El Capitan Drive-In

1900 E. 5th Street,
Metropolis, IL 62960

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MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore on April 7, 2021 at 9:08 pm

This must have been when the El Capitan added the 520 seats, but I wonder what enclosing a whole ramp looked like.

The Exhibitor, Oct. 8, 1952: “In Metropolis, Ill., Eddie Clark plans enclosing one ramp at his El Capitan Drive-In to provide space for some 500 seats for persons.”

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore on June 23, 2019 at 6:12 pm

“The El Capitan Drive-In at Metropolis re-opened July 11. Its screen tower was wrecked in a tornado on June 13. The new screen tower is of concrete block construction and designed to withstand a wind of 120 miles an hour.” —BoxOffice, Aug. 8, 1953

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore on June 13, 2019 at 1:02 pm

From the Aug. 13, 1949 issue of BoxOffice:

METROPOLIS, ILL. – The 600-car El Capitan Drive-In Theatre on Route 45 one mile west of here has been sold by Russell Baker to Malco Theatres of Memphis, Tenn., headed by M. A. Lightman. The drive-in was opened last April. Its acquisition marks the entry of the Malco Theatres into the St. Louis film trade territory.

jwmovies
jwmovies on September 28, 2012 at 7:51 pm

Approx. address for this drive-in was 1900 E. 5th St.

Drive-In 54
Drive-In 54 on June 9, 2012 at 6:46 pm

2012 Goggle View. You can still see the car ramps yet.

rivest266
rivest266 on June 9, 2012 at 5:22 pm

1952 aerial photo added to this page. it was on E. 5th and Bullock Lane.