The Grand Opening ad in the photo section said the Clinton was 1¼ miles north of Clinton on Highway 63. The Boxoffice note I just posted said the Breeze-Way was 3½ miles north on Highway 63. Both are accurate. The Clinton did not become the Breeze-Way.
HistoricAerials shows the Clinton in 1949 at 2801 N Main St., and still there in 1953 and 1955. All three times, the future Breeze-Way site is undeveloped. In the 1962 aerial, there’s nothing left of the Clinton; it looks just like the gravel supply it is now. But the Breeze-Way is there in 1962, further north on the same highway. The Breeze-Way was still outlined in a 1987 topo map, but the screen was gone by a 1992 photo.
Boxoffice, July 28, 1956: “CLINTON, IND. – Gene Marietta and Gene Hathaway have opened their new Breeze-Way Drive-In Theatre, three and a half miles north on Highway 63.”
Boxoffice, July 28, 1956: “Harry L. Nace, head of the Harry L. Nace Theatres, has bought the interest of Malcolm White, mayor of Scottsdale, in the Valley Theatre Corp. there. … The purchase makes his the sole owner of the two Scottsdale theatres, the Roundup and the Kiva. … The Roundup, a drive-in, will be expanded with 150 stadium-type seats being installed for walk-in patrons, and 270 new automobile speakers added.”
Boxoffice, June 30, 1956: “WILLCOX, ARIZ. – The new drive-in theatre here, owned by Long Theatres of Safford, has been opened here under the supervision of Cecil Flint, manager of the Long Theatres here.”
Boxoffice, June 23, 1956: “Fire destroyed the $20,000 screen at the Falls Motor Vu Drive-In shortly before opening time on a recent Monday night. Owner-Manager L. A. Donohue said the 60x108-foot screen, a total loss, is insured for $20,000. Donohue said he believed the fire may have been started by children playing behind the screen, as four children came from the vicinity of the screen about 7:55 p.m. and told him it was on fire. The blaze was out of control before fire trucks arrived.”
Boxoffice, June 9, 1956: “WESTWOOD VILLAGE, CALIF. – Continuing to expand its southland exhibition holdings, the Robert L. Lippert circuit has purchased the Uclan Theatre here from the Paul Dietrich-Manny Feldstein chain. The 850-seat showcase, operating for the past several years on an art house policy, will be renamed the Crest”
In the May 26, 1956 issue, one of the typical managerial rotation notes in Boxoffice mentioned that the Fulton Drive-In had been “recently acquired by Commonwealth.”
Boxoffice, May 19, 1956: “J. K. Munsell’s just-completed Baker Drive-In Theatre is open for business. The 230-car outdoorer, four miles west of town, is described as “strictly modern,” with a widescreen specifically built to eliminate distortion from the sides of the parking area.”
There was a nice long article in the April 28, 1956 issue of Boxoffice describing how incoming manager Ralph Bradshaw ended the practice of using an armed guard to chase away vandals and began employing young native Americans from a nearby Yaqui settlement to maintain and police the site.
Boxoffice, April 21, 1956: “Mr. and Mrs. Harvey E. Sampson, owners of the Lower Lake Theatre, have purchased the Lake Drive-In Theatre at Clearlake Highlands from Mr. and Mrs. M. W. Bouldin, who erected and operated the outdoor theatre last summer.” (They opened in June 1955 and closed for the season in November.)
Boxoffice, March 31, 1956: “MANCOS, COLO. – Philip M. Belt, formerly of Cortez, Colo., recently purchased the Mancos Theatre here.”
Boxoffice, April 21, 1956: “Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Bauer have sold the Mancos Theatre to Mr. and Mrs. Phillip Belt of Cortez. … Mr. and Mrs. Bauer … started the business in 1949 in the new Bauer building which was built to replace the old Bauer Mercantile building, destroyed by fire in 1948.”
The April 14, 1956 issue of Boxoffice ran a very lengthy article (sadly, without photos) of E. R. “Chub” Munger’s shift from county sheriff to first-time drive-in owner. There are tons of details, including screen sizes (40x60 feet to start, x80 in 1955), details of the annual car giveaway, and his favorite publicity stunt. “I believe it was the rooster project. I simply released a bunch of roosters for the audience to catch with the understanding that once caught, the roosters belonged to the catchers. The show put on by the audience that evening outdid the attraction on the screen.”
Boxoffice, April 7, 1956: “LIBERAL, KAS. – Jay Wooten of Hutchinson and Ben Adams of El Dorado have started grading in the north end of town for the construction of a new drive-in. The partners built the Great Western at the south end of town and have operated it since May 1949.”
Boxoffice, March 31, 1956: “H. L. Boehm, who operates theatres at Woodward, Okla., has bought the Mission and El Rancho Drive-In, Dalhart, Tex., from J. C. Parker.”
Boxoffice, March 24, 1956: “Recent sale of the Star Drive-In, south of Conrad, to the Kluth interests was announced by former owner, Ray Yeager, Brady. Yeager built the drive-in in the summer of 1952 and has owned and operated it the past four years.”
Boxoffice, March 10, 1956: “BOISE, IDA. – Lou Pressler of Seattle has purchased the Boise and Broadway drive-ins here. They were formerly owned by Joy Naylor and the late Milton Fry.”
Boxoffice, March 10, 1956: “BOISE, IDA. – Lou Pressler of Seattle has purchased the Boise and Broadway drive-ins here. They were formerly owned by Joy Naylor and the late Milton Fry.”
Boxoffice, Jan. 28, 1956: “TWENTYNINE PALMS, CALIF. – A mid-March opening is planned for Clemon’s Drive-In, a 365-car installation here, being built and to be operated by Art and Deldee Clemon. Designed by architect J. Arthur Drielsma of Los Angeles, the ozoner will feature a 60-foot screen, individual car speakers, snack bar and playground for the smallfry.”
More proof of existence: The Jan. 14, 1956 issue of Boxoffice described O. O. Knotts as the guy “who operates the Sunset and Trade Wind drive-in in Hobbs”.
With the distinctive contours of Johnson Lake in the background of the photo, the drive-in must have been at about 140 15 St E, Brooks, AB T1R 1C4, although there is no trace, just businesses, there today.
The Jan. 7, 1956 issue of Boxoffice ran a two-page story, with photos, dealing with the way Peter Umbertino and his son Robert built the Brooks “two miles north of town” even after the Trans-Canada Highway cut through the middle of the site. The story implied that the drive-in had one season under its belt, which would mean that it opened in 1955.
Boxoffice, Dec. 10, 1955: “HOBBS, N. M. – The Flamingo, new twin-screen drive-in on the Denver City highway, has been opened here with a 1,200-car capacity. George Fossell is manager of the theatre for All-States Theatres.”
Boxoffice, Sept. 1, 1956: “Al O'Keefe and Judy Poynter have taken over the Sunset Drive-In in Taft from Jim Parks”
Boxoffice, Aug. 4, 1956: “The Five Points Drive-In, Five Points, has been closed permanently”
The Grand Opening ad in the photo section said the Clinton was 1¼ miles north of Clinton on Highway 63. The Boxoffice note I just posted said the Breeze-Way was 3½ miles north on Highway 63. Both are accurate. The Clinton did not become the Breeze-Way.
HistoricAerials shows the Clinton in 1949 at 2801 N Main St., and still there in 1953 and 1955. All three times, the future Breeze-Way site is undeveloped. In the 1962 aerial, there’s nothing left of the Clinton; it looks just like the gravel supply it is now. But the Breeze-Way is there in 1962, further north on the same highway. The Breeze-Way was still outlined in a 1987 topo map, but the screen was gone by a 1992 photo.
Boxoffice, July 28, 1956: “CLINTON, IND. – Gene Marietta and Gene Hathaway have opened their new Breeze-Way Drive-In Theatre, three and a half miles north on Highway 63.”
Boxoffice, July 28, 1956: “Harry L. Nace, head of the Harry L. Nace Theatres, has bought the interest of Malcolm White, mayor of Scottsdale, in the Valley Theatre Corp. there. … The purchase makes his the sole owner of the two Scottsdale theatres, the Roundup and the Kiva. … The Roundup, a drive-in, will be expanded with 150 stadium-type seats being installed for walk-in patrons, and 270 new automobile speakers added.”
Boxoffice, June 30, 1956: “WILLCOX, ARIZ. – The new drive-in theatre here, owned by Long Theatres of Safford, has been opened here under the supervision of Cecil Flint, manager of the Long Theatres here.”
Boxoffice, June 23, 1956: “Fire destroyed the $20,000 screen at the Falls Motor Vu Drive-In shortly before opening time on a recent Monday night. Owner-Manager L. A. Donohue said the 60x108-foot screen, a total loss, is insured for $20,000. Donohue said he believed the fire may have been started by children playing behind the screen, as four children came from the vicinity of the screen about 7:55 p.m. and told him it was on fire. The blaze was out of control before fire trucks arrived.”
Boxoffice, June 9, 1956: “WESTWOOD VILLAGE, CALIF. – Continuing to expand its southland exhibition holdings, the Robert L. Lippert circuit has purchased the Uclan Theatre here from the Paul Dietrich-Manny Feldstein chain. The 850-seat showcase, operating for the past several years on an art house policy, will be renamed the Crest”
Boxoffice, June 2, 1956: “Paul Milner has bought the Star, Imperial, Neb., from Carlin Smith”
In the May 26, 1956 issue, one of the typical managerial rotation notes in Boxoffice mentioned that the Fulton Drive-In had been “recently acquired by Commonwealth.”
Boxoffice, May 19, 1956: “J. K. Munsell’s just-completed Baker Drive-In Theatre is open for business. The 230-car outdoorer, four miles west of town, is described as “strictly modern,” with a widescreen specifically built to eliminate distortion from the sides of the parking area.”
There was a nice long article in the April 28, 1956 issue of Boxoffice describing how incoming manager Ralph Bradshaw ended the practice of using an armed guard to chase away vandals and began employing young native Americans from a nearby Yaqui settlement to maintain and police the site.
Boxoffice, April 21, 1956: “Mr. and Mrs. Harvey E. Sampson, owners of the Lower Lake Theatre, have purchased the Lake Drive-In Theatre at Clearlake Highlands from Mr. and Mrs. M. W. Bouldin, who erected and operated the outdoor theatre last summer.” (They opened in June 1955 and closed for the season in November.)
Boxoffice, March 31, 1956: “MANCOS, COLO. – Philip M. Belt, formerly of Cortez, Colo., recently purchased the Mancos Theatre here.”
Boxoffice, April 21, 1956: “Mr. and Mrs. Wayne Bauer have sold the Mancos Theatre to Mr. and Mrs. Phillip Belt of Cortez. … Mr. and Mrs. Bauer … started the business in 1949 in the new Bauer building which was built to replace the old Bauer Mercantile building, destroyed by fire in 1948.”
The April 14, 1956 issue of Boxoffice ran a very lengthy article (sadly, without photos) of E. R. “Chub” Munger’s shift from county sheriff to first-time drive-in owner. There are tons of details, including screen sizes (40x60 feet to start, x80 in 1955), details of the annual car giveaway, and his favorite publicity stunt. “I believe it was the rooster project. I simply released a bunch of roosters for the audience to catch with the understanding that once caught, the roosters belonged to the catchers. The show put on by the audience that evening outdid the attraction on the screen.”
Boxoffice, April 7, 1956: “LIBERAL, KAS. – Jay Wooten of Hutchinson and Ben Adams of El Dorado have started grading in the north end of town for the construction of a new drive-in. The partners built the Great Western at the south end of town and have operated it since May 1949.”
Boxoffice, March 31, 1956: “H. L. Boehm, who operates theatres at Woodward, Okla., has bought the Mission and El Rancho Drive-In, Dalhart, Tex., from J. C. Parker.”
Boxoffice, March 24, 1956: “Recent sale of the Star Drive-In, south of Conrad, to the Kluth interests was announced by former owner, Ray Yeager, Brady. Yeager built the drive-in in the summer of 1952 and has owned and operated it the past four years.”
Boxoffice, March 10, 1956: “BOISE, IDA. – Lou Pressler of Seattle has purchased the Boise and Broadway drive-ins here. They were formerly owned by Joy Naylor and the late Milton Fry.”
Boxoffice, March 10, 1956: “BOISE, IDA. – Lou Pressler of Seattle has purchased the Boise and Broadway drive-ins here. They were formerly owned by Joy Naylor and the late Milton Fry.”
Boxoffice, Jan. 28, 1956: “TWENTYNINE PALMS, CALIF. – A mid-March opening is planned for Clemon’s Drive-In, a 365-car installation here, being built and to be operated by Art and Deldee Clemon. Designed by architect J. Arthur Drielsma of Los Angeles, the ozoner will feature a 60-foot screen, individual car speakers, snack bar and playground for the smallfry.”
More proof of existence: The Jan. 14, 1956 issue of Boxoffice described O. O. Knotts as the guy “who operates the Sunset and Trade Wind drive-in in Hobbs”.
With the distinctive contours of Johnson Lake in the background of the photo, the drive-in must have been at about 140 15 St E, Brooks, AB T1R 1C4, although there is no trace, just businesses, there today.
The Jan. 7, 1956 issue of Boxoffice ran a two-page story, with photos, dealing with the way Peter Umbertino and his son Robert built the Brooks “two miles north of town” even after the Trans-Canada Highway cut through the middle of the site. The story implied that the drive-in had one season under its belt, which would mean that it opened in 1955.
Boxoffice, Dec. 10, 1955: “HOBBS, N. M. – The Flamingo, new twin-screen drive-in on the Denver City highway, has been opened here with a 1,200-car capacity. George Fossell is manager of the theatre for All-States Theatres.”