Gee whiz, this drive-in changed hands a lot! Decades of issues of the Elmira Star-Gazette provided a lot of details.
The Elmira Drive-In Theater Co. opened the drive-in on April 16, 1949. At the time, the company’s president was Harry L. Berinstein, and its VP/treasurer was Benjamin Berinstein. Horace Robinson was the manager, and its grand opening ad said it had room for 800 cars.
The 1949-50 Theatre Catalog listed H. L. Berinstein as the owner and the capacity at just 500. That stayed through the 1955-56 edition, which listed its home town as Big Flats NY.
The 1952-63 Motion Picture Almanacs listed the “Big Flats Drive-In” in Elmira NY. The owner was Elmira Drive-In, Inc.; H. & B. Berinstein, capacity 500.
On May 1, 1963, The 153 Corp., took over the drive-in from the Elmira Drive-In Co. with a “long-term lease”. That put it under the control of the Dipson Circuit, which owned or ran Elmira’s indoor theaters and a couple dozen others in the region.
By the International MPA’s 1966 edition, the name had changed to Elmira, the owner had changed to Dipson Circuit, and the capacity rose to 800, where it stayed through at least 1976.
In August 1976, the Elmira’s lease “held by Cornell Theaters” was transferred to Galaxy Theaters of Rochester. Shirley Owens was manager and said that Cornell had been operating the drive-in for a year and a half.
Later owner listings in my International MPAs:
1978: not listed. (although it advertised that year)
1980-82: S.J.M. Entertainment Co.
The August 10, 1980 Star-Gazette listed under Property Transfers, “Beatrice W., Ann M., Henry W., William P. Berinstein to Samuel J. Mitchell, Ann N., Henry W., and William P. Berinstein and Mary S. Westman.” Sounds like Mitchell bought the top slice of the family business. There’s an S.J.M. Entertainment Corp. registered in Baldwinsville NY, CEO Samuel J. Mitchell, but it was registered in 1985. Maybe it was his Company before it became his Corporation.
1984: S. Freeman. (no clue)
1986-88: G. Howell. (There was a George Howell who was a civic-minded man and the top guy at F.M. Howell & Company, a huge employer in Elmira. But what did he have to do with the Zurichs?)
Conrad and Linda Zurich (spelled Zurick through 1988 articles) bought the drive-in in January 1985 and renamed it, at least in newspaper ads, as the Elmira Bargain Drive-In. It had to end its 1986 season early after a fire in the fall damaged the building. Fire hit again in October 1987, deliberately set a week after vandals smashed its electrical meters. Susan Calabrese was the manager from at least 1987 through 1998.
An August 1998 article subtitled “Despite rundown appearance, Big Flats facility still draws the crowds” said the drive-in suffered from “badly peeling paint, broken neon lights, (and) overgrown vegetation”. Could that article have prompted the Zurichs to change managers? Dale and Karen Chapman took over as managers the following season, started by adding a second screen, dropping the “Bargain” from the name, and working to spruce up the place.
In 2008, Zurich Cinema operated the drive-in, and they still do that today.
The July 3, 1957 Kane Republican said that “Wally Anderson” completed the sale of the Family to Clifford Brown and the Holmes Poster Advertising Company “this morning”. That company included R. Wayne Holmes, Lyle Holmes, Mrs. Olive Holmes, and Mrs. Avis Holmes Carlson.
The March 5, 1954 edition of the Kane Republican had a short story about the sale of the Ideal to the W. E. Anderson Theatre Circuit, which had been operating theatres for 22 years in PA and NY.
The new owners announced that before the 1954 season started, “A new concession will be added, a modern playground, rides of all types, a new sign, (and) moonlight lighting.” Makes you wonder what the place looked like when it opened!
The April 14 edition, announcing the season opener, said that “Wally” Anderson had purchased the drive-in “last fall” and was renaming it the Family Drive-In. So the drive-in’s Our History page is wrong about how long it stayed Ideal.
The Kane Family Drive In (originally called the “Ideal Drive In”) was built in 1952 by Clyde Piccirillo of Ridgway, PA. It was built for Joseph Farrell of St. Mary’s and Harold Prosser of Altoona. Waldemar Anderson, of Mt. Jewett, operated the Drive In until 1957, when it was sold to Clifford Brown and F.R. Holmes Poster Advertising Co. of Kane. At this time, it became known as the “Family Drive-In”. The theater was run by Lyle and R. Wayne Holmes. All buildings are original. One unique feature of the Kane Family Drive In is the 60 foot cement block screen, which is four stories tall and open on the inside.
In 1969, Fred Holmes became the projectionist for the theater. In 1983, Fred purchased the drive-in and continued to run it, along with his wife Mary and their daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren until 2014. The Drive In was Kane’s Business of the Year in 2011. In 2013, the Holmes family upgraded to a digital, high-definition projector, which has made movie viewing an even more exceptional experience.
We feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to carry on Fred and Mary’s tradition of family entertainment. We hope that you will enjoy your time spent at this historic theater.
Note: That “we” belongs to Lowell and Jackie Watts, the current owners.
Chris1982’s note refers to the Sunset’s web site, since abandoned. Those details are still there at the Internet Archive, though.
My reference books always listed the Sunset’s capacity as 350 cars. It showed up in the 1948-49 Theatre Catalog, owned by Ray Woodard (sic), A. Phelps, E. Wilson and Woodard. By 1952, that was Ray Woodward, Kayton Th.
The 1952-54 Motion Picture Almanacs listed the owners as Phelps & Wilson. In the 1955-66 editions, it was Ray Woodward. However, a July 1958 note in the Huntingdon PA Daily News said the owner was Alden W. Phelps. And that’s probably Alden Wesley Phelps, May 6, 1918 – July 1, 2001, buried in the Waterford Cemetery.
For the 1969-76 editions, the International MPAs listed only the capacity. The Sunset wasn’t listed at all in the 1978-88 IMPAs, though the drive-in advertised X-rated movies in the Titusville Herald in 1978 & 1984 (at least).
Dennis and Margaret Koper bought the Sunset in 1988 and were still running it in the 2017 season.
The group of Buffalo businessmen who built the Transit included Anthony Ragusa, George Tater, Louis Battaglia, and John Battaglia.
The 1953-57 editions of the Motion Picture Almanac had Battaglia & Ragusa as owners and the capacity was exactly 392. In the 1959-66 editions, I. Cohen was the owner. By 1978, it was M. Cohen, and that’s how it stayed through the last list in 1988.
NewYorkDriveIns.com says screen 2 opened in 1994, screen 3 opened in 1996, and screen 4 opened in 2001. The fifth screen went up in 2016.
Ulrich Signs built them a gorgeous marquee in 2014.
A 2015 story in The Daily Beast liberally quotes current owner Rick Cohen in describing the Transit’s history of a sometimes-porn theater in the 1970s.
The Theatre Catalog lists from 1948-50 showed Exec: Walter Dion and Son, capacity 250. The 1952 edition changed it to George F. Tater.
According to the 1952 grand opening article for the Transit Drive-In in Lockport, the same group owned the Lockport Drive-In at that point. They were Anthony Ragusa, George Tater, Louis Battaglia, and John Battaglia.
The 1952-53 Motion Picture Almanac listed it with a capacity of 200 (the only time I ever saw a number other than 250), owned by Ragusa, Tater, Battaglia, so that matches. The 1953-54 edition changed it to T. Falk.
The 1955-66 International MPAs listed the owner as Tater and Falk. The 1978-82 IMPAs had it owned by Midway. Atco Canton slipped in as the owner in the 1984 IMPA. By the end, the 1986-88 IMPA listed the owner as M. Potter.
The Vintage opened on June 20, 1997, the work of Paul Dean and David Philips. On Opening Day, it had one screen up and a second under construction.
When the Baltimore Sun profiled it in June 1998, Dean was called “the owner” and Philips was not mentioned. At the time, Dean was “planning to build a third screen by next spring.”
In 2008, Dean told the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle that “his original investment in equipment was in the mid-six-figure range, and that his investment has been a good one.”
After about a decade of three screens, the Vintage added its fourth screen in the 2009-2010 offseason.
A contemporary article in the Arcade (NY) Herald, hosted by NewYorkDriveIns.com, said that Opening Day for the Delevan was Sept. 24, 1959. It was built by Elgin Boylan and had 400 speakers for 400 cars. HistoricAerials.com shows it under construction(!) earlier in 1959 and in operation in 1961.
Here’s another illustration of the fallibility of the International Motion Picture Almanac. The Delevan wasn’t listed in the 1961 edition, and the 1963-66 editions showed it with a capacity of 365 cars, owned by “Al Boylain”.
The 1978 MPA changed the owner to “Mendola, G.P.” (NYDI says that was Gasper “Pat” Mendola) and corrected the capacity to 400, and that’s how it stayed through its final list in 1988.
NYDI says the Delevan was later operated by Macy Cohen & Phil Leiffer, then later yet by Ron and Mary Sahr. A 1992 Springville Journal article referred to it as Sahr’s Delevan Drive-In Theater.
Don Loomis and his wife Josie bought the drive-in in 2000. Aerial photos show that he added a second screen between 2002 and 2006, matching the 2005 note above. Loomis had converted one screen to digital projection, but when Josie was diagnosed with cancer, they made the decision to sell.
Dr. Michael DiBella, an emergency room physician, bought the drive-in in the 2014-2015 off-season after Loomis listed it on eBay. DiBella changed the name to the Delevan Twin Drive In. (For some reason, his name is spelled Mickel on the drive-in’s web site, but it’s Michael everywhere else including all references to his day job in Buffalo.)
Olean Times Herald articles from 1949-50 mentioned Dean Emley as the Haven’s manager. Much later, he managed the Portville Drive-In when it opened in 1972.
Despite what its web site says, the Portville opened on July 7, 1972, and the Olean Times Herald said it was owned by the Frontier Amusement Company. According my search at Newspapers.com, the first time the Portville advertised in the Wellsville Daily Reporter was the following Wednesday, July 12.
The Portville wasn’t listed in the 1972-76 editions of the International Motion Picture Almanac. It appeared in the 1978-82 editions with owner “Bordinaro”. That was corrected to Bordonaro by the 1984 edition. All evidence points to the Bordonaro family owning the Portville for a very long time, possibly since it opened.
According to the history of the Silver Lake Drive-In in Perry NY, Jake Stefanon opened the Altoona when he was with the Blatt Brothers, a Pittsburgh-based theater chain. The Motion Picture Almanacs listed the Blatt Brothers as the owners from at least its 1952-82 editions.
The 1984-88 editions of the MPA listed the owner as simply Manos.
The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle wrote in 1991 that the Silver Lake opened Sept. 23, 1949, showing Body and Soul starring John Garfield. That article said the drive-in’s capacity was 420 cars.
Harry Martin and his wife Mary built the Silver Lake and operated it until selling it to Jake Stefanon before the 1966 season. Jake’s son Rick bought it from his dad in 1993 and runs it now.
The 1947-56 Theatre Catalogs listed the Finger Lakes as owned by Don Wilson, sometimes with Anthony DeNiro, capacity 290 or 300.
The Motion Picture Almanacs for 1952-66 also listed Don Wilson as the owner, capacity 290. In 1978-82, the owner changed to Fields. In 1984-88, the Finger Lakes was not listed.
The Aug 2, 1992 Democrat and Chronicle of Rochester said Frank Feocco bought the business in 1986. His 1996 obituary said that he owned and operated the Finger Lakes Drive-in for 12 years.
On the other hand, the Ithaca Journal of Aug 25, 1971 mentions a charity fundraiser at the “Feocco Finger Lakes Drive-In”, so maybe the family was involved earlier than 1986.
Sylvan Leff died at the age of 72 in November 1986. Several mentions in the 1930s and 1940s put him with Universal; in 1936 he was with the Universal Home Exploitation Department. Leff was based in Albany and touched the lives of several drive-ins in New York.
I’ve read in a couple of places online that the present owners, which would be Thomas Wade and family, bought the Bay in 1982. Let’s see what it says in my Motion Picture Almanacs.
I’d also read that the Bay was supposed to replace the 1000 Islands, but both are listed in the 1969-76 editions of the Almanac (which didn’t list owners in those years). By the 1980 edition, the 1000 Island was gone.
The grand opening article in the Thousand Island Sun said that Willard Beach (who had been mayor of Alexandria Bay) was the top stockholder in the corporation that owned the Bay. The 1980-84 MPAs listed W. Beach as the owner. H. Wade took over by the 1986 edition.
According to AmericanTowns.com, the Bay rebuilt the concession stand in 1992, adding a 60-seat indoor viewing area.
Also, the Watertown Daily Times reported that a massive thunderstorm “demolished” the Bay in the wee hours of July 15, 1995. The Wades fixed that within two weeks.
The Alexandria town planning board approved a second screen in March 1997, but it wasn’t built until July 1999. The second field’s layout is unusual because of the lot being only diagonally adjacent to the original. They added a second concession stand in 2001 for the second screen; it sold Pepsi products while the main concessions sold Coke products. Restrooms for the second screen were added in 2006.
In 2013, the old projection booth was remodeled into a cafe, allowing customers to watch the movie from a “1950s cafe setting.”
DriveInTheater.com says the 1000 Islands was removed to make room for the cloverleaf, and the Historic Aerials 1994 photo shows more distinctly that it was adjacent to the ramp at the northeast corner of that interchange, across the driveway from the current State Police building.
The 1000 Islands was replaced by the Bay Drive-In, which opened in 1968.
The 56 was built by Peter Papyanakas and opened in 1955.
In April 1968, The Massena Observer (pdf) wrote “Deb Theatre Corp., a division of Panther Theatre Corp., … has leased the Sunset Drive-In Theatre and the 56-Auto Thearte(sic) from the North Drive-In Theatre Corp., Peter C. Papayanakos, Potsdam, owner announced. Joseph A. Zalocha, native of Utica, was named manager”
Jeff Szot of JS Cinemas owns the 56 now. When did he buy it? According to North County Now, “Szot said he bought the drive-in sometime in the early or mid-1980s.” I’ll bet it was from some guy named Leger.
The 56 switched to radio sound “the early or mid-1990s” and to digital projection in 2014.
I wish I knew Mike’s source, because I couldn’t find much useful info about the 56 in my reference books.
Its first appearance in the Motion Picture Almanacs was the 1957 edition. Most of its listings didn’t include a capacity; only in 1961-63 was it mentioned as 400 cars. The 56 dropped out of the MPAs from at least 1966-76.
56 Auto Theater owners, by MPA edition:
1957-59: Upstate Theatre Inc.
1961-63: North D-I. Theas. Corp.
1966-76: not listed
1980-88: W. Leger.
The Journal of Ogdensburg wrote that Don Mulligan of the Marcy taught Michael Dekin how to run the projectors over the course of a few weeks in 1983. Dekin now owns and operates the Valley Brook Drive-In near Lyons Falls.
The Watertown Daily Times of July 15, 2014 said that the Valley Brook had converted to digital earlier that year and that its capacity is 400 cars, although it more commonly draws 80-150 vehicles per night.
On Page A7 of that newspaper was a sidebar that began: The Valley Brook Drive-In theater has been a family business since it opened 62 years ago.
In 1952, 24-year-old Robert M. Matuszczak and his father – West Martinsburg farmer Michael Matuszczak – designed the theater, which is currently operated by Robert’s nephew, Michael D. Dekin. (Robert Matuszczak died in 1989.)
Mr. Dekin once ran the business with his mother, Dorothy Dekin, and his sister, Bernice Noody. But Ms. Noody passed away in 2006, and Mrs. Dekin has ongoing medical … and that’s all I could read without paying extra. :)
Okay, I think I might have it figured out. According to the 1996 Watertown Daily Times obituary for Robert’s mom, Bessie Matuszczak, her husband Michael was the one who designed and built the drive-in along with his son Robert. The couple owned the Valley Brook “for 35 years”.
After Michael passed away in March 1987, Bessie “continued to operate the drive-in until 1990, when her daughter and family took over the business.”
So if Michael Matuszczak is the true founder, that explains how Michael D. Dekin is the founder’s grandson.
Huh! The Journal of Ogdensburg and NNY Living indicate that it is Michael D. Dekin, but he’s the grandson of the founder, not his nephew.
From The Journal: “Mr. Dekin said he came to run the family business after his graduation from Carthage High School in 1983.” His “grandparents” called and asked him to run the place, so “he took a crash course in operating the equipment from Don Mulligan of Marcy Drive-in”.
All of my old references list the Valley Brook under Lowville, which is about 10 miles northwest. Its Facebook page claims Grieg, two miles east (maybe a mailing address?), and Google uses Lyons Falls, four miles south.
The 1952 Theatre Catalog listed the Valley Brook as owned by Robert Matuszezaka, capacity 300 cars. The 1955-56 edition added Sid Swore as another owner.
The 1953-54 Motion Picture Almanac also lists it as owner R. Matuszozack, capacity 350. It stayed that way through 1966, except capacity dropped to 300. By the 1980 edition, the owner had evolved to Matuszcak, and that’s how it stayed through the MPA’s final list in 1988.
Wikipedia has an entry for Lowville-born, first-team All-American (1939) quarterback Walter Matuszczak, “who later changed the spelling of his last name to Matuszak”. So that might be what was going on with the MPAs.
The Matuszczak family tree copied a 1990 obituary from the Watertown Daily Times for Robert Michael Matuszczak (1928-1989). “He helped his parents operated their … farm until he was afflicted with polio (in 1950). In 1952, he designed and built with his father (Michael Matuszczak) the Valley Brook Drive-In Theater. The drive-in is still operated by his family.” They also owned a Lowville liquor store but sold it in 1974 and retired to Florida. I’d guess that someone else in the family took over the Valley Brook by that point.
As of a 2013 Daily Times article, the owner was Michael Dekin. From the photo in the article, he’s old enough to be Michael D. Dekin, son of Robert’s younger sister Dorothy Matuszczak, who married Donald Dekin in 1961.
In 2012, the Glens Falls Post-Star wrote that John Gardner opened the Glen in 1958, son John Jr. “took over” in 1990, and grandson Brett Gardner “has taken over operations”.
Gee whiz, this drive-in changed hands a lot! Decades of issues of the Elmira Star-Gazette provided a lot of details.
The Elmira Drive-In Theater Co. opened the drive-in on April 16, 1949. At the time, the company’s president was Harry L. Berinstein, and its VP/treasurer was Benjamin Berinstein. Horace Robinson was the manager, and its grand opening ad said it had room for 800 cars.
The 1949-50 Theatre Catalog listed H. L. Berinstein as the owner and the capacity at just 500. That stayed through the 1955-56 edition, which listed its home town as Big Flats NY.
The 1952-63 Motion Picture Almanacs listed the “Big Flats Drive-In” in Elmira NY. The owner was Elmira Drive-In, Inc.; H. & B. Berinstein, capacity 500.
On May 1, 1963, The 153 Corp., took over the drive-in from the Elmira Drive-In Co. with a “long-term lease”. That put it under the control of the Dipson Circuit, which owned or ran Elmira’s indoor theaters and a couple dozen others in the region.
By the International MPA’s 1966 edition, the name had changed to Elmira, the owner had changed to Dipson Circuit, and the capacity rose to 800, where it stayed through at least 1976.
In August 1976, the Elmira’s lease “held by Cornell Theaters” was transferred to Galaxy Theaters of Rochester. Shirley Owens was manager and said that Cornell had been operating the drive-in for a year and a half.
Later owner listings in my International MPAs: 1978: not listed. (although it advertised that year) 1980-82: S.J.M. Entertainment Co. The August 10, 1980 Star-Gazette listed under Property Transfers, “Beatrice W., Ann M., Henry W., William P. Berinstein to Samuel J. Mitchell, Ann N., Henry W., and William P. Berinstein and Mary S. Westman.” Sounds like Mitchell bought the top slice of the family business. There’s an S.J.M. Entertainment Corp. registered in Baldwinsville NY, CEO Samuel J. Mitchell, but it was registered in 1985. Maybe it was his Company before it became his Corporation.
1984: S. Freeman. (no clue) 1986-88: G. Howell. (There was a George Howell who was a civic-minded man and the top guy at F.M. Howell & Company, a huge employer in Elmira. But what did he have to do with the Zurichs?)
Conrad and Linda Zurich (spelled Zurick through 1988 articles) bought the drive-in in January 1985 and renamed it, at least in newspaper ads, as the Elmira Bargain Drive-In. It had to end its 1986 season early after a fire in the fall damaged the building. Fire hit again in October 1987, deliberately set a week after vandals smashed its electrical meters. Susan Calabrese was the manager from at least 1987 through 1998.
An August 1998 article subtitled “Despite rundown appearance, Big Flats facility still draws the crowds” said the drive-in suffered from “badly peeling paint, broken neon lights, (and) overgrown vegetation”. Could that article have prompted the Zurichs to change managers? Dale and Karen Chapman took over as managers the following season, started by adding a second screen, dropping the “Bargain” from the name, and working to spruce up the place.
In 2008, Zurich Cinema operated the drive-in, and they still do that today.
The July 3, 1957 Kane Republican said that “Wally Anderson” completed the sale of the Family to Clifford Brown and the Holmes Poster Advertising Company “this morning”. That company included R. Wayne Holmes, Lyle Holmes, Mrs. Olive Holmes, and Mrs. Avis Holmes Carlson.
The March 5, 1954 edition of the Kane Republican had a short story about the sale of the Ideal to the W. E. Anderson Theatre Circuit, which had been operating theatres for 22 years in PA and NY.
The new owners announced that before the 1954 season started, “A new concession will be added, a modern playground, rides of all types, a new sign, (and) moonlight lighting.” Makes you wonder what the place looked like when it opened!
The April 14 edition, announcing the season opener, said that “Wally” Anderson had purchased the drive-in “last fall” and was renaming it the Family Drive-In. So the drive-in’s Our History page is wrong about how long it stayed Ideal.
From the Kane’s Our History page:
The Kane Family Drive In (originally called the “Ideal Drive In”) was built in 1952 by Clyde Piccirillo of Ridgway, PA. It was built for Joseph Farrell of St. Mary’s and Harold Prosser of Altoona. Waldemar Anderson, of Mt. Jewett, operated the Drive In until 1957, when it was sold to Clifford Brown and F.R. Holmes Poster Advertising Co. of Kane. At this time, it became known as the “Family Drive-In”. The theater was run by Lyle and R. Wayne Holmes. All buildings are original. One unique feature of the Kane Family Drive In is the 60 foot cement block screen, which is four stories tall and open on the inside.
In 1969, Fred Holmes became the projectionist for the theater. In 1983, Fred purchased the drive-in and continued to run it, along with his wife Mary and their daughter, son-in-law and grandchildren until 2014. The Drive In was Kane’s Business of the Year in 2011. In 2013, the Holmes family upgraded to a digital, high-definition projector, which has made movie viewing an even more exceptional experience. We feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to carry on Fred and Mary’s tradition of family entertainment. We hope that you will enjoy your time spent at this historic theater.
Note: That “we” belongs to Lowell and Jackie Watts, the current owners.
Chris1982’s note refers to the Sunset’s web site, since abandoned. Those details are still there at the Internet Archive, though.
My reference books always listed the Sunset’s capacity as 350 cars. It showed up in the 1948-49 Theatre Catalog, owned by Ray Woodard (sic), A. Phelps, E. Wilson and Woodard. By 1952, that was Ray Woodward, Kayton Th.
The 1952-54 Motion Picture Almanacs listed the owners as Phelps & Wilson. In the 1955-66 editions, it was Ray Woodward. However, a July 1958 note in the Huntingdon PA Daily News said the owner was Alden W. Phelps. And that’s probably Alden Wesley Phelps, May 6, 1918 – July 1, 2001, buried in the Waterford Cemetery.
For the 1969-76 editions, the International MPAs listed only the capacity. The Sunset wasn’t listed at all in the 1978-88 IMPAs, though the drive-in advertised X-rated movies in the Titusville Herald in 1978 & 1984 (at least).
Dennis and Margaret Koper bought the Sunset in 1988 and were still running it in the 2017 season.
The group of Buffalo businessmen who built the Transit included Anthony Ragusa, George Tater, Louis Battaglia, and John Battaglia.
The 1953-57 editions of the Motion Picture Almanac had Battaglia & Ragusa as owners and the capacity was exactly 392. In the 1959-66 editions, I. Cohen was the owner. By 1978, it was M. Cohen, and that’s how it stayed through the last list in 1988.
NewYorkDriveIns.com says screen 2 opened in 1994, screen 3 opened in 1996, and screen 4 opened in 2001. The fifth screen went up in 2016.
Ulrich Signs built them a gorgeous marquee in 2014.
A 2015 story in The Daily Beast liberally quotes current owner Rick Cohen in describing the Transit’s history of a sometimes-porn theater in the 1970s.
The Theatre Catalog lists from 1948-50 showed Exec: Walter Dion and Son, capacity 250. The 1952 edition changed it to George F. Tater.
According to the 1952 grand opening article for the Transit Drive-In in Lockport, the same group owned the Lockport Drive-In at that point. They were Anthony Ragusa, George Tater, Louis Battaglia, and John Battaglia.
The 1952-53 Motion Picture Almanac listed it with a capacity of 200 (the only time I ever saw a number other than 250), owned by Ragusa, Tater, Battaglia, so that matches. The 1953-54 edition changed it to T. Falk.
The 1955-66 International MPAs listed the owner as Tater and Falk. The 1978-82 IMPAs had it owned by Midway. Atco Canton slipped in as the owner in the 1984 IMPA. By the end, the 1986-88 IMPA listed the owner as M. Potter.
The Vintage opened on June 20, 1997, the work of Paul Dean and David Philips. On Opening Day, it had one screen up and a second under construction.
When the Baltimore Sun profiled it in June 1998, Dean was called “the owner” and Philips was not mentioned. At the time, Dean was “planning to build a third screen by next spring.”
In 2008, Dean told the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle that “his original investment in equipment was in the mid-six-figure range, and that his investment has been a good one.”
After about a decade of three screens, the Vintage added its fourth screen in the 2009-2010 offseason.
A contemporary article in the Arcade (NY) Herald, hosted by NewYorkDriveIns.com, said that Opening Day for the Delevan was Sept. 24, 1959. It was built by Elgin Boylan and had 400 speakers for 400 cars. HistoricAerials.com shows it under construction(!) earlier in 1959 and in operation in 1961.
Here’s another illustration of the fallibility of the International Motion Picture Almanac. The Delevan wasn’t listed in the 1961 edition, and the 1963-66 editions showed it with a capacity of 365 cars, owned by “Al Boylain”.
The 1978 MPA changed the owner to “Mendola, G.P.” (NYDI says that was Gasper “Pat” Mendola) and corrected the capacity to 400, and that’s how it stayed through its final list in 1988.
NYDI says the Delevan was later operated by Macy Cohen & Phil Leiffer, then later yet by Ron and Mary Sahr. A 1992 Springville Journal article referred to it as Sahr’s Delevan Drive-In Theater.
Don Loomis and his wife Josie bought the drive-in in 2000. Aerial photos show that he added a second screen between 2002 and 2006, matching the 2005 note above. Loomis had converted one screen to digital projection, but when Josie was diagnosed with cancer, they made the decision to sell.
Dr. Michael DiBella, an emergency room physician, bought the drive-in in the 2014-2015 off-season after Loomis listed it on eBay. DiBella changed the name to the Delevan Twin Drive In. (For some reason, his name is spelled Mickel on the drive-in’s web site, but it’s Michael everywhere else including all references to his day job in Buffalo.)
Olean Times Herald articles from 1949-50 mentioned Dean Emley as the Haven’s manager. Much later, he managed the Portville Drive-In when it opened in 1972.
Despite what its web site says, the Portville opened on July 7, 1972, and the Olean Times Herald said it was owned by the Frontier Amusement Company. According my search at Newspapers.com, the first time the Portville advertised in the Wellsville Daily Reporter was the following Wednesday, July 12.
The Portville wasn’t listed in the 1972-76 editions of the International Motion Picture Almanac. It appeared in the 1978-82 editions with owner “Bordinaro”. That was corrected to Bordonaro by the 1984 edition. All evidence points to the Bordonaro family owning the Portville for a very long time, possibly since it opened.
According to the history of the Silver Lake Drive-In in Perry NY, Jake Stefanon opened the Altoona when he was with the Blatt Brothers, a Pittsburgh-based theater chain. The Motion Picture Almanacs listed the Blatt Brothers as the owners from at least its 1952-82 editions.
The 1984-88 editions of the MPA listed the owner as simply Manos.
The Rochester Democrat and Chronicle wrote in 1991 that the Silver Lake opened Sept. 23, 1949, showing Body and Soul starring John Garfield. That article said the drive-in’s capacity was 420 cars.
Harry Martin and his wife Mary built the Silver Lake and operated it until selling it to Jake Stefanon before the 1966 season. Jake’s son Rick bought it from his dad in 1993 and runs it now.
The 1947-56 Theatre Catalogs listed the Finger Lakes as owned by Don Wilson, sometimes with Anthony DeNiro, capacity 290 or 300.
The Motion Picture Almanacs for 1952-66 also listed Don Wilson as the owner, capacity 290. In 1978-82, the owner changed to Fields. In 1984-88, the Finger Lakes was not listed.
The Aug 2, 1992 Democrat and Chronicle of Rochester said Frank Feocco bought the business in 1986. His 1996 obituary said that he owned and operated the Finger Lakes Drive-in for 12 years.
On the other hand, the Ithaca Journal of Aug 25, 1971 mentions a charity fundraiser at the “Feocco Finger Lakes Drive-In”, so maybe the family was involved earlier than 1986.
Sylvan Leff died at the age of 72 in November 1986. Several mentions in the 1930s and 1940s put him with Universal; in 1936 he was with the Universal Home Exploitation Department. Leff was based in Albany and touched the lives of several drive-ins in New York.
I’ve read in a couple of places online that the present owners, which would be Thomas Wade and family, bought the Bay in 1982. Let’s see what it says in my Motion Picture Almanacs.
I’d also read that the Bay was supposed to replace the 1000 Islands, but both are listed in the 1969-76 editions of the Almanac (which didn’t list owners in those years). By the 1980 edition, the 1000 Island was gone.
The grand opening article in the Thousand Island Sun said that Willard Beach (who had been mayor of Alexandria Bay) was the top stockholder in the corporation that owned the Bay. The 1980-84 MPAs listed W. Beach as the owner. H. Wade took over by the 1986 edition.
According to AmericanTowns.com, the Bay rebuilt the concession stand in 1992, adding a 60-seat indoor viewing area.
Also, the Watertown Daily Times reported that a massive thunderstorm “demolished” the Bay in the wee hours of July 15, 1995. The Wades fixed that within two weeks.
The Alexandria town planning board approved a second screen in March 1997, but it wasn’t built until July 1999. The second field’s layout is unusual because of the lot being only diagonally adjacent to the original. They added a second concession stand in 2001 for the second screen; it sold Pepsi products while the main concessions sold Coke products. Restrooms for the second screen were added in 2006.
In 2013, the old projection booth was remodeled into a cafe, allowing customers to watch the movie from a “1950s cafe setting.”
DriveInTheater.com says the 1000 Islands was removed to make room for the cloverleaf, and the Historic Aerials 1994 photo shows more distinctly that it was adjacent to the ramp at the northeast corner of that interchange, across the driveway from the current State Police building.
The 1000 Islands was replaced by the Bay Drive-In, which opened in 1968.
The 56 was built by Peter Papyanakas and opened in 1955.
In April 1968, The Massena Observer (pdf) wrote “Deb Theatre Corp., a division of Panther Theatre Corp., … has leased the Sunset Drive-In Theatre and the 56-Auto Thearte(sic) from the North Drive-In Theatre Corp., Peter C. Papayanakos, Potsdam, owner announced. Joseph A. Zalocha, native of Utica, was named manager”
Jeff Szot of JS Cinemas owns the 56 now. When did he buy it? According to North County Now, “Szot said he bought the drive-in sometime in the early or mid-1980s.” I’ll bet it was from some guy named Leger.
The 56 switched to radio sound “the early or mid-1990s” and to digital projection in 2014.
I wish I knew Mike’s source, because I couldn’t find much useful info about the 56 in my reference books.
Its first appearance in the Motion Picture Almanacs was the 1957 edition. Most of its listings didn’t include a capacity; only in 1961-63 was it mentioned as 400 cars. The 56 dropped out of the MPAs from at least 1966-76.
56 Auto Theater owners, by MPA edition: 1957-59: Upstate Theatre Inc. 1961-63: North D-I. Theas. Corp. 1966-76: not listed 1980-88: W. Leger.
The Journal of Ogdensburg wrote that Don Mulligan of the Marcy taught Michael Dekin how to run the projectors over the course of a few weeks in 1983. Dekin now owns and operates the Valley Brook Drive-In near Lyons Falls.
The Watertown Daily Times of July 15, 2014 said that the Valley Brook had converted to digital earlier that year and that its capacity is 400 cars, although it more commonly draws 80-150 vehicles per night.
On Page A7 of that newspaper was a sidebar that began: The Valley Brook Drive-In theater has been a family business since it opened 62 years ago.
In 1952, 24-year-old Robert M. Matuszczak and his father – West Martinsburg farmer Michael Matuszczak – designed the theater, which is currently operated by Robert’s nephew, Michael D. Dekin. (Robert Matuszczak died in 1989.)
Mr. Dekin once ran the business with his mother, Dorothy Dekin, and his sister, Bernice Noody. But Ms. Noody passed away in 2006, and Mrs. Dekin has ongoing medical … and that’s all I could read without paying extra. :)
Okay, I think I might have it figured out. According to the 1996 Watertown Daily Times obituary for Robert’s mom, Bessie Matuszczak, her husband Michael was the one who designed and built the drive-in along with his son Robert. The couple owned the Valley Brook “for 35 years”.
After Michael passed away in March 1987, Bessie “continued to operate the drive-in until 1990, when her daughter and family took over the business.”
So if Michael Matuszczak is the true founder, that explains how Michael D. Dekin is the founder’s grandson.
Huh! The Journal of Ogdensburg and NNY Living indicate that it is Michael D. Dekin, but he’s the grandson of the founder, not his nephew.
From The Journal: “Mr. Dekin said he came to run the family business after his graduation from Carthage High School in 1983.” His “grandparents” called and asked him to run the place, so “he took a crash course in operating the equipment from Don Mulligan of Marcy Drive-in”.
All of my old references list the Valley Brook under Lowville, which is about 10 miles northwest. Its Facebook page claims Grieg, two miles east (maybe a mailing address?), and Google uses Lyons Falls, four miles south.
The 1952 Theatre Catalog listed the Valley Brook as owned by Robert Matuszezaka, capacity 300 cars. The 1955-56 edition added Sid Swore as another owner.
The 1953-54 Motion Picture Almanac also lists it as owner R. Matuszozack, capacity 350. It stayed that way through 1966, except capacity dropped to 300. By the 1980 edition, the owner had evolved to Matuszcak, and that’s how it stayed through the MPA’s final list in 1988.
Wikipedia has an entry for Lowville-born, first-team All-American (1939) quarterback Walter Matuszczak, “who later changed the spelling of his last name to Matuszak”. So that might be what was going on with the MPAs.
The Matuszczak family tree copied a 1990 obituary from the Watertown Daily Times for Robert Michael Matuszczak (1928-1989). “He helped his parents operated their … farm until he was afflicted with polio (in 1950). In 1952, he designed and built with his father (Michael Matuszczak) the Valley Brook Drive-In Theater. The drive-in is still operated by his family.” They also owned a Lowville liquor store but sold it in 1974 and retired to Florida. I’d guess that someone else in the family took over the Valley Brook by that point.
As of a 2013 Daily Times article, the owner was Michael Dekin. From the photo in the article, he’s old enough to be Michael D. Dekin, son of Robert’s younger sister Dorothy Matuszczak, who married Donald Dekin in 1961.
In 2012, the Glens Falls Post-Star wrote that John Gardner opened the Glen in 1958, son John Jr. “took over” in 1990, and grandson Brett Gardner “has taken over operations”.