Del Drive-In
5000 SE 29th Street,
Del City,
OK
73101
5000 SE 29th Street,
Del City,
OK
73101
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MichealKilgore,
The Bee-Gee drive in was called that for the guys who built it. Brewer and . . I’ll let you supply the other name.
It was bought out by Robert Lewis Barton and eventually closed, which roughly coincided with the opening of the Sooner Twin which was East of Sooner Road. (The Bee-Gee was one the West side of Sooner Rd.) They were NOT the same theatre.
Also, I would offer to supply the opening advert for the Bee-Gee, but you have to do a bit more research to find out which paper it was published in…and it was not the Daily Oklahoman.
But hey, I will publish part of the articles of incorporation of the theatre under the name Del Drive in. . With R.L. Barton’s signature in the photo section.
Boxoffice, Aug. 16, 1952: “The Del City Drive-In, owned by R. Lewis Barton, was the scene of an explosion which is still a mystery to Midwest City police. A homemade booby trap exploded under a young navy veteran’s car at the ozoner. No indications were found that the act of planting the trap was aimed specifically at either Albert Hubbard, the victim, or the management. Hubbard reported that the "thing” exploded when his car hit it as he was driving toward a parking place. Cardboard and string fragments salvaged by the victims were sent to FBI laboratories in Washington for analysis."
Ownership note in the June 13, 1953 issue of Boxoffice: “Del Drive-In Theatre, Inc., has filed notice of dissolution of charter of incorporation with the secretary of state.”
The Bee Gee Auto Theatre (sometimes Bee-Gee) advertised in the Daily Oklahoman through at least August 1948. The first Del Drive-In ad I could find was April 1949. The Del ads continued through 1959.
I could find no references to this drive-in ever being called the Sooner. After the Del closed, another drive-in opened east of it, and that drive-in was called the Twin, then the Sooner Twin.
Sounds like this drive-in is no longer staying alive!?
May 8th, 1948 grand opening ad in photo section.
Cool.
This link has a lot of facts about the old Bee Gee,
View link