The Riverside Drive-In actually closed after the 1984 season. Martin Theatres operated the Riverside throughout most of its history since the early-1960s.
The Mall Cinema III opened its doors in 1976 by Mann Theaters. Later operated by Commonwealth Theatres, United Artists, and First International before becoming a Carmike theater in 1998.
NOTE: Michael Paul managed the theater throughout most of its history from 1983 until 2005.
The Mall Cinema III closed on November 17, 2005 with “Chicken Little” at Screen 1, “Legend Of Zorro” at Screen 2, and “Dreamer” at Screen 3 when Carmike opened the six-screener nearby.
It looks identical but it appears that it’s not the right building. I recently looked it up on Historic Aerials, and the building is not old at all. The building did not appear in any of the older aerials, meaning that it was built between the 1990s or 2000s.
It also appears that a 2005 Google Earth view shows that it was used as its current Lasseter John Deere dealership.
NOTE: Businesses on Bowen Mills Road did receive growth in the 1980s, but the current John Deere building wasn’t even built yet.
The Comet Drive-In opened its gates on April 28, 1950 with Larry Parks in “Renegade” along with a few unnamed short subjects. It was first operated by John Blakeman and Jim Rochell.
Exactly two weeks later, Waite T. Kerr and Mrs. Izah Adams opened the Starlite Drive-In right next door on the opposite side on May 8, 1950 with William Bendix in “Life Of Riley” with no extra short subjects. Both the Comet and the Starlite battle with each other until the Starlite closed for the final time in 1955, leaving the Comet the only drive-in theater in Sulphur.
The Comet Drive-In continued operating into the late-1980s, but was gone by the mid-1990s.
I saw the building in a drone view on ABC World News Tonight.
And actually, this started life as the Ritz Theatre. I cannot find its opening date but it opened as early as 1937. It was renamed the Carlton Theatre on October 21, 1956. It did not had a short closure in early-1959, as it immediately changed its name back to Ritz Theatre during the first week of March 1959.
Edited from my December 7, 2022 (2:42 PM) comment:
The Stereo Drive-In, named after the theater’s sound equipment (very unusual), originally planned to open on Easter 1959 but postponed due to rain. It opened later in April 1959 and was renamed Drive-In Cinema in 1962.
The Drive-In Cinema closed for the final time on January 30, 2000 with a very UNUSUAL special event. The Drive-In Cinema did not close with a movie. But instead, it closed with the screen showing live WFTS-TV coverage of Super Bowl XXXIV playing from a digital projector being hooked up from a Time Warner Cable box.
The Tampa Bay Times reported the Drive-In Cinema as the most unusual drive-in theater in the world just before its closure.
It was demolished in 2001 to make way for a Walmart as a relocated store from the previous 1989-built 8900 US Highway 19 North location. The Walmart opened on October 24, 2001.
The Lincolndale Twin Drive-In appears to be EXTREMELY short-lived. The Indianapolis Star reported that the Lincolndale on US-30 East in Warsaw was completely closed in September 1986 and also stated that the buildings and equipment were at auction.
The Roxy Theatre opened its doors on January 23, 1909 on a site of a former local newspaper building.
Fun Fact: Several survivors of the December 28, 1908 Messina 7.1 magnitude earthquake (that killed around 80,000 people) attended its grand opening ceremonies.
It was renamed the Roxy Theatre on May 11, 1931 and closed in 1946.
The Capitol Theatre opened with Jane Withers in “Little Miss Nobody” along with a few short subjects (both unnamed and unlisted in grand opening ad), and was operated by the Comerford chain. Special ceremonies outside the theater were also presented before opening on grand opening.
The Capitol Theatre last operated as a seasonal theater, and closed in the early-1970s.
Closed on July 4, 1966 with “The Singing Nun” and “Kissin' Cousins”.
Closed in the mid-to-late 1970s.
The actual opening date is May 12, 1921 with Elliott Dexter in “The Witching Hour” (unknown if any short subjects were added).
First operated by Lockwood-Friedman Theatres, then USA Cinemas, then Loews, then Sony, then Loews Cineplex, and finally Entertainment Cinemas.
Traces were still in clear shape as of 1954 and 1955, but was faded by 1958.
Actual opening date is June 3, 1977.
Closed on January 13, 2000.
Last operated by Martin Theatres.
Also opened with Walt Disney’s “The Legend Of The Boy And The Eagle”.
Once operated by Mann Theaters.
The Riverside Drive-In actually closed after the 1984 season. Martin Theatres operated the Riverside throughout most of its history since the early-1960s.
The Mall Cinema III opened its doors in 1976 by Mann Theaters. Later operated by Commonwealth Theatres, United Artists, and First International before becoming a Carmike theater in 1998.
The Mall Cinema III closed on November 17, 2005 with “Chicken Little” at Screen 1, “Legend Of Zorro” at Screen 2, and “Dreamer” at Screen 3 when Carmike opened the six-screener nearby.
It looks identical but it appears that it’s not the right building. I recently looked it up on Historic Aerials, and the building is not old at all. The building did not appear in any of the older aerials, meaning that it was built between the 1990s or 2000s.
It also appears that a 2005 Google Earth view shows that it was used as its current Lasseter John Deere dealership.
Correction: It was an EF3.
The actual opening date is May 8, 1950 with William Bendix in “Life Of Riley” with no extra short subjects.
Opened in 1913, closed in March 1937 when the Ritz Theatre nearby opened.
Closed in 1955.
The Comet Drive-In opened its gates on April 28, 1950 with Larry Parks in “Renegade” along with a few unnamed short subjects. It was first operated by John Blakeman and Jim Rochell.
The Comet Drive-In continued operating into the late-1980s, but was gone by the mid-1990s.
I saw the building in a drone view on ABC World News Tonight.
And actually, this started life as the Ritz Theatre. I cannot find its opening date but it opened as early as 1937. It was renamed the Carlton Theatre on October 21, 1956. It did not had a short closure in early-1959, as it immediately changed its name back to Ritz Theatre during the first week of March 1959.
First operated by Martin Theatres.
Edited from my December 7, 2022 (2:42 PM) comment:
The Stereo Drive-In, named after the theater’s sound equipment (very unusual), originally planned to open on Easter 1959 but postponed due to rain. It opened later in April 1959 and was renamed Drive-In Cinema in 1962.
The Drive-In Cinema closed for the final time on January 30, 2000 with a very UNUSUAL special event. The Drive-In Cinema did not close with a movie. But instead, it closed with the screen showing live WFTS-TV coverage of Super Bowl XXXIV playing from a digital projector being hooked up from a Time Warner Cable box.
It was demolished in 2001 to make way for a Walmart as a relocated store from the previous 1989-built 8900 US Highway 19 North location. The Walmart opened on October 24, 2001.
Also, not to be confused with the Drive-In Cinema in nearby Pinellas Park (formerly known as the Stereo Drive-In).
The Lincolndale Twin Drive-In appears to be EXTREMELY short-lived. The Indianapolis Star reported that the Lincolndale on US-30 East in Warsaw was completely closed in September 1986 and also stated that the buildings and equipment were at auction.
The Roxy Theatre opened its doors on January 23, 1909 on a site of a former local newspaper building.
It was renamed the Roxy Theatre on May 11, 1931 and closed in 1946.
The Capitol Theatre opened with Jane Withers in “Little Miss Nobody” along with a few short subjects (both unnamed and unlisted in grand opening ad), and was operated by the Comerford chain. Special ceremonies outside the theater were also presented before opening on grand opening.
The Capitol Theatre last operated as a seasonal theater, and closed in the early-1970s.