On Dec. 12, 2019, the Sioux City Journal ran this photo, crediting the Sioux City Public Museum, with this caption: “The Gordon Twin opened in 1954 and closed in 1985. The merry-go-round at the theater was from the old Riverview Amusement Park in Riverside Park. There were two screens on opposite ends of the theater grounds, with the projection building in the center.”
Boxoffice, Feb. 17, 1951: “Don Gillman and Robert Carter, both of Sidney, Neb., will have their 350-car $50,000 drive-in, the Plains, ready for opening in April.”
Boxoffice, Feb. 17, 1951: “Seth D. Perkins, 63-year-old pioneer theatrical man, who built the first drive-in in California, died recently following a long illness. … Perkins' first drive-in, the second in the world, was built in 1934 on Pico boulevard in Los Angeles. Later he built a chain of theatres throughout southern California.”
Barton & Alderson’s La Junta Drive-In opened on Sept. 22, 1948 based on stories and ads in the La Junta Tribune-Democrat. When it opened, it had a 56x54-foot screen and a 350-car capacity. The program on Opening Night was “That Way About Women” with Sidney Greenstreet, “Angel and the Badman” starring John Wayne, plus selected shorts.
After a preview for invited guests the night before, the official grand opening of the Corral was April 25, 1952, according to a note printed in the following week’s Fort Lupton Press. Mayor Fred Willmer “pushed the switch for the opening ceremony.”
Boxoffice, March 12, 1949: “Archie Goldstein, owner of the Chieftain, Strassburg, has leased the Highway, Deartrail, Colo., from Frank Whalen”
Showmen’s Trade Review, June 25, 1949: “Frank Whalen has taken back the Hiway Deertail Colo. The theatre has been operated for a few months by Archie Goldstein.”
Boxoffice, Jan. 27, 1951: “Frank Whalen, 57, owner of the Hiway at Deertail, died in a Denver hospital where he had been confined following an operation a few weeks earlier. … The Hiway has been closed temporarily.”
A note in a later issue of Boxoffice corrected the story to say that Floyd Merrill opened the Lake in Stratton, Nebraska. But I wonder whether the correction is what was wrong; the 1949 Film Daily Year Book had only the Moon Theatre under Stratton, Colorado.
Per CT style, we’re going to have to split this entry. As noted in a lengthy piece in the Dec. 30, 1950 issue of Boxoffice, the original Apache was opened “midway between Globe and Miami on Highway 60 and 70.” That matches what Kenmore found, which is definitely not the Apache’s final location northeast of Globe on Highway 60/77.
Boxoffice, Dec. 9, 1950: “PHOENIX – The Phoenix Drive-In Theatre on Van Buren street reopened recently with new car speakers, redecorated marquee, and added landscaping. The new speakers replaced the earlier horn system that was installed when the Phoenix was the first outdoorer in the valley.”
The Dec. 2, 1950 issue of Boxoffice ran a one-page story (with pictures) about the Cedar Valley adding a second concession stand at the rear of the viewing field. “Casting about for a solution (to the problem of serving so many patrons) they noticed the neglected stable near the back property line of the ramp area. Some architectural ingenuity, a little carpentry, some paint and display lighting effects … and a second concessions building, in the southern colonial style of the screen tower, blossomed to take care of the overflow from the original unit.”
Boxoffice ran a full page about the Roosevelt in its Nov. 11, 1950 issue, including plenty of photos. Not obvious from those pictures: “The drive-in tower provides an attention-getting device in the revolving lighted ball sitting atop it.”
Boxoffice, Nov. 4, 1950: “LA JUNTA, COLO. – Joe Vleck of Pocatello, Ida., has been named manager of the La Junta Fox Theatre here … Vleck will also manage the new Mesa Theatre, scheduled to open this month.”
Boxoffice, Oct. 21, 1950: “VICTORVILLE, CALIF. – A 600-car drive-in will be constructed here by the Western Amusement Co., according to City Manager Nolan Hartley. The El Rancho Theatre was completed here by the Western chain, and it also operates two other indoor shows, the Mesa and the Victor in its Victorville group.”
More info about that “experiment” in the July 8, 1950 issue of Boxoffice: “Lewiston Orchard’s first theatre has been opened at 607 Bryden Ave. Dean Baird and Walter Campbell are sponsoring the outdoor theatre, which seats 800 people, and has space for 40 cars. A permanent building will be erected later.”
And this must be what led to its closing, from Boxoffice, Oct. 21, 1950: “LEWISTON, IDA. – The Orchards Drive-In, located in Lewiston Orchards, suffered about $2,500 damage in a fire, which destroyed the projection booth. The Orchards, which opened early this summer, was owned by Walter Campbell of Genessee.”
Was the Pine renamed the Pearl? The 1949 Film Daily Year Book listed the Pine (200 seats) as the only theater in Buena Vista, and according to Boxoffice, Aug. 26, 1950: “Charles DeCastro has sold the Pine in Buena Vista to John Groy”.
Slightly elaborated/changed in the Oct. 14, 1950 Boxoffice: “BUENA VISTA, COLO. – Mr. and Mrs. Chad DeCastro, owners of the Pine Theatre and confectionery for the last 18 months, have sold both establishments to Louis Groy and Lawrence Wellborn of Saguache, Colo.”
The Oct. 7, 1950 issue of Boxoffice included a full page on the Le Jeune, focusing on the raised stage under the screen. It also mentioned that the drive-in’s capacity was 800 cars.
The Oct. 7, 1950 issue of Boxoffice ran a full-page feature of the new Park Drive-In, tucked “deep in the pines of the Guilford Battleground Park near Greensboro”. Its surrounding forest meant that no fencing was needed. The article also featured the Park’s “concession talk-back system”. Patrons could order food by depressing “a small lever on the side of his speaker” and speaking with the switchboard operator in the concession building.
Boxoffice, Oct. 7, 1950: “TOPPENISH, WASH. – The $85,000 Top-Hi Drive-In has been opened on the new Track road north of town by owners Arthur H. Darby and his son Erwin. The Darbys, who also own a theatre in Naches, started construction of the Top-Hi in May and did their own work throughout. The 350-car situation will be managed by Arthur Darby and his son will manage the Naches operation and will book for both theatres.”
Boxoffice, Sept. 30, 1950: “Mitchell Kelloff, who owns theatres at Las Vegas, N. M., and La Veta, Colo., has bought the Pine, Manassa, Colo., from Donald and Lamont Jarvis.”
Boxoffice, May 7, 1949: “Floyd Davis sr. and Nat Jones will open their new 85 Drive-In, at Raton, N. M., about June 1. The airer will accommodate 340 cars”
Boxoffice, June 25, 1949: “Floyd Davis and Nat Jones have opened their new No. 85 Drive-In at Raton, N. M., a 350-car $60,000 job.”
Boxoffice, Sept. 23, 1950: “RATON, N. M. – The 85 Drive-In here has been purchased by Hubbard & Murphy, Inc., from J. E. Oliver who built the house more than one year ago.”
On Dec. 12, 2019, the Sioux City Journal ran this photo, crediting the Sioux City Public Museum, with this caption: “The Gordon Twin opened in 1954 and closed in 1985. The merry-go-round at the theater was from the old Riverview Amusement Park in Riverside Park. There were two screens on opposite ends of the theater grounds, with the projection building in the center.”
Boxoffice, Feb. 17, 1951: “Don Gillman and Robert Carter, both of Sidney, Neb., will have their 350-car $50,000 drive-in, the Plains, ready for opening in April.”
Boxoffice, Feb. 17, 1951: “Seth D. Perkins, 63-year-old pioneer theatrical man, who built the first drive-in in California, died recently following a long illness. … Perkins' first drive-in, the second in the world, was built in 1934 on Pico boulevard in Los Angeles. Later he built a chain of theatres throughout southern California.”
This photo appeared in the Feb. 3, 1951 issue of Boxoffice, so it should be in the public domain AFAIK.
This photo appeared in the Feb. 3, 1951 issue of Boxoffice, so it fell into the public domain AFAIK.
This photo appeared in the Feb. 3, 1951 issue of Boxoffice, where it fell into the public domain AFAIK.
This photo was in the Feb. 3, 1951 issue of Boxoffice.
Barton & Alderson’s La Junta Drive-In opened on Sept. 22, 1948 based on stories and ads in the La Junta Tribune-Democrat. When it opened, it had a 56x54-foot screen and a 350-car capacity. The program on Opening Night was “That Way About Women” with Sidney Greenstreet, “Angel and the Badman” starring John Wayne, plus selected shorts.
After a preview for invited guests the night before, the official grand opening of the Corral was April 25, 1952, according to a note printed in the following week’s Fort Lupton Press. Mayor Fred Willmer “pushed the switch for the opening ceremony.”
Boxoffice, March 12, 1949: “Archie Goldstein, owner of the Chieftain, Strassburg, has leased the Highway, Deartrail, Colo., from Frank Whalen”
Showmen’s Trade Review, June 25, 1949: “Frank Whalen has taken back the Hiway Deertail Colo. The theatre has been operated for a few months by Archie Goldstein.”
Boxoffice, Jan. 27, 1951: “Frank Whalen, 57, owner of the Hiway at Deertail, died in a Denver hospital where he had been confined following an operation a few weeks earlier. … The Hiway has been closed temporarily.”
A note in a later issue of Boxoffice corrected the story to say that Floyd Merrill opened the Lake in Stratton, Nebraska. But I wonder whether the correction is what was wrong; the 1949 Film Daily Year Book had only the Moon Theatre under Stratton, Colorado.
More precisely, the Jan. 6, 1951 issue of Boxoffice.
Per CT style, we’re going to have to split this entry. As noted in a lengthy piece in the Dec. 30, 1950 issue of Boxoffice, the original Apache was opened “midway between Globe and Miami on Highway 60 and 70.” That matches what Kenmore found, which is definitely not the Apache’s final location northeast of Globe on Highway 60/77.
Boxoffice, Dec. 9, 1950: “PHOENIX – The Phoenix Drive-In Theatre on Van Buren street reopened recently with new car speakers, redecorated marquee, and added landscaping. The new speakers replaced the earlier horn system that was installed when the Phoenix was the first outdoorer in the valley.”
The Dec. 2, 1950 issue of Boxoffice ran a one-page story (with pictures) about the Cedar Valley adding a second concession stand at the rear of the viewing field. “Casting about for a solution (to the problem of serving so many patrons) they noticed the neglected stable near the back property line of the ramp area. Some architectural ingenuity, a little carpentry, some paint and display lighting effects … and a second concessions building, in the southern colonial style of the screen tower, blossomed to take care of the overflow from the original unit.”
Boxoffice ran a full page about the Roosevelt in its Nov. 11, 1950 issue, including plenty of photos. Not obvious from those pictures: “The drive-in tower provides an attention-getting device in the revolving lighted ball sitting atop it.”
Boxoffice, Nov. 4, 1950: “LA JUNTA, COLO. – Joe Vleck of Pocatello, Ida., has been named manager of the La Junta Fox Theatre here … Vleck will also manage the new Mesa Theatre, scheduled to open this month.”
Boxoffice, Oct. 21, 1950: “VICTORVILLE, CALIF. – A 600-car drive-in will be constructed here by the Western Amusement Co., according to City Manager Nolan Hartley. The El Rancho Theatre was completed here by the Western chain, and it also operates two other indoor shows, the Mesa and the Victor in its Victorville group.”
More info about that “experiment” in the July 8, 1950 issue of Boxoffice: “Lewiston Orchard’s first theatre has been opened at 607 Bryden Ave. Dean Baird and Walter Campbell are sponsoring the outdoor theatre, which seats 800 people, and has space for 40 cars. A permanent building will be erected later.”
And this must be what led to its closing, from Boxoffice, Oct. 21, 1950: “LEWISTON, IDA. – The Orchards Drive-In, located in Lewiston Orchards, suffered about $2,500 damage in a fire, which destroyed the projection booth. The Orchards, which opened early this summer, was owned by Walter Campbell of Genessee.”
Was the Pine renamed the Pearl? The 1949 Film Daily Year Book listed the Pine (200 seats) as the only theater in Buena Vista, and according to Boxoffice, Aug. 26, 1950: “Charles DeCastro has sold the Pine in Buena Vista to John Groy”.
Slightly elaborated/changed in the Oct. 14, 1950 Boxoffice: “BUENA VISTA, COLO. – Mr. and Mrs. Chad DeCastro, owners of the Pine Theatre and confectionery for the last 18 months, have sold both establishments to Louis Groy and Lawrence Wellborn of Saguache, Colo.”
The Oct. 7, 1950 issue of Boxoffice included a full page on the Le Jeune, focusing on the raised stage under the screen. It also mentioned that the drive-in’s capacity was 800 cars.
The Oct. 7, 1950 issue of Boxoffice ran a full-page feature of the new Park Drive-In, tucked “deep in the pines of the Guilford Battleground Park near Greensboro”. Its surrounding forest meant that no fencing was needed. The article also featured the Park’s “concession talk-back system”. Patrons could order food by depressing “a small lever on the side of his speaker” and speaking with the switchboard operator in the concession building.
Boxoffice, Oct. 7, 1950: “TOPPENISH, WASH. – The $85,000 Top-Hi Drive-In has been opened on the new Track road north of town by owners Arthur H. Darby and his son Erwin. The Darbys, who also own a theatre in Naches, started construction of the Top-Hi in May and did their own work throughout. The 350-car situation will be managed by Arthur Darby and his son will manage the Naches operation and will book for both theatres.”
Boxoffice, Sept. 30, 1950: “Mitchell Kelloff, who owns theatres at Las Vegas, N. M., and La Veta, Colo., has bought the Pine, Manassa, Colo., from Donald and Lamont Jarvis.”
Boxoffice, May 7, 1949: “Floyd Davis sr. and Nat Jones will open their new 85 Drive-In, at Raton, N. M., about June 1. The airer will accommodate 340 cars”
Boxoffice, June 25, 1949: “Floyd Davis and Nat Jones have opened their new No. 85 Drive-In at Raton, N. M., a 350-car $60,000 job.”
Boxoffice, Sept. 23, 1950: “RATON, N. M. – The 85 Drive-In here has been purchased by Hubbard & Murphy, Inc., from J. E. Oliver who built the house more than one year ago.”