edison†and the vicinity of where “Shell’s Super Store†was located on 7th Avenue. After a movie, we would then walk several blocks down to a “Dairy Queen†and have some ice cream. Aside from the little Center Theater, I managed over the years to experience just about every indoor theater of Dade County, including the lavish theaters of Miami Beach and every single drive in theater! It’s an accomplishment I’m very proud of having done during the time of my growing up in South Florida! Of course, in those days there was a magic to going to the movies. Not like today, where you just show up and pretty much can predict what’s going to happen.
There’s a lot I could say about this theater that was for about 14 years, my home away from home. I lived on the West side down 171st street, at the corner of 34th Ave. My family moved to Carol City at the very beginning of having been established as a community. In a symbolic way, the North Dade Drive-In and I started out together. What I’ve always remembered about the North Dade Drive-In were two individuals who helped run the theater. The first was the gray-haired, rather distinguished looking manger, always dressed in what looked like a tuxedo. The old-man managed the theater until he suffered a heart-attack and then was replaced. Second, and perhaps the most popular was the blonde curly haired lady at the snack-counter by the name of “Bonnie.” During the many years she worked behind the counter, either passing out drinks, food or at the register, she would become a remarkably recognizable figure, so strongly associated to the drive-in.
Like it is with any neighborhood theater, going to the drive-in was a weekly ritual. If not with my family, we’d go every Saturday night with other neighbors, pouring ourselves into the back crowded seat of a station wagon or even a neighbor’s truck! It was always an exciting time, come Saturday night, meeting up with other friends, who were also making it a weekend routine to see a movie at North Dade Drive-In. It’s always been interesting to me that while growing up and going to the theater, I also learned or was exposed to various aspects of life. The drive-in and whatever movie was showing was as much a learning experience as it was being at home in front of our little black and white television set or those times at school. North Dade Drive-In was a place that allowed all of us growing up in Carol City, a window to view the outside world on a grand scale. It was a world that for all intended purposes was mostly “make-believe” and was basically an escape all of us sought, looking forward to this refuge the drive-in offer us.
Perhaps the biggest of all exciting times at North Dade Drive-In was the annual 4th of July fireworks display. This event turned out to be for many kids who lived in Carol City and the adjoining communities, the very first time we saw a real pyrotechnics presentation. I remember the combustible devices, place at the bottom front of the big screen, being lit one by one, flying fast and high into the night sky, lighting up the big screen in reflective colors. I imagine the homes around the theater enjoyed the fireworks, as did people many outside the perimeter of theater, in park cars who freely watched as the night sky colorfully lit up that area of 27th Avenue.
What a wonderful time those long ago nights were for us growing up in a community that was pretty much a rather forgotten, if not, out of the way corner of Dade County. Yet, the glory or supposed dominance of the North Dade Drive-In for the area was in some ways closely shadowed that year of 1956, when North Dade opened for business, after the eariler opening of the grand and even bigger Golden Glades Twin drive-in. What made this situation of the Golden Glades Twin significant for my family was being only two blocks from where we lived. With two big screens and close access, naturally this brought on some decision making and debates among the neighbors on where to go for that Saturday night. What gave the twin drive-in an advantage from the perspective of the kids was its playground facilities that the North Dade didn’t have.
Another wonderful occurrence to remember about North Dade Drive-in was a few of those traveling carnival magic shows and the occasional “Ghost-Horror Show” hired as an extra attraction. The most memorable of these shows that were part of the promotional publicity for a film was the one that included the classic horror movie “Black Sunday.” This was about the only time the drive-in would be filled to capacity having to turn away automobiles and then simply allowing people to walk-in. These traveling shows certainly succeeded in giving the neighborhood excitement and something to talk about at school with friends after the weekend romp.
Of all the films that I can remember having seen at North Dade, perhaps the most memorable experience was the big Paramount Pictures musical version of “Li’l Abner.” What made this showing at the drive-in so special was a rare, Wometco Enterprise “first run” of a major motion picture at one of their local drive-in theaters! Instead of having to drive down-town to see the movie in the air-condition comfort of a big theater, we received the opportunity to have the movie smack-dab, right in our own neighborhood! Interestingly, about a month later, when the film went into general release, “Li’l Abner” showed up at Golden Glades Twin and most everybody I knew went again to see the movie. There had to be this competitive spirit between both Golden Glades and North Dade being so close to each other.
My life in Carol City wouldn’t have been so fruitful and splendid had it not been for those delightful nights I spent with family and friends at North Dade Drive-In. Yet, on a sad note, one of my childhood friends that I went to the drive-in with passed away recently. One of the first things I thought about in association to the passing away of my friend was this drive-in that for me has come to represent numerously special, admirable memories that I experienced growing up. It might sound a bit melodramatic or archaic, but that Drive-In was in so many ways a part of my life and a second, beloved home that offered me at times a magical atmosphere beyond all of life’s simple and chaotic phases. I consider myself lucky to have had the place a part of me and will remain so until the day I leave this earth.
As a child growing up in South Florida during the 1950s, I frequented The Center Theater. It was right around the corner from where my grandparents lived. On weekends, when we’d go over to see them in the morning, by the afternoon, we might managed to go over to The Center and see a movie. Usually, most of the films were B-Movies. The bulk of films shown were low budget. Occasionally, a major film only made it to the theater out on general release. On Saturday mornings, the theater offered the usual “Kiddies Matinee†that consisted mostly of Looney tunes and then some old comedy film, like “Abbott & Costello†or a “Three Stooges†marathon. My older cousins always went to The Center to see the horror and Sci-Fi films. The three most popular ever shown at the theater over an extended period of repeated showings were “The Blob,†“House on Haunted Hill†and the most popular repeat of them all, “Attack of The 50 Foot Woman.†If anything might be said about the old Center Theater was that it introduced me to some of the best in what is now considered cult films. Some of which scared the heck out of me. One I’ll always remember going to see with my cousins was “The Return of Dracula.†What got me so hyped up was all the screaming and excitement created by the audience. I was only seven years old at the time and I guess at that age you’re very impressionable. Perhaps the strangest of all things to remember about the little Center Theater was that the building was painted a stark bright pink!
There were also a series of major films, out on general release that I would see a second time at The Center Theater. Most notable was the Bob Hope comedy “That Certain Feeling,†that I had previously seen at The Miami Theater on Flagler street in widescreen. Then, another I remember well was the historic drama, “Far Horizons.†But, perhaps my fondest of all memories of going to see movies at The Center was when there was a tremendous “double bill†of the two big war films, “Run Silent, Run Deep†and “The Enemy Below.†This was the first time I ever saw the theater packed to the hilt. Then, adding even more intrigue to the situation was when the two films were over, we got outside to see a line of new patrons already formed all the way around the building, standing out there in the heat waiting to see the next showing! The theater manager had to ask people to please leave and not sit through a second showing. After all these years, I’ve come to understand that what made the little theater so special was that it was the only one severing the community of “Edison†and the vicinity of where “Shell’s Super Store†was located on 7th Avenue. After a movie, we would then walk several blocks down to a “Dairy Queen†and have some ice cream. Aside from the little Center Theater, I managed over the years to experience just about every indoor theater of Dade County, including the lavish theaters of Miami Beach and every single drive in theater! It’s an accomplishment I’m very proud of having done during the time of my growing up in South Florida! Of course, in those days there was a magic to going to the movies. Not like today, where you just show up and pretty much can predict what’s going to happen.