Looks like it opened in 1950. Boxoffice, May 5, 1951: “HARDIN, MONT. – The Sky-Vu Drive-In here, owned by Conrad Seader and managed by D. J. McGillan, has opened for its second season.”
Boxoffice, April 21, 1951: “Floyd Bailey recently purchased the Starlight Drive-In from Dave Simon and plans to open for the season on April 17. Bailey also owns the Roxy and Liberty theatres. Simon, originally from Missoula, built the theatre and opened it in 1950. He is employed by a construction company.”
The arrival of the guy who later opened the Sands Drive-In. Boxoffice, April 7, 1951: “E. R. Couch has taken over as manager of the Needles Theatre, Needles, operated by the Midwest Amusement Co. He succeeds Chester Bostick, who has been transferred to the circuit’s showcase in El Centro. Couch hails from Kansas City.”
Boxoffice, March 31, 1951: “The Western Amusement Co., Los Angeles, plans to open a new 320-car drive-in in La Grande, Ore., early in May. … The company operates theatres in Coos Bay, La Grande, Baker, Hood River and some time ago bought out the Gamble interests here. A local contest will be conducted to name the new auto theatre.”
Boxoffice, March 10, 1951: “MISSOULA, MONT. – Veteran theatre executive E. K. Taylor has purchased part interest in the Mtn-Vu Drive-In here. Speaker outlets will be increased from 380 to 425 before the spring opening.”
The Kar-Vu held its Grand Opening on April 8, 1950, showing Glenn Ford in “The Man From Colorado” and Abbott and Costello in “Keep ‘em Flying,” per its ads in the Brighton Blade.
There was a drive-in on the northeast side of Cortez, and it’s very clear that it was the Arroyo. There was also a drive-in on the southwest side, at about 321 S. Broadway, so by elimination, that one must have been the Tsaya.
Spending some time with Cortez Sentinel issues from 1950, I learned a few things:
After a few misfires, the Arroya opened on Sept. 3, 1950 with the movie El Paso.
All along the way, every reference used an A at the end of that name. Perhaps someone later told the owners that “arroya” isn’t a word, because just two weeks after the grand opening, the ads changed to Arroyo.
The Arroyo was on the northeast side of town, approximately 948 Lebanon Road.
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.”
Looks like it opened in 1950. Boxoffice, May 5, 1951: “HARDIN, MONT. – The Sky-Vu Drive-In here, owned by Conrad Seader and managed by D. J. McGillan, has opened for its second season.”
Boxoffice, April 21, 1951: “Floyd Bailey recently purchased the Starlight Drive-In from Dave Simon and plans to open for the season on April 17. Bailey also owns the Roxy and Liberty theatres. Simon, originally from Missoula, built the theatre and opened it in 1950. He is employed by a construction company.”
The arrival of the guy who later opened the Sands Drive-In. Boxoffice, April 7, 1951: “E. R. Couch has taken over as manager of the Needles Theatre, Needles, operated by the Midwest Amusement Co. He succeeds Chester Bostick, who has been transferred to the circuit’s showcase in El Centro. Couch hails from Kansas City.”
Boxoffice, March 31, 1951: “The Western Amusement Co., Los Angeles, plans to open a new 320-car drive-in in La Grande, Ore., early in May. … The company operates theatres in Coos Bay, La Grande, Baker, Hood River and some time ago bought out the Gamble interests here. A local contest will be conducted to name the new auto theatre.”
Boxoffice, March 10, 1951: “MISSOULA, MONT. – Veteran theatre executive E. K. Taylor has purchased part interest in the Mtn-Vu Drive-In here. Speaker outlets will be increased from 380 to 425 before the spring opening.”
Boxoffice, March 10, 1951: “J. C. Parker is readying his new 350-car $65,000 drive-in, Dalhart, Tex., for a spring opening.”
The Kar-Vu held its Grand Opening on April 8, 1950, showing Glenn Ford in “The Man From Colorado” and Abbott and Costello in “Keep ‘em Flying,” per its ads in the Brighton Blade.
There was a drive-in on the northeast side of Cortez, and it’s very clear that it was the Arroyo. There was also a drive-in on the southwest side, at about 321 S. Broadway, so by elimination, that one must have been the Tsaya.
Spending some time with Cortez Sentinel issues from 1950, I learned a few things:
After a few misfires, the Arroya opened on Sept. 3, 1950 with the movie El Paso.
All along the way, every reference used an A at the end of that name. Perhaps someone later told the owners that “arroya” isn’t a word, because just two weeks after the grand opening, the ads changed to Arroyo.
The Arroyo was on the northeast side of town, approximately 948 Lebanon Road.
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.”