Glad I found this site!! Maybe I can answer a couple of questions. My father, James Eubanks, was the manager of this theatre from sometime in the 1970’s until it closed in 1982. Tron was the last movie that played there. I can remember taking down the poster from the concession stand. In fact I still have dozens of the posters from that theatre in a storage building…. Various Bruce Lee, Rocky Horror, and many of the live action Disney (Gus the Kicking Mule, Herbie, Apple Dumplin' Gang, etc.).
It was ran under two names while my father was manager…the Circle Drive In and Westview Drive In. I can’t remember the parent company’s name but I remember going with my dad to Charlotte to their home office.
The drive at Coastline and Highway 29 was named South 29 Drive In. It was owned by the same company as the Circle and showed x rated movies. I can remember going over there with my father and him making me lay down in the seat and not look up. We would always go to the office for business related things (payroll, supplies, etc). The manager of South 29 was John Vassey.
I have many great memories of Westview. We had wrestling, live bands, a flea market, carnival, and even a mock witch burning that was for some movie my parents wouldn’t let me watch. I even learned to drive a stick shift on the lot. I must’ve seen Grease and Smoky and the Bandit a hundred times. I realized a new era had started when the Westgate indoor theatre with two screens invited us to come see a movie called Star Wars a day before it opened. Thanks to this website for keeping my childhood alive!!!
My father managed this theatre up until it’s closing. It was the known as the Circle Drive in before being known as West View. I have a lot of fond memories of growing up at the drive in. Every afternoon, i would help dad open the front gates. On Saturdays we would cut the grass at the screen and pick up trash. Might sound lousy for kids today, but i had loads of fun there. If you ever remember the kid hanging out in the ticket booth or the cement picnic tables behind the concessions, that was probably me! I can recall having carnivals, wrestling, bands, and other festivities to promote the place. To my recollection, Tron was the last movie to play there. I remember the poster hanging in the concession stand as we packed up things. I watched Gus The Kicking Mule so many times I knew the whole script! I can remember all the “freaks” showing up for Rocky Horror, though I was never allowed to watch. I still have some of the old props that the home office in Charlotte would send for certain movies… A samurai sword, a real coffin, and lots of movie posters (mostly Bruce Lee). Dad has passed away now, but he really loved the theater. It was definitely a wonderful chapter in my childhood. Thanks for keeping the drive ins alive.
My father managed this theatre up until it’s closing. It was the known as the Circle Drive in before being known as West View. I have a lot of fond memories of growing up at the drive in. Every afternoon, i would help dad open the front gates. On Saturdays we would cut the grass at the screen and pick up trash. Might sound lousy for kids today, but i had loads of fun there. If you ever remember the kid hanging out in the ticket booth or the cement picnic tables behind the concessions, that was probably me! I can recall having carnivals, wrestling, bands, and other festivities to promote the place. To my recollection, Tron was the last movie to play there. I remember the poster hanging in the concession stand as we packed up things. I watched Gus The Kicking Mule so many times I knew the whole script! I can remember all the “freaks” showing up for Rocky Horror, though I was never allowed to watch. I still have some of the old props that the home office in Charlotte would send for certain movies… A samurai sword, a real coffin, and lots of movie posters (mostly Bruce Lee). Dad has passed away now, but he really loved the theater. It was definitely a wonderful chapter in my childhood. Thanks for keeping the drive ins alive.
Glad I found this site!! Maybe I can answer a couple of questions. My father, James Eubanks, was the manager of this theatre from sometime in the 1970’s until it closed in 1982. Tron was the last movie that played there. I can remember taking down the poster from the concession stand. In fact I still have dozens of the posters from that theatre in a storage building…. Various Bruce Lee, Rocky Horror, and many of the live action Disney (Gus the Kicking Mule, Herbie, Apple Dumplin' Gang, etc.).
It was ran under two names while my father was manager…the Circle Drive In and Westview Drive In. I can’t remember the parent company’s name but I remember going with my dad to Charlotte to their home office.
The drive at Coastline and Highway 29 was named South 29 Drive In. It was owned by the same company as the Circle and showed x rated movies. I can remember going over there with my father and him making me lay down in the seat and not look up. We would always go to the office for business related things (payroll, supplies, etc). The manager of South 29 was John Vassey.
I have many great memories of Westview. We had wrestling, live bands, a flea market, carnival, and even a mock witch burning that was for some movie my parents wouldn’t let me watch. I even learned to drive a stick shift on the lot. I must’ve seen Grease and Smoky and the Bandit a hundred times. I realized a new era had started when the Westgate indoor theatre with two screens invited us to come see a movie called Star Wars a day before it opened. Thanks to this website for keeping my childhood alive!!!
My father managed this theatre up until it’s closing. It was the known as the Circle Drive in before being known as West View. I have a lot of fond memories of growing up at the drive in. Every afternoon, i would help dad open the front gates. On Saturdays we would cut the grass at the screen and pick up trash. Might sound lousy for kids today, but i had loads of fun there. If you ever remember the kid hanging out in the ticket booth or the cement picnic tables behind the concessions, that was probably me! I can recall having carnivals, wrestling, bands, and other festivities to promote the place. To my recollection, Tron was the last movie to play there. I remember the poster hanging in the concession stand as we packed up things. I watched Gus The Kicking Mule so many times I knew the whole script! I can remember all the “freaks” showing up for Rocky Horror, though I was never allowed to watch. I still have some of the old props that the home office in Charlotte would send for certain movies… A samurai sword, a real coffin, and lots of movie posters (mostly Bruce Lee). Dad has passed away now, but he really loved the theater. It was definitely a wonderful chapter in my childhood. Thanks for keeping the drive ins alive.
Jimmy Eubanks
My father managed this theatre up until it’s closing. It was the known as the Circle Drive in before being known as West View. I have a lot of fond memories of growing up at the drive in. Every afternoon, i would help dad open the front gates. On Saturdays we would cut the grass at the screen and pick up trash. Might sound lousy for kids today, but i had loads of fun there. If you ever remember the kid hanging out in the ticket booth or the cement picnic tables behind the concessions, that was probably me! I can recall having carnivals, wrestling, bands, and other festivities to promote the place. To my recollection, Tron was the last movie to play there. I remember the poster hanging in the concession stand as we packed up things. I watched Gus The Kicking Mule so many times I knew the whole script! I can remember all the “freaks” showing up for Rocky Horror, though I was never allowed to watch. I still have some of the old props that the home office in Charlotte would send for certain movies… A samurai sword, a real coffin, and lots of movie posters (mostly Bruce Lee). Dad has passed away now, but he really loved the theater. It was definitely a wonderful chapter in my childhood. Thanks for keeping the drive ins alive.
Jimmy Eubanks