The Gastonia Drive-In opened its gates on May 12, 1948 with the Marx Brothers in “A Night At Casablanca” along with an unnamed cartoon and comedy, and was renamed the Sunset Drive-In on July 14, 1950.
The Sunset did receive multiple incidents in the 1970s and 1980s, many of which were operators getting arrested for obscene movies being played on screen. The Sunset Drive-In was still open in the 1980s but was demolished in the 1990s.
The theater itself was 1401 Neal Hawkins Rd, Gastonia, NC 28056.
This started life as the University 10 Cinemas, and opened its doors by First International Theatres in late-1995 (according to a May 1995 article released by the Kansas City Star). It probably downgraded to eight screens and became the University 8 Cinemas right after Carmike took the theater over.
The Cougar Drive-In either opened in 1957 or 1958. The 1957 aerial view shows nothing being constructed yet, but a 1958 aerial view shows the theater already in operation.
Found it. It was located on 4794 NC-41, Fairmont, NC 28340, which looks operational in the 1950s and 1960s. The theater may’ve closed later on in the 1960s, as it was already completely demolished by 1971.
The Clinton Point Theatre closed with “A Fish Called Wanda” as its final film, and was last managed by Joe Freiwald and Bessie Hermanowski (one of the employees there was her deaf 11-year-old daughter). Several of the employees there had very emotional moments after its final showing.
During its final months of operation, the then-Mayor of Clinton, Robert Nulman, took a stroll inside the Clinton Point Theatre just to feel close to his son Daniel who previously worked as a candy salesman as a teenager, but unfortunately he died from his injuries from a vehicle accident in 1987.
The original Midway Palace Cinema started life as a single-screener in June 1965, twinned in 1971, and slowly grew into a five-screener within months in the late-1970s and early-1980s (and yes it did once operate as both a triplex and a quad beforehand). A sixth screen was added in the mid-1980s followed by a seventh screen a short time later.
There is also another twin-screen theater nearby called the Rehoboth Twin Cinemas, which opened after the Midway’s Drive-In’s end, and the twin-screen theater was very short-lived, closing in January 1987.
I found the theater but unfortunately it didn’t gave me an address. The theater is on Highway 74 but the closest address I can put out to Google is south of 19861 Old Lumberton Rd.
The drive-in appears to be closed in the late-1960s, as a 1971 aerial view shows the theater appearing to be closed due to its traces starting to fade.
Both 1956 and 1957 aerial views show the theater operating in its entirety, meaning that the Madison Drive-In probably opened sometime in the early-1950s.
The Eaco Theatre opened its doors on April 17, 1922 with Constance Talmadge in “Woman’s Place” and John Gilbert in “Shame” along with short addresses before both shows, and was first managed by L.D. Whitaker.
The Gastonia Drive-In opened its gates on May 12, 1948 with the Marx Brothers in “A Night At Casablanca” along with an unnamed cartoon and comedy, and was renamed the Sunset Drive-In on July 14, 1950.
The Sunset did receive multiple incidents in the 1970s and 1980s, many of which were operators getting arrested for obscene movies being played on screen. The Sunset Drive-In was still open in the 1980s but was demolished in the 1990s.
The theater itself was 1401 Neal Hawkins Rd, Gastonia, NC 28056.
Once operated by Commonwealth Theaters, later United Artists, and later First International Theatres.
Once operated by First International Theatres.
Once operated by First International Theatres.
Once operated by First International Theatres.
Once operated by First International Theatres.
This started life as the University 10 Cinemas, and opened its doors by First International Theatres in late-1995 (according to a May 1995 article released by the Kansas City Star). It probably downgraded to eight screens and became the University 8 Cinemas right after Carmike took the theater over.
Once operated by First International Theatres.
The Cougar Drive-In either opened in 1957 or 1958. The 1957 aerial view shows nothing being constructed yet, but a 1958 aerial view shows the theater already in operation.
Found it. It was located on 4794 NC-41, Fairmont, NC 28340, which looks operational in the 1950s and 1960s. The theater may’ve closed later on in the 1960s, as it was already completely demolished by 1971.
Closed on October 5, 1983 with “Stroker Ace” and “The Sting II”.
The Clinton Point Theatre closed with “A Fish Called Wanda” as its final film, and was last managed by Joe Freiwald and Bessie Hermanowski (one of the employees there was her deaf 11-year-old daughter). Several of the employees there had very emotional moments after its final showing.
During its final months of operation, the then-Mayor of Clinton, Robert Nulman, took a stroll inside the Clinton Point Theatre just to feel close to his son Daniel who previously worked as a candy salesman as a teenager, but unfortunately he died from his injuries from a vehicle accident in 1987.
I’m very sure that only one person attended the showing of “Construction In Reverse”. It’s a sad one.
Closed in the 1970s.
Closed on October 7, 1982.
The original Midway Palace Cinema started life as a single-screener in June 1965, twinned in 1971, and slowly grew into a five-screener within months in the late-1970s and early-1980s (and yes it did once operate as both a triplex and a quad beforehand). A sixth screen was added in the mid-1980s followed by a seventh screen a short time later.
There is also another twin-screen theater nearby called the Rehoboth Twin Cinemas, which opened after the Midway’s Drive-In’s end, and the twin-screen theater was very short-lived, closing in January 1987.
Opened on July 15, 1977.
I found the theater but unfortunately it didn’t gave me an address. The theater is on Highway 74 but the closest address I can put out to Google is south of 19861 Old Lumberton Rd.
The drive-in appears to be closed in the late-1960s, as a 1971 aerial view shows the theater appearing to be closed due to its traces starting to fade.
Once operated by Esquire Theatres of America, last operated by CinemaNational.
Last operated by Regal.
Both 1956 and 1957 aerial views show the theater operating in its entirety, meaning that the Madison Drive-In probably opened sometime in the early-1950s.
I’m very sure that the car capacity is truly around 120 cars.
Destroyed by fire on August 2, 1945 that also injured a 53-year-old man, later rebuilt.
Opened on September 12, 1986.
The Eaco Theatre opened its doors on April 17, 1922 with Constance Talmadge in “Woman’s Place” and John Gilbert in “Shame” along with short addresses before both shows, and was first managed by L.D. Whitaker.