54 Drive-In
7801 E. Kellogg Avenue,
Wichita,
KS
67207
7801 E. Kellogg Avenue,
Wichita,
KS
67207
2 people
favorited this theater
O.F. Sullivan opened the 54 Drive-In on September 4, 1947. He also owned and operated a number of additional theaters in Wichita, Kansas and Oklahoma City.
The 54 Drive-In was permanently closed down in the 1970’s and demolished in January 1973.
Contributed by
Billy Holcomb / Billy Smith / Don Lewis
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Recent comments (view all 11 comments)
A view from 1950 of the 54 Drive-In Theatre in Wichita Kansas.
This site has a sharp night veiw of the 54 Drive-In,
View link
IT PARKED 650 CARS .
1952 Night shot of the marquee. May be the same shot no longer valid on May 24, 2009 post above.
View link
I lived behind it as a kid on Gilbert Street. Used to watch movies from my bedroom window, and went there more than a few times with my family. It was closed and torn down sometime in the early 1970s to make room for the East Side National Bank building and the Hilton hotel.
My future wife and I went to the 54 Drive In many times in high school and college. The only problem was that the B-52 bombers from McConnel AFB coming back from missions flew over the theater and drowned out the sound for as long as 30 minutes at a time.
The 54 Drive-In opened on September 4, 1947. It’s first showing was “The Yearling” starring Gregory Peck.
For more memories of the 54 Drive In, see: “I Used to Drag Douglas”
The above address is incorrect. This drive-in was located further east at 7801 E Kellogg Drive Wichita KS 67207. It is now Holiday Inn across Hwy 54 from the mall.
A three-page story about Merta and Truman Slothower in the July 4, 1960 issue of Boxoffice included: “The 54 and 81 drive-in theatres were acquired in 1956 from Nu-Vue Theatres of Kansas City.”