Sky Hi Drive-In
800 Shoshone Avenue,
Gillette,
WY
82718
800 Shoshone Avenue,
Gillette,
WY
82718
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The Sky-Hi Drive-In Theater opened on June 27, 1963 with a free screening of “Alias Jesse James” starring Bob Hope and Rhonda Fleming. That’s from an email from Robert Henning, director of the Campbell County Rockpile Museum. (Thanks!)
There was another drive-in, the Sunset, that operated from late July 1955 through at least 1957, based on that anecdote about the deer.
I’ll post this here, even though I can’t find any other evidence that Gillette had a drive-in in the 1950s.
Boxoffice, Oct. 5, 1957: “GILLETTE, Wyo. – A couple of deer actually stopped the show at the local drive-in theatre recently. A buck and doe deer retreated to the drive-in, where they stood in front of the screen, blocking the film. The projectionist finally had to turn off the machines, while patrons chased the deer away so the show could continue.”
Here’s when the Sky Hi got its second screen, also capacity 275?
Boxoffice, Dec. 13, 1976: “William Semple and Leonard Steele have started construction on a twin addition to the Sky Hi Drive-In, Gillette, Wyo. The new ozoner will have a 275-car capacity. The twin drive-in brings the total number of screens in Gillette to five.”