The March 7, 1953 issue of Boxoffice ran a full-page article about the Corral, mostly focused on its neon-lit mural. “Motorists are said to be able to see the screen tower from a distance of five miles, due to the face that it is 56 feet high and is located on top of a four-foot dirt hill, making the top of the tower 60 feet above ground.”
Boxoffice, March 7, 1953: “Merle Swank and Don Phillips, owners of a drive-in at Longmont, have bought the McCook (Neb.) Drive-In from Hankey & Giddings.”
Boxoffice, Feb. 21, 1953: “ROSWELL, N.M. – The capacity of the Starlite Drive-In is to be increased to handle 900 automobiles, according to Boyd F. Scott, local manager for Theatre Enterprises. Complete rearrangement of the projection room and refreshment stand also are planned. The airer was opened in May 1949.”
Lloyd’s must have opened before this note in the Jan. 31, 1953 issue of Boxoffice: “Lloyd Kerby has plans ready for the new 800-seat theatre he will build at Worland, Wyo., where he already owns one indoor house and a drive-in.”
Boxoffice, Jan. 17, 1953: “TUCSON – Two workmen were killed here Saturday (10) when a 57-foot screen tower wall collapsed during construction at the Prince Drive-In on East Prince road, near north Campbell avenue. One man was killed instantly beneath 20 tons of debris from the fallen screen. The second, who had loosened his safety belt and jumped from the falling screen, died at a local hospital four hours later. … Both men had been hired on the day of the accident by theatre manager Hugh Downs.”
Boxoffice, Sept. 8, 1951: “Billings' newest drive-in, the City-Vu Drive-In, opened this summer a mile east of town just off Highway 10. It has three-way exits which open onto two highways for quick and safe departure. Steve Trenka, who opened the ozoner, has been busy nearly a year on the new theatre and did most of the work himself.”
Boxoffice ran a full-page layout on the Suburbia Center Drive-In in its Sept. 6, 1952 issue, including several photos of its unusual screen tower and concession building. The tower included three floors of apartments for personnel, and the three-story concession stand included 350 theatre seats on its second floor.
Boxoffice, Aug. 30, 1952: “When Helena’s city drinking water was declared "not fit for human consumption” early this week, an advertisement in a daily paper notified the public that well water, free for the taking, had been made available to local residents at the Sky-Hi Drive-In on the east Helena highway. The announcement was made by Ralph Hahn, co-owner of the ozoner."
Boxoffice, Aug. 23, 1952: “A windstorm damaged the screen and other installations at the Starlight Drive-In, Newcastle, Wyo. The wind was so strong that it not only blew away 15 speakers, but some of the speaker posts went along for the ride also.”
An approximate opening date. Boxoffice, Aug. 16, 1952: “The grand opening of the Ocean Drive-In was held recently. A total of 450 cars may be accommodated at the ozoner, located five miles north of (Crescent City) on Wonder Stump road off Highway 101.”
Boxoffice, Aug. 2, 1952: “LAS CRUCES, N. M. – The newly completed Rocket Drive-In recently opened on Highway 70 east of here. The airer is owned and operated by Hugh Kane.”
Boxoffice, July 26, 1952: “CLOVIS, N. M. – The La Fonda airer, owned by Lord Franklin and W. O. Bearden, has opened. Construction of the $100,000 situation began last May 12.”
Another theater? Boxoffice, July 19, 1952: “Mrs. Marie J. Green has opened her new 280-seat Green Theatre, Lodge Grass, Mont., using equipment and chairs bought from Service Theatre Supply Co., Denver”
Looks like there was another drive-in before the Starlight.
Boxoffice, July 12, 1952: “Joe Sikes has opened his new Stockade outdoor theatre, with 250-car capacity, which cost about $50,000, at Chadron, Neb.”
And the following week, Boxoffice indicated that Black Hills' drive-in in Chadron was unfinished. “The Black Hills Amusement Co. is building drive-ins in many of its towns … They will be about 300-car capacity, with the Chadron job almost ready for opening.”
Boxoffice, Dec. 13, 1952: “A flood at the Starlight Drive-In in South San Francisco a year ago has resulted in three suits, totaling $241,000, against South San Francisco. The suits were filed in superior court at Redwood City by the Starlight Theatre Corp., the Trans-California Theatres and Joseph Van Arkel, manager of the theatre. The complaint also named as defendant Arthur W. Baum, a contractor. It accused Baum and South San Francisco of negligence in cutting into the banks of Colma creek thus weakening them. Mud, silt and debris washed over the theatre property, forcing Van Arkle and his wife to evacuate their apartment by rowboat last January 26.”
Boxoffice ran a full-age article on the Capitol in its Dec. 6, 1952 issue. “The screen tower, built of wood and enclosed with fireproof Transite, houses the manager’s office and storage space. Size of the picture screen is 62½x45½ feet.”
The April 9, 1962 issue of Boxoffice ran a lengthy article on the closing of the Trail. It relied on a story in the Colorado Springs Free Press.
Highlights: Started as the Majestic in 1910, first with vaudeville, then movies. Changed its name to the Empress until after World War I, when it became the America. Cooper Foundation Theatres picked it up in the mid 1930s. The theater finally became the Trail after remodeling in 1937. Closed “Thursday night” with the movie “Face in the Crowd.” The building was to be razed to make room for an expansion of the First National Bank. The Trail’s seats were to be moved to the Tompkins.
Filling in the approximate date of the last (?) name change is Boxoffice, April 10, 1948: “HOLLY, COLO. – The Pontiac Theatre has been remodeled and renamed the Holly. Mr. Ellis has redecorated the front and moved the boxoffice to the south side of the entrance.” (So the Exhibitor’s 1953 reference to the Pontiac might have been out of date?)
The Nov. 22, 1952 issue of Boxoffice included a photo of the Grant’s twin auditoriums “air conditioned for summer, heated for winter use. The projection booth is between the two auditoriums.”
The Nov. 8, 1952 issue of Boxoffice ran an article about the Liberty Drive-In, which “was opened last April 1” by Leon Task. It included a photo of the huge walk-in area with 700 seats. “Local newspaper and civic officials joined in congratulating Task in providing the recreational center for the Negro population.”
Boxoffice ran an article on Oct. 4, 1952 about the East’s use of double ramping to squeeze in more cars in limited space. The site also included “a unique swimming and fishing pool” and a mini-golf course.
The March 7, 1953 issue of Boxoffice ran a full-page article about the Corral, mostly focused on its neon-lit mural. “Motorists are said to be able to see the screen tower from a distance of five miles, due to the face that it is 56 feet high and is located on top of a four-foot dirt hill, making the top of the tower 60 feet above ground.”
Boxoffice, March 7, 1953: “Merle Swank and Don Phillips, owners of a drive-in at Longmont, have bought the McCook (Neb.) Drive-In from Hankey & Giddings.”
Boxoffice, Feb. 21, 1953: “Dave Peterman succeeds Joseph James as manager of the Bar-Len Drive-In in Barstow.”
Boxoffice, Feb. 21, 1953: “ROSWELL, N.M. – The capacity of the Starlite Drive-In is to be increased to handle 900 automobiles, according to Boyd F. Scott, local manager for Theatre Enterprises. Complete rearrangement of the projection room and refreshment stand also are planned. The airer was opened in May 1949.”
Boxoffice, Feb. 14, 1953: “H. F. Boyneg has sold the Organ Drive-In, Las Cruces, to Luis Maynes.”
Lloyd’s must have opened before this note in the Jan. 31, 1953 issue of Boxoffice: “Lloyd Kerby has plans ready for the new 800-seat theatre he will build at Worland, Wyo., where he already owns one indoor house and a drive-in.”
Boxoffice, Jan. 17, 1953: “TUCSON – Two workmen were killed here Saturday (10) when a 57-foot screen tower wall collapsed during construction at the Prince Drive-In on East Prince road, near north Campbell avenue. One man was killed instantly beneath 20 tons of debris from the fallen screen. The second, who had loosened his safety belt and jumped from the falling screen, died at a local hospital four hours later. … Both men had been hired on the day of the accident by theatre manager Hugh Downs.”
Boxoffice, Sept. 8, 1951: “Billings' newest drive-in, the City-Vu Drive-In, opened this summer a mile east of town just off Highway 10. It has three-way exits which open onto two highways for quick and safe departure. Steve Trenka, who opened the ozoner, has been busy nearly a year on the new theatre and did most of the work himself.”
Boxoffice ran a full-page layout on the Suburbia Center Drive-In in its Sept. 6, 1952 issue, including several photos of its unusual screen tower and concession building. The tower included three floors of apartments for personnel, and the three-story concession stand included 350 theatre seats on its second floor.
Boxoffice, Aug. 30, 1952: “When Helena’s city drinking water was declared "not fit for human consumption” early this week, an advertisement in a daily paper notified the public that well water, free for the taking, had been made available to local residents at the Sky-Hi Drive-In on the east Helena highway. The announcement was made by Ralph Hahn, co-owner of the ozoner."
Boxoffice, Aug. 23, 1952: “A windstorm damaged the screen and other installations at the Starlight Drive-In, Newcastle, Wyo. The wind was so strong that it not only blew away 15 speakers, but some of the speaker posts went along for the ride also.”
Boxoffice, Aug. 16, 1952: “Commonwealth Theatres, Kansas City, has bought the Pawnee Drive-In, North Platte, Neb., from W. L. Smith.”
An approximate opening date. Boxoffice, Aug. 16, 1952: “The grand opening of the Ocean Drive-In was held recently. A total of 450 cars may be accommodated at the ozoner, located five miles north of (Crescent City) on Wonder Stump road off Highway 101.”
Boxoffice, Aug. 2, 1952: “LAS CRUCES, N. M. – The newly completed Rocket Drive-In recently opened on Highway 70 east of here. The airer is owned and operated by Hugh Kane.”
Boxoffice, July 26, 1952: “CLOVIS, N. M. – The La Fonda airer, owned by Lord Franklin and W. O. Bearden, has opened. Construction of the $100,000 situation began last May 12.”
Another theater? Boxoffice, July 19, 1952: “Mrs. Marie J. Green has opened her new 280-seat Green Theatre, Lodge Grass, Mont., using equipment and chairs bought from Service Theatre Supply Co., Denver”
Looks like there was another drive-in before the Starlight.
Boxoffice, July 12, 1952: “Joe Sikes has opened his new Stockade outdoor theatre, with 250-car capacity, which cost about $50,000, at Chadron, Neb.”
And the following week, Boxoffice indicated that Black Hills' drive-in in Chadron was unfinished. “The Black Hills Amusement Co. is building drive-ins in many of its towns … They will be about 300-car capacity, with the Chadron job almost ready for opening.”
Boxoffice, Dec. 13, 1952: “A flood at the Starlight Drive-In in South San Francisco a year ago has resulted in three suits, totaling $241,000, against South San Francisco. The suits were filed in superior court at Redwood City by the Starlight Theatre Corp., the Trans-California Theatres and Joseph Van Arkel, manager of the theatre. The complaint also named as defendant Arthur W. Baum, a contractor. It accused Baum and South San Francisco of negligence in cutting into the banks of Colma creek thus weakening them. Mud, silt and debris washed over the theatre property, forcing Van Arkle and his wife to evacuate their apartment by rowboat last January 26.”
Boxoffice ran a full-age article on the Capitol in its Dec. 6, 1952 issue. “The screen tower, built of wood and enclosed with fireproof Transite, houses the manager’s office and storage space. Size of the picture screen is 62½x45½ feet.”
The April 9, 1962 issue of Boxoffice ran a lengthy article on the closing of the Trail. It relied on a story in the Colorado Springs Free Press.
Highlights: Started as the Majestic in 1910, first with vaudeville, then movies. Changed its name to the Empress until after World War I, when it became the America. Cooper Foundation Theatres picked it up in the mid 1930s. The theater finally became the Trail after remodeling in 1937. Closed “Thursday night” with the movie “Face in the Crowd.” The building was to be razed to make room for an expansion of the First National Bank. The Trail’s seats were to be moved to the Tompkins.
Filling in the approximate date of the last (?) name change is Boxoffice, April 10, 1948: “HOLLY, COLO. – The Pontiac Theatre has been remodeled and renamed the Holly. Mr. Ellis has redecorated the front and moved the boxoffice to the south side of the entrance.” (So the Exhibitor’s 1953 reference to the Pontiac might have been out of date?)
The Nov. 22, 1952 issue of Boxoffice included a photo of the Grant’s twin auditoriums “air conditioned for summer, heated for winter use. The projection booth is between the two auditoriums.”
The Nov. 8, 1952 issue of Boxoffice ran an article about the Liberty Drive-In, which “was opened last April 1” by Leon Task. It included a photo of the huge walk-in area with 700 seats. “Local newspaper and civic officials joined in congratulating Task in providing the recreational center for the Negro population.”
A wider version of this photo, including all of the marquee sign, was published in the Nov. 8, 1952 issue of Boxoffice.
Boxoffice ran an article on Oct. 4, 1952 about the East’s use of double ramping to squeeze in more cars in limited space. The site also included “a unique swimming and fishing pool” and a mini-golf course.