Oak Drive-In
2916 Normandy Road,
Royal Oak,
MI
48073
2916 Normandy Road,
Royal Oak,
MI
48073
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The Oak Drive-In was opened October 19, 1949 with Frank Sinatra in “Take Me Out to the Ball Game”. Although it was tucked back a few blocks from Woodward Avenue, there was a marquee on top of a store on the east side of Woodward Avenue which allowed passer-bys to see what movie(s) was playing. It was closed on October 27, 1980 with Chevy Chase in “Caddyshack” & Ron Liebman in “Up the Academy”.
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Brian74
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Here is the current linkto the Oak at Winterwonderland.
Opened October 18, 1949 with “Take Me Out to the Ballgame. The ozoner was by Joseph Miskinis and Alden Smith. The theater drew so many to its 1,000 plus lot that a Manley Stadium Popcorn popper was purchased and the corn popped in the afternoon to better handle hungry patrons. Because it was two blocks from busy Woodward Avenue, two attraction signs were constructed. The first was in front of the theater on Normandy Road and the other on Woodward announcing features with a permanent sign indicating that the drive-in was two short blocks away. One of many drive-in theatres advertising the “World’s Largest Screen” and at 35,000 square feet, it was no slouch.
October 19th, 1949 grand opening ad in photo section.
Late `50s photo added. Oak Drive-In Theater sign above the Big Boy roof line.
Undated aerial photo added credit 13 & Woodward facebook page.
Boxoffice, April 15, 1974: “Officials of the Oak Drive-In in Royal Oak, Mich., a suburb of Detroit, were overwhelmed at the response to their early bird 7 a.m. showing recently. Even with a temperature of 11 degrees and heavy snowdrifts, it was reported that very few cars left before the movie was over … The owner of the drive-in, A. W. Smith, expressed the hope that none of the 350 cars that had to be turned away would hold any ill will … Smith was protesting DST, which he feels most drive-in managers oppose.”
Closed after the 1980 season. It appears that the theater made its final advertisement either on or around October 27, 1980 with “Caddyshack” and “Up The Academy”.