Prince Drive-In
4244 E. Wilshire Avenue,
Coolidge,
AZ
85128
4244 E. Wilshire Avenue,
Coolidge,
AZ
85128
1 person
favorited this theater
The Prince Drive-In was opened prior to 1955 when it was operated by L.F. Long and Jones Entertainments of Los Angeles. The drive-in had closed by 1980 and had been demolished. The site is used as the Coolidge Swap Meet.
Contributed by
James Monroe
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Recent comments (view all 6 comments)
We are seeking any pics of The Prince Drive-In. No one here in Coolidge has been able to get any for our history collection.
A house sits where the concession stand/projector booth once stood.
A 1963 aerial shows the drive-in intact and apparently operational. But a 1980 aerial shows the drive-in demolished with the screen and projection booth/concession stand gone.
Boxoffice, Nov. 24, 1951: “Long Enterprises has started construction work on three other Arizona drive-ins and also anticipates a December opening for this trio of outdoorers. The theatres are being built on the outskirts of Casa Grande, Coolidge and Eloy.”
Boxoffice, March 29, 1952: “COOLIDGE, ARIZ. – Roy Tharrington has been appointed manager of the new 440-car Prince Drive-In, just opened here by the Louis Long circuit. Constructed at the cost of $65,000, the ozoner is equipped with Altec sound and Century projection equipment.”
A slightly closer address is 4344 E Wilshire Ave, Coolidge, AZ.
Google Maps has updated their addresses and this puts it right where the projection booth use to be.
There is no trace of the drive-in remaining.
https://tinyurl.com/mpu6k3s2
Screen appears to be removed during the early-1980s.
Boxoffice, March 15, 1952: “Newest link in the expanding chain of Long Enterprises in Arizona is the Prince Drive-In, which opened here recently. The outdoorer is built on a ten-acre site one mile south of Coolidge and was constructed at a cost of $65,000. Capacity is 440 cars. The Prince is equipped with Altec sound and Century projection units and is managed by Roy Tharrington, who is also in charge of the other Long theatres in the Coolidge area.”