Congrats to the owners of the Moonlite for bringing it back to life! Being a Pennsylvanian (from Pittsburgh), the Moonlite is now one of three drive-ins in my home state that I have to visit for the first time, the others being the Sky Vu in Gratz and the Mahoning in Lehighton. Come next spring, I’m going to plan a road trip to visit all three during the summer.
David Coppock: Of course if I had had my way I would’ve bought the Kane Road Drive-In and moved into the screen tower house. It would’ve been so cool to live there and keep the drive-in going, and I couldn’t be the only one who had the same sentiments.
The address and map shown here are for the Lakeview Drive-In. Approximate address for the Skyway is 5150 West Lake Rd. Erie, PA. 16505. The site is now occupied by Wolf Run Village condominiums
Grand opening date of the Airport was August 5, 1947 with “The Plainsman” starring Gary Cooper and Jean Arthur. The ad from the Salt Lake Tribune is now in the Photos section.
The second El Rancho was opened by September 20, 1971. The exact grand opening date could not be determined as there was a newspaper strike from May 14 to September 19 that year.
It was reported in May 1984 that the El Rancho would not reopen. However, the lease was passed on from previous operator Jon Showe to Dr. Paul Rankin (who owned the nearby Galaxy indoor theater) and the drive-in opened belatedly for the 1984 season on June 29. It turned out to be the final season; its last night of operation was on September 23 with “Purple Rain” and “Sudden Impact”.
Grand opening feature was “Honeymoon” starring Shirley Temple. Final night of operation was December 6, 1964 with two adult films: “False Shame” and “Passionate Thief”.
No grand opening ads or articles were found in either the Pittsburgh Press or Post Gazette. The first known listing from these papers is from July 2, 1955 (the same day the Echo Drive-In in nearby Jefferson Hills had its grand opening). The films featured that night were “Drums Across The River” starring Audie Murphy and Walter Brennan and “Six Bridges To Cross” starring Tony Curtis and Julie Adams. Last known listing was on September 11, 1983 with “Jaws III” and “The Thing”.
The Longhorn was relocated in 1966. Final night of operation at the original location was on April 4. The new location at 8900 Research Blvd, about 3 miles south of the old location, opened on May 20.
Grand opening as Penn-Lincoln Drive-In was on July 22, 1948 with “Something In The Wind”. Final night of first-run operation was on September 6, 1982 with “Midnight” and “Beyond The Fog”.
Grand reopening as Super 30 West Drive-In was on May 24, 1985 with “Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment” and “Visionquest”. This revival only lasted until September 22, 1985 with “Summer Rental” and “Volunteers”. It was announced in May 1986 that the drive-in would not reopen.
Grand opening was on July 2, 1955 with “Many Rivers To Cross” and “Gypsy Colt”. Final night of operation was on September 15, 1985 with “Pale Rider” and “Mad Max”.
Grand opening night feature was “The Bank Dick” starring W.C. Fields. Features on the final night were “Jaws IV—The Revenge”, “Innerspace”, “Full Metal Jacket”, and “Police Academy 4—Citizens On Patrol”
The Garrett Clipper newspaper shows the original name of the drive-in as Tri-Hi, not Tri-Way. It opened for the 1960 season as Auburn-Garrett on April 8 that year.
What was the grand opening date?
Opening date?
Grand opening was on June 3, 1959 with “Tonight’s The Night”, starring David Niven and “The Tall Stranger” with Joel McCrea
Grand opening was on May 11, 1949. Opening features were “Tycoon” starring John Wayne and “Isn’t It Romantic” starring Veronica Lake.
Grand opening was on July 18, 1953 with “Salome” starring Rita Hayworth.
Congrats to the owners of the Moonlite for bringing it back to life! Being a Pennsylvanian (from Pittsburgh), the Moonlite is now one of three drive-ins in my home state that I have to visit for the first time, the others being the Sky Vu in Gratz and the Mahoning in Lehighton. Come next spring, I’m going to plan a road trip to visit all three during the summer.
David Coppock: Of course if I had had my way I would’ve bought the Kane Road Drive-In and moved into the screen tower house. It would’ve been so cool to live there and keep the drive-in going, and I couldn’t be the only one who had the same sentiments.
The zip code for Slovan is 15078, not 15021
The house in front of where the screen used to be was torn down as well. There is now a Dollar General on the former drive-in site.
With the demise of the Twin Hi-Way Drive-In in 2015, the Dependable is now the only operating drive-in theater in Allegheny County
The address and map shown here are for the Lakeview Drive-In. Approximate address for the Skyway is 5150 West Lake Rd. Erie, PA. 16505. The site is now occupied by Wolf Run Village condominiums
Grand opening date of the Airport was August 5, 1947 with “The Plainsman” starring Gary Cooper and Jean Arthur. The ad from the Salt Lake Tribune is now in the Photos section.
The second El Rancho was opened by September 20, 1971. The exact grand opening date could not be determined as there was a newspaper strike from May 14 to September 19 that year.
It was reported in May 1984 that the El Rancho would not reopen. However, the lease was passed on from previous operator Jon Showe to Dr. Paul Rankin (who owned the nearby Galaxy indoor theater) and the drive-in opened belatedly for the 1984 season on June 29. It turned out to be the final season; its last night of operation was on September 23 with “Purple Rain” and “Sudden Impact”.
Grand opening feature was “Honeymoon” starring Shirley Temple. Final night of operation was December 6, 1964 with two adult films: “False Shame” and “Passionate Thief”.
No grand opening ads or articles were found in either the Pittsburgh Press or Post Gazette. The first known listing from these papers is from July 2, 1955 (the same day the Echo Drive-In in nearby Jefferson Hills had its grand opening). The films featured that night were “Drums Across The River” starring Audie Murphy and Walter Brennan and “Six Bridges To Cross” starring Tony Curtis and Julie Adams. Last known listing was on September 11, 1983 with “Jaws III” and “The Thing”.
The Longhorn was relocated in 1966. Final night of operation at the original location was on April 4. The new location at 8900 Research Blvd, about 3 miles south of the old location, opened on May 20.
Grand opening as Penn-Lincoln Drive-In was on July 22, 1948 with “Something In The Wind”. Final night of first-run operation was on September 6, 1982 with “Midnight” and “Beyond The Fog”.
Grand reopening as Super 30 West Drive-In was on May 24, 1985 with “Police Academy 2: Their First Assignment” and “Visionquest”. This revival only lasted until September 22, 1985 with “Summer Rental” and “Volunteers”. It was announced in May 1986 that the drive-in would not reopen.
Grand opening was on July 2, 1955 with “Many Rivers To Cross” and “Gypsy Colt”. Final night of operation was on September 15, 1985 with “Pale Rider” and “Mad Max”.
Final night of operation was on August 31, 1986 with “Last Resort” and “Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2”
Final night of operation was September 22, 1985 with the porn flicks “Go For It” and “My Master, My Lover”
Final night of operation was October 14, 1979 with “The Brood” and “Something Weird”
Grand opening night feature was “The Bank Dick” starring W.C. Fields. Features on the final night were “Jaws IV—The Revenge”, “Innerspace”, “Full Metal Jacket”, and “Police Academy 4—Citizens On Patrol”
Final night of operation was September 4, 1978 with “Grand Theft Auto” and “Airport ‘77”.
The year of the grand opening date should be 1948, not 1949
The Garrett Clipper newspaper shows the original name of the drive-in as Tri-Hi, not Tri-Way. It opened for the 1960 season as Auburn-Garrett on April 8 that year.