The Bismarck Tribune, Jan. 27, 1993: “The Sundown Drive-In Theater had been operated since 1954 by a group of Mandan residents. When new management took over in 1965, the name was changed to the Starlite Drive-In Theater … In 1980, a second screen went up, to make the Starlite a twin theater. On Labor Day 1986, the screens went dark for the final time.”
Exhibitor, Sept. 5, 1951: “The Sunset Drive-In has been opened at Bowman, N. D.”
Boxoffice, Aug. 22, 1953: “Bowman, N.D. - L. A. Parsons opened the Sunset Drive-In here.”
Boxoffice, March 8, 1976: “Randall Thornsley of Chugatch Entertainment Co., headquartered in Sturgis, S.D., has taken over operation of the Sundowner Drive-In, Bowman, N.D.; the Wagon Wheel Drive-In, Hettinger, N.D., and the Whitetail Drive-In, Lemmon, S.D.”
Boxoffice, July 18, 1977: “The White Tail Drive-In, Lennon, S.D., and the Sundowner Drive-In, Bowman, N.D., have been transferred to the Minneapolis Paramount territory from Denver. They were originally in the Minneapolis branch territory but were switched to Denver a couple of years ago. Both screens are owned by J. M. Svihovec.”
Boxoffice, Oct. 2, 1978: “Mr. and Mrs. M. Meschke are the new owners of the Sundowner Drive-In Theatre, Bowman, N.D. The situation previously was owned by Jim Svihovec, Spearfish, S.D.”
Some descriptions of the Cine-Parc from the July 27, 1970 issue of Boxoffice: “The drive-in covers about 22 acres of flat land, meaning plenty of space for more than 1,000 cars. There is an 80-foot-long boxoffice building. In the middle of the lot there is a concession stand done in white brick, walnut paneling, orange colored walls and French-grey flooring … The screen is a full 120 feet long and 80 feet high … Joseph Dydzak II, a member of the company that owns the Boucherville Cine-Parc, also is interested in a string of other elsewhere in Canada.”
A fun little story about Franklin Outdoor manager Bob Brill in the July 27, 1970 issue of Boxoffice: “Some time ago he announced over the public address system that a farmer’s pig was loose and on the prowl. Immediately there was a mad scramble to earn the reward that he had promised. It was intimated later that things were rather dull at the concession stand and business began to boom a short while after the scramble. Nothing further was heard about the pig.”
Boxoffice, July 27, 1970: “Motion Picture Booking Agency has taken over the booking and buying of O.C. Johnson’s Hiway (sic) Drive-In Theatre in Hiawatha, Kan. Bill Silver said Johnson wrote last week that he is getting along fine after undergoing surgery a couple of weeks ago.”
In 1971, Johnson ran at least a couple of classified ads in Boxoffice looking to buy used projection equipment for his “Hiaway Drive-In.”
Boxoffice, July 27, 1970: “The screen at the Shop City Drive-In at East St. Louis … was toppled early Sunday morning (19), apparently caught by a severe wind gust or a tornado … The 78-foot-high screen was reduced to a mass of jumbled bits and pieces.”
Boxoffice, Feb. 16, 1970: “CAMPBELL, CALIF. - The city planning commission was slated to consider the deferred request of Syufy Enterprises for a zone change and use permit to allow a third screen for the Winchester Drive-In to be installed on property adjacent to the present airer at its mid-January meeting.”
Boxoffice, July 27, 1970: “The city council, by a 4-1 vote, has overruled the planning commission recommendation which had denied the zone change request of Syufy Enterprises to permit the erection of a third screen at the Winchester Drive-In.”
Boxoffice, July 27, 1970: “William Gearing of the Silver Spring-based B&B circuit has taken over the booking of … the Buckeye Drive-In, Buckeye, W. Va., and the Blue Star Drive-In, Petersburg, Va. These theatres were booked by the late Joe Walsh, Baltimore booker.”
Boxoffice, July 27, 1970: “William Gearing of the Silver Spring-based B&B circuit has taken over the booking of … the Buckeye Drive-In, Buckeye, W. Va., and the Blue Star Drive-In, Petersburg, Va. These theatres were booked by the late Joe Walsh, Baltimore booker.”
Boxoffice, Nov. 26, 1979: “Jerry Bullard is closing the Sage Theatre in Upton, Wyo. The theatre had been in continuous operation since 1936. Bullard has no plans for reopening the facility.”
Boxoffice, July 20, 1970: “Jerry Bullard has opened his new 120-car drive-in at Sundance, Wyo. The theatre will be on a two-change-a-week basis, with bookings being on a circuit with Bullard’s Drive-In located in nearby Upton, Wyo.”
A note in the July 13, 1970 issue of Boxoffice implied that the Marshalltown was built in 1948, though that might not be accurate. Manager Walter Gary spent $2000 on refurbishment, some of it repainting the 20x70-foot screen, “the first major improvements made at the Drive-In Theatre since it was built here 22 years ago”.
The June 29, 1970 issue of Boxoffice reported that Gulf States Theatres planned to expand the Don to two screens, but later aerial photos say that never happened.
When the Muncie Star Press published this photo in 2023, it gave credit as “Courtesy Of Ball State University’s Bracken Archive And Special Collections”.
Just a bump to note that there is no contemporary evidence that the Del Mar existed before 1970, but plenty of photographic proof that there was no drive-in at that site before then. Kudos to anyone who can figure out what was confusing those drive-in historians.
Boxoffice, March 22, 1971: “Bill Padget, BLB Drive-In, Clayton, is mayor of that Oklahoma city. His BLB Drive-In is named for daughter Brenda, his wife Laverne and himself”
A 1955 aerial photo showed a drive-in just southeast of the intersection of US 22 and Highway 987. It was still intact in 1962 but razed by 1972.
Although part of the viewing field is now covered by the expanded highway intersection, a small cluster of motels and restaurants occupies another part. A decent address is 1881 Catasauqua Rd, Allentown, PA 18109.
On June 1, 1970, Boxoffice wrote that W. W. Fincher of Chatsworth GA sold the Jet and the Montgomery to the Atlanta-based Wilby-Kincey circuit. The article added that the circuit flipped the Jet to R. M. Kennedy, Birmingham exhibitor.
Turns out there that this part of Tennessee had both a Starlite AND a Midway.
Boxoffice, June 1, 1970: “W. W. Fincher of Chatsworth … sold his Starlite Drive-In at Athens, Tenn., to Jack Jones … (who) also owns and operated the Midway Drive-In at Etowah, Tenn.”
Boxoffice, June 1, 1970: “Billy Bowen, owner of the Europa (sic) Drive-In at Europa, Miss., has had to close the airer temporarily after fire destroyed his home. Bowen said that while he was trying to get his residential problems solved he didn’t have time to operate the drive-in. He hopes to relight it soon.”
The Bismarck Tribune, Jan. 27, 1993: “The Sundown Drive-In Theater had been operated since 1954 by a group of Mandan residents. When new management took over in 1965, the name was changed to the Starlite Drive-In Theater … In 1980, a second screen went up, to make the Starlite a twin theater. On Labor Day 1986, the screens went dark for the final time.”
Exhibitor, Sept. 5, 1951: “The Sunset Drive-In has been opened at Bowman, N. D.”
Boxoffice, Aug. 22, 1953: “Bowman, N.D. - L. A. Parsons opened the Sunset Drive-In here.”
Boxoffice, March 8, 1976: “Randall Thornsley of Chugatch Entertainment Co., headquartered in Sturgis, S.D., has taken over operation of the Sundowner Drive-In, Bowman, N.D.; the Wagon Wheel Drive-In, Hettinger, N.D., and the Whitetail Drive-In, Lemmon, S.D.”
Boxoffice, July 18, 1977: “The White Tail Drive-In, Lennon, S.D., and the Sundowner Drive-In, Bowman, N.D., have been transferred to the Minneapolis Paramount territory from Denver. They were originally in the Minneapolis branch territory but were switched to Denver a couple of years ago. Both screens are owned by J. M. Svihovec.”
Boxoffice, Oct. 2, 1978: “Mr. and Mrs. M. Meschke are the new owners of the Sundowner Drive-In Theatre, Bowman, N.D. The situation previously was owned by Jim Svihovec, Spearfish, S.D.”
Some descriptions of the Cine-Parc from the July 27, 1970 issue of Boxoffice: “The drive-in covers about 22 acres of flat land, meaning plenty of space for more than 1,000 cars. There is an 80-foot-long boxoffice building. In the middle of the lot there is a concession stand done in white brick, walnut paneling, orange colored walls and French-grey flooring … The screen is a full 120 feet long and 80 feet high … Joseph Dydzak II, a member of the company that owns the Boucherville Cine-Parc, also is interested in a string of other elsewhere in Canada.”
A fun little story about Franklin Outdoor manager Bob Brill in the July 27, 1970 issue of Boxoffice: “Some time ago he announced over the public address system that a farmer’s pig was loose and on the prowl. Immediately there was a mad scramble to earn the reward that he had promised. It was intimated later that things were rather dull at the concession stand and business began to boom a short while after the scramble. Nothing further was heard about the pig.”
Boxoffice, July 27, 1970: “Motion Picture Booking Agency has taken over the booking and buying of O.C. Johnson’s Hiway (sic) Drive-In Theatre in Hiawatha, Kan. Bill Silver said Johnson wrote last week that he is getting along fine after undergoing surgery a couple of weeks ago.”
In 1971, Johnson ran at least a couple of classified ads in Boxoffice looking to buy used projection equipment for his “Hiaway Drive-In.”
Boxoffice, July 27, 1970: “The screen at the Shop City Drive-In at East St. Louis … was toppled early Sunday morning (19), apparently caught by a severe wind gust or a tornado … The 78-foot-high screen was reduced to a mass of jumbled bits and pieces.”
Looks like Screen #3 didn’t arrive until 1970.
Boxoffice, Feb. 16, 1970: “CAMPBELL, CALIF. - The city planning commission was slated to consider the deferred request of Syufy Enterprises for a zone change and use permit to allow a third screen for the Winchester Drive-In to be installed on property adjacent to the present airer at its mid-January meeting.”
Boxoffice, July 27, 1970: “The city council, by a 4-1 vote, has overruled the planning commission recommendation which had denied the zone change request of Syufy Enterprises to permit the erection of a third screen at the Winchester Drive-In.”
Boxoffice, July 27, 1970: “William Gearing of the Silver Spring-based B&B circuit has taken over the booking of … the Buckeye Drive-In, Buckeye, W. Va., and the Blue Star Drive-In, Petersburg, Va. These theatres were booked by the late Joe Walsh, Baltimore booker.”
Boxoffice, July 27, 1970: “William Gearing of the Silver Spring-based B&B circuit has taken over the booking of … the Buckeye Drive-In, Buckeye, W. Va., and the Blue Star Drive-In, Petersburg, Va. These theatres were booked by the late Joe Walsh, Baltimore booker.”
Boxoffice, Nov. 26, 1979: “Jerry Bullard is closing the Sage Theatre in Upton, Wyo. The theatre had been in continuous operation since 1936. Bullard has no plans for reopening the facility.”
Boxoffice, July 20, 1970: “Jerry Bullard has opened his new 120-car drive-in at Sundance, Wyo. The theatre will be on a two-change-a-week basis, with bookings being on a circuit with Bullard’s Drive-In located in nearby Upton, Wyo.”
A note in the July 13, 1970 issue of Boxoffice implied that the Marshalltown was built in 1948, though that might not be accurate. Manager Walter Gary spent $2000 on refurbishment, some of it repainting the 20x70-foot screen, “the first major improvements made at the Drive-In Theatre since it was built here 22 years ago”.
The June 29, 1970 issue of Boxoffice reported that Gulf States Theatres planned to expand the Don to two screens, but later aerial photos say that never happened.
The June 29, 1970 issue of Boxoffice reported that the Beach was becoming a twin screen drive-in as it rebuild from Hurrican Camille.
When the Muncie Star Press published this photo in 2023, it gave credit as “Courtesy Of Ball State University’s Bracken Archive And Special Collections”.
Just a bump to note that there is no contemporary evidence that the Del Mar existed before 1970, but plenty of photographic proof that there was no drive-in at that site before then. Kudos to anyone who can figure out what was confusing those drive-in historians.
Boxoffice, March 22, 1971: “Bill Crosby, Little River Drive-In, Wright City, has installed a one-way exit treadle which he built himself.”
Verifying kennerado’s note…
Boxoffice, March 22, 1971: “Bill Padget, BLB Drive-In, Clayton, is mayor of that Oklahoma city. His BLB Drive-In is named for daughter Brenda, his wife Laverne and himself”
This 2006 photo is by JoshBerglund19 on Flickr.
A 1955 aerial photo showed a drive-in just southeast of the intersection of US 22 and Highway 987. It was still intact in 1962 but razed by 1972.
Although part of the viewing field is now covered by the expanded highway intersection, a small cluster of motels and restaurants occupies another part. A decent address is 1881 Catasauqua Rd, Allentown, PA 18109.
On June 1, 1970, Boxoffice wrote that W. W. Fincher of Chatsworth GA sold the Jet and the Montgomery to the Atlanta-based Wilby-Kincey circuit.
On June 1, 1970, Boxoffice wrote that W. W. Fincher of Chatsworth GA sold the Jet and the Montgomery to the Atlanta-based Wilby-Kincey circuit. The article added that the circuit flipped the Jet to R. M. Kennedy, Birmingham exhibitor.
Boxoffice, June 1, 1970: “W. W. Fincher of Chatsworth … purchased the Blue Sky Drive-In at LaFayette in this state from Jim Maffett."
Turns out there that this part of Tennessee had both a Starlite AND a Midway.
Boxoffice, June 1, 1970: “W. W. Fincher of Chatsworth … sold his Starlite Drive-In at Athens, Tenn., to Jack Jones … (who) also owns and operated the Midway Drive-In at Etowah, Tenn.”
Boxoffice, June 1, 1970: “Billy Bowen, owner of the Europa (sic) Drive-In at Europa, Miss., has had to close the airer temporarily after fire destroyed his home. Bowen said that while he was trying to get his residential problems solved he didn’t have time to operate the drive-in. He hopes to relight it soon.”