Kenmore is accurate, but I’d still list this drive-in under Susanville. The Lassen was between the two chunks of Susanville (wait, what?), and Johnstonville is merely a census-designated place, apparently without borders or governance. But it was founded as Toadtown, so at least it upgraded its name.
The Lassen’s first appearance in the Film Daily Year Book’s lists was the 1951 edition, as “Drive-In”. Its first entry in the Motion Picture Almanac was the 1951-52 edition, and the first Theatre Catalog mention was 1952.
The Lassen’s screen was still visible in a 1980 aerial photo (masquerading as a topo map on HistoricAerials.com) but as Kenmore implied, it was gone in a 1981 aerial.
At some point, the Oakland and Stadium drive-ins merged. The 1977 Motion Picture Almanac had the first drive-in list to notice, calling it the “U A Stadium Drive In 3”, capacity 1100. But as early as 1972, the United Artists circuit entry in the MPA included the “Stadium/Oakland D.I.” in San Leandro.
The combined entry’s last appearance in the MPA was the 1979 edition, suggesting it closed in 1978 or earlier.
Thanks for the topo, rockyroadz. Old aerial photos show a very narrow viewing field with the screen at the west corner. The San Pablo was still in great shape in a 1959 photo, but the 1968 aerial shows the ramps run down and the screen gone.
Google Maps shows that site is now occupied by the Villa Alvarado Apartments, so a better address would be 1330 Contra Costa Ave, San Pablo, CA 94806.
The 1948 Film Daily Year Book included the “Automovie” under Pittsburgh (sic) CA, so it probably opened in 1947. It was also in the first Theatre Catalog drive-in list, the 1948-49 edition.
The Auto Movies' final appearances in the Motion Picture Almanac drive-in list were the 1960-61 editions. The drive-in list said it was operated by Blumenfeld Theas., although Blumenfeld’s circuit listing that year didn’t include it.
A 1959 aerial photo shows the drive-in in great shape, but a 1966 aerial photo of the site shows a fully built housing development.
The final appearance of the Airport Auto Movie in the Motion Picture Almanac’s drive-in lists was the 1979 edition, when it was said to have a capacity of 1000.
The drive-in was clearly visible in a 1968 aerial photo. I don’t see the screen in the 1981 aerial, but the ramps were still in good shape.
Although the aerial proves it opened earlier, the drive-in’s first appearance in the Motion Picture Alamanc was the 1970 edition, where the circuit list entry for United Artists Theatre Circuit listed the U.A. Marina Auto Movie under Monterey.
The 1972-76 MPA drive-in lists included “UAmarina” (capacity 620) under Marina CA. The rebooted 1977 MPA drive-in list had the Marina Auto Movie (capacity 754) under Monterey.
The Marina Auto Movie’s final appearance in the MPA drive-in list was 1982; the UA circuit’s holdings placed it in Marina that year. In the 1983 edition, the Marina Auto Movie was gone from all MPA lists.
Sorry, robertgippy, but this Westgate is not the same as the “West Gate” in distant Stockton, a town that also had the Hammer Drive-In.
As rivest266’s Grand Opening clipping in the photo section shows, the Westgate was a new drive-in when it opened in September 1966. The grand opening’s month argues strongly against it being merely a season opener.
Also, Google Maps likes 26375 County RD 105D, Davis, CA 95618 as the address for the old Westgate site.
The site was sufficiently intact (or the map folks were sufficiently slow to notice) that the drive-in was still included in a 1968 topo map. Its screen was just south of Oak Valley Creek. Its long driveway, projection building and traces of the ramps (but not the screen) were still visible in a 1983 aerial photo.
To better reflect that the Parkwood was at the northwest corner of Oat Valley Road and Cooley Lane, a better address for its entrance is 31260 Oat Valley Road.
HistoricAerials shows the drive-in adjacent to Atlantic Avenue north of the wash. The closest address to the Island’s entrance would be 2001 Bartlett Drive.
The drive-in still looked good in this aerial photo from 1985. But by this 1990 photo, two-foot weeds are visible in the ramps although the screen is intact.
Although the drive-in’s grand opening ad listed its address as 1520 N. Lemon Street (just off Orangethorpe), the 1960 photo and 1996 LA Times account verify davidcoppock’s note that it was where the Lowe’s is now, so a better address would be 1500 Lemon St.
To elaborate on my comment a couple of years ago, the El Rio was in the very first Motion Picture Almanac drive-in list (the 1950-51 edition), and the Park Vu was in the very last (1988). Considering how slow the MPA reacted to changed in the 1960s and 70s, the name change probably occurred within a few years of 1970.
The full MPA record, which was actually quite stable:
I thought you were right, dansdriveintheater, based on Google Earth images, so I drove all the way out to take a picture of what was left. When I arrived on a late Sunday morning, men were in the process of building something new where the concession stand had been. I missed it by weeks. :(
On the other hand, the sign still looked nice a few blocks away on the main road through town. I uploaded a picture for you.
The Valley News ran another story this week about a windstorm on May 24, 1962 that yanked the screen off its frame. The story includes a photo of the marquee that day, advertising the movie “All Fall Down”.
The article also said that the White River closed in spring 1987, citing VCRs as the final blow, and that the Midway Drive-In in Ascutney closed about the same time. Here’s a link to the Internet Archive version, which doesn’t include that nice marquee photo.
Here’s the Internet Archive’s version of Trolleyguy’s link, since the Archive’s version is more likely to be available 10 years from now.
I think this is the most significant quote from the article: “The land for the Starlite is owned by a local farmer and the Muths pay the property taxes on 20 acres of land as rent. If the Starlite closes for a year, the contract states that the deal, which has been in effect since 1953, would be void and the land used for other purposes.” First, the Starlite’s history page (quoted in a comment above) says the lease began in 1951. Second, this gives the drive-in a deadline. If only I had a spare $200k or so. :)
This is a 1984 photo from the John Margolies Roadside America photograph archive of the Library of Congress, effectively in the public domain. Higher-res versions are also available.
This photo is from the John Margolies Roadside America photograph archive of the Library of Congress, effectively in the public domain. It was taken in 1984. Higher-res versions are also available.
This photo is from the John Margolies Roadside America photograph archive of the Library of Congress, effectively in the public domain. It was taken in 1981. Higher-res versions are also available.
This photo, taken in 1982, is from the John Margolies Roadside America photograph archive of the Library of Congress, effectively in the public domain. Higher-res versions are also available.
This photo, taken in 1981, is from the John Margolies Roadside America photograph archive of the Library of Congress, effectively in the public domain. Higher-res versions are also available.
This 1981 photo is from the John Margolies Roadside America photograph archive of the Library of Congress, effectively in the public domain. Higher-res versions are also available.
This 1987 photo is from the John Margolies Roadside America photograph archive of the Library of Congress, effectively in the public domain. Higher-res versions are also available.
This 1983 photo is from the John Margolies Roadside America photograph archive of the Library of Congress, effectively in the public domain. Higher-res versions are also available.
This 1979 photo is from the John Margolies Roadside America photograph archive of the Library of Congress, effectively in the public domain. Higher-res versions are also available.
Kenmore is accurate, but I’d still list this drive-in under Susanville. The Lassen was between the two chunks of Susanville (wait, what?), and Johnstonville is merely a census-designated place, apparently without borders or governance. But it was founded as Toadtown, so at least it upgraded its name.
The Lassen’s first appearance in the Film Daily Year Book’s lists was the 1951 edition, as “Drive-In”. Its first entry in the Motion Picture Almanac was the 1951-52 edition, and the first Theatre Catalog mention was 1952.
The Lassen’s screen was still visible in a 1980 aerial photo (masquerading as a topo map on HistoricAerials.com) but as Kenmore implied, it was gone in a 1981 aerial.
At some point, the Oakland and Stadium drive-ins merged. The 1977 Motion Picture Almanac had the first drive-in list to notice, calling it the “U A Stadium Drive In 3”, capacity 1100. But as early as 1972, the United Artists circuit entry in the MPA included the “Stadium/Oakland D.I.” in San Leandro.
The combined entry’s last appearance in the MPA was the 1979 edition, suggesting it closed in 1978 or earlier.
Thanks for the topo, rockyroadz. Old aerial photos show a very narrow viewing field with the screen at the west corner. The San Pablo was still in great shape in a 1959 photo, but the 1968 aerial shows the ramps run down and the screen gone.
Google Maps shows that site is now occupied by the Villa Alvarado Apartments, so a better address would be 1330 Contra Costa Ave, San Pablo, CA 94806.
The 1948 Film Daily Year Book included the “Automovie” under Pittsburgh (sic) CA, so it probably opened in 1947. It was also in the first Theatre Catalog drive-in list, the 1948-49 edition.
The Auto Movies' final appearances in the Motion Picture Almanac drive-in list were the 1960-61 editions. The drive-in list said it was operated by Blumenfeld Theas., although Blumenfeld’s circuit listing that year didn’t include it.
A 1959 aerial photo shows the drive-in in great shape, but a 1966 aerial photo of the site shows a fully built housing development.
The final appearance of the Airport Auto Movie in the Motion Picture Almanac’s drive-in lists was the 1979 edition, when it was said to have a capacity of 1000.
The drive-in was clearly visible in a 1968 aerial photo. I don’t see the screen in the 1981 aerial, but the ramps were still in good shape.
Although the aerial proves it opened earlier, the drive-in’s first appearance in the Motion Picture Alamanc was the 1970 edition, where the circuit list entry for United Artists Theatre Circuit listed the U.A. Marina Auto Movie under Monterey.
The 1972-76 MPA drive-in lists included “UAmarina” (capacity 620) under Marina CA. The rebooted 1977 MPA drive-in list had the Marina Auto Movie (capacity 754) under Monterey.
The Marina Auto Movie’s final appearance in the MPA drive-in list was 1982; the UA circuit’s holdings placed it in Marina that year. In the 1983 edition, the Marina Auto Movie was gone from all MPA lists.
The Fremont’s last appearance in the Motion Picture Almanac was its 1982 edition.
Sorry, robertgippy, but this Westgate is not the same as the “West Gate” in distant Stockton, a town that also had the Hammer Drive-In.
As rivest266’s Grand Opening clipping in the photo section shows, the Westgate was a new drive-in when it opened in September 1966. The grand opening’s month argues strongly against it being merely a season opener.
Also, Google Maps likes 26375 County RD 105D, Davis, CA 95618 as the address for the old Westgate site.
The site was sufficiently intact (or the map folks were sufficiently slow to notice) that the drive-in was still included in a 1968 topo map. Its screen was just south of Oak Valley Creek. Its long driveway, projection building and traces of the ramps (but not the screen) were still visible in a 1983 aerial photo.
To better reflect that the Parkwood was at the northwest corner of Oat Valley Road and Cooley Lane, a better address for its entrance is 31260 Oat Valley Road.
HistoricAerials shows the drive-in adjacent to Atlantic Avenue north of the wash. The closest address to the Island’s entrance would be 2001 Bartlett Drive.
The drive-in still looked good in this aerial photo from 1985. But by this 1990 photo, two-foot weeds are visible in the ramps although the screen is intact.
Although the drive-in’s grand opening ad listed its address as 1520 N. Lemon Street (just off Orangethorpe), the 1960 photo and 1996 LA Times account verify davidcoppock’s note that it was where the Lowe’s is now, so a better address would be 1500 Lemon St.
To elaborate on my comment a couple of years ago, the El Rio was in the very first Motion Picture Almanac drive-in list (the 1950-51 edition), and the Park Vu was in the very last (1988). Considering how slow the MPA reacted to changed in the 1960s and 70s, the name change probably occurred within a few years of 1970.
The full MPA record, which was actually quite stable:
I thought you were right, dansdriveintheater, based on Google Earth images, so I drove all the way out to take a picture of what was left. When I arrived on a late Sunday morning, men were in the process of building something new where the concession stand had been. I missed it by weeks. :(
On the other hand, the sign still looked nice a few blocks away on the main road through town. I uploaded a picture for you.
The Valley News ran another story this week about a windstorm on May 24, 1962 that yanked the screen off its frame. The story includes a photo of the marquee that day, advertising the movie “All Fall Down”.
The article also said that the White River closed in spring 1987, citing VCRs as the final blow, and that the Midway Drive-In in Ascutney closed about the same time. Here’s a link to the Internet Archive version, which doesn’t include that nice marquee photo.
Here’s the Internet Archive’s version of Trolleyguy’s link, since the Archive’s version is more likely to be available 10 years from now.
I think this is the most significant quote from the article: “The land for the Starlite is owned by a local farmer and the Muths pay the property taxes on 20 acres of land as rent. If the Starlite closes for a year, the contract states that the deal, which has been in effect since 1953, would be void and the land used for other purposes.” First, the Starlite’s history page (quoted in a comment above) says the lease began in 1951. Second, this gives the drive-in a deadline. If only I had a spare $200k or so. :)
This is a 1984 photo from the John Margolies Roadside America photograph archive of the Library of Congress, effectively in the public domain. Higher-res versions are also available.
This photo is from the John Margolies Roadside America photograph archive of the Library of Congress, effectively in the public domain. It was taken in 1984. Higher-res versions are also available.
This photo is from the John Margolies Roadside America photograph archive of the Library of Congress, effectively in the public domain. It was taken in 1981. Higher-res versions are also available.
This photo, taken in 1982, is from the John Margolies Roadside America photograph archive of the Library of Congress, effectively in the public domain. Higher-res versions are also available.
This photo, taken in 1981, is from the John Margolies Roadside America photograph archive of the Library of Congress, effectively in the public domain. Higher-res versions are also available.
This 1981 photo is from the John Margolies Roadside America photograph archive of the Library of Congress, effectively in the public domain. Higher-res versions are also available.
This 1987 photo is from the John Margolies Roadside America photograph archive of the Library of Congress, effectively in the public domain. Higher-res versions are also available.
This 1983 photo is from the John Margolies Roadside America photograph archive of the Library of Congress, effectively in the public domain. Higher-res versions are also available.
This 1979 photo is from the John Margolies Roadside America photograph archive of the Library of Congress, effectively in the public domain. Higher-res versions are also available.