I REMEMBER SEEING THIS DRIVE IN GOING TO FALCONS GAMES FROM AUGUSTA. ONE TIME I LEFT EARLY TO EXPLORE. THE BOX OFFICE WAS DONE IN BEATIFUL STONE WORK. THE BOOTH AND CONCESSIONSTAND A TYPICAL WHITE BLOCK BUILDING. LITTLE BACKGOUND ON THIS DRIVE IN THE TV SERIES … IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT… SHOT ON THAT DRIVE IN LOCATION FOR A STORY IN THAT SHOW. YOU CAN SEE THE SCREEN AND BOOTH. IN 1956 THE MOON LITE DRIVE IN HELD 250 CARS AND WAS OWNED BY MRS. V.M. EDWARDS. TODAY I THINK THE OLD CONCESSIONSTAND MIGHT BE UP HAVE NOT BEEN UP THAT WAY IN AWHILE.
BOY, FOR THE LIFE OF ME I CANNNOT REMEMBER THE NAME OF THE TWIN THEATRE I VISTED WHEN I SPENT THE SUMMER WITH MY COUSINS IN WHEATON. FIRST WE WENT TO A DRIVE IN MOVIE AND SAW WILLARD AND THE SECOND FEATURE WHO SLEW AUNTIE ROO. THAT WAS SOME WHERE NEARBY AND PRETTY NEW IT LOOKED FOR EARLY 70’S. AT THE TWIN I SAW OMEGA MAN, WHEN DINOS RULED THE EARTH AND ZEPPLIN ALL IN THE SAME TWIN THEATRE AND THEY WERE ALL PLAYING IN THE SAME THEATRE SO I NEVER GOT TO SEE A MOVIE IN THE OTHER THEATRE SORTA DROVE A 12 YEAR CRAZY. HAD NOT SEEN TWIN THEATRE YET IN AUGUSTA, GEORGIA.
ON SEPT. 25 1967 KNOXVILLE HAD THE RATHER ADULT FEATURE BY ROGER VADIM STARRING JANE FONDA THE FILM, THE NAME OF THE GAME IS SEX! ADULTS ONLY. IT SHOWED AT 6;00 7;40 AND 9;35 PM. ALL THIS FOR THE MOVIE CALLED ‘’ THE GAME IS OVER ‘’ . HYPED UP ONLY LIKE THE 60’S COULD DO.
JACK. CEDAR BLUFF’S SISTER WAS LOCATED IN MARTINEZ GEORGIA,OR AUGUSTA,GEORGIA. COLUMBIA SQUARE CINEMAS IS THE SAME THEATRE JUST LIKE STONE MONT IN ATLANTA.ALL THREE THEATRE WERE ABC THEATRES UNTIL PLITT BOUGHT ABC OUT.ALL THREE WERE OPENED ABOUT THE SAME TIME. I HAVE A BIT OF HISTORY ON COLUMBIA SQUARE,BUT SADLY IT WAS SOLD TO GEORGIA THEATRES WHO HAVE A HABIT OF ADDING SCREENS SO MY COLUMBIA SQUARE BECAME A TINY FOUR PLEX. WE DID HAVE BEAUTIFUL SCREENS THAT EVEN 2001 WOULD HAVE LOKED GREAT. HOPE I HELPED.
NOW PLAYING AT THE TENNESSEE THEATRE SUNDAY SEPT,24 1967 ROBERT REDFORD AND JANE FONDA IN BARE FOOT IN THE PARK, WITH A WOODY WOODPECKER CARTOON TICKETS WENT ON SALE AT 1;20 PM. LAST SHOW WAS AT 9;30. TWO FOR THE ROAD WAS THE NEXT FEATURE TO PLAY AT THAT SHOWPALACE.
YES, YOU ARE RIGHT. BUT WHEN I WENT TO THAT MALL IN THE 70’S IT WAS A TWIN AND FROM WHAT I REMEMBER ONE OF THE WORST TWIN THEATRES EVER.DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ON THE DIANE 29 DRIVR IN I HAD HEARD A TRAGIC STORY ABOUT A MURDER OF THE DRIVE IN OWNERS DAUGHTER,NAMED DIANE. I HAD HEARD THAT IS WHY HE CLOSED THE TWIN DRIVE IN UP IN GASTONIA.
YOU KNOW I NEED TO COUNT THE THEATRES,BUT I DO NOT KNOW WHY I SAID MASTERS 8, I AM SURE IT HAS SEVEN SCREENS. I GUESS ONCE IT WENT SECOND RUN WHO CARES? MASTERS SEVEN.AND FOR A SECOND RUN THEATRE IT IS KEPT CLEAN AND THE PRINTS HAVE NOT BEEN RUN TO PIECES.
RAY, I HAD ALWAYS HOPED YOUR THEATRE WOULD MAKE IT AGAINST THE CHAINS AND I KNEW IT WOULD BE HARD. WHEN WE LEFT YOUR THEATRE THAT DAY MY MANAGER FROM GCC REALLY ADMIRED YOU AND I THINK A LITTLE ENVY SHOWED ON CRAIG’S FACE. I THINK IT IS SAFE TO SAY MOST OF THE FOLKS READING THIS ADMIRED YOUR DECISION TO OPEN A THEATRE WHEN LIKE YOU SAID SO MUCH OF THE PRODUCT WAS HORRIBLE LIKE PORKY’S OR VISTING HOURS. MIKE.
ED I DO KNOW ALOT ABOUT AUGUSTA THEATRES BUT IF YOU PULL UP SOUTHSIDE CINEMA IN AUGUSTA YOU WILL READ ABOUT RAY HUTTO WHO TOOK IT A STEP CLOSER AND BUILT A MOVIE THEATRE. HE KNOWS ALOT MORE THAN I ABOUT THOSE OLDER SITES YOU SEEM TO WANT TO KNOW ABOUT. RAY CERTAINLY LOVED THE IMPERIAL AND WHEN HE COULD NOT GET JOB THERE HE WENT ACROSS THE STREET TO THE MILLER THEATRE AND GOT A JOB,
HERE IS A GOOD ONE FOR YOU KNOXVILLE THEATRE LOVERS….MONDAY SEPT. 25 1967 THE RIVER BREEZE AND DIXIE LEE DRIVE IN THEATRES WERE PLAYING DAY AND DATE SOMETHING YOU NEED NOT SEE MUCH IN THOSE DAYS. THE DOUBLE FEATURE WAS FOR A FEW DOLLARS MORE AND JOHNNY TIGER. THE NEXT TWO FEATURES FOR WED-SAT.WOULD BE THE WAY WEST AND SECOND FEATURE THE PLAINSMAN. SEEMS LIKE KNOXVILLE LIKES COWBOY MOVIES. HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY TO ADD TO YOUR BEAUTIFUL CITY.
I ONLY PASSED IT QUICKLY GOING ON THE INTERSTATE, BUT ALWAYS LOOKED FORWARD TO SEEING IT EVEN FOR 15 seconds.. GOING TO SEE RELATIVES IN SPEEDWELL. TENN. I ALWAYS KNEW LIKE THE DRIVE IN IN NEWPORT YOU COULD SEE FROM I 40 TO GET READY. ABOUT 13 years ago my wife,understanding me , drove off the interstate to the county road and drove down and i snapped some shots. hated to see the screen gone. like the HILLTOP DRIVE IN IN NORTH AUGUSTA A BEAUTIFUL SPOT!
I REMEMBER GOING TO THE KNOXVILLE DRIVE IN OR THE FAMILY DRIVE WITH MY COUSINS ONE NIGHT WHILE VISITING FROM GEORGIA. I CAN REMEMBER THE FILM BUT IT WAS A LAUREL AND HARDY FEATURE LIKE THEY EDITED A BUNCH OF FILMS FROM THE 30’S FOR A MOVIE. I ALWAYS WANTED TO GO TO THE TWIN AIRE DRIVE IN I SAW IT FROM THE ROAD ONE TIME. I HAD NEVER HEARD OF A TWIN DRIVE IN EVER!
micheal coate, I HAVE ASKED ONE LIVING PROJECTIONIST LIVING AND HE THINKS YOU COULD BE RIGHT ABOUT WOODSTOCK, BUT FEELS LITTLE BIG MAN MIGHT HAVE BEEN 70MM SINCE THEY WERE RELEASED PRETTY CLOSE TOGETER. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR CATCHING MY ERROR….MIKE.
micheal coate, I HAVE ASKED ONE LIVING PROJECTIONIST LIVING AND HE THINKS YOU COULD BE RIGHT ABOUT WOODSTOCK, BUT FEELS LITTLE BIG MAN MIGHT HAVE BEEN 70MM SINCE THEY WERE RELEASED PRETTY CLOSE TOGETER. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR CATCHING MY ERROR….MIKE.
I HAD HEARD THIS TWIN WAS STILL OPEN. IN 1956, JESSUP HAD THE FAMILY DRIVE IN THAT PARKED 300 CARS AND WAS OWNED BY W.P. REGGINS. THIS MUST BE THE SAME DRIVE IN?
ED BELIEVE ME MY 16 year old daughter has to help me all the time.orAND friend nick dimaggio in TAMPA. he has been helping me so much that he had had to stop on this history of tampa theaters.and once nick gets going on tampa’s theatres i think alot of folks willbe pleased. THE IMPERIAL THEATRE IN AUGUSTA WAS THE ONLY THEATRE IN TOWN THAT HAD UNIVERSAL’S SENSURROUND. AND I KNOW THAT FOR A FACT BECAUSE ALL OF THE DOORMEN WERE SENT TO THE IMPERIAL ONE NIGHT TO PLACE THE HUGE BASS SPEAKERS IN FRONT OF THE SCREEN AND THE BALCONY. and did we do it when no movie was playing? NO WE DID WHILE LITTLE BIG MAN WAS PLAYING ON A LATE SHOW.IT WAS A JOB GETTING THOSE SPEAKERS IN THE TOP BALCONY. AND OF COURSE WE WERE TOLD BY ABC THEATRES WERE BEING PAIDED UNIVERSAL SCALE FOR 1974. A BIG $15.00BUCKS AN HOUR. NOT BAD WHEN WE WERE MAKING ABOUT $ 1.80 AN HOUR. GUESS WHAT WE NEVER SAW THE MONEY. oh,FOR an ushers UNION. WELL, ANYWAYS THE MOVIE OPENS AND :SWEET OLD MARGRET WHITEHEAD WAS WORKING HER USUAL AFTERNOON SHIFT WHEN THE FIRST QUAKE HITS IN THE MOVIE SHE FLIES OUT OF THE CONCESSIONSTAND SEEING LIGHT FIXTURES IN LOBBY MOVING YELLING ‘’ THE DAMN BUILDING IS CAVING IN ! ‘’ no margret it is ony a MOVIE. THE IMPERIAL PLAYED MIDWAY IN SENSURROUND AND THE MILLER PLAYED ROLLERCOASTER WITHOUT THE EFFECT. GOOD OLD GEORGIA THEATRES TOO CHEAP TO DO IT RIGHT. i am sure SOMEONE WILL CORRECT ME BUT WASN’T THAT ALL UNIVERSAL MADE 3 FEATURES? in sensurround. the imperial did play MIDWAY IN SENSURROUND.
THE HILLTOP WAS ACROSS THE RIVER OVERLOOKING THE CITY OF AUGUSTA, the cloverleaf was a few miles down the road. the drive in closest to fort gordon are THE WEIS DRIVE IN, FORREST HILLS , BON AIR AND THAT WAS IT FOR THE ONES NEAR THE FORT.THE WEIS OPEN IN THE LATE 60S WAS REAL CLOSE TO GATE 3. I AM TRYING TO ADD MORE TO THESE BUT SO MANY PROJECTIONISTS HAVE PASSED AWAY AND THEY ARE A GOLD MINE OF INFO CAUSE THOSE OLD GUYS LOVED THE BUSINESS.thanks so much i can not get any of my theatre buddies to write a thing but when we see each other that is all we talk about.
THE HILLTOP WAS ACROSS THE RIVER OVERLOOKING THE CITY OF AUGUSTA, the cloverleaf was a few miles down the road. the drive in closest to fort gordon are THE WEIS DRIVE IN, FORREST HILLS , BON AIR AND THAT WAS IT FOR THE ONES NEAR THE FORT.THE WEIS OPEN IN THE LATE 60S WAS REAL CLOSE TO GATE 3. I AM TRYING TO ADD MORE TO THESE BUT SO MANY PROJECTIONISTS HAVE PASSED AWAY AND THEY ARE A GOLD MINE OF INFO CAUSE THOSE OLD GUYS LOVED THE BUSINESS.thanks so much i can not get any of my theatre buddies to write a thing but when we see each other that is all we talk about.
I GUESS I AM FORM THE OLD SCHOOL ON MY LIST OF AUGUSTA THEATRE AND DRIVE INS THIS DID NOT MAKE MY LIST. BECAUSE THESE TYPES OF CINEMAS PUT SHOWMANSHIP OUT THE DOOR. CUT AND PASTE ADS PLAYING DAY AND DATE. I KNOW THAT IS WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS AND WAS SO LUCKY TO HAVE GOTTEN IN THE TAIL END OF WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO GO TO THE MOVIES AND NOT BEING TREATED LIKE CATTLE. TAKE A FILM. SIT DOWN WITH A MANAGER LIKE JOHN MACKEY OR CRAIG ZACKER AND PUT TOGETHER A PROMOTION FOR THE MOVIE. WORK WITH A RADIO STATION LIKE WBBQ IN THE 70’S A LET A MOVIEGOER SIT ALONE IN THE IMPERIAL THEATRE AND WATCH WILLARD OR FROGS ALONE. WILL NOT HAPPEN.. i believe this theatre was built with 10 SCREENS WHEN IT OPENED.
I NOTICE THAT IT SEEMS THE WORD CINEMA IS THROWN AROUND QUIT A BIT. WHEN WE OPENED COLUMBIA SQUARE IT WAS NO MENTION OF THE WORD CINEMA. I GOT CAUGHT ONE TIME BY OUR CITY MANAGER SAYING COLUMBIA CINEMAS AND MAN YOU WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THE WORLD WAS ENDING IT WAS ALWAYS COLUMBIA 1 and 2 THEATRES….AND HECK COMPARED TO A LOT OF MULTIPLEXS WE DID HAVE HUGE THEATRES………I GUESS EVERY THEATRE MANAGER HAS A PROJECTION BOOTH STORY, ONE NIGHT OUR PROJECTIONIST WAVE BALLARD BROUGHT HIS BASSET HOUND JUST LIKE COLUMBO TO THE MOVIES TO STAY IN THE BOOTH. WAVE WANTED ME TO SEE THE DOG AND HE SAID HE WOULD NOT BARK.WELL, THE DOG’S NAME WAS FRED AND IT WAS A SLOW THURSDAY NIGHT WITH A SECOND RUN ON THE JANE FONDA MOVIE COMING HOME RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF A RATHER QUITE LOVE MAKING SCENE OLD FRED STARTS TO BARK AND I JUMP OUT OF MY SEAT AND SHOOT UP THE BOOTH AND THERE IS WAVE TRYING HIS BEST TO QUITE FRED. THAK GOODNESS WE ONLY HAD A HANDFUL OF FOLKS THAT NIGHT.
I WAS ON THE INTERSTATE AND SAW THE EXPRESSWAY DRIVE IN. IT HAD ALREADY BEEN CLOSED BUT I COULD NOT RESIST A VISIT SINCE THE OLD CONCESSIONSTAND AND BOOTH WERE STILL STANDING I KNOW I SPENT AN HOUR OR SO JUST GOING INSIDE THE BUILDINGS AND LOOKING FOR ANYTHING TO SAVE. I DID FIND A BOOK OF MOVIEPASSES. YOUCAN TELL IT HAD BEEN A GEORGIA THEATRE BECAUSE THEY TOOK AN AX TO THE BOOTH. JUST WHAT THEY DID 2 HOURS DOWN THE ROAD AT THE HILLTOP DRIVE IN IN AUGUSTA. ANOTHER CRAZY DISTRICT MANAGER I SWEAR GEORGIA THEATRES GROWS THEM IN KUDZO.CAN
YOU KNOW THE IMPERIAL HAD THE OLD CARBON ARCS. TOOK A TRAINED MAN TO MAKE CHANGE OVERS. NO CONCESSIONSTAND GIRL NEEDED OR TEEENAGE USHER TO RUN UP AND FLIP A BUTTON ON FOR THE MOVIE.I WORKED ABOUT 25 MINUTES AWAY FROM THE IMPERIAL AT COLUMBIA SQUARE;DEPENDING ON TRAFFIC.WELL. THE IMPERIAL TOOK A BRIDGE TOO FAR FROM US WHEN WE FINISHED THE 1ST RUN.ONE NIGHT THE ASSISTANT MANAGER COMES IN FROM THE IMPERIAL WITH A SMILE ON THIS FACE.I ASKED MARK KUCHCHISKI WHAT WE WAS DOING UP 25 MINUTES UP THE ROAD WITH A 3 HOUR MOVIE RUNNING AT THE IMPERIAL? WITH A GRIN THE SAID CHUCK DRAY, THE PROJECTIONIST DROPPED A 20 MINUTE REEL. SLOW NIGHT I GUESS. C.DRAY ALWAYS SWORE TO ME YOU COULD DROP REEL 7 from GONE WITH THE WIND AND MOST FOLKS WOULD NEVER KNOW. I OFTEN WONDERED IF HE DID THAT AT ONE OF AUGUSTA’S DRIVE INS.
IN 1956 THE MIDWAY DRIVE IN HAD PARKING FOR 250 CARS SO THIS DRIVE IN MUST HAVE HAD QUITE OF BIT OF LAND ADDED.IT WAS CALLED THE MIDWAY AUTO IN 1956. AND IT WAS OWNED BY COOP THEATRES OHIO. THE SUNSET DRIVE IN IN MANSFIELD WAS ALSO OWNED BY COOP. THEATRES SERVICE. I ALSO KNOW THAT THIS FINE OHIO CITY HAD SPRINGNIL DRIVE IN WHICH PUT 600 CARS IN FOR MOVIES. IT WAS OWNED BY M.MOSSER. SUNSET DRIVE IN PARKED 500 CARS IN THE LATE 50’S. mike rogers.
IN 1956 THE CIRCLE DRIVE IN PARKED 400 CARS AND AT THAT TIME WAS OWNED BY C.C. EZELL AND ASSOC.
I REMEMBER SEEING THIS DRIVE IN GOING TO FALCONS GAMES FROM AUGUSTA. ONE TIME I LEFT EARLY TO EXPLORE. THE BOX OFFICE WAS DONE IN BEATIFUL STONE WORK. THE BOOTH AND CONCESSIONSTAND A TYPICAL WHITE BLOCK BUILDING. LITTLE BACKGOUND ON THIS DRIVE IN THE TV SERIES … IN THE HEAT OF THE NIGHT… SHOT ON THAT DRIVE IN LOCATION FOR A STORY IN THAT SHOW. YOU CAN SEE THE SCREEN AND BOOTH. IN 1956 THE MOON LITE DRIVE IN HELD 250 CARS AND WAS OWNED BY MRS. V.M. EDWARDS. TODAY I THINK THE OLD CONCESSIONSTAND MIGHT BE UP HAVE NOT BEEN UP THAT WAY IN AWHILE.
BOY, FOR THE LIFE OF ME I CANNNOT REMEMBER THE NAME OF THE TWIN THEATRE I VISTED WHEN I SPENT THE SUMMER WITH MY COUSINS IN WHEATON. FIRST WE WENT TO A DRIVE IN MOVIE AND SAW WILLARD AND THE SECOND FEATURE WHO SLEW AUNTIE ROO. THAT WAS SOME WHERE NEARBY AND PRETTY NEW IT LOOKED FOR EARLY 70’S. AT THE TWIN I SAW OMEGA MAN, WHEN DINOS RULED THE EARTH AND ZEPPLIN ALL IN THE SAME TWIN THEATRE AND THEY WERE ALL PLAYING IN THE SAME THEATRE SO I NEVER GOT TO SEE A MOVIE IN THE OTHER THEATRE SORTA DROVE A 12 YEAR CRAZY. HAD NOT SEEN TWIN THEATRE YET IN AUGUSTA, GEORGIA.
ON SEPT. 25 1967 KNOXVILLE HAD THE RATHER ADULT FEATURE BY ROGER VADIM STARRING JANE FONDA THE FILM, THE NAME OF THE GAME IS SEX! ADULTS ONLY. IT SHOWED AT 6;00 7;40 AND 9;35 PM. ALL THIS FOR THE MOVIE CALLED ‘’ THE GAME IS OVER ‘’ . HYPED UP ONLY LIKE THE 60’S COULD DO.
JACK. CEDAR BLUFF’S SISTER WAS LOCATED IN MARTINEZ GEORGIA,OR AUGUSTA,GEORGIA. COLUMBIA SQUARE CINEMAS IS THE SAME THEATRE JUST LIKE STONE MONT IN ATLANTA.ALL THREE THEATRE WERE ABC THEATRES UNTIL PLITT BOUGHT ABC OUT.ALL THREE WERE OPENED ABOUT THE SAME TIME. I HAVE A BIT OF HISTORY ON COLUMBIA SQUARE,BUT SADLY IT WAS SOLD TO GEORGIA THEATRES WHO HAVE A HABIT OF ADDING SCREENS SO MY COLUMBIA SQUARE BECAME A TINY FOUR PLEX. WE DID HAVE BEAUTIFUL SCREENS THAT EVEN 2001 WOULD HAVE LOKED GREAT. HOPE I HELPED.
NOW PLAYING AT THE TENNESSEE THEATRE SUNDAY SEPT,24 1967 ROBERT REDFORD AND JANE FONDA IN BARE FOOT IN THE PARK, WITH A WOODY WOODPECKER CARTOON TICKETS WENT ON SALE AT 1;20 PM. LAST SHOW WAS AT 9;30. TWO FOR THE ROAD WAS THE NEXT FEATURE TO PLAY AT THAT SHOWPALACE.
YES, YOU ARE RIGHT. BUT WHEN I WENT TO THAT MALL IN THE 70’S IT WAS A TWIN AND FROM WHAT I REMEMBER ONE OF THE WORST TWIN THEATRES EVER.DO YOU HAVE ANYTHING ON THE DIANE 29 DRIVR IN I HAD HEARD A TRAGIC STORY ABOUT A MURDER OF THE DRIVE IN OWNERS DAUGHTER,NAMED DIANE. I HAD HEARD THAT IS WHY HE CLOSED THE TWIN DRIVE IN UP IN GASTONIA.
YOU KNOW I NEED TO COUNT THE THEATRES,BUT I DO NOT KNOW WHY I SAID MASTERS 8, I AM SURE IT HAS SEVEN SCREENS. I GUESS ONCE IT WENT SECOND RUN WHO CARES? MASTERS SEVEN.AND FOR A SECOND RUN THEATRE IT IS KEPT CLEAN AND THE PRINTS HAVE NOT BEEN RUN TO PIECES.
RAY, I HAD ALWAYS HOPED YOUR THEATRE WOULD MAKE IT AGAINST THE CHAINS AND I KNEW IT WOULD BE HARD. WHEN WE LEFT YOUR THEATRE THAT DAY MY MANAGER FROM GCC REALLY ADMIRED YOU AND I THINK A LITTLE ENVY SHOWED ON CRAIG’S FACE. I THINK IT IS SAFE TO SAY MOST OF THE FOLKS READING THIS ADMIRED YOUR DECISION TO OPEN A THEATRE WHEN LIKE YOU SAID SO MUCH OF THE PRODUCT WAS HORRIBLE LIKE PORKY’S OR VISTING HOURS. MIKE.
ED I DO KNOW ALOT ABOUT AUGUSTA THEATRES BUT IF YOU PULL UP SOUTHSIDE CINEMA IN AUGUSTA YOU WILL READ ABOUT RAY HUTTO WHO TOOK IT A STEP CLOSER AND BUILT A MOVIE THEATRE. HE KNOWS ALOT MORE THAN I ABOUT THOSE OLDER SITES YOU SEEM TO WANT TO KNOW ABOUT. RAY CERTAINLY LOVED THE IMPERIAL AND WHEN HE COULD NOT GET JOB THERE HE WENT ACROSS THE STREET TO THE MILLER THEATRE AND GOT A JOB,
HERE IS A GOOD ONE FOR YOU KNOXVILLE THEATRE LOVERS….MONDAY SEPT. 25 1967 THE RIVER BREEZE AND DIXIE LEE DRIVE IN THEATRES WERE PLAYING DAY AND DATE SOMETHING YOU NEED NOT SEE MUCH IN THOSE DAYS. THE DOUBLE FEATURE WAS FOR A FEW DOLLARS MORE AND JOHNNY TIGER. THE NEXT TWO FEATURES FOR WED-SAT.WOULD BE THE WAY WEST AND SECOND FEATURE THE PLAINSMAN. SEEMS LIKE KNOXVILLE LIKES COWBOY MOVIES. HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS LITTLE BIT OF HISTORY TO ADD TO YOUR BEAUTIFUL CITY.
I ONLY PASSED IT QUICKLY GOING ON THE INTERSTATE, BUT ALWAYS LOOKED FORWARD TO SEEING IT EVEN FOR 15 seconds.. GOING TO SEE RELATIVES IN SPEEDWELL. TENN. I ALWAYS KNEW LIKE THE DRIVE IN IN NEWPORT YOU COULD SEE FROM I 40 TO GET READY. ABOUT 13 years ago my wife,understanding me , drove off the interstate to the county road and drove down and i snapped some shots. hated to see the screen gone. like the HILLTOP DRIVE IN IN NORTH AUGUSTA A BEAUTIFUL SPOT!
I REMEMBER GOING TO THE KNOXVILLE DRIVE IN OR THE FAMILY DRIVE WITH MY COUSINS ONE NIGHT WHILE VISITING FROM GEORGIA. I CAN REMEMBER THE FILM BUT IT WAS A LAUREL AND HARDY FEATURE LIKE THEY EDITED A BUNCH OF FILMS FROM THE 30’S FOR A MOVIE. I ALWAYS WANTED TO GO TO THE TWIN AIRE DRIVE IN I SAW IT FROM THE ROAD ONE TIME. I HAD NEVER HEARD OF A TWIN DRIVE IN EVER!
micheal coate, I HAVE ASKED ONE LIVING PROJECTIONIST LIVING AND HE THINKS YOU COULD BE RIGHT ABOUT WOODSTOCK, BUT FEELS LITTLE BIG MAN MIGHT HAVE BEEN 70MM SINCE THEY WERE RELEASED PRETTY CLOSE TOGETER. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR CATCHING MY ERROR….MIKE.
micheal coate, I HAVE ASKED ONE LIVING PROJECTIONIST LIVING AND HE THINKS YOU COULD BE RIGHT ABOUT WOODSTOCK, BUT FEELS LITTLE BIG MAN MIGHT HAVE BEEN 70MM SINCE THEY WERE RELEASED PRETTY CLOSE TOGETER. THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR CATCHING MY ERROR….MIKE.
I HAD HEARD THIS TWIN WAS STILL OPEN. IN 1956, JESSUP HAD THE FAMILY DRIVE IN THAT PARKED 300 CARS AND WAS OWNED BY W.P. REGGINS. THIS MUST BE THE SAME DRIVE IN?
ED BELIEVE ME MY 16 year old daughter has to help me all the time.orAND friend nick dimaggio in TAMPA. he has been helping me so much that he had had to stop on this history of tampa theaters.and once nick gets going on tampa’s theatres i think alot of folks willbe pleased. THE IMPERIAL THEATRE IN AUGUSTA WAS THE ONLY THEATRE IN TOWN THAT HAD UNIVERSAL’S SENSURROUND. AND I KNOW THAT FOR A FACT BECAUSE ALL OF THE DOORMEN WERE SENT TO THE IMPERIAL ONE NIGHT TO PLACE THE HUGE BASS SPEAKERS IN FRONT OF THE SCREEN AND THE BALCONY. and did we do it when no movie was playing? NO WE DID WHILE LITTLE BIG MAN WAS PLAYING ON A LATE SHOW.IT WAS A JOB GETTING THOSE SPEAKERS IN THE TOP BALCONY. AND OF COURSE WE WERE TOLD BY ABC THEATRES WERE BEING PAIDED UNIVERSAL SCALE FOR 1974. A BIG $15.00BUCKS AN HOUR. NOT BAD WHEN WE WERE MAKING ABOUT $ 1.80 AN HOUR. GUESS WHAT WE NEVER SAW THE MONEY. oh,FOR an ushers UNION. WELL, ANYWAYS THE MOVIE OPENS AND :SWEET OLD MARGRET WHITEHEAD WAS WORKING HER USUAL AFTERNOON SHIFT WHEN THE FIRST QUAKE HITS IN THE MOVIE SHE FLIES OUT OF THE CONCESSIONSTAND SEEING LIGHT FIXTURES IN LOBBY MOVING YELLING ‘’ THE DAMN BUILDING IS CAVING IN ! ‘’ no margret it is ony a MOVIE. THE IMPERIAL PLAYED MIDWAY IN SENSURROUND AND THE MILLER PLAYED ROLLERCOASTER WITHOUT THE EFFECT. GOOD OLD GEORGIA THEATRES TOO CHEAP TO DO IT RIGHT. i am sure SOMEONE WILL CORRECT ME BUT WASN’T THAT ALL UNIVERSAL MADE 3 FEATURES? in sensurround. the imperial did play MIDWAY IN SENSURROUND.
FOR THE RECORD JOHN : AND DO NOT ASK ME HOW I GET THIS INFO BUT YOUR PROJECTIONIST WAS RICHARD HAMILTON. MIKE.
THE HILLTOP WAS ACROSS THE RIVER OVERLOOKING THE CITY OF AUGUSTA, the cloverleaf was a few miles down the road. the drive in closest to fort gordon are THE WEIS DRIVE IN, FORREST HILLS , BON AIR AND THAT WAS IT FOR THE ONES NEAR THE FORT.THE WEIS OPEN IN THE LATE 60S WAS REAL CLOSE TO GATE 3. I AM TRYING TO ADD MORE TO THESE BUT SO MANY PROJECTIONISTS HAVE PASSED AWAY AND THEY ARE A GOLD MINE OF INFO CAUSE THOSE OLD GUYS LOVED THE BUSINESS.thanks so much i can not get any of my theatre buddies to write a thing but when we see each other that is all we talk about.
THE HILLTOP WAS ACROSS THE RIVER OVERLOOKING THE CITY OF AUGUSTA, the cloverleaf was a few miles down the road. the drive in closest to fort gordon are THE WEIS DRIVE IN, FORREST HILLS , BON AIR AND THAT WAS IT FOR THE ONES NEAR THE FORT.THE WEIS OPEN IN THE LATE 60S WAS REAL CLOSE TO GATE 3. I AM TRYING TO ADD MORE TO THESE BUT SO MANY PROJECTIONISTS HAVE PASSED AWAY AND THEY ARE A GOLD MINE OF INFO CAUSE THOSE OLD GUYS LOVED THE BUSINESS.thanks so much i can not get any of my theatre buddies to write a thing but when we see each other that is all we talk about.
I GUESS I AM FORM THE OLD SCHOOL ON MY LIST OF AUGUSTA THEATRE AND DRIVE INS THIS DID NOT MAKE MY LIST. BECAUSE THESE TYPES OF CINEMAS PUT SHOWMANSHIP OUT THE DOOR. CUT AND PASTE ADS PLAYING DAY AND DATE. I KNOW THAT IS WHAT THE FUTURE HOLDS AND WAS SO LUCKY TO HAVE GOTTEN IN THE TAIL END OF WHAT IT WAS LIKE TO GO TO THE MOVIES AND NOT BEING TREATED LIKE CATTLE. TAKE A FILM. SIT DOWN WITH A MANAGER LIKE JOHN MACKEY OR CRAIG ZACKER AND PUT TOGETHER A PROMOTION FOR THE MOVIE. WORK WITH A RADIO STATION LIKE WBBQ IN THE 70’S A LET A MOVIEGOER SIT ALONE IN THE IMPERIAL THEATRE AND WATCH WILLARD OR FROGS ALONE. WILL NOT HAPPEN.. i believe this theatre was built with 10 SCREENS WHEN IT OPENED.
I NOTICE THAT IT SEEMS THE WORD CINEMA IS THROWN AROUND QUIT A BIT. WHEN WE OPENED COLUMBIA SQUARE IT WAS NO MENTION OF THE WORD CINEMA. I GOT CAUGHT ONE TIME BY OUR CITY MANAGER SAYING COLUMBIA CINEMAS AND MAN YOU WOULD HAVE THOUGHT THE WORLD WAS ENDING IT WAS ALWAYS COLUMBIA 1 and 2 THEATRES….AND HECK COMPARED TO A LOT OF MULTIPLEXS WE DID HAVE HUGE THEATRES………I GUESS EVERY THEATRE MANAGER HAS A PROJECTION BOOTH STORY, ONE NIGHT OUR PROJECTIONIST WAVE BALLARD BROUGHT HIS BASSET HOUND JUST LIKE COLUMBO TO THE MOVIES TO STAY IN THE BOOTH. WAVE WANTED ME TO SEE THE DOG AND HE SAID HE WOULD NOT BARK.WELL, THE DOG’S NAME WAS FRED AND IT WAS A SLOW THURSDAY NIGHT WITH A SECOND RUN ON THE JANE FONDA MOVIE COMING HOME RIGHT IN THE MIDDLE OF A RATHER QUITE LOVE MAKING SCENE OLD FRED STARTS TO BARK AND I JUMP OUT OF MY SEAT AND SHOOT UP THE BOOTH AND THERE IS WAVE TRYING HIS BEST TO QUITE FRED. THAK GOODNESS WE ONLY HAD A HANDFUL OF FOLKS THAT NIGHT.
I WAS ON THE INTERSTATE AND SAW THE EXPRESSWAY DRIVE IN. IT HAD ALREADY BEEN CLOSED BUT I COULD NOT RESIST A VISIT SINCE THE OLD CONCESSIONSTAND AND BOOTH WERE STILL STANDING I KNOW I SPENT AN HOUR OR SO JUST GOING INSIDE THE BUILDINGS AND LOOKING FOR ANYTHING TO SAVE. I DID FIND A BOOK OF MOVIEPASSES. YOUCAN TELL IT HAD BEEN A GEORGIA THEATRE BECAUSE THEY TOOK AN AX TO THE BOOTH. JUST WHAT THEY DID 2 HOURS DOWN THE ROAD AT THE HILLTOP DRIVE IN IN AUGUSTA. ANOTHER CRAZY DISTRICT MANAGER I SWEAR GEORGIA THEATRES GROWS THEM IN KUDZO.CAN
YOU KNOW THE IMPERIAL HAD THE OLD CARBON ARCS. TOOK A TRAINED MAN TO MAKE CHANGE OVERS. NO CONCESSIONSTAND GIRL NEEDED OR TEEENAGE USHER TO RUN UP AND FLIP A BUTTON ON FOR THE MOVIE.I WORKED ABOUT 25 MINUTES AWAY FROM THE IMPERIAL AT COLUMBIA SQUARE;DEPENDING ON TRAFFIC.WELL. THE IMPERIAL TOOK A BRIDGE TOO FAR FROM US WHEN WE FINISHED THE 1ST RUN.ONE NIGHT THE ASSISTANT MANAGER COMES IN FROM THE IMPERIAL WITH A SMILE ON THIS FACE.I ASKED MARK KUCHCHISKI WHAT WE WAS DOING UP 25 MINUTES UP THE ROAD WITH A 3 HOUR MOVIE RUNNING AT THE IMPERIAL? WITH A GRIN THE SAID CHUCK DRAY, THE PROJECTIONIST DROPPED A 20 MINUTE REEL. SLOW NIGHT I GUESS. C.DRAY ALWAYS SWORE TO ME YOU COULD DROP REEL 7 from GONE WITH THE WIND AND MOST FOLKS WOULD NEVER KNOW. I OFTEN WONDERED IF HE DID THAT AT ONE OF AUGUSTA’S DRIVE INS.
IN 1956 THE MIDWAY DRIVE IN HAD PARKING FOR 250 CARS SO THIS DRIVE IN MUST HAVE HAD QUITE OF BIT OF LAND ADDED.IT WAS CALLED THE MIDWAY AUTO IN 1956. AND IT WAS OWNED BY COOP THEATRES OHIO. THE SUNSET DRIVE IN IN MANSFIELD WAS ALSO OWNED BY COOP. THEATRES SERVICE. I ALSO KNOW THAT THIS FINE OHIO CITY HAD SPRINGNIL DRIVE IN WHICH PUT 600 CARS IN FOR MOVIES. IT WAS OWNED BY M.MOSSER. SUNSET DRIVE IN PARKED 500 CARS IN THE LATE 50’S. mike rogers.