Rustic Starlite Drive-In
1406 E. Fayette Avenue,
Teutopolis,
IL
62467
1406 E. Fayette Avenue,
Teutopolis,
IL
62467
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Opened on 2nd June 1950 with “Little Shepherd of Kingdom Come”, “Two rode together” and “The Devil’s partner”.
Opened as Frisina Drive-in on 18th May 1950 with “Pirates of Monterey”.
This opened as the Frisina Drive-In on May 18th, 1950, and renamed the Rustic Starlight Drive-In on June 2nd, 1950. Last season: 1985
Boxoffice, June 23, 1958: “EFFINGHAM, ILL. – The screen tower of the Rustic Starlite Drive-In on U. S. 40 one mile east of here was blown down in a tornado that hit this area the night of June 10. The drive-in will be closed at least until the latter part of this month.”
The Herald and Review of Decatur IL ran a lengthy article on Feb. 27, 1982, profiling the Rustic and its owner, Mike Stephens. It said the Rustic was opened “about 1949” by the Frisina chain, which sold it to Stephens and his wife in late 1980.
“The Rustic was opened quickly, and gravel had to be added later to its parking lot. ‘They had quite a bit of trouble getting the land to settle,’ Stephens recalls, and several customers' automobiles got stuck the first week and had to be pulled out.”
A more accurate address for this theater is now 1406 E Fayette Ave, Teutopolis, IL 62467. This points directly to the drive in itself. Most ramps and structures are still there.
Please update.
The drive in sign seen above is on our corporate campus, 2 miles north of Effingham on N Rt 45 at Mid America Motorworks. Web addy is www.mamotorworks.com for directions.
From Boxoffice magazine, May 1950:
EFFINGHAM, ILL.-The 750-car drive-in being constructed for Frisina Amusement Co. of Springfield, Ill. on Highway 40 about one mile east of the city limits will be opened early in June.