Starlite Drive-In
16653 Highway 14,
Sterling,
CO
80751
16653 Highway 14,
Sterling,
CO
80751
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The Starlite Drive-In was operated seasonally from May through September. In 1949 it was operated by Max Story and initially had a capacity for 350 cars. After a couple of seasons this was increased to 400 cars. By 1955 it was operated by Frank L. Childs. In later years a second screen was added. It ran double feature first run attractions. It was still open in 2012, but had closed by 2015.
Contributed by
Chuck Van Bibber
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Recent comments (view all 10 comments)
Here is a recent article about the sale of the Starlite and Fox 5 theaters:
http://tinyurl.com/bx4h2x
According to this website the Starlite Drive-In is permanently closed.
I can’t figure out when it closed for sure, and the link that kencmcintyre posted in 2009 is dead, but if you look at Historic Aerials the 1998 one appears to show a functioning drive-in. By 2005 two self storage units had been built in front of the screen closest to the road as well as a steel barn and apparently a house towards the back of the lot. As of Google Street view from July of 2015 Both screens, the projection booth/concession stand, both marquees and ticket booth (buried in trees) remain standing.
The Starlite was down to a single active screen by the time I (Carload.com) started running its movie listings in the late 1990s. It was definitely still alive in 2012, but had closed by 2015.
“Frank Childs is erecting a new, very colorful boxoffice at the Starlight Drive-In Theatre, Sterling.” — BoxOffice, Feb. 29, 1960
Boxoffice, July 25, 1977: “Frank L. Childs, who was active in the motion picture industry for over 40 years, died recently in Sterling. … (H)e opened the Starlite Drive-In, which he operated until his retirement five years ago.”
Boxoffice, Feb. 11, 1974: “Paul Cory has taken over the operation of the Fox Theatre, Sidney, Neb. … (he) also operates the Fox, Center and Starlite Drive-In in Sterling.”
Looks like 2012 was the Starlite’s final season. The Sterling Journal-Advocate, reported on June 12, 2013 that the annual High Plains Music Fest used to be held “at the now-closed Starlite Drive In.” A check of the 2012 Fest verified that the Starlite hosted it that year.
The Starlite held its Grand Opening on Saturday, April 15, 1950. Its screen was a modest 48 x 40 feet, and the first feature it showed was “The Return of October” with Glenn Ford. “Plus short subjects and cartoons.”
By the summer of 1990, the Starlite was showing movies on two screens, one movie per night per screen.
A 1984 aerial shows the Starlite already having two screens. So its second screen was added sometime in the late 1970s or early 1980s.