Twinkle Star Drive-In
Charlotte Road and Old Winter Haven Road,
Auburndale,
FL
33823
Charlotte Road and Old Winter Haven Road,
Auburndale,
FL
33823
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The Twinkle Star Drive-In was opened around 1953. It catered specifically for an African-American audience, and was operated by Talgar Theatres. It was closed in 1962.
Contributed by
Andy
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Recent comments (view all 13 comments)
Here is a 1957 aerial photo of the drive-in, courtesy of Earth Explorer and USGS.
Great! 3084 US 92.
It parked 190 cars and was owned by Talgar theatre co,Out of Lakeland. Flordia.B.B.Garner,president,Mamie Newman was the booker.
I’ve confirmed with Judy Crews, a lady who has worked in drive-in theatres since 1958, that the Twinkle Star was indeed on the corner of 92 & Dairy Road. She said it’s still a vacant lot, and the ramps are still visable.
Approx. location for this drive-in was just north of Charlotte Rd & Old Winter Haven Rd. Dairy is north of Hwy 92, drive-in was SE of the highway.
Interesting name!!
If you go to this intersection on google earth, you can indeed still make out the ramps in the terrain.
Boxoffice, Oct. 10. 1953: “AUBURNDALE, FLA. - D. C. Laird has sold the Twinkle Star Drive-In here. The new owner, Talgar Theatres, has taken over operation of the airer.”
Closed In 1962.
Nothing had been constructed on the property in a 1952 aerial. So it most likely didn’t open until 1953 at the earliest.
The 1957 aerial is most interesting as the projection booth seems to have been on the back of the lot. That is quite a throw for a projector, which is normally much closer to the screen.
The entrance/exit behind the screen is now obliterated as HWY92 was expanded over that part of the property. The entrance off Charlotte Street is also totally gone. I’m not sure which entrance was the main one since the details in the aerial aerial are difficult to see.
Today, there are only parch marks of a partial outline and the ramps. It remains an open field.