Comments from MichaelKilgore

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MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore commented about King Drive-In on May 19, 2025 at 10:03 am

The King’s most recent Facebook post was in July 2023. Although I can’t find any stories about a change, Google Maps marks it as permanently closed. :(

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore commented about Sand Mountain Twin Drive-In on May 19, 2025 at 9:56 am

Per its most recent Facebook post, the Sand Mountain “temporarily closed” on July 21, 2023.

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore commented about Henagar Drive-In on May 19, 2025 at 9:42 am

The former Henagar is now the Ridgeview. Its web site says, “Ridgeview Drive-in is owned and operated by the Smothers family. After buying the drive-in there were major upgrades made and a new name. In November of 2023 Ridgeview Drive-in opened its gates for the first time!”

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore commented about Memory Lane Drive-In on May 16, 2025 at 4:35 pm

There’s an MSN story about the unnamed couple who have stepped up to save Memory Lane.

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore commented about Roundup Drive-In on May 15, 2025 at 2:30 pm

Boxoffice, Aug. 10, 1957: “Construction of a second drive-in theatre for Pendleton has been started by John Matlock. The outdoor theatre, which will open next March 1, is being built two miles east of town on a county road just off Highway 30. Matlock, who owns Pendleton’s other outdoor theatre and has interest in two downtown Pendleton theatres, said parking spaces for 500 automobiles will be provided. Julian Hart Construction Co., Vancouver, Wash., is building the screen tower and Francis McGee Construction Co., Pendleton, is building the snack bar building and boxoffice. Matlock said the screen tower will be 100 feet long and 75 feet high.”

The Round-up Drive-In’s first appearance in the Motion Picture Almanac was in the 1960 edition. It was listed with a capacity of 385 cars, owned by John Matlock-Adamson Circuit.

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore commented about Family Dri-Vin on May 15, 2025 at 12:42 pm

Boxoffice, Sept. 11, 1954: “The Family Drive-In, a Jesse Jones operation managed by Paul LaRiviera, has enlarged its screen for CinemaScope showings.”

Boxoffice, July 27, 1957: Under Portland - “Purchase of the Family Drive-In Theatre by Al Forman of United Theatres was announced here Sunday (28). The four-year-old, modern, nine-acre theatre was sold to Forman by Jesse Jones, well-known theatre operator in this area. Jerry Forman of Salem will manage the drive-in. Plans call for a completely equipped playground and an increase in theatre capacity to 800 cars.”

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore commented about Clark 54 Drive-In on May 15, 2025 at 10:49 am

Boxoffice, July 6, 1957: “The Clark Drive-In at Summer Hill, Ill., owned by Russell Armentrout of Louisiana, Mo., was flattened by the tornado of June 11, which also did considerable damage at Jacksonville and Springfield, Ill. The screen tower was blown down and considerable damage was done to the concession-projection building. Armentrout hoped to have it ready for opening at the end of this week.”

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore commented about Monument Drive-In on May 15, 2025 at 10:12 am

Boxoffice, June 29, 1957: “The Monument View Drive-In, 350 cars, has been opened at Grand Junction. Ted Knox furnished the equipment”

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore commented about Limberlost Drive-In on May 14, 2025 at 5:16 pm

Boxoffice, June 1, 1957: “Clyde and Betty Nihiser have purchased the Limberlost Drive-In Theatre and were planning to have it open before the end of May. Clyde and Betty have operated theatres here for seven years, relinquishing their lease on the Limberlost Drive-In, which they were instrumental in getting started, a little over a year ago. W. R. Miller, owner of the Limberlost, had been offering it for sale during the past several months.”

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore commented about Sunset Drive-In on May 14, 2025 at 5:00 pm

Correcting the date.

Boxoffice, May 18, 1957: “VERNAL, UTAH – A short circuit in the wiring was blamed for a fire that destroyed the screen at the Starlite Drive-in west of town. Firemen were called at 11:45 p.m. and fought the raging fire, fanned by a high wind, until 2:30 a.m. Flames leaped 100 feet into the air until the 60-foot screen toppled over. Damage was estimated in the region of $1,200, part of which was covered by insurance. The drive-in is operated by Deward and Alson Shiner. They estimated that the theatre would be back in operation about June 1.”

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore commented about Uptown Theatre on May 14, 2025 at 4:20 pm

Boxoffice, May 18, 1957: “The Uptown Theatre in Richmond which was sold recently by Richard Nasser will be converted into a department store”

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore commented about Firebaugh Drive-In on May 14, 2025 at 3:16 pm

Boxoffice, May 11, 1957: “The Firebaugh Drive-In at Firebaugh is to be dismantled”

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore commented about Ord Theatre on May 14, 2025 at 12:55 pm

Boxoffice, May 4, 1957: “The Ord Theatre, dark since the first of the year, has been put into operation on a Friday through Sunday policy. The house is under the management of Hugh Haynes, former manager, who moved to Fowler in 1950. Haynes hopes business will justify his going to a fulltime schedule in the near future.”

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore commented about Big Sky Drive-In on May 14, 2025 at 10:26 am

Boxoffice, May 4, 1957: “Col. Charles A. Watt, commander of Vincent Air Force base just outside Phoenix, has termed a new drive-in theatre near the base a "hazard to air navigation” and ordered it off limits to base personnel. He cited the Tab Drive-In’s 60-foot-high screen as the safety hazard. The theatre is just outside the western boundary of the base on a line with an east-west runway which air force officials hace ceased to use except in emergencies."

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore commented about Oceanside Drive-In on May 10, 2025 at 1:21 pm

The Oceanside’s final advertisement was on Tuesday, April 2, 1974, showing “From China With Death” and “Lust For a Vampire”. It was gone from the Siegels' ads the next day. In October that year, First Baptist Youth staged a haunted house in “the snack bar building at the old Oceanside Drive-In”.

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore commented about Oceanside Drive-In on May 10, 2025 at 12:34 pm

I believe we have misnamed this drive-in. It ended its life as the Oceanside.

The 1968 Los Angeles Film Exchange directory included the Oceanside Drive-In, address 1823 Mission. It was run by Sero Amusement. (In the 1963 LA directory, it was listed as the Midway at the same address.) Its final entry in the Motion Picture Almanac’s annual drive-in list was Oceanside.

Oceanside’s North County Times ran a drive-in retrospective article on April 14, 2002. In it, one of the Siegel brothers said they operated but didn’t own the Midway on Mission Avenue. “The family ran that drive-in in the 1960s until the owner closed it and sold the land.”

In fact, I can’t find any evidence that the Midway/Oceanside was ever called the Vista, which was the name of a drive-in in Vista CA (less than 10 miles away) that also advertised in North County Times. LebowskiT1000 had the right address for that one, and it wasn’t Mission.

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore commented about Union Drive-In on May 9, 2025 at 10:53 am

Exhibitor, May 6, 1953: “Flexer Theatres announced plans for a new 450-car drive-in at New Albany, Miss. Flexer has also revealed that New Albany will probably be the first city, regardless of size, to have its theatres 100 percent equipped for 3-D and CinemaScope. He is also planning to equip the local Ritz and the Varsity, Amory, Miss., with CinemaScope projection equipment, as well as the Magnolia and the Albany Drive-In, New Albany, now being built.”

Motion Picture Herald, April 10, 1954: “David Flexer of Flexer Theatres, Inc., Memphis, Tenn., has announced the start of construction of his new drive-in at New Albany, Miss.”

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore commented about 299 Drive-In on May 9, 2025 at 9:27 am

Thanks for the note, Ron Pierce! That Sept. 29, 1966 Blue Lake Advocate page also included a grand opening ad (just uploaded here) for the 299. The drive-in charged $2 a carload to see “Paradise Hawaiian Style” and “The Last of the Secret Agents.”

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore commented about Union Drive-In on May 9, 2025 at 8:58 am

Motion Picture Herald, March 14, 1953: “David Flexer, head of Flexer Theatres, Inc., is building the new 500-car Union drive-in at New Albany, Miss., which he expects to have in operation by May 15.”

Despite that note, a USGS aerial photo taken Oct. 11, 1953 showed no trace of a drive-in at the future Union site. However, another mention indicates that it was open by 1954.

Motion Picture Herald, Nov. 13, 1954: “A. J. Benya, manager of the Magnolia theatre and the Union Drive-In, New Albany, Miss., used life-size cut-outs and street ballyhoo to good advantage on recent pictures.”

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore commented about Hyland Drive-In on May 8, 2025 at 2:03 pm

Google Maps doesn’t like the old Knoll Street address. The closest I could find to the entrance is 42 N Knoll St, Cedar City, UT 84721.

The viewing field is adjacent to a car dealership which faces Main Street, but the old Hyland entrance is clearly on Knoll.

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore commented about Hyland Drive-In on May 8, 2025 at 1:50 pm

Boxoffice, April 9, 1973: “Eldon Yergenson, owner of the Hyland Drive-In, Cedar City, announced recently that he’s going to expand his theatre. Plans call for installing EPRAD car heaters and the addition of a new theatre with a capacity of 200. Construction is to begin this spring.”

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore commented about Major Drive-In on May 6, 2025 at 9:53 pm

Independent Film Journal, Nov. 5, 1960: “The Main Street, indoor theatre, and the Major Drive-In, Paris, Mo., have been closed.”

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore commented about Lamont Drive-In on May 6, 2025 at 5:00 pm

NYozoner is right. We need to add Thunderbird Drive-In as a previous name. Plus, its final name was the no-direction Lamont Drive-In, so CT style says that should be the name for this page.

The 1963 Los Angeles film exchange directory included the Thunderbird Drive-In in Lamont, run by Sero Amusement.

The drive-in was advertising in the Bakersfield Californian as the Thunderbird by September 1960, and those ads continued into September 1966. By December 1966, it was advertising as the Lamont Drive-In. The last Lamont ad I could find in the Californian was Nov. 1, 1968. That one featured Spanish-language films, so it’s possible that the drive-in continued to operate without advertising in an English-language newspaper.

The Motion Picture Almanac was often slow to respond to changes. The MPA drive-in list entries serving Lamont changed from Lamont (1950-54), to South Lamont (1955-62), to Thunderbird (1963-76). When the MPA rebooted its list in 1977, there was nothing active in Lamont.

The MPA listed owners as Karr & Kendig (1950-55), then spelled Karr & Kendic (1956-61), then C. E. Langford & Assoc. (1962), then Los Angeles Drive-In Thea. Co. (1963-66). MPA did not include owner info in its 1967-76 drive-in lists. All of these entries showed a capacity of 450 cars.

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore commented about Orpheum Theatre on May 6, 2025 at 1:50 pm

From the Jan. 1, 1962 issue of Boxoffice, which appears to be in the public domain.

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore commented about Humota Theater on May 6, 2025 at 1:41 pm

Boxoffice, Dec. 18, 1961: “Smellerama” came to Humboldt quite by accident during a recent showing of Paramount’s sports reel, “Speedway.” Sunday matinee patrons at the Humota Theatre were so impressed by the realism of the short, filmed during auto races at Daytona Beach, that they stopped by the theatre office on the way out to compliment Manager Fred Meyer. “So real,” several remarked, “you could even smell the rubber as the drivers gun around the track!” Others told Meyer it was “the greatest theatre stunt they ever had seen.” And they were going to recommend the show to all of their friends, because seeing it was “just like being in one of the cars, especially with that smell of hot tires!” Meyer agreed it was a good film, but lost no time investigating. He finally found the “realistic” scent of burning rubber was coming from a faulty fan belt on the furnace blower.