A 1983 aerial view shows the theater was already wiped, meaning that this may’ve closed before the 1980s. Parts of the traces were taken up as a parking lot.
On May 6, 1965, the World Premiere of “Cat Baillou” was held at the Gordon Theatre in Baton Rouge, exactly one day BEFORE its second premiere in Denver.
In October 1984, the Blue Ridge Twin Cinema became very notable for a surprising month-long screening of a classic three-minute technicolor short part of its “Unusual Occupations” series, produced in 1941 by Paramount, which was also filmed in Blue Ridge. The special showing was meant to be a surprise for Wilson Cobb, a longtime local resident whose family was in the picture.
In the short, the film gives local residents a glimpse into Blue Ridge’s past when the lack of public telephones and electric service did not prevent the Wilson Cobb’s family from publishing the county’s legal organ, the now-defunct Fannin County Times. Paramount sent one man who could do it all to film the newspaper operation on the family’s backwoods farm on Hemptown Creek, located 10 miles east of Blue Ridge. Its showing at the Blue Ridge Twin Cinema was so popular that some local residents just come to the theater to see it and leave before the start of the main feature.
Fun Fact: The Family Drive-In was originally planned to open as the Somerset Drive-In when the city council granted a green light to give Somerset a permit to build the city’s first drive-in in April 1950. However, the opinion was immediately reversed by the council in November 1950 because of everything from lights, crowds, congestion, and noises would constitute a nuisance and would be injurious to the health of people residing in Somerset, causing a destruction of quietness and peaceful use and enjoyment in their homes.
The application of a man named J.C. Edwards for a permit to operate a drive-in theater on his farm north of Somerset on Highway 27 was immediately denied by Pulaski County Court led by County Judge C.I. Ross on January 18, 1951, but had received questions about location and noise complaints. The court responded in an opinion that if a drive-in theater was construction on Highway 27, not only to be created but also become a situation of great danger to those people using the highway and visiting the theater.
Despite the controversy, Somerset already received its first drive-in south of town right at a more appropriate location near Burnside, the Lakeview, which opened on June 7, 1951 (and operated for 35 years), as Somerset’s first drive-in. The Family Drive-In opened around a week or two later in late-June 1951.
The Royal originally housed an estimate 250 seats.
Also, there’s a photo from the 1970s on Page 27. I cannot confirm if this is Hearst’s Royal Theatre or the Royal Theatre in neighboring Kapuskasing because the marquee looks very identical.
Does anybody know about the name of this drive-in, or details? Because this one has been long forgotten from locally-based historic sites.
A 1983 aerial view shows the theater was already wiped, meaning that this may’ve closed before the 1980s. Parts of the traces were taken up as a parking lot.
Actual closing date is October 15, 2000.
Demolished in 2013.
On May 6, 1965, the World Premiere of “Cat Baillou” was held at the Gordon Theatre in Baton Rouge, exactly one day BEFORE its second premiere in Denver.
In October 1984, the Blue Ridge Twin Cinema became very notable for a surprising month-long screening of a classic three-minute technicolor short part of its “Unusual Occupations” series, produced in 1941 by Paramount, which was also filmed in Blue Ridge. The special showing was meant to be a surprise for Wilson Cobb, a longtime local resident whose family was in the picture.
In the short, the film gives local residents a glimpse into Blue Ridge’s past when the lack of public telephones and electric service did not prevent the Wilson Cobb’s family from publishing the county’s legal organ, the now-defunct Fannin County Times. Paramount sent one man who could do it all to film the newspaper operation on the family’s backwoods farm on Hemptown Creek, located 10 miles east of Blue Ridge. Its showing at the Blue Ridge Twin Cinema was so popular that some local residents just come to the theater to see it and leave before the start of the main feature.
Once operated by National General.
Fun Fact: The Family Drive-In was originally planned to open as the Somerset Drive-In when the city council granted a green light to give Somerset a permit to build the city’s first drive-in in April 1950. However, the opinion was immediately reversed by the council in November 1950 because of everything from lights, crowds, congestion, and noises would constitute a nuisance and would be injurious to the health of people residing in Somerset, causing a destruction of quietness and peaceful use and enjoyment in their homes.
The application of a man named J.C. Edwards for a permit to operate a drive-in theater on his farm north of Somerset on Highway 27 was immediately denied by Pulaski County Court led by County Judge C.I. Ross on January 18, 1951, but had received questions about location and noise complaints. The court responded in an opinion that if a drive-in theater was construction on Highway 27, not only to be created but also become a situation of great danger to those people using the highway and visiting the theater.
Despite the controversy, Somerset already received its first drive-in south of town right at a more appropriate location near Burnside, the Lakeview, which opened on June 7, 1951 (and operated for 35 years), as Somerset’s first drive-in. The Family Drive-In opened around a week or two later in late-June 1951.
Functions Update: Special events are also presented.
Actual closing date is September 24, 1998.
Once operated by Empire Theatres.
This first opened with four screens.
Once operated by Empire Theatres.
Closed on October 6, 1985 with “St. Elmo’s Fire” and “Year Of The Dragon”.
Last operated by Blatt Bros.
Once operated by Texas Cinema Corporation.
Taken over by Carmike in November 1993.
Taken over by Carmike in November 1993.
Taken over by Carmike in November 1993.
Taken over by Carmike in November 1993.
Taken over by Carmike in November 1993.
Are you sure this is built in the late-1980s? If this opened in 1995 then it has to be built in 1994-95.
The Royal originally housed an estimate 250 seats.
Also, there’s a photo from the 1970s on Page 27. I cannot confirm if this is Hearst’s Royal Theatre or the Royal Theatre in neighboring Kapuskasing because the marquee looks very identical.
The original marquee suffered damage from a storm during the 1980s before the current marquee was installed in 1988.
Taken over by United Artists on August 1, 1986.