Boxoffice, Nov. 13, 1954: “George Armstrong is opening a 300-car drive-in at Shiprock, N. M., to be called the Chief. It will be the first drive-in to be built on Indian-owned land.”
The Nov. 6, 1954 issue of Boxoffice ran a lengthy article, with photos, about Lakeside owner Milan G. Steele’s do-it-yourself approach to drive-in construction. “Incidentally, the new wide screen, 60x30 feet, replaced the one destroyed in a tornado last May 1.”
The Oct. 23, 1954 issue of Boxoffice had a full-page story, with photos and a diagram, of the “air conditioning” system invented by C. H. (Buck) Weaver Jr. An evaporative cooling system cooled the whole viewing field by up to 12 degrees, but only when there was a breeze from the south.
The Aug. 22, 1953 issue of Boxoffice ran a lengthy article about the Moonlight. “An indoor-outdoor theatre, believed to be the first of its kind in the world, will be ready for year-around operation late this fall, when a four-wall theatre is added to the operations of the recently opened Moonlight Drive-In here. The new theatre, owned by Richard M. Cody, is unique in that both the drive-in and the four-wall house will be operated under the same projection system.”
Boxoffice also ran a two-page spread on the Moonlight in its Oct. 23, 1954 issue. This one had several photos of the setup.
A slightly less cropped (more foliage foreground) version of this photo appeared in the Oct. 23, 1954 issue of Boxoffice, which should be in the public domain.
To re-emphasize Joe Vogel’s excellent post, in the Modern Theatre Buyers' Directory section of the Oct. 23, 1954 issue of Boxoffice, there was a three-page article about the Autoscope. It included plenty of photos including an aerial view (uploaded here), closeups of the projection setup, and a shot of the central concession / projection building.
Boxoffice, Nov. 14, 1953: “Las Cruces, N.M. – U. A. Kane, owner of the Rocket Drive-In here, had a free quail dinner recently … Kane has an apartment under the screen tower and early one morning he heard a noise which sounded as if someone had hit the tower with several large rocks. Upon investigating Kane found eight dead quail. They had broken their necks by flying into the tower.”
U. A. Kane bought a display ad in the Oct. 23, 1954 issue of Boxoffice selling a miniature train “with two hundred miles on the speedometer”. The package included 750 feet of rail “like new”.
Boxoffice, March 13, 1954: “Ted Knox has bought the Starlight Drive-In, Newcastle, Wyo., and has renamed it the Knox, as he is also doing with his other four drive-ins in the (Denver) territory. The Newcastle ozoner, with 350-car capacity, was bought from the Starlight Amusement Co.”
Boxoffice, Oct. 2, 1954: “Wally O'Neill, owner of the Vita, Spearfish, S. D., and Bud Lowell of Newcastle, Wyo., have bought the Knox Drive-In, Newcastle, from Ted Knox”
The June 5, 1954 issue of Boxoffice ran a full-page story, with photos, on the new miniature railroad at the Paris. There’s a picture of Guy Conley driving in the last spike on the track before the inaugural run. “The railroad train runs over a 2,450-foot track, on a bed which has been built up from one to three feet from the ground to give it a more realistic look.”
The July 3, 1954 issue of Boxoffice ran a short article with three small photos on the new Fredonia drive-in. It was owned by Mrs. and Mrs. A. W. Pugh of Columbus KS and their daughter and son-in-law, the George Wadlingtons, who had owned the West Theatre in Parsons for eight years.
Boxoffice, July 3, 1954: “SANTA ROSA, CALIF. – Philip Zenovich, owner of the State Theatre at Petaluma, Calif., has purchased the Redwood Drive-In here from G. E. Burnette and Alfred Truslow jr., who built the airer in 1947. Zenovich said that he will revamp the 18-acre site to include a picnic area and a children’s playground.”
Boxoffice, June 26, 1954: “The Weekiwow Drive-In, located five miles south of Polson on Highway 93, was opened Friday (11) by Mr. and Mrs. Bill Shell, who also operate a local indoor theatre. The name Weekiwow was chosen in a contest. It means a large gathering or lodge in the Indian language. The Weekiwow features a 66x40-foot screen.”
I don’t trust Boxoffice’s spellings; the 1955-56 Theatre Catalog had it as the Wiki Wow, capacity 250.
Boxoffice, June 5, 1954: “Former owners of the Park Vu Drive-In lost a $48,796 suit filed against the city for damages suffered in 1952 floods. … The city had decided to turn floodwaters from their natural course and upon the drive-in to save what it regarded as "more valuable property” below. The drive-in operators, Leon J. Frickberg, Beth Everill Frickberg, William R. Everill and Emma L. C. Everill, contended there was no reason to divert the floodwaters through the drive-in."
The May 8, 1954 issue of Boxoffice ran a lengthy article with photos of the Frontier, focusing on the rustic look created by lodge pole pine shipped in from Colorado. “The full-size logs were nailed together with 13-inch nail spikes, then caulking compound was used to seal the cracks between them. They are not finished on the inside, but intentionally left rough. On the outside the logs were given a coat of linseed oil and later varnished.”
The May 1, 1954 issue of Boxoffice ran a lengthy article about the opening of the Airport, including a photo of its cement block screen tower. “The huge screen literally is awe-inspiring. It is curved, and is formed by one side of a five-story building of cement block construction … The first floor contains a garage and office space, the second floor has an apartment for Manager Robert Huntling. Third, fourth and fifth floors are for storage.”
Boxoffice, May 1, 1954: “BRAWLEY, CALIF. – A curved, all-aluminum screen measuring 60x80 feet is a highlight of the new Family Drive-In a half-mile south of this Imperial Valley community and owned by the Motor-Vu Corp. The ozoner, which opened last month, represents an investment of nearly $200,000. The screen … is said to be ideally suited to withstand the intense heat which prevails in the Imperial Valley during the summer. … The Family Drive-In accommodates 550 cars.”
Looks like both the Grand Vu and Hill Top were built in 1954. Boxoffice, April 24, 1954: “The uranium boom in southeastern Utah has resulted in construction of two drive-ins at Moab … (whose) population has doubled in little more than a year”
Boxoffice, April 24, 1954: “San Pedro valley will have a $25,000 drive-in ready for use in about 60 days, according to Elliot Long of Safford, contractor, who will build the airer for the L. F. Long theatre firm. Location is about one mile south of Benson on U.S. 80. Capacity will be 350 cars. Frame for the screen will be 50x60 feet, with the screen itself measuring 30x40.”
The April 3, 1954 issue of Boxoffice ran a two-page story on the Hillside with several photos. “Travelers on the heavily-trafficked highway cannot fail to be impressed by the huge screen tower with an animated name sign. The tower is further enhanced by giant theatre masks representing laughter and sadness.”
Fun story in the March 27, 1954 issue of Boxoffice: “Every evening for more than two weeks the ramps of Anthony L. Fenton’s Starlite Drive-In were filled and the concession stand did a landoffice business, although it was in the dead of winter and there was no picture on the big screen. Through arrangements made by army channels, the Starlite was used as an overnight stopover by the 31st Dixie division in its move from Indiana to Camp Carson in Colorado. The division made the journey in relays, an average of 400 men in motor vehicles pulling in around 4 p.m. and staying to 12:30 p.m. the next day … The men slept in trucks or in pup tents on the ground.”
Boxoffice, Nov. 13, 1954: “George Armstrong is opening a 300-car drive-in at Shiprock, N. M., to be called the Chief. It will be the first drive-in to be built on Indian-owned land.”
The Nov. 6, 1954 issue of Boxoffice ran a lengthy article, with photos, about Lakeside owner Milan G. Steele’s do-it-yourself approach to drive-in construction. “Incidentally, the new wide screen, 60x30 feet, replaced the one destroyed in a tornado last May 1.”
The Oct. 23, 1954 issue of Boxoffice had a full-page story, with photos and a diagram, of the “air conditioning” system invented by C. H. (Buck) Weaver Jr. An evaporative cooling system cooled the whole viewing field by up to 12 degrees, but only when there was a breeze from the south.
The Aug. 22, 1953 issue of Boxoffice ran a lengthy article about the Moonlight. “An indoor-outdoor theatre, believed to be the first of its kind in the world, will be ready for year-around operation late this fall, when a four-wall theatre is added to the operations of the recently opened Moonlight Drive-In here. The new theatre, owned by Richard M. Cody, is unique in that both the drive-in and the four-wall house will be operated under the same projection system.”
Boxoffice also ran a two-page spread on the Moonlight in its Oct. 23, 1954 issue. This one had several photos of the setup.
A slightly less cropped (more foliage foreground) version of this photo appeared in the Oct. 23, 1954 issue of Boxoffice, which should be in the public domain.
To re-emphasize Joe Vogel’s excellent post, in the Modern Theatre Buyers' Directory section of the Oct. 23, 1954 issue of Boxoffice, there was a three-page article about the Autoscope. It included plenty of photos including an aerial view (uploaded here), closeups of the projection setup, and a shot of the central concession / projection building.
Boxoffice, Nov. 14, 1953: “Las Cruces, N.M. – U. A. Kane, owner of the Rocket Drive-In here, had a free quail dinner recently … Kane has an apartment under the screen tower and early one morning he heard a noise which sounded as if someone had hit the tower with several large rocks. Upon investigating Kane found eight dead quail. They had broken their necks by flying into the tower.”
U. A. Kane bought a display ad in the Oct. 23, 1954 issue of Boxoffice selling a miniature train “with two hundred miles on the speedometer”. The package included 750 feet of rail “like new”.
This photo, illustrating the work of W. Horstman and Co., ran in the Oct. 2, 1954 issue of Boxoffice, and might therefore be in the public domain.
Boxoffice, March 13, 1954: “Ted Knox has bought the Starlight Drive-In, Newcastle, Wyo., and has renamed it the Knox, as he is also doing with his other four drive-ins in the (Denver) territory. The Newcastle ozoner, with 350-car capacity, was bought from the Starlight Amusement Co.”
Boxoffice, Oct. 2, 1954: “Wally O'Neill, owner of the Vita, Spearfish, S. D., and Bud Lowell of Newcastle, Wyo., have bought the Knox Drive-In, Newcastle, from Ted Knox”
Motion Picture Herald, Sept. 25, 1954: “August Koeppe has bought the Oskosh (sic) drive-in, Oskosh, Neb., from Merrill Nygren.”
but Boxoffice wrote that day, “August Koeppe bought a two-thirds interest in the Oshkosh Drive-In, Oshkosh, Neb., from Merrill Nygren.”
The June 5, 1954 issue of Boxoffice ran a full-page story, with photos, on the new miniature railroad at the Paris. There’s a picture of Guy Conley driving in the last spike on the track before the inaugural run. “The railroad train runs over a 2,450-foot track, on a bed which has been built up from one to three feet from the ground to give it a more realistic look.”
The July 3, 1954 issue of Boxoffice ran a short article with three small photos on the new Fredonia drive-in. It was owned by Mrs. and Mrs. A. W. Pugh of Columbus KS and their daughter and son-in-law, the George Wadlingtons, who had owned the West Theatre in Parsons for eight years.
Boxoffice, July 3, 1954: “SANTA ROSA, CALIF. – Philip Zenovich, owner of the State Theatre at Petaluma, Calif., has purchased the Redwood Drive-In here from G. E. Burnette and Alfred Truslow jr., who built the airer in 1947. Zenovich said that he will revamp the 18-acre site to include a picnic area and a children’s playground.”
Boxoffice, June 26, 1954: “The Weekiwow Drive-In, located five miles south of Polson on Highway 93, was opened Friday (11) by Mr. and Mrs. Bill Shell, who also operate a local indoor theatre. The name Weekiwow was chosen in a contest. It means a large gathering or lodge in the Indian language. The Weekiwow features a 66x40-foot screen.”
I don’t trust Boxoffice’s spellings; the 1955-56 Theatre Catalog had it as the Wiki Wow, capacity 250.
Boxoffice, June 5, 1954: “Former owners of the Park Vu Drive-In lost a $48,796 suit filed against the city for damages suffered in 1952 floods. … The city had decided to turn floodwaters from their natural course and upon the drive-in to save what it regarded as "more valuable property” below. The drive-in operators, Leon J. Frickberg, Beth Everill Frickberg, William R. Everill and Emma L. C. Everill, contended there was no reason to divert the floodwaters through the drive-in."
Boxoffice, May 15, 1954: “J. Harry Agron has opened his 600-car 22nd Street Drive-In in Tucson”
The May 8, 1954 issue of Boxoffice ran a lengthy article with photos of the Frontier, focusing on the rustic look created by lodge pole pine shipped in from Colorado. “The full-size logs were nailed together with 13-inch nail spikes, then caulking compound was used to seal the cracks between them. They are not finished on the inside, but intentionally left rough. On the outside the logs were given a coat of linseed oil and later varnished.”
The May 1, 1954 issue of Boxoffice ran a lengthy article about the opening of the Airport, including a photo of its cement block screen tower. “The huge screen literally is awe-inspiring. It is curved, and is formed by one side of a five-story building of cement block construction … The first floor contains a garage and office space, the second floor has an apartment for Manager Robert Huntling. Third, fourth and fifth floors are for storage.”
Boxoffice, May 1, 1954: “BRAWLEY, CALIF. – A curved, all-aluminum screen measuring 60x80 feet is a highlight of the new Family Drive-In a half-mile south of this Imperial Valley community and owned by the Motor-Vu Corp. The ozoner, which opened last month, represents an investment of nearly $200,000. The screen … is said to be ideally suited to withstand the intense heat which prevails in the Imperial Valley during the summer. … The Family Drive-In accommodates 550 cars.”
Looks like both the Grand Vu and Hill Top were built in 1954. Boxoffice, April 24, 1954: “The uranium boom in southeastern Utah has resulted in construction of two drive-ins at Moab … (whose) population has doubled in little more than a year”
Boxoffice, April 24, 1954: “San Pedro valley will have a $25,000 drive-in ready for use in about 60 days, according to Elliot Long of Safford, contractor, who will build the airer for the L. F. Long theatre firm. Location is about one mile south of Benson on U.S. 80. Capacity will be 350 cars. Frame for the screen will be 50x60 feet, with the screen itself measuring 30x40.”
A slightly cropped version of this photo can be found in the April 17, 1954 issue of Boxoffice, which should be in the public domain.
The April 3, 1954 issue of Boxoffice ran a two-page story on the Hillside with several photos. “Travelers on the heavily-trafficked highway cannot fail to be impressed by the huge screen tower with an animated name sign. The tower is further enhanced by giant theatre masks representing laughter and sadness.”
Boxoffice, April 3, 1954: “John Feys & Associates have purchased the Cine-Car Drive-In, a 700-seat (sic) operation, from Bill Montgomery.”
Fun story in the March 27, 1954 issue of Boxoffice: “Every evening for more than two weeks the ramps of Anthony L. Fenton’s Starlite Drive-In were filled and the concession stand did a landoffice business, although it was in the dead of winter and there was no picture on the big screen. Through arrangements made by army channels, the Starlite was used as an overnight stopover by the 31st Dixie division in its move from Indiana to Camp Carson in Colorado. The division made the journey in relays, an average of 400 men in motor vehicles pulling in around 4 p.m. and staying to 12:30 p.m. the next day … The men slept in trucks or in pup tents on the ground.”