Circle Autoscope Drive-In
2901 Carlisle Boulevard NE,
Albuquerque,
NM
87101
2901 Carlisle Boulevard NE,
Albuquerque,
NM
87101
3 people
favorited this theater
Showing 18 comments
davidcoppock, the Grand Opening flyer in the photos here included “The most in fine food and snack bar refreshments”
Denny Pine, thanks for nailing down the Circle’s closing date. Here’s a memory of the place from the Albuquerque Tribune decades later (7/16/87):
“Even the oddball Circle Drive-In, also known as the Autoscope, is long gone. Located at 2900 Carlisle Blvd., N.E. in the early 1960s, the Circle projected movies via mirrors to a battery of 3-by-5 foot television-like screens, one in front of each car. But the Circle owners, who showed X-rated films at drive-ins in Joplin, Mo., didn’t realize the strength of Albuquerque winds. Evening breezes kept the Circle from ever working properly.”
The last ad I came across for the Circle was from The Albuquerque Journal on September 7, 1964. I just downloaded it in Photos
Did this drive-in theatre have a snack bar?
A few more notes after combing through the Albuquerque Tribune and Albuquerque Journal. Ralph Moody was the manager when it opened, but Roger G. Steiger was the manager by late September, when Life magazine took “panoramic pictures” of the Circle and its patrons. I wonder if those are around somewhere.
The Autoscope might have been a victim of a price war. The Route 25 was advertising triple features for 90c per carload, and the Circle went from 99c a carload on Sept. 28 to as low as 80c for four shows on Oct. 19.
Although its name was typically shortened to just “Circle Drive-In,” the Autoscope continued advertising in the Albuquerque Tribune and Journal through Dec. 1, 1963. On Dec. 2, the Circle’s ad was gone.
As far as I can see, newspapers ads for this drive-in ceased in September 1963, so it may have only been operating for 3 months!
Boxoffice, Jan. 21, 1963: “ALBUQUERQUE – The new Autoscope process of motion picture projection will get its first major city test here this spring if the city commission gives approval to the idea. … The proposed Autoscope Drive-In will consist of 259 individual screens, one for each parking place in the theatre. Each screen will measure 2½x4 feet. … The first screen line will be on the same level as the projection booth, about 150 feet apart. The second circle of rear-projection screens will be 74 feet behind the first and on a slight rise.”
The July 1964 issue of International Projectionist had an article with details of the workings of the system, followed by this note: “Local 423 in August (1963?) signed its first contract with the Circle Drive-In Theatre. Under terms of the one-year agreement, some concessions were made because the project is experimental. The projectionist spends an average of 15 minutes per day checking the mirrors for alignment.”
An aerial photo taken Sept. 20, 1967 shows the mobile home park already fully developed. The Circle Autoscope didn’t last long at all!
Opened with “Mr Hobbs takes a vacation” and “Sergeants 3”. 260 cars. closed in(1965?) Date of demolition unknown? Site became a gardening suply company(for which a metal sign still stands). Site is now Carlisle Plaza Senior Mobile Home Park. There might still be the entrance and exit ramps and some sign mounts for the marquee and some short red, white and blue posts that separate the lot from the frontages on Carlisle and Claremont.
Boom tisch!!
Wow, if each of the 259 cars really did have its own individual screen then this listing should read “259 screens” (though the drop down menu for screens on the new theater listing submissions page does not allow for more than 35).
Ha, the circular arrangement in the photo makes me wonder if this is the pad where the aliens had intended to land before they ended up crashing near Roswell. :)
The picture above says 259 screens, not 1 screen.
No, 2901 Carlisle NE IS the correct address. This drive-in theater was located where the “Carlisle Plaza Senior Mobile Home Park” is now located. This is about two blocks north of the Walmart Supercenter closer to Candelaria.
Why re all the autoscopes listed as 1 Screen?
Check out this website with some pictures Of the Tri-Circle Autoscope Drive-In in washington, which is on CT, just search for Tri-Circle. They are awesome http://www.film-tech.com/ubbpics/ubb672.html
This opened on June 19th, 1963. Grand opening ad uploaded here.
There is a picture, posted on the theater’s page at Drive-ins.com, that may the same one Mike is referring to:
http://www.drive-ins.com/pictures/nmtcirc006.jpg
thanks Dave, saw a picture in BOXOFFICE,years ago.