65 Drive-In
740 S Harkrider Street,
Conway,
AR
72032
740 S Harkrider Street,
Conway,
AR
72032
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Additional Info
Previously operated by: Rowley United Theatres Inc., United Artists Theater Circuit Inc.
Nearby Theaters
The 65 Drive-In was located on the south side of Conway and sat on the east side of Highway 65. It was opened on March 29, 1951 with Joel McCrea in “Outriders”. It was operated by C.J. Collier.
The 65 Drive-In was owned by UA Theaters at one point, lasting until at least the early-1980’s. It was closed on September 1, 1985 screening adult movies. The day before closing its final regular movies were Eddie Murphy in “Beverley Hills Cop” & Nick Nolte in “48 Hours”. It was later demolished.
Today, the property is the site of an industrial park with no trace of the drive-in remaining.
Contributed by
Ken McElhaney
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Recent comments (view all 7 comments)
Boxoffice, Dec. 17, 1955: “W. B. Sockwell of United Theatres, new owners of the 65 Drive-In, Conway, Ark., will book and buy in Memphis”
Opened on March 29, 1951 with Joel McCrea in “Outriders.”
Closed after the 1985 season.
Closed September 1st, 1985.
65 Drive-In closing 12 Sep 1985, Thu The Log Cabin Democrat (Conway, Arkansas) Newspapers.com
Actual closing date is September 1, 1985 with a one-day sexploitation show (which is a very stupid decision to close a drive-in), but its final normal show was one day prior on August 31, 1985 with “Beverly Hills Cop” and “48 Hours”.
Rowley United took the theater over in April 1964.
The 65 Drive-In was my first job as a theatre manager. I went to work for United Artists Theatre Circuit in May of 1969. Worked there as a relief doorman, relief projectionist, concessionaire, Boxoffice cashier, janitor and changed the marquee. After Clarence Hobbs became manager in early 1970 (taking over for Joe Brown, who retired), I was made the relief of “swing” manager, working nights off for the two managers of the Conway Theatre and the 65 Drive-In. When the UA Cinema 1 & 2 opened in February of 1973, I became a full-time manager of the 65 Drive-In Theatre. When Alton Robertson left to manage the UA theatre (the UA Minitek) in Fort Smith, Arkansas, I became the manager of the UA Cinema. When Clarence Hobbs (UA’s city manager) was promoted to the position of District Manager, I became city manager of the UA theatres in Conway. The 65 Drive-In was a cool property to manage. Like many drive-ins, it lost popularity and the property as worth more for other purposes than as a theatre operation. The Conway Corporation bought it and so now the 65 Drive-In is just a memory for us.