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
“COLUMBUS, KAS. – The Snack Bar of the Columbus Drive-In, operated by Art Pugh, was damaged by fire here early in the morning. Apparently the fire started in the popcorn machine, which was melted by the intense heat, and considerable damage was done to other equipment before the fire department arrived. The concession building was of fireproof construction so did not burn. A film delivery man discovered and reported the fire. Pugh was out of town at the time.” —BoxOffice, Nov. 7, 1953
“Glenn Jones, owner-operator of the Gravois Mills Drive-In, has inaugurated a popularity contest among girls in the area. The winner will be determined by the number of votes cast for her by drive-in patrons.” —BoxOffice, Sept. 19, 1953
“The name of the Family Drive-In, recently purchased by A. B. McCollum from Frank Stewart of Danville, has been changed to the Clinton Outdoor Theatre. McCollum also owns the Clintonia and Kaye theatres (in Clinton).” —BoxOffice, Sept. 19, 1953
“The Wehrenberg-Krueger theatre interests will construct a 1,000-car twin-screen drive-in at a cost of about $350,000, to be opened early in 1954. It will be located at Lemay and Ferry and Buckley road and named the South Drive-In.” —BoxOffice, Sept. 19, 1953
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
“COLUMBUS, KAS. – The Snack Bar of the Columbus Drive-In, operated by Art Pugh, was damaged by fire here early in the morning. Apparently the fire started in the popcorn machine, which was melted by the intense heat, and considerable damage was done to other equipment before the fire department arrived. The concession building was of fireproof construction so did not burn. A film delivery man discovered and reported the fire. Pugh was out of town at the time.” —BoxOffice, Nov. 7, 1953
“RANTOUL, ILL. – Bernard J. Baker is the new manager of the Twilite Drive-In, four miles north of town on Route 45.” —BoxOffice, Nov. 7, 1953
“Glenn Jones, owner-operator of the Gravois Mills Drive-In, has inaugurated a popularity contest among girls in the area. The winner will be determined by the number of votes cast for her by drive-in patrons.” —BoxOffice, Sept. 19, 1953
“The name of the Family Drive-In, recently purchased by A. B. McCollum from Frank Stewart of Danville, has been changed to the Clinton Outdoor Theatre. McCollum also owns the Clintonia and Kaye theatres (in Clinton).” —BoxOffice, Sept. 19, 1953
“The Wehrenberg-Krueger theatre interests will construct a 1,000-car twin-screen drive-in at a cost of about $350,000, to be opened early in 1954. It will be located at Lemay and Ferry and Buckley road and named the South Drive-In.” —BoxOffice, Sept. 19, 1953
That’s from the Sept. 5, 1953 issue of BoxOffice, which had a three-page spread on the Forest Hills.