Stone Drive-In
801 Theatre Lane,
Mountain View,
AR
72560
801 Theatre Lane,
Mountain View,
AR
72560
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Hmm, so Thompson closed the downtown Stone Theatre right at the same time the Stone Drive-In began its operation? I don’t know why, but did someone had a chance to reopen the Stone Theatre later on or did it close for the final time?
Be careful what you wish for. I count the Gem, Lee, Evans/Dixie, Stone, and Mountain View theaters in town. (And for every clip here, there were three more noting that actor Dick Powell was born in Mountain View, Ark.)
Moving Picture World, Sept. 24, 1927: “M. E. Hixon has sold the Gem, Mountain View, Ark., to Sherber Brown.”
Boxoffice, June 24, 1939: (quoting Mrs. Margaret F. Harkey, widow of the late John Harkey, owner of the Ozark Amusement Co.) “In April, 1935, we opened our first film house at Mountain View, Ark. We used Simplex portables and a fireproof portable booth. Every attempt was made to produce a first-class performance. After financing this project, which ran into several hundred dollars, we found ourselves virtually broke. We were totally unknown in this territory and had opened our first show with a reserve of $4.35!”
Motion Picture Daily, Oct. 27, 1939: “Mountain View, Ark, Oct. 26. — Walter Lee of Batesville has opened the Lee here, seating 247.”
Variety, Nov. 8, 1939: “Mountain View, Ark.: Nov. 7. Walter Lee, of Batesville, has opened the Lee theatre here. House has 246 seats. Lee also operates the Gem, Heber Springs.”
Film Daily Year Book, 1940: “Mt. View, Lee … 300”
Boxoffice, Feb. 15, 1941: “W. R. Lee, who for the past couple of years has operated the Lee at Mt. View, Ark., and the Gem at Heber Springs, advised that effective February 15, he was selling his house in Mt. View to M. H. Evans.”
Showman’s Trade Review, April 6, 1946: “C. E. McLendon, husband of Mrs. C. E. McLendon, Dixie Theatre manager, Mountain View, Ark., is recovering from an operation at Batesville, Ark.”
Boxoffice, June 28, 1947: “MOUNTAIN VIEW, ARK.— The Evans Theatre here has been renamed the Dixie.”
Boxoffice, Sept. 13, 1947: “MOUNTAIN VIEW, ARK.— Two new theatres are under construction here. Both will have approximately 500 seats. One is being built by a local man, T. T. Foster, who, in his building is including a bakery, and the other is being erected by the Southern Theatre Construction Co. The theatre here owned by McClendon & Decker burned. They were unable to find a suitable site and have been operating in the courthouse.”
Motion Picture Herald, Oct. 18, 1947: “The Southern Theatre Construction Company is building a new theatre to seat 500 at West Mountain View, Ark., W. W. Latham, vice-president, has announced. The theatre will be named the Stone.”
Film Daily, Nov. 28, 1947: “Altec Lansing’s ‘Voice of the Theater’ loudspeaker systems have been purchased by the following theaters: … Stone, Mountain View, Ark.”
Film Daily, Dec. 5, 1947: “The new Mountain View Theater in Mountain View, Ark., is built entirely of native stone with decorative murals inside.”
Motion Picture Herald, Dec. 13, 1947: “R. N. James has opened his newly built stone theatre at Mountain View, Ark. It seats 500, has an interior decorated in wine, gold and blue with murals painted by George Stevens of Marcella.”
Motion Picture Herald, Jan. 17, 1948: “ Mid-south exhibitors visiting on (Memphis) Film Row included : Mrs. T. T. Foster, who has just opened the new Uptown theatre, Mountain View, Ark.”
Film Daily Year Book, 1950: “Mountainview (sic), Stone … 500” Boxoffice, March 18, 1963: “Gene Thompson has leased the Stone Theatre, Mountain View, Ark., and has closed the Uptown Theatre in the same town.”
Motion Picture Exhibitor, Aug. 10, 1966: “Gene Thompson, Mountain View, Ark., announces that the Stone Theatre has closed and that Stone Drive-In, Mountain View, has opened.”
Boxoffice, Oct. 22, 1973: “Larry Vinson, Tri-State Booking Service, reported two new theatres … Mountain View Theatre, Mountain View, Ark., owned by Art Clemens and opened Thursday (18)”
Boxoffice, Nov. 19, 1973: “MOUNTAIN VIEW, ARK. - Mountain View Theatre, after several weeks of remodeling and the installation of a new screen, new sound and new projection equipment, was reopened to the public late last month.”
Boxoffice, Feb. 1, 1981: “Art Clemons has re-opened the Mountain View Theatre in Mountain View, Ark. after extensive remodeling.”
Does anybody know about the other few theaters that served Mountain View throughout its history, including the Stone Theatre and the Ozark Theatre there?
@Dave Lounder THE DRIVE-IN THEATRE PRESERVATION SOCIETY TheDriveInGuys.com
This is a Google Street View from August 2019 of the entrance to the Stone Drive-In. https://tinyurl.com/mrx4w8tu
Now, is that the entrance and is that the marquee as it looked when dansdriveintheater made his post in January 2019?
I take it the marquee has been updated since?
@DansDriveInTheater - What covered remains of what marquee? I can’t figure out how your post ties in to the STONE DI. Thanks, Dave Lounder
Boxoffice, March 3, 1969: “CAVE CITY, ARK. - Gene "Shorty” Thompson, owner of the Stone Theatre and Stone Drive-In, has installed heaters at the drive-in."
wonder where they tell you what wovies they show?
here’s the rusted all covered remains of the marquee
https://www.google.com/maps/Egyptian Theatre.8751083,-92.1311714,3a,60y,32.72h,85.29t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sooWL4NpK_mQXzBBEGE—Ng!2e0!7i13312!8i6656?hl=en&authuser=0
From a 2003 CNN Money article: “It began when (owner Bobby) Tompson’s father came home one day with a used Ford truck, small popcorn machine and two movie projectors. He drove the Ford throughout Arkansas, stopping in towns to sell tickets to films that he projected on the sides of churches and school buildings.
“Eventually, Tompson’s dad erected a permanent giant movie screen in a field near their home, installed speaker stands, a tiny ticket booth and concession stand. Tompson took over after his father’s death, and he still runs the movies during summer nights.”
More: http://money.cnn.com/2003/12/05/pf/q_lostjob/