Hartford Drive-In

@dansdriveintheater: Hey, Dan. The video you’ve referenced isn’t from the Hartford Drive-In. It looks to me to be the Edgemere, Shrewsbury, Massachusetts. – Dave Lounder {TheDriveInGuys.com}

My name is Art Buzzell and I am the grandson of Richard Dick buzzell. He was the manager of the Hartford Drive-In the entire time I knew of him as my grandfather until he passed. A lot of good memories there. Through that Drive-In I have met Bela Lugosi and Vincent Price. It is interesting that just this morning I’m watching a documentary on drive-ins and Hartford Drive-In is mentioned. My grandmother worked at the box office for admission Counting Cars also. I would go there when I was in high school and say to Nana the next 5 cars behind me are with me! But every Saturday and Sunday I have to go to the drive-in and pick up garbage because that was the time when you just threw your garbage out the window and loved it… Can’t do that today. Thanks for reading keep the memory alive

I took my children to see a double feature of Disney’s Aladdin and another Disney movie back in the 1990’s. It closed shortly after that. It’s now a condo complex.

My not-even close, absolute, hands down, all-time favorite Drive-In!!! The Hartford and it’s open-all-Winter triple horror features were a secial treat of the highest order. Films like ‘Zombie Island Massacre’, ‘The Rats Are Coming! The Werewolves Are Here!’, ‘Pieces’, ‘Toolbox Murders’, ‘The House That Cried Murder’, ‘The Hills Have Eyes’, ‘The Deadly Spawn’, ‘Equinox’ (now out on a special Criterion edition!), and the perfectly appropriate ‘Ruby’, not to mention the occasional short subject before the show, dozens of classic and vintage trailers and even some local ads during intermission time. Great popcorn and the best french fries anywhere, all overlooking the effervescence of a sparkling soda in Snack Canyon, the twinkling lights of the valley below and the stars above. Unfortunately, it’s since been sacrificed on the alter of cancerous commerce and now houses…townhouses. I’m thinking it would only be fitting that those townhouses suffer a similar fate as the house in Poltergeist, as characters from films shown there in days gone by all return to reclaim their Hallowed ground…

The Pike was 1/8 mile South of McDonald’s back behind DQ. I think it’s a Shaw’s now.

It was owned by Bernie and Sy Menschel, who also owned Vernon Cine ½, Manchester Drive In and Berlin Cine ½.

The Berlin Drive In was where Home Depot is in Berlin on Rt 160. The Berlin became adult movies and took heat from the neighbors, because in the end they installed a sound system that broadcast over the car radio…They had to install very high fences to keep people from stopping on the road nearby to watch – and listen.

ive seen this guys photos a lot online while looking at abandoned hospitals which is one of my true loves for some reason. I dont know what it is about abandoned hospitals and asylums but they jus tdraw me in. Even after ive explored a hospital a few times, the beauty and craftsmanship of a perod of life that I wasent alive to experince just intrigues me like nothing else. Sorry, so as I was saying his pics. are the most beautiful ive seen on abandoned structures.
Ha, doc. i see that you used to work at the old pike drive in. Where exactly was it? I have heard it was down the road where the ford dealer is now, off the turnpike by rt.9
Is that true?

The Drive In was managed for years by a guy named Fred Buzzel(sp), who always reported for work in a sport jacket and kept the place spotless. Likewise, he made sure that the landmark sign was painted and in working order each year, since it was such a highlight of the turnpike. I believe the ticket guys even wore red jackets. I was projectionist at the Pike Drive In, and we used to socialize with the staff of the HDI, even have after-movie parties where we would select a few reels (movies are on 20 minute reels) of the best flicks and re-run them after the crowds left. Sometimes the Newington PD would stop in to watch along too. I knew the projectionist, David Graham. We had a friendly rivalry with them and after intermission, the managers would compare car-counts and “PC” (How much each person spent on average) They always booked better movies and it was a challenge to outdo them.

I think it was this theatre that used to be a flea market for a few years after the theatre closed.

I know, so many memories. Dang, they should have somehow saved it.

Please change this to demolished, they took the screen down yesterday and the Marquee is only standing.

I REALLY WANT PICS. OF THE NEWINGTON CINEMA

I meant the Cine Webb, my bad.

Oh yeah, I forgot Cinema 1-2-3, I remember walking there once to see Batman Returns. I wish they would list it, as well as The Berlin Cinema in Berlin and The Paris Cinema in Wethersfield. Also Wethersfield had another theater too called The Webster. Thanks R.K.