Ijust figured if i hit an Atlanta theatre someone would be able to explain the WEIS Cinemas because i couldn’t remember the names,but I knew they had screens in Macon and Savannah. A Mr.Crisp was the manager of the Capri,because I have an ad for that theatre when 2001 played there{on very small screens]and he is the contact person for group rates.
I have all the items ready to go. A bit on the NORTH 85 Drive in was torn off thru the years,but 99% of the story is there.I went back to the EXPRESSWAY and looked over your movies had I had a pressbook on one of those movies i was going to send it,but didn’t still i think you should enjoy it.
Never heard of such a thing! At National Hills and the IMPERIAL the carbon rods went in the trash. I will have to mention that to Nick,He has a close friend that ran movies in Tampa for decades.
Tisloews, enjoyed all the stories.I think guys like us should have just sat down and drained our brains on our theatres.You know to have one long story instead of all the posts we both have. But, just the other day i remembered Columbia 1 having gutter problems soon after we opened and had to rope off the Houseleft side of the screen on the first 4 or 5 rows.
The Ice story,Yep, The three downtown theatres here would do the same thing. I got Linda Blair to autograph a AIRPORT 75 one sheet,I couldn’t find an Exorcist.A couple of years ago i ran into Richard Roundtree and he said he would not sign any SHAFT one sheets. I had a CITY HEAT one sheet that he would sign.
I am always going into closed theatres. This one the back exit doors about came off in my hand from rot. Did get a nice wooden standee that was used i bet for years to put one sheets on. I was hoping to find hundreds of one sheets,but found one.
I was later told someone tracked down the owner in Warrenton and the old man GAVE HIM every ONE SHEET in the back room. I bet he sold every one while i keep all of mine. I bet still in this country there are still small town theatres full of materials.
Also not too long a big Wind storm hit the area and blew the big blue numbers 1 and 2 off the marquee. We replaced them with much smaller red colored numbers, couldn’t understand why the contractor wasn’t called back to repair or replace those huge blue numbers.They really made the Marquee. At least i have pictures.
yeah, I guess you are right,Lots of shopping centers around here now occupy Drive in land.However,Most the shopping centers built on these old Drive in spots today sit empty and falling apart,much like the Drive ins they replaced. Most were built in the 70’s and outdated compared to the new stripmalls. Thanks for the info on the Barnwell Drive ins.
Nick, you are right it is hard to add to these long forgotten Drive ind,but I just hate to write only sentence because these old passion pits deserve more than a line even if it is filler.
Nick, you are right it is hard to add to these long forgotten Drive ind,but I just hate to write only sentence because these old passion pits deserve more than a line even if it is filler.
I will include ads also from some of your favorite theatres. I read the Atlanta paper everyday until they quit selling them here,So much for “covering Dixie like the dew.” And any theatre article got clipped.
Looked over at what is left of NATIONAL HILLS the theatre itself is all that is standing.Everything else gone. The Marquee,Long gone. Box office, that beautiful lobby and concessions.Everything but the old theatre. Cold Georgia rain hitting the roof.THey cut every thing off that complete theatre like cancer.
If you were Drive by you could see the auditorium standing alone. I wish they would take a wrecking ball and put it out of its misery. It is a pity that theatre could have not been saved.But who has the money. And this story can be told I know in hundreds of cities in this great country.
Yassenoff owned several Drive ins in Columbus. WEST FIFTH AUTO, EAST SIDE DRIVE IN and Milton Yassenoff owned the SOUTH HI DRIVE IN in that city in 1956.
Go to PASTIME Theatre.MOre Adventures of me in closed Theatres in small towns.
I think Russell SMEAK was a manager there until Larry Anderson, DM ran off some good talent. I told Russell to stay out of Atlanta!
Ijust figured if i hit an Atlanta theatre someone would be able to explain the WEIS Cinemas because i couldn’t remember the names,but I knew they had screens in Macon and Savannah. A Mr.Crisp was the manager of the Capri,because I have an ad for that theatre when 2001 played there{on very small screens]and he is the contact person for group rates.
I did find one picture of the Concession/booth.There was nothing there but tall weeds.
I have all the items ready to go. A bit on the NORTH 85 Drive in was torn off thru the years,but 99% of the story is there.I went back to the EXPRESSWAY and looked over your movies had I had a pressbook on one of those movies i was going to send it,but didn’t still i think you should enjoy it.
Never heard of such a thing! At National Hills and the IMPERIAL the carbon rods went in the trash. I will have to mention that to Nick,He has a close friend that ran movies in Tampa for decades.
Tisloews, enjoyed all the stories.I think guys like us should have just sat down and drained our brains on our theatres.You know to have one long story instead of all the posts we both have. But, just the other day i remembered Columbia 1 having gutter problems soon after we opened and had to rope off the Houseleft side of the screen on the first 4 or 5 rows.
The Ice story,Yep, The three downtown theatres here would do the same thing. I got Linda Blair to autograph a AIRPORT 75 one sheet,I couldn’t find an Exorcist.A couple of years ago i ran into Richard Roundtree and he said he would not sign any SHAFT one sheets. I had a CITY HEAT one sheet that he would sign.
I am always going into closed theatres. This one the back exit doors about came off in my hand from rot. Did get a nice wooden standee that was used i bet for years to put one sheets on. I was hoping to find hundreds of one sheets,but found one.
I was later told someone tracked down the owner in Warrenton and the old man GAVE HIM every ONE SHEET in the back room. I bet he sold every one while i keep all of mine. I bet still in this country there are still small town theatres full of materials.
I saw SSSSSSS at the MILLER theatre I bet we are the only two people that have any idea what the movie was about;unless they look it up in a filmbook.
Looked again it is the BACON THEATRE,not Becon theatre.
Also not too long a big Wind storm hit the area and blew the big blue numbers 1 and 2 off the marquee. We replaced them with much smaller red colored numbers, couldn’t understand why the contractor wasn’t called back to repair or replace those huge blue numbers.They really made the Marquee. At least i have pictures.
yeah, I guess you are right,Lots of shopping centers around here now occupy Drive in land.However,Most the shopping centers built on these old Drive in spots today sit empty and falling apart,much like the Drive ins they replaced. Most were built in the 70’s and outdated compared to the new stripmalls. Thanks for the info on the Barnwell Drive ins.
thanks Chuck, I figured it closed sometime around the late 70’s.don’t have anything else on the STARLITE or SWEETWATER Drive ins in Barnwell? Do you?
Had just a little bit more to add on this one.I was glad i found the TRUCK TURNER newspaper ad. Remember to do the Tenn.Drive-ins.thanks Nick.
Nick, you are right it is hard to add to these long forgotten Drive ind,but I just hate to write only sentence because these old passion pits deserve more than a line even if it is filler.
Nick, you are right it is hard to add to these long forgotten Drive ind,but I just hate to write only sentence because these old passion pits deserve more than a line even if it is filler.
Thanks Nick, Don’t forget HENDERSONVILLE OUTDOOR CINEMA,Itis some of my best writing.
FINALLY an offical list of old employees Favorite MOvies that played at NATIONAL HILLS THEATRE! Either 1st run or late shows.
Jim Neely… Jeremiah Johnson,2001, and Silent Running.
Bob Gordon Smith.. Smokey and the Bandit and Blazing Saddles.
Jerry Tinney…2001 and the Disney classics.
Tommy T.C. Capers .. SUMMER OF 42 and the COWBOYS.
Lewis Robertson…ON ANY SUNDAY
Mike Rogers…2001,Oliver, AllPres.Men, MagnumForce,Little Big Man and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.
Billy Barkley…SUMMER OF 42 and EASY RIDER
Mark Barkley….Right Stuff in 70mm and Close Encounters
Charles Bruni…Close Encounters and 2001
John Mackey…Longest Yard
Susan Shaver…Up The Sandbox
Mark CHEWY Kuchinski….Phantom of the ParaDise.
If they would only add stories…………
I will include ads also from some of your favorite theatres. I read the Atlanta paper everyday until they quit selling them here,So much for “covering Dixie like the dew.” And any theatre article got clipped.
Looked over at what is left of NATIONAL HILLS the theatre itself is all that is standing.Everything else gone. The Marquee,Long gone. Box office, that beautiful lobby and concessions.Everything but the old theatre. Cold Georgia rain hitting the roof.THey cut every thing off that complete theatre like cancer.
If you were Drive by you could see the auditorium standing alone. I wish they would take a wrecking ball and put it out of its misery. It is a pity that theatre could have not been saved.But who has the money. And this story can be told I know in hundreds of cities in this great country.
My 1956 ALMANAC shows 600 cars and was owned by Associated Drive-in : E. Stern.
In 1956 it parked 450 cars and was owned by W.Queen.
Man, this was a whopper of a drive in theatre! It parked 1000 cars and was owned by E.M. Loew.One of the larger drive-ins in that small state,
Yassenoff owned several Drive ins in Columbus. WEST FIFTH AUTO, EAST SIDE DRIVE IN and Milton Yassenoff owned the SOUTH HI DRIVE IN in that city in 1956.
Yes, the car capacity in 1956 was 400 and it was owned in the late 50’s by Frank Yassenoff.