That fourth feature really should have had something to do with juniors, but my quick search of movie titles before 1981 turned up empty. Any nominees?
I found the true Grand Opening ad in the Rockford Morning Star, indicating that it opened May 29, 1948. The opening program was Hold That Blonde! starring Veronica Lake, two cartoons, and the short Unusual Occupations.
More notes: “The River Lane Drive-In in Rockford, Ill., has been opened by the Riverlane Amusement Co. The company is controlled by the Schermer family of St. Louis.” —BoxOffice, June 26, 1948.
The 1948-49 Theatre Catalog listed the River Lane Outdoor, Highway 173, capacity 650, Exec: Manne Shermer, Riverlane Amusement Corp. For the 1952-56 Catalogs, the Capacity had gone up to 690 and the Riverlane exec had changed to Bill Dubinsky.
In 1963, Broadway Drive-In Theatre, Inc. lost a lawsuit against the US regarding taxes collected in 1955-57. The full decision, on Leagle, and the part I find most interesting is the list of corporation members:
A. R. Parker, Pres. & Treas., 120 shares, 24%
Edward E. Bischoff, 1st Vice Pres., 120 shares, 24%
The 1955-56 Theatre Catalog and all Motion Picture Almanac drive-in list appearances (1956-67) for the Broadway list a capacity of 800, owner A. R. Parker.
Starting in December 1954 and continuing for at least a year, the Broadway hosted a shuttle for folks who wanted to park there and shop downtown. It cost 10 cents to park, 35 cents for the round-trip fare.
The Oct. 4, 1961 St. Louis Post-Dispatch said that A. Ray Parker, mayor of Brentwood, “divides his working day between the mayor’s job and management of an outdoor motion picture theater which he owns”. He had headed six corporations owning movie theaters, but only one was active at the time of the article, presumably the one with the Broadway.
From the Motion Picture Exhibitor, July 1, 1959: “Construction work is being pushed on the new Thunderbird Drive-In (in St. Louis), which is being built by the Jablonow-Komm Theatres.”
The follow-up on July 15, 1959: “The Thunderbird Drive-In, with accommodations for almost 900 cars, opened.”
The Thunderbird (finally) debuted in the Motion Picture Almanac in the 1963 edition, capacity 800, owner Louis Jablonow. It stayed that way through 1966, then the MPA didn’t list owners in 1967-76. In 1977, the Thunderbird’s owner was Mid-America Theatres. And even though we have a better closing date, the MPA continued to list the Thunderbird through 1979. Sigh!
Looks like this opened as the Comet, the name mentioned in that 1956 legal spat, and the opening date was in 1952.
The 1952 Theatre Catalog lists the Comet, capacity 564, owned by Steve Bennis. The 1955-56 Catalog dropped the capacity to 562 and changed the Exec names to the names from the legal tussle.
The Motion Picture Almanac shows the Comet in Freeport, capacity 400, owned by Steve Bennis Circuit, beginning in the 1952-53 edition and continuing through 1966. By 1969, the MPA had switched the drive-in’s name to Bennis.
From beginning? to end, notes from the Rockford IL newspapers.
On March 4, 1952, the Morning Star wrote, “An 11-acre tract west of Freeport at the end of Gypsy lane has been purchased by William Bennis, general manager of Bennis Theaters, for a drive-in theater … The plot is along U S. highway 20 and just east of the federal housing project.”
On April 18, 1956, the Morning Star wrote that some folks sued the Freeport Drive-In Theater corporation over hogging the first and second run movies. On May 24, it reported that William and Dorothy Bennis asked the court to appoint a receiver for the drive-in, with many of the same names involved.
The April 28, 1981 Register Star referred to the site as “the former Bennis Drive-in Theater location”.
On Aug. 12, 1982 the Register Star reported that drive-in owner Anthony Bennis was one of the investors in the shopping center that would replace the Bennis Drive-In Theatre. Groundbreaking was expected on Oct. 1 that year.
Looks like the second screen was added in May 1979. The Bel-Air’s listings in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch had only one program through May 3, 1979 but listed two of them on May 10, 1979.
The Lark Theatre closed as a movie theater in early 1954, based on a note in the March 13, 1954 issue of BoxOffice. It took out a large display ad in the Brazil Times to explain “Why the Lark Theatre Is Closing,” blaming TV and changes in film production.
“GALENA, KAS. – The Crescent Drive-In on Highway 166 south of here opened April 1. It is the first drive-in to be opened here, and is being operated by Paul Hardwick of Galena.” —BoxOffice, April 17, 1954
Another view of the end of the line was in the April 3, 1954 issue of BoxOffice: “LINCOLN, ILL. – The trailer home of William Youngblood, manager of the Lincoln Drive-In, was among those wrecked in a recent windstorm, which also demolished the screen of the Lincoln.”
From BoxOffice, March 27, 1954: “COLUMBIA, MO. – The Parkdale Drive-In on U.S. 40 west of the city limits is being opened for the season by Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Jeans.”
In a March 27, 1954 article about the area drive-ins that had reopened for the season, BoxOffice mentioned that the Fairview was owned by C. B. Simmons, Cisne.
The March 27, 1954 issue of BoxOffice, noting that the 67 had reopened for the season, added that it was owned by Howard F. Busey, Elmore Suter, and Ed Bonacorsi.
The March 27, 1954 issue of BoxOffice noted that the 460, owned by Donald R. Toliver, had reopened for the season, implying that it was active by 1953.
Apparently it wasn’t 100 when it opened, according to a small story in the Jan. 8, 1962 issue of BoxOffice:
The Community Drive-In Theatre at Keystone Heights, Fla., which was cited in this publication in February 1952 as perhaps one of the smallest drive-ins in the country with space for 52 cars, has now grown to accommodate 100 cars.
This was one of the first drive-ins in Florida to install CinemaScope, and the present screen tower is 50 feet wide, with the concessions running the full width under the tower.
The Community is located right in the heart of the summer resort town and backs up to Lake Brooklyn with a perfect view of the lake at all times from the entrance. It was built, literally, by Bill Lee, veteran motion picture engineer.
The renaming must have occurred before Dec. 5, 1953, when BoxOffice mentioned that Carter Smalley of Van Buren MO operated “the 250-car Winona Drive-In between Eminence and Bartlett.”
The Nov. 21, 1953 issue of BoxOffice mentioned that George Barber owned a drive-in “about a mile and a half west and south of Tuscola, where he operated the Strand.”
“LEMONT, ILL. – After being closed since December 1953 (sic), the Arthur Theatre has been reopened under the auspices of the Lemont Chamber of Commerce which hopes to promote community growth with a theatre of its own. The Arthur will seat 310 persons.” —BoxOffice, Nov. 21, 1953
That fourth feature really should have had something to do with juniors, but my quick search of movie titles before 1981 turned up empty. Any nominees?
I found the true Grand Opening ad in the Rockford Morning Star, indicating that it opened May 29, 1948. The opening program was Hold That Blonde! starring Veronica Lake, two cartoons, and the short Unusual Occupations.
More notes: “The River Lane Drive-In in Rockford, Ill., has been opened by the Riverlane Amusement Co. The company is controlled by the Schermer family of St. Louis.” —BoxOffice, June 26, 1948.
The 1948-49 Theatre Catalog listed the River Lane Outdoor, Highway 173, capacity 650, Exec: Manne Shermer, Riverlane Amusement Corp. For the 1952-56 Catalogs, the Capacity had gone up to 690 and the Riverlane exec had changed to Bill Dubinsky.
In 1963, Broadway Drive-In Theatre, Inc. lost a lawsuit against the US regarding taxes collected in 1955-57. The full decision, on Leagle, and the part I find most interesting is the list of corporation members:
The 1955-56 Theatre Catalog and all Motion Picture Almanac drive-in list appearances (1956-67) for the Broadway list a capacity of 800, owner A. R. Parker.
Starting in December 1954 and continuing for at least a year, the Broadway hosted a shuttle for folks who wanted to park there and shop downtown. It cost 10 cents to park, 35 cents for the round-trip fare.
The Oct. 4, 1961 St. Louis Post-Dispatch said that A. Ray Parker, mayor of Brentwood, “divides his working day between the mayor’s job and management of an outdoor motion picture theater which he owns”. He had headed six corporations owning movie theaters, but only one was active at the time of the article, presumably the one with the Broadway.
From the Motion Picture Exhibitor, July 1, 1959: “Construction work is being pushed on the new Thunderbird Drive-In (in St. Louis), which is being built by the Jablonow-Komm Theatres.”
The follow-up on July 15, 1959: “The Thunderbird Drive-In, with accommodations for almost 900 cars, opened.”
The Thunderbird (finally) debuted in the Motion Picture Almanac in the 1963 edition, capacity 800, owner Louis Jablonow. It stayed that way through 1966, then the MPA didn’t list owners in 1967-76. In 1977, the Thunderbird’s owner was Mid-America Theatres. And even though we have a better closing date, the MPA continued to list the Thunderbird through 1979. Sigh!
Looks like this opened as the Comet, the name mentioned in that 1956 legal spat, and the opening date was in 1952.
The 1952 Theatre Catalog lists the Comet, capacity 564, owned by Steve Bennis. The 1955-56 Catalog dropped the capacity to 562 and changed the Exec names to the names from the legal tussle.
The Motion Picture Almanac shows the Comet in Freeport, capacity 400, owned by Steve Bennis Circuit, beginning in the 1952-53 edition and continuing through 1966. By 1969, the MPA had switched the drive-in’s name to Bennis.
From beginning? to end, notes from the Rockford IL newspapers.
On March 4, 1952, the Morning Star wrote, “An 11-acre tract west of Freeport at the end of Gypsy lane has been purchased by William Bennis, general manager of Bennis Theaters, for a drive-in theater … The plot is along U S. highway 20 and just east of the federal housing project.”
On April 18, 1956, the Morning Star wrote that some folks sued the Freeport Drive-In Theater corporation over hogging the first and second run movies. On May 24, it reported that William and Dorothy Bennis asked the court to appoint a receiver for the drive-in, with many of the same names involved.
The April 28, 1981 Register Star referred to the site as “the former Bennis Drive-in Theater location”.
On Aug. 12, 1982 the Register Star reported that drive-in owner Anthony Bennis was one of the investors in the shopping center that would replace the Bennis Drive-In Theatre. Groundbreaking was expected on Oct. 1 that year.
Looks like the second screen was added in May 1979. The Bel-Air’s listings in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch had only one program through May 3, 1979 but listed two of them on May 10, 1979.
The Lark Theatre closed as a movie theater in early 1954, based on a note in the March 13, 1954 issue of BoxOffice. It took out a large display ad in the Brazil Times to explain “Why the Lark Theatre Is Closing,” blaming TV and changes in film production.
“GALENA, KAS. – The Crescent Drive-In on Highway 166 south of here opened April 1. It is the first drive-in to be opened here, and is being operated by Paul Hardwick of Galena.” —BoxOffice, April 17, 1954
Another view of the end of the line was in the April 3, 1954 issue of BoxOffice: “LINCOLN, ILL. – The trailer home of William Youngblood, manager of the Lincoln Drive-In, was among those wrecked in a recent windstorm, which also demolished the screen of the Lincoln.”
From BoxOffice, March 27, 1954: “COLUMBIA, MO. – The Parkdale Drive-In on U.S. 40 west of the city limits is being opened for the season by Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Jeans.”
In a March 27, 1954 article about drive-ins' season opening dates, BoxOffice mentioned that R. D. Fisher of Willow Springs owned the “Willow”.
In a March 27, 1954 article about drive-ins' season opening dates, BoxOffice mentioned that W. A. Collins of De Soto owned the “Skyview”.
In a March 27, 1954 article about the area drive-ins that had reopened for the season, BoxOffice mentioned that the Fairview was owned by C. B. Simmons, Cisne.
The March 27, 1954 issue of BoxOffice, noting that the 67 had reopened for the season, added that it was owned by Howard F. Busey, Elmore Suter, and Ed Bonacorsi.
The March 27, 1954 issue of BoxOffice noted that the 460, owned by Donald R. Toliver, had reopened for the season, implying that it was active by 1953.
The March 27, 1954 issue of BoxOffice noted that the Sky-Hi had reopened for the season, implying that it was active by 1953.
The March 27, 1954 issue of BoxOffice noted that the Skylark had reopened for the season, implying that it was active by 1953.
Apparently it wasn’t 100 when it opened, according to a small story in the Jan. 8, 1962 issue of BoxOffice:
The Community Drive-In Theatre at Keystone Heights, Fla., which was cited in this publication in February 1952 as perhaps one of the smallest drive-ins in the country with space for 52 cars, has now grown to accommodate 100 cars.
This was one of the first drive-ins in Florida to install CinemaScope, and the present screen tower is 50 feet wide, with the concessions running the full width under the tower.
The Community is located right in the heart of the summer resort town and backs up to Lake Brooklyn with a perfect view of the lake at all times from the entrance. It was built, literally, by Bill Lee, veteran motion picture engineer.
The renaming must have occurred before Dec. 5, 1953, when BoxOffice mentioned that Carter Smalley of Van Buren MO operated “the 250-car Winona Drive-In between Eminence and Bartlett.”
The Nov. 21, 1953 issue of BoxOffice mentioned that George Barber owned a drive-in “about a mile and a half west and south of Tuscola, where he operated the Strand.”
“George Barber has purchased the Okaw Drive-in on Highway 36 near Camargo from Tomey Falk and Jack Taylor of Mattoon.” —BoxOffice, Nov. 21, 1953
“LEMONT, ILL. – After being closed since December 1953 (sic), the Arthur Theatre has been reopened under the auspices of the Lemont Chamber of Commerce which hopes to promote community growth with a theatre of its own. The Arthur will seat 310 persons.” —BoxOffice, Nov. 21, 1953