Comments from Crazy Bob Madara

Showing 26 - 50 of 138 comments

Crazy Bob Madara
Crazy Bob Madara commented about Bucks County Drive-In on Sep 20, 2011 at 8:26 pm

Some day I want to build the STARR*VUE drive-In near the Delaware River, in South Jersey, as a tribute the Sally Starr (she’s 88). We’ve already been talking to realtors. Land is a little cheaper right now, but financing is practically non-existent!

Crazy Bob Madara
Crazy Bob Madara commented about Bucks County Drive-In possible return on Sep 20, 2011 at 8:20 pm

I ran a 35mm projector out of the back of a box truck for a car show (over 500 cars), back in 1984 @ Wm. Patterson College, Wayne, NJ, in the parking lot! The Films (I put on 6000 foot reels) were American Graffiti, & Hot Rods To Hell. I ran some old intermission clocks from the Absecon Drive-In, that closed in 1983.

Crazy Bob Madara
Crazy Bob Madara commented about Cineplex selects Christie for 900+ projectors on Sep 20, 2011 at 8:14 pm

Are these digi projectors made in the USA like the Simplex That runs perfect for over 50 years? America needs to be put back to work!

Crazy Bob Madara
Crazy Bob Madara commented about July 4th 1952 Havest Moon Grand opening on Sep 20, 2011 at 8:02 pm

^ 1952 Grand opening^ Harvest Moon Drive-In Theatre Linden, PA.

Crazy Bob Madara
Crazy Bob Madara commented about Special Classic Schlock 1970s Horror Night at the Harvest Moon Drive-In! on Jul 30, 2011 at 11:04 am

Sept. 4th Dusk to Dawn. American Graffiti, Two Lane Black Top, Viva Knievel, & Cleopatra Jones. Free Coffee & Donuts! http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=115532578531680

Crazy Bob Madara
Crazy Bob Madara commented about Special Classic Schlock 1970s Horror Night at the Harvest Moon Drive-In! on Jul 30, 2011 at 9:59 am

We are putting the second projector back in booth#1, so that we can do change overs & run 20 min. reels without splicing the leaders & tail pieces. ..Who needs digital!

Crazy Bob Madara
Crazy Bob Madara commented about Atlantic Drive-In on Jul 17, 2011 at 1:25 pm

The man is me. I worked as a rural letter carrier, in Mays Landing for my day job, & put a suit on & managed the Atantic & Absecon drive-ins (also the Ventnor & Margate) & I loved the Atlantic so much, that I wore a suit to work. it was my idea, & the Franks loved it! Sometimes I had to run the projectors (20 minute reels, & carbon arc lamps.

..I also have Asperger’s Syndrome, so I’m pretty weird!

Crazy Bob Madara
Crazy Bob Madara commented about Atlantic Drive-In on Jul 17, 2011 at 12:27 pm

Around 1970, I lived on Pineview Ave., in Cardiff. I walked to the Atlantic Drive-In to go to work. Our mailing address was Pleasantville, NI, 08232. Egg Harbor City is at the intersection of NJ RT. 50, & US RT. 30 (White Horse Pike.) EHT got it’s own zipcode in the late 80,s or 90’s.

Crazy Bob Madara
Crazy Bob Madara commented about Levoy Theatre on Jul 16, 2011 at 9:50 am

I was a volunteer with Joe Pierce, back in 1998. I thought that we were going to restore the theatre. But when the city & state kicked in millions of dollars in grants, ..you guessed it the lawyers & politicians, who knew nothing about running a theatre, took over, & demolished the place!

Crazy Bob Madara
Crazy Bob Madara commented about Pike Drive-In on Jul 14, 2011 at 12:00 pm

It’s been the Pike since it opened in 1953. The 1st movie was Son Of Paleface, starring Bob Hope.

Crazy Bob Madara
Crazy Bob Madara commented about Harvest Moon Drive-In on Jul 14, 2011 at 11:40 am

Darlene Crouse, passed away, in May, 2011. She was 63, & ran the ‘Port & Pike Drive-in’s for around 10 years.

Crazy Bob Madara
Crazy Bob Madara commented about Harvest Moon Drive-In on Jul 14, 2011 at 11:38 am

The Harvest Moon Drive-In 1st opened on July 4th, 1952. The film was Red Mountain, staring Alan Ladd. Comerford acquired it in 1956, remodeled the snack bar, etc. & changed the name to ‘PORT Drive-In. http://doctorgrooveband.com/moondrivein-photos-scrpbk.html

Crazy Bob Madara
Crazy Bob Madara commented about Wildwood Twin Drive-In on Jan 7, 2010 at 12:29 pm

1987 arial.
View link

Crazy Bob Madara
Crazy Bob Madara commented about Atlantic Drive-In on Jan 7, 2010 at 11:50 am

How COOL! If you click on the 1963 or the 1957 link, you see the old Atantic DI.

The area south, between the screen, & the G.S. Parkway ramp was called Pioneer Town, I believe. I went there as a small kid.

My father had the Sinclair gas station on the Cardiff circle in 1957.

Crazy Bob Madara
Crazy Bob Madara commented about Colonial Theatre on Sep 28, 2009 at 3:01 pm

I have the old Peerless carbon arc lamps that appeared in The Blob stored in my garage. I made a short video of us picking them up & meeting Ted The Fiddler.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WnGGcvQngz0

Crazy Bob Madara
Crazy Bob Madara commented about Circus Drive-In on Sep 28, 2009 at 2:25 pm

The screen was still there the last time I rode by. It had a for sale sign. It could be made back into a drive-in a lot easier than a new build. I used to do some projection there. They had Brenkert BX-100’s, & Strong Excellite lamphouses. The main projectionist was Tony Pinto from Hammanton. Mrs. Caruso was the manager. The Brenkerts went to the Beach Twin on Long Beach Island. The lanphouses were rusting on the booth floor when I visited the ruins in 1984.

Nothing there now but a screen, & a bunch of trees! THE FRANKS built this drive-in, I believe. It was almost a carbon copy of the Atlantic & Absecon.

I used to have a pic of the mammonth Circus Clown neon marquee. It said Elliot Gould Getting Straight.

Crazy Bob Madara
Crazy Bob Madara commented about Tacony-Palmyra Bridge Drive-In on Sep 28, 2009 at 1:48 pm

The bridge was free on Christmas Eve, 1972, when I was coming back to NJ after running a show @ the FOX Levittown on US 1.

I always got a kick about the two drive-in’s on RT. 73 being so close to each other. I used to ride around thinking that there were too many drive-in’s! That changed reel fast around 1983 – 87.

Crazy Bob Madara
Crazy Bob Madara commented about Carlton Theatre on Sep 28, 2009 at 1:18 pm

It was before my time, but the building was still there in the 70’s. It was accross the street a little from the Rialto. I think that it was a liquior store?

Crazy Bob Madara
Crazy Bob Madara commented about East Windsor Cinema Twin I & II on Sep 28, 2009 at 1:13 pm

It opened in 1973, I believe. My business agent in Trenton offered me some work there, but I took a gig in Atlantic City working mostly @ the Ventnor & Charles theatres.

Crazy Bob Madara
Crazy Bob Madara commented about Gem Drive-In on Sep 28, 2009 at 1:05 pm

In 1983 (Labor Day) We were there with our 55 Chevy for a large car show called LEAD EAST. They showed Rebel Without A Cause, & The Hollywood Knights. I met the owner/projectionist Joe Farruggio who told me that they (AMOS Theatres) also owned several drive-in’s in the Pennsylvania mountains. I am now buying one of those drive-is from Joe.

In 1987 we rode over the 202? bridge from NJ to Pa, & show a picture on the screen.

Crazy Bob Madara
Crazy Bob Madara commented about Ricks Twin Movies on Sep 28, 2009 at 12:55 pm

It called THE FRANKS Theatre. I went by there last week.

Crazy Bob Madara
Crazy Bob Madara commented about Wildwood Twin Drive-In on Sep 28, 2009 at 12:53 pm

Around 1981 or 82 I was there with my family in our 55 chevy to see “The Swarm” with Henry Fonda. The manager “Ed”, from Millville offered me a P/T job as manager/operator for 40 bucks a night. I declined because I was already working @ the Atlantic Drive-in, & as a Rural Letter Carrier in the daytime.

Crazy Bob Madara
Crazy Bob Madara commented about Strand Theatre on Sep 28, 2009 at 12:40 pm

I visited the booth around 1971, or 72. Al Greenwood was the operator. When he did a change over, the sound change was large wall mounted dial called a fader. It was made by Western Electric.

Super Simplex / Peerless Magnarcs.

Crazy Bob Madara
Crazy Bob Madara commented about Starlite Drive-In on Sep 28, 2009 at 12:34 pm

It was just north of the Brooklawn Circle, I believe.

Crazy Bob Madara
Crazy Bob Madara commented about Manahawkin Drive-In on Sep 28, 2009 at 12:27 pm

In 1970, I helped clean up the concession stand after a fire. I worked for Berlo Vending CO. The theatre was stiloled owned by Shapiro. The district manager, Jimmy McHugh was there. The film on the marquee was The Hawaiian’s. The booth had RCA/Century projectors.

In 1974, when THE FRANKS owned it, a streaker ran through the snack bar.