Boxoffice, May 1, 1948: “The neighborhood Cove Theatre in western Tulsa has been purchased from Joe B. Noble by John and Opal Gray, operators of the Pix in Chickasha and Star in Sand Springs. The change in management took place April 1. Operations at the Cove and the Star are being handled by John Gray. Mrs. Gray is managing the Pix and other business interests in Chickasha.”
Showmen’s Trade Review, Aug. 7, 1948: (under New Theatres) “Recently opened were drive-ins on Highway 18 at Cherokee, Okla., and on U. S. 60 just west of Bartlesville, Okla.”
Motion Picture Herald, April 29, 1950: “The city’s newest drive-in theatre, Lake-Air, at the old Lakeside golf course, opened last Tuesday with “Francis” on the screen. Built and to be operated by R. E. and C. B. McFarland, it is one of the three drive-ins to have its projection booth at the rear of a 600-car lot instead of in the center of the parking area.”
Motion Picture Herald, April 29, 1950: “The 64 drive-in theatre south of Muskogee on U. S. Highway 64 is operating under new management, but will continue to operate on its usual schedule “rain or shine.” C. C. Noecker, formerly of Michigan, and his daughter and son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Robert A. Miller, have purchased the theatre from O. E. (sic) Sullivan, who will devote his full time to management of his theatres in Wichita, Kans."
Boxoffice, April 30, 1962: “Refurbishing of the Coronado Theatre in suburban Warr Acres, which was struck by fire February 20, is under way and the theatre should be back in business around the last of June. The building is owned by Bob McFarland, and is leased to the R. Lewis Barton circuit.”
Boxoffice, July 23, 1962: “Your correspondent had the privilege of attending … "The Spiral Road,” Saturday evening (14) at the newly completed War Acres. This theatre was formerly the Coronado, which was destroyed by fire several months ago … The theatre seats 646"
I’m a little surprised that nobody here has asked what circle this drive-in was originally named after. The answer is that it was named for its builder, Harry Circle, who also owned a couple of Circle Grocery stores.
Although I haven’t found proof, my guess is that the Circle opened in 1949. It was in the 1949-50 Theatre Catalog, which would have been published in late 49 or early 50.
The April 15, 1950 Motion Picture Herald had one sentence referencing the ad that rivest266 uploaded: “The Circle drive-in theatre opened Sunday, April 2, for the 1950 season.” That’s how a magazine would present a season opener, not a grand opening. And look at the ad itself - nothing about it suggests that the Circle is new.
Anyway, the owner listed in the 1952 Theatre Catalog was W. J. Nethery, a former public school teacher who apparently dabbled in real estate. That’s probably who sold it to Barton in 1954.
In April 1955, an 80-mile-per-hour windstorm knocked down the Circle’s tower. Barton took the occasion to replace it with a wide screen, reopening in May.
The Exhibitor, April 9, 1952: “The Circle Drive-In, Manchester, Ga., has been opened by Martin Theatres… . The following drive-ins also opened for the season. Palms Drive-In, Atmore, Ala., and Melody, Thomson, Ga.”
The Exhibitor, Feb. 13, 1952: “New lessees of the Circle Drive-In, on U. S. 80 near the Traffic Circle, are Harris Robinson, R. A. Edmondson, Jr., Horace Denning, and Hudson Edwards. The spot will be operated by Dixie Drive-In Theatres under the management of Edwards, who is also manager, Hi-Way 80. A 10-year lease was taken on the site and theatre from P. Fred Woods and J. Lee Woods, owners of the 250-car spot. Certain equipment was also acquired from A. T. Livingston, operator of the Circle since it opened in October, 1949. The Circle will open after extensive repairs and improvements.”
Motion Picture Herald, Dec. 17, 1955: “The Dixie Drive-in Theatres, Atlanta, have taken over the Palm drive-in, Savannah, which has been closed for the past few months. They also have closed the Circle drive-in there.”
Same drive-in? Ada Weekly News, Dec. 30, 1954: “Frank Little, manager of the McSwain, Ritz, Kiva and Tower Drive-In Theatres in Ada announced today that the Circle 12 Drive-In Theatre on Highway 12 east of the city will open in the spring.”
The article that rivest266 found said that the Twilight Gardens would open on Sept. 15, 1950. I don’t think that happened, at least not then.
There’s no other evidence that the drive-in opened that weekend. On the contrary, the Twilight Gardens ran teaser ads such as “What is Twilight Gardens and Cartoonville” after the 15th and before its grand opening.
Depending on how you classify a soft opening (does invited-guests-only count?), the drive-in had a preview on Sept. 28, 1950, according to this note in Boxoffice about a week later: “Video Independent Theatres held a rehearsal run for its new super de luxe Twilight Gardens Drive-In in Oklahoma City’s exclusive Nichols Hills residential area at May avenue and Britton Road. This preview, held the night before the formal opening, was by invitation. A complete program of Technicolor feature and cartoons was given for the rehearsal run. In operation was the mirror pool and color fountain, the playground, Cartoonville, and its clowns, calliope music, pony rides, merry-go-round, auto racer, miniature train, other rides, slides and swings, all free to the kiddies. The playground opened at 5:30 p. m. for the preview. The drive-in managed by Otis Mooney, has two entrances, wide and spacious ramps, a wishing well, an open-air patio equipped with garden seats and streamlined concession stand. More than 600 cars drove in for the rehearsal run.”
Otherwise, the Twilight Gardens opened on Sept. 29, 1950, which was quoted in its final ad on Sept. 5, 1972. “Last Times Tonite! / Thank you Oklahoma City for your valued patronage over the last 22 years. Twilight Gardens closes after the final showing tonight, a victim of progress, to make room for a new development. … we opened our gates on September 29, 1950, and have operated continuously since, with the exception of several winter nights when blizzards struck their blow.” Actually, the drive-in closed for at least the first two winter seasons, but that was mostly accurate.
One last note - the only time I ever saw the drive-in’s name with a hyphen was on its neon sign. Every other mention, editorially or in ads, had Twilight as one word. That’s the way I’m going to write it from now on.
This drive-in’s ownership got complicated in its final decade or so. By 1968, Gulf States Theatres had taken over all of Barton’s Oklahoma drive-ins on a lease-purchase agreement. The NW Hi-Way appears to have been closed in 1973, then Galaxy Theatres ran it in 1974. Caporal Theatres, which also had the Riviera, bought it and reopened in spring 1975. For some reason, Boxoffice then (May 12, 1975) referred to the drive-in as “the long-shuttered Northwest Highway”.
The Aug. 28, 1983 issue of the Daily Oklahoman had a long article on drive-ins, quoting Volney Hamm, another Lawton drive-in owner:
“The first one in the state was right here in Lawton,” he says. “It was built by the Austin brothers and the whole thing was concrete - the fence, the tower (screen), everything. The Austin Drive-In. They were concrete boys and they used the stuff like a carpenter uses wood.”
The Austin also had the old-fashioned central speaker, Hamm says. He remembers that “when the wind was out of the northwest I could hear it a mile away.”
The Aug. 28, 1983 issue of the Daily Oklahoman had a long article on drive-ins, beginning with the story of Volney Hamm, who “got into the drive-in business in Lawton in the late 1940s, opening the Mount Scott Drive-In, which is still in business today.” Unlike some others of the period, Hamm’s drive-in opened with in-car speakers.
What year did the Zuni close? A list of Commonwealth managers in the July 28, 1980 issue of Boxoffice included Clinton McKinley at the Zuni, and a 1981 aerial photo showed the drive-in intact.
Commonwealth continued to include it in its Motion Picture Almanac circuit list entry (more reliable than the drive-in list) through the 1985 edition, dropping it in 1986. Since the MPA was published around the beginning of the stated year, that suggests that the Zuni may have been active in 1984.
Boxoffice, March 3, 1969: “CAVE CITY, ARK. - Gene "Shorty” Thompson, owner of the Stone Theatre and Stone Drive-In, has installed heaters at the drive-in."
Boxoffice, Oct. 9, 1978: “The historic Rex Theatre in Nowata is being dismantled to make space for an office building, according to Leo Woodall who operates the Skyvue Drive-In there.”
Boxoffice, Sept. 16, 1974: “The new owners of the Westside Drive-In at Tahlequah are M. D. and Doris Gourley. Jim O'Donnell of Theatre Booking Service will continue to do booking and buying for the Tahlequah airer.”
Same drive-in? A 1972 aerial photo showed the same site as intact, so maybe?
Boxoffice, Sept. 16, 1974: “In to buy and book at Oklahoma City film exchanges were … Mr. and Mrs. Eddie Kelly, Mini-Car Drive-In, Henryetta, who also have the Kelly’s Monuments business in the same Oklahoma community”
Boxoffice, Oct. 28, 1974: “Georgia Kelly advised that they are closing the Henryetta Mini-Car Drive-In the last of the month.” (for the season?)
Boxoffice, Sept. 6, 1947: “WICHITA— This city’s second drive-in theatre, the Air Port Drive-In, opened last Friday night to a near-capacity crowd. The 700-car open-airer, located within a few minutes of the municipal air terminal, is owned by Peerless Theatres, Inc., representing C. C. McCollister and associates. Merle Barnes is managing director of the theatre. Constructed under the Louis Josserand patents, claiming 30 percent more capacity for a given area, the double-ramp drive-in was equipped by National Theatre Supply Co., Kansas City. Features are Simplex E-7 projectors with Hy-Candescent lamps for the 52-foot screen and Simplex in-car speakers. Power for booth equipment is furnished by a 40-horsepower generator. Signs were built by the Rich Signs Co. of this city. McCollister also owns and operates the Odom Drive-In in Oklahoma City and the Nomar Theatre here. Wichita’s other drive-in, a Sullivan location, opened a year ago. The Sullivan firm is building this city’s third open-airer, to open soon on highway 54.”
Tough question: WHY was this drive-in named the Odom? When it was built, the future Odom Road didn’t exist.
The easy answer would be that the Sullivan Theatre chain, which opened the NW Hi-Way the same night as the Odom’s debut, had something to do with it, since the head of that chain was Odom Farrell (O.F.) Sullivan. That theory would say that Sullivan sold it to Barton during the first off-season, and that’s why he renamed it Barton’s 77.
If only I hadn’t found the June 21, 1947 BoxOffice note above, which clearly shows that Barton finished the Odom. BUT look who started it before Barton bought it.
Motion Picture Herald, Feb. 15, 1947: “First drive-in theatre for this area has been announced for opening about April 15 with construction started last week on a 1,000-car unit to cost $100,000, as announced by C. C. McCollister of Wichita, Kan., president of Peerless Theatres, Inc., Sanford Swim is vice-president and Merle L. Barnes is secretary-treasurer of the company. The new theatre will be called the Odom.”
I’ll keep looking, but right now I’d say that O.F. Sullivan probably had a piece of Peerless.
Thanks to the amazing help of the New Mexico State Library, I now know that the Canal held its Grand Opening on Friday, April 20, 1951. Its first movie was “Kansas Raiders” starring Audie Murphy.
Based on previous MPH and Boxoffice notes, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Canal really had a soft open on Easter Sunday, March 25, but I haven’t found anything to prove that theory one way or the other.
Maybe this sale didn’t take? The Exhibitor, April 28, 1954: “The Regent and Nile, Winfield, Kans., have been purchased by Ray Winch from O. F. Sullivan.”
Boxoffice, Aug. 21, 1948: “MUSKOGEE, OKLA. — A new 600-car capacity drive-in, covering an area of 12 acres four miles south of here on Highway 64, has been completed by O. F. Sullivan, Wichita theatre operator.”
(That was former Wichita mayor Odom Farrell Sullivan, BTW.)
Boxoffice, May 1, 1948: “The neighborhood Cove Theatre in western Tulsa has been purchased from Joe B. Noble by John and Opal Gray, operators of the Pix in Chickasha and Star in Sand Springs. The change in management took place April 1. Operations at the Cove and the Star are being handled by John Gray. Mrs. Gray is managing the Pix and other business interests in Chickasha.”
Showmen’s Trade Review, Aug. 7, 1948: (under New Theatres) “Recently opened were drive-ins on Highway 18 at Cherokee, Okla., and on U. S. 60 just west of Bartlesville, Okla.”
Motion Picture Herald, April 29, 1950: “The city’s newest drive-in theatre, Lake-Air, at the old Lakeside golf course, opened last Tuesday with “Francis” on the screen. Built and to be operated by R. E. and C. B. McFarland, it is one of the three drive-ins to have its projection booth at the rear of a 600-car lot instead of in the center of the parking area.”
By “last Tuesday,” the MPH meant April 18, 1950:
Motion Picture Herald, April 29, 1950: “The 64 drive-in theatre south of Muskogee on U. S. Highway 64 is operating under new management, but will continue to operate on its usual schedule “rain or shine.” C. C. Noecker, formerly of Michigan, and his daughter and son-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Robert A. Miller, have purchased the theatre from O. E. (sic) Sullivan, who will devote his full time to management of his theatres in Wichita, Kans."
Boxoffice, April 30, 1962: “Refurbishing of the Coronado Theatre in suburban Warr Acres, which was struck by fire February 20, is under way and the theatre should be back in business around the last of June. The building is owned by Bob McFarland, and is leased to the R. Lewis Barton circuit.”
Boxoffice, July 23, 1962: “Your correspondent had the privilege of attending … "The Spiral Road,” Saturday evening (14) at the newly completed War Acres. This theatre was formerly the Coronado, which was destroyed by fire several months ago … The theatre seats 646"
I’m a little surprised that nobody here has asked what circle this drive-in was originally named after. The answer is that it was named for its builder, Harry Circle, who also owned a couple of Circle Grocery stores.
Although I haven’t found proof, my guess is that the Circle opened in 1949. It was in the 1949-50 Theatre Catalog, which would have been published in late 49 or early 50.
The April 15, 1950 Motion Picture Herald had one sentence referencing the ad that rivest266 uploaded: “The Circle drive-in theatre opened Sunday, April 2, for the 1950 season.” That’s how a magazine would present a season opener, not a grand opening. And look at the ad itself - nothing about it suggests that the Circle is new.
Anyway, the owner listed in the 1952 Theatre Catalog was W. J. Nethery, a former public school teacher who apparently dabbled in real estate. That’s probably who sold it to Barton in 1954.
In April 1955, an 80-mile-per-hour windstorm knocked down the Circle’s tower. Barton took the occasion to replace it with a wide screen, reopening in May.
The Exhibitor, April 9, 1952: “The Circle Drive-In, Manchester, Ga., has been opened by Martin Theatres… . The following drive-ins also opened for the season. Palms Drive-In, Atmore, Ala., and Melody, Thomson, Ga.”
The Exhibitor, Feb. 13, 1952: “New lessees of the Circle Drive-In, on U. S. 80 near the Traffic Circle, are Harris Robinson, R. A. Edmondson, Jr., Horace Denning, and Hudson Edwards. The spot will be operated by Dixie Drive-In Theatres under the management of Edwards, who is also manager, Hi-Way 80. A 10-year lease was taken on the site and theatre from P. Fred Woods and J. Lee Woods, owners of the 250-car spot. Certain equipment was also acquired from A. T. Livingston, operator of the Circle since it opened in October, 1949. The Circle will open after extensive repairs and improvements.”
Motion Picture Herald, Dec. 17, 1955: “The Dixie Drive-in Theatres, Atlanta, have taken over the Palm drive-in, Savannah, which has been closed for the past few months. They also have closed the Circle drive-in there.”
Same drive-in? Ada Weekly News, Dec. 30, 1954: “Frank Little, manager of the McSwain, Ritz, Kiva and Tower Drive-In Theatres in Ada announced today that the Circle 12 Drive-In Theatre on Highway 12 east of the city will open in the spring.”
Motion Picture Herald wrote on Jan. 9, 1954 that the new (wider) screen had been installed at the Twilight Gardens, so this must have been earlier.
The article that rivest266 found said that the Twilight Gardens would open on Sept. 15, 1950. I don’t think that happened, at least not then.
There’s no other evidence that the drive-in opened that weekend. On the contrary, the Twilight Gardens ran teaser ads such as “What is Twilight Gardens and Cartoonville” after the 15th and before its grand opening.
Depending on how you classify a soft opening (does invited-guests-only count?), the drive-in had a preview on Sept. 28, 1950, according to this note in Boxoffice about a week later: “Video Independent Theatres held a rehearsal run for its new super de luxe Twilight Gardens Drive-In in Oklahoma City’s exclusive Nichols Hills residential area at May avenue and Britton Road. This preview, held the night before the formal opening, was by invitation. A complete program of Technicolor feature and cartoons was given for the rehearsal run. In operation was the mirror pool and color fountain, the playground, Cartoonville, and its clowns, calliope music, pony rides, merry-go-round, auto racer, miniature train, other rides, slides and swings, all free to the kiddies. The playground opened at 5:30 p. m. for the preview. The drive-in managed by Otis Mooney, has two entrances, wide and spacious ramps, a wishing well, an open-air patio equipped with garden seats and streamlined concession stand. More than 600 cars drove in for the rehearsal run.”
Otherwise, the Twilight Gardens opened on Sept. 29, 1950, which was quoted in its final ad on Sept. 5, 1972. “Last Times Tonite! / Thank you Oklahoma City for your valued patronage over the last 22 years. Twilight Gardens closes after the final showing tonight, a victim of progress, to make room for a new development. … we opened our gates on September 29, 1950, and have operated continuously since, with the exception of several winter nights when blizzards struck their blow.” Actually, the drive-in closed for at least the first two winter seasons, but that was mostly accurate.
One last note - the only time I ever saw the drive-in’s name with a hyphen was on its neon sign. Every other mention, editorially or in ads, had Twilight as one word. That’s the way I’m going to write it from now on.
This drive-in’s ownership got complicated in its final decade or so. By 1968, Gulf States Theatres had taken over all of Barton’s Oklahoma drive-ins on a lease-purchase agreement. The NW Hi-Way appears to have been closed in 1973, then Galaxy Theatres ran it in 1974. Caporal Theatres, which also had the Riviera, bought it and reopened in spring 1975. For some reason, Boxoffice then (May 12, 1975) referred to the drive-in as “the long-shuttered Northwest Highway”.
The Aug. 28, 1983 issue of the Daily Oklahoman had a long article on drive-ins, quoting Volney Hamm, another Lawton drive-in owner:
“The first one in the state was right here in Lawton,” he says. “It was built by the Austin brothers and the whole thing was concrete - the fence, the tower (screen), everything. The Austin Drive-In. They were concrete boys and they used the stuff like a carpenter uses wood.”
The Austin also had the old-fashioned central speaker, Hamm says. He remembers that “when the wind was out of the northwest I could hear it a mile away.”
The Aug. 28, 1983 issue of the Daily Oklahoman had a long article on drive-ins, beginning with the story of Volney Hamm, who “got into the drive-in business in Lawton in the late 1940s, opening the Mount Scott Drive-In, which is still in business today.” Unlike some others of the period, Hamm’s drive-in opened with in-car speakers.
What year did the Zuni close? A list of Commonwealth managers in the July 28, 1980 issue of Boxoffice included Clinton McKinley at the Zuni, and a 1981 aerial photo showed the drive-in intact.
Commonwealth continued to include it in its Motion Picture Almanac circuit list entry (more reliable than the drive-in list) through the 1985 edition, dropping it in 1986. Since the MPA was published around the beginning of the stated year, that suggests that the Zuni may have been active in 1984.
Boxoffice, March 3, 1969: “CAVE CITY, ARK. - Gene "Shorty” Thompson, owner of the Stone Theatre and Stone Drive-In, has installed heaters at the drive-in."
Boxoffice, Oct. 9, 1978: “The historic Rex Theatre in Nowata is being dismantled to make space for an office building, according to Leo Woodall who operates the Skyvue Drive-In there.”
Boxoffice, Sept. 16, 1974: “The new owners of the Westside Drive-In at Tahlequah are M. D. and Doris Gourley. Jim O'Donnell of Theatre Booking Service will continue to do booking and buying for the Tahlequah airer.”
Same drive-in? A 1972 aerial photo showed the same site as intact, so maybe?
Boxoffice, Sept. 16, 1974: “In to buy and book at Oklahoma City film exchanges were … Mr. and Mrs. Eddie Kelly, Mini-Car Drive-In, Henryetta, who also have the Kelly’s Monuments business in the same Oklahoma community”
Boxoffice, Oct. 28, 1974: “Georgia Kelly advised that they are closing the Henryetta Mini-Car Drive-In the last of the month.” (for the season?)
Boxoffice, Sept. 6, 1947: “WICHITA— This city’s second drive-in theatre, the Air Port Drive-In, opened last Friday night to a near-capacity crowd. The 700-car open-airer, located within a few minutes of the municipal air terminal, is owned by Peerless Theatres, Inc., representing C. C. McCollister and associates. Merle Barnes is managing director of the theatre. Constructed under the Louis Josserand patents, claiming 30 percent more capacity for a given area, the double-ramp drive-in was equipped by National Theatre Supply Co., Kansas City. Features are Simplex E-7 projectors with Hy-Candescent lamps for the 52-foot screen and Simplex in-car speakers. Power for booth equipment is furnished by a 40-horsepower generator. Signs were built by the Rich Signs Co. of this city. McCollister also owns and operates the Odom Drive-In in Oklahoma City and the Nomar Theatre here. Wichita’s other drive-in, a Sullivan location, opened a year ago. The Sullivan firm is building this city’s third open-airer, to open soon on highway 54.”
Tough question: WHY was this drive-in named the Odom? When it was built, the future Odom Road didn’t exist.
The easy answer would be that the Sullivan Theatre chain, which opened the NW Hi-Way the same night as the Odom’s debut, had something to do with it, since the head of that chain was Odom Farrell (O.F.) Sullivan. That theory would say that Sullivan sold it to Barton during the first off-season, and that’s why he renamed it Barton’s 77.
If only I hadn’t found the June 21, 1947 BoxOffice note above, which clearly shows that Barton finished the Odom. BUT look who started it before Barton bought it.
Motion Picture Herald, Feb. 15, 1947: “First drive-in theatre for this area has been announced for opening about April 15 with construction started last week on a 1,000-car unit to cost $100,000, as announced by C. C. McCollister of Wichita, Kan., president of Peerless Theatres, Inc., Sanford Swim is vice-president and Merle L. Barnes is secretary-treasurer of the company. The new theatre will be called the Odom.”
I’ll keep looking, but right now I’d say that O.F. Sullivan probably had a piece of Peerless.
Thanks to the amazing help of the New Mexico State Library, I now know that the Canal held its Grand Opening on Friday, April 20, 1951. Its first movie was “Kansas Raiders” starring Audie Murphy.
Based on previous MPH and Boxoffice notes, I wouldn’t be surprised if the Canal really had a soft open on Easter Sunday, March 25, but I haven’t found anything to prove that theory one way or the other.
Maybe this sale didn’t take? The Exhibitor, April 28, 1954: “The Regent and Nile, Winfield, Kans., have been purchased by Ray Winch from O. F. Sullivan.”
Boxoffice, Aug. 21, 1948: “MUSKOGEE, OKLA. — A new 600-car capacity drive-in, covering an area of 12 acres four miles south of here on Highway 64, has been completed by O. F. Sullivan, Wichita theatre operator.”
(That was former Wichita mayor Odom Farrell Sullivan, BTW.)