Belford Drive-In
8301 E. State Street,
Rockford,
IL
61108
8301 E. State Street,
Rockford,
IL
61108
5 people
favorited this theater
The Belford Drive-In, a twin when it opened on December 23, 1965, it had an outdoor screen and an indoor screen. Opening movies on both screens were the animated feature “Pinnochio in Outer Space” & Elvis Presley in “Harum Scarum”. It was expanded to four screens and finally became a six screen theatre that was operated by Kerasotes Theatres.
It was closed on September 17, 1995 and Kerasotes ended up having this popular drive-in demolished and replaced with the ShowPlace 16 megaplex (it has its own page on Cinema Treasures).
Contributed by
Bryan
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Recent comments (view all 10 comments)
I kinda remember visiting this theater when I was younger, sometime in the early ‘90s. But, I’m pretty sure there was also several other screens inside as well. The new theater that took its place, the ShowPlace, is a huge place and is interesting to look at now.
Ah yes, the good times at the Belford. Some of the older people still even call Showplace 16 the Belford. That was a great theatre and should have kept it. Drive-ins are few are far these days. The last movie I remember seeing there was Kevin Costner’s Waterworld. I still even remember the old entrance. I wish I had a photo of the theatre!
This opened on December 23rd, 1965 with one outdoor and one indoor screen by Kerasotes. I have included the grand opening ad, aerials from 1970 and 1975. The ShowPlace opened on the site in 1997.
1994 marquee photo added, credit RockfordReminisce.com Facebook page.
I remember reading about this place on the movie listings page of the Rockford newspaper. But it was far away from where I lived in Winnebago, so I seldom went there. The only times that I considered coming to the Belford was when a show was sold out every place else.
Closed on September 17, 1995.
Showplace 16 has its own page
Now AMC Rockford 16 with IMAX.
Please update.
Opened with “Pinocchio In Outer Space” and “Harum Scarum” on both the indoor and drive-in screens.
FIRST: Star Trek 3 (1984) – atop parents automobile roof, could actually glimpse Once Upon a Time in America projecting nearby
Re-FIRST [á la relocating back to Rockford]: Planes, Trains and Automobiles (1987) + Throw Momma from the Train [actually, TMFTT was pole-position feature, if barely memorable]
LAST: Pulp Fiction (1994)
Belford (indoor) was also area’s best [first?] second-run movie house; .99¢ admissions. North Towne Mall/cinema was eventually reigning dollar theater [albeit, for $1.50]