The little Claxton Drive-In made its first appearance in the Theatre Catalog in the 1950-51 edition, capacity 175 cars, owner S. G. Tos. By 1961, its subscription to Boxoffice magazine was addressed to “Tos Drive-In / Claxton, Ga.”
The Motion Picture Almanac also listed “Drive-In” under Claxton, eventually changing it to Tos Drive-In and bumping up the capacity to 200. The MPA continued to include the Tos through its final drive-in list in the 1988 edition.
Savino G. Tos died Jan. 30, 1966. According to his obituary in the March 7 Boxoffice, the Italian immigrant moved to Claxton in 1910 to open a bakery which featured “the world-famed Claxton fruit cake” which he originated. Tos opened a theater in Claxton, added others in Reidsville, Collins and Pembroke, and sold the bakery. The obit didn’t mention the drive-in, but we know it was there.
After Tos died, son-in-law Furber Mincey took over the small circuit until he passed away in December 1976. According to the MPA’s annual circuit list, Gil T. Mincey took over the four-theater Tos group, which faded to just the two Claxton theaters beofre the MPA dropped it in 1987.
Boxoffice, July 24, 1972: “Charles Burton, owner of the new Mini-5 Drive-In located north of Lebanon on Route 5, opened the 80-car airer in early June. The Mini-5, which utilizes a wireless sound system whereby the audio is picked up on patrons' car radios or by a portable radio, will be open nightly through August.”
Boxoffice, Jan. 5, 1952: “The Lyric (in Newburg MO) for many years was operated by Mildred Rauth of Rolla, Mo., who still has the State Theatre at Cabool and the Crocker at Crocker, Mo. Several weeks ago she sold her Ritz Theatre at Rolla to R. E. Carney.”
Boxoffice, Jan. 5, 1952: “The Lyric, a 300-seater, has been leased by Clifford Hough, owner of the Moonlite Drive-In on Route 32 just south of Lebanon, Mo. The Lyric for many years was operated by Mildred Rauth of Rolla, Mo., who still has the State Theatre at Cabool and the Crocker at Crocker, Mo. Several weeks ago she sold her Ritz Theatre at Rolla to R. E. Carney. Hough has installed some new equipment, etc., in the Lyric.”
(Decatur IL) Herald and Review, Jan. 3, 1939: “LINCOLN - The Reinheimer Amusement Co. of Chicago Friday announced the sale of the Vogue theater, 622 Broadway, to M. A. Kirkhart of Litchfield. Dillon Kelly, present manager of the theater of the theater, will be transferred to Chicago as manager of the Parkway theater. Mr. Kirkhart, a former employe of the Frisina Amusement Co. and Litchfield theater manager, will move to Lincoln with his family. The change in ownership will become effective Jan. 1.”
The Green Meadows' final ad in the State Journal-Register was on Aug. 8, 1980, when it was showing “Oh Heavenly Dog” + “Scavenger Hunt” / “Love at First Bite” + “Old Dracula”.
That issue’s Movie Week roundup repeated (probably inaccurately) the drive-in’s movies from the week before. A week later, on Aug. 16, it repeated them again, but the final shows were likely to have been on the weekend of Aug. 8.
The Diane’s first ad in Springfield’s Daily Illinois State Journal, in the classifieds under “Carlinville Ads”, was on May 24, 1952. “The new Diane Drive-In Theatre, 1 ½ miles west of Carlinville! 2 shows nightly - rain or clear! First show at dusk! Adults, 50c; children under 12 free in cars.”
Daily Illinois State Journal, April 30, 1949: “Taylorville, April 29 - Dominic Frisina, of the Frisina Amusement Co., Friday announced plans to erect a modern Drive-In theater in the vicinity of Sharpsburg. The new theater will be designed to accommodate 500 cars and will cost approximately $100,000, Frisina said. Tentative plans also call for a supervised play area for the children plus "baby sitting” service, free to patrons of the theater."
Here’s something closer to the opening date, plus an indication that this drive-in always had the same name.
The Exhibitor, Sept. 6, 1950: “In Lincoln, Ill., Steve Bennis held the grand opening of the Bennis Auto Vue drive-in. The 500-car drive-in has been equipped by the St. Louis Theatre Supply Company with deluxe RCA sound and projection equipment, and RCA in-car speakers.”
Boxoffice, May 29, 1978: “ESTHERVILLE, IOWA - A windstorm which produced gusts estimated at 70 miles per hour recently toppled the screen tower at the Chief Drive-In. There has been no estimate of the dollar-value of damage at the theatre, which had planned to present the motion picture "Linda Loveland for President” the night the storm occurred."
The Grizzly (Big Bear Lake), Nov. 1, 1956: “Lake Drive-In Theater at Metcalf Meadows, construction of which was begun this week under direction of owner J. M. (Jim) Boyd of Los Angeles, will encompass 13.89 acres to include parking facilities for 600 cars and a hold-out area for addition 200 vehicles. Completion of the project is slated for early May 1957. The 30'x60' flat screen will be located in the north corner of the area, near the highway. In addition to snack bar, kitchen and sanitary facilites, the two story structure to be located in the center of the area will house a projection room, office and generator storage. An auditorium to seat 140 will be used for large groups, such as youngsters from summer camps arriving in bus loads, or for audiences in inclement weather. The building will be primarily of redwood siding by George M. Lindsey and Robert Lindsey, AIA, of Los Angeles … Mr. Boyd … was manager of the Embassy Theater in San Francisco when in 1928 the first talking picture was presented.”
The Grizzly (Big Bear Lake), Nov. 8, 1956: “Work is progressing rapidly before heavy snow falls for spring completion of Peter Pan Woodland Drive-In Theater in Bear City. Installation of plumbing, underground wires for speakers and grading on ramps is being done this week. The 50'x80' screen, located in the southeast corner, west of Greeway Drive is in front of Peter Pan Club. There will be parking facilities for 664 cars on opening fat with additional facilities for 150 more vehicles planned for a later date. It is an Earl C. Strebe Theater. He is also owner and operator of Big Bear Theater, as well as theaters in Palm Springs and Lake Arrowhead. Bill Meyer of Big Bear Theater will also manage the drive-in which will be complete with snackbar concessions.”
This map, marked with a 1950 copyright, includes the “Peter Pan Woodland Drive-In Theater” next to Baldwin Lake. Maybe that copyright has a typo, or the drive-in was added to the 1950 map?
Boxoffice reported that this Roadium opened on May 19, 1950.
Boxoffice, May 27, 1950: “GARDENA, CALIF. – Added to the swelling list of ozoners in the southland territory was the Roadium No. 2, 480-car drive-in which opened here (19). Dale Gasteigen is the owner and managing operator of the new showcase and is a partner with Joe Bianca in the operation of the Roadium No. 1, located in the nearby township of Paramount.”
Boxoffice, March 18, 1950: “TAFT, CALIF. – A new drive-in is being constructed on a ten-acre site on Sixth street here northeast of the Lincoln school for Scott Theatres, Inc., owners and operators of the Terrace Drive-In in Bakersfield and of a chain of drive-ins in Texas.”
Boxoffice, March 25, 1950: “TAFT, CALIF. – The new $90,000 drive-in being built on a ten-acre plot between Taft and Ford City, will be opened about the first of May, says Oliver E. Scott, vice-president of Scott Theatres, Inc. “We haven’t decided on a name for the new theatre,” Scott says. “We have been thinking of initiating a name contest, awarding a prize for the winning suggestion.” Scott Theatres operates a circuit of theatres in Texas, and Scott and his mother Maggie operate the big Terrace Drive-In in Bakersfield. Mrs. Scott is president of the organization.”
Boxoffice, May 20, 1950: “TAFT, CALIF. – The new Sunset Drive-In nearing completion between Taft and Ford City will be opened May 15, by Oliver E. Scott of Scott Theatres, operator of the Terrace Drive-In in Bakersfield and of a chain in Texas. The Sunset will have space for 560 cars and will cost $100,000.”
Boxoffice, July 15, 1950: (open 1950 list) “Sunset, 628, Scott Theatres”
Theatre Catalog, 1952: “Sunset D. I. Exec: James Parks and Sam Stiefel. (628)”
Looks like it opened on May 18, 1950, if the Boxoffice note is accurate.
Boxoffice, Feb. 11, 1950: “SANTA PAULA, CALIF. – Negotiations have been completed here for the purchase of an eight-acre site on the old Walnut Park subdivision for erection of a drive-in by the Hickey Bros Co. of Ojai. The drive-in will accommodate 500 cars and will feature RCA in-car speakers.”
Boxoffice, May 27, 1950: “SANTA PAULA, CALIF. – With the Hickey Bros. Land Co. as owners and managing directors, a 450-car drive-in, the Santa Paula, opened here (18).”
Boxoffice, Feb. 18, 1950: “PALM SPRINGS, CALIF. – The El Rancho Drive-In has been reopened by lessee Reg C. Jones after completion of a five-week remodeling program. Jones, a Palm Springs contractor, has rehabilitated the airer, erecting a new snack bar building, paving the ramps, painting the screen and numerous other improvements. The drive-in, located on Highway 111 on the corner of Highway 80, will be managed by Frank Millan, with Reba Perry assisting him.”
All that work for nothing? The June 10, 1950 issue of BoxOffice had a note of California closings including “Redge Joneses' El Rancho Drive-In, a 500-car operation in El Centro. Poor business was given as reason for the shutterings.”
Thanks to various angles, Google Street View images show that all four screens were still there in May 2015, the screens were gone but a swap meet was active in August 2017, but the entire site had been razed by February 2020.
The little Claxton Drive-In made its first appearance in the Theatre Catalog in the 1950-51 edition, capacity 175 cars, owner S. G. Tos. By 1961, its subscription to Boxoffice magazine was addressed to “Tos Drive-In / Claxton, Ga.”
The Motion Picture Almanac also listed “Drive-In” under Claxton, eventually changing it to Tos Drive-In and bumping up the capacity to 200. The MPA continued to include the Tos through its final drive-in list in the 1988 edition.
Savino G. Tos died Jan. 30, 1966. According to his obituary in the March 7 Boxoffice, the Italian immigrant moved to Claxton in 1910 to open a bakery which featured “the world-famed Claxton fruit cake” which he originated. Tos opened a theater in Claxton, added others in Reidsville, Collins and Pembroke, and sold the bakery. The obit didn’t mention the drive-in, but we know it was there.
After Tos died, son-in-law Furber Mincey took over the small circuit until he passed away in December 1976. According to the MPA’s annual circuit list, Gil T. Mincey took over the four-theater Tos group, which faded to just the two Claxton theaters beofre the MPA dropped it in 1987.
Boxoffice, July 24, 1972: “Charles Burton, owner of the new Mini-5 Drive-In located north of Lebanon on Route 5, opened the 80-car airer in early June. The Mini-5, which utilizes a wireless sound system whereby the audio is picked up on patrons' car radios or by a portable radio, will be open nightly through August.”
Boxoffice, Jan. 5, 1952: “The Lyric (in Newburg MO) for many years was operated by Mildred Rauth of Rolla, Mo., who still has the State Theatre at Cabool and the Crocker at Crocker, Mo. Several weeks ago she sold her Ritz Theatre at Rolla to R. E. Carney.”
Boxoffice, Jan. 5, 1952: “The Lyric, a 300-seater, has been leased by Clifford Hough, owner of the Moonlite Drive-In on Route 32 just south of Lebanon, Mo. The Lyric for many years was operated by Mildred Rauth of Rolla, Mo., who still has the State Theatre at Cabool and the Crocker at Crocker, Mo. Several weeks ago she sold her Ritz Theatre at Rolla to R. E. Carney. Hough has installed some new equipment, etc., in the Lyric.”
(Decatur IL) Herald and Review, Jan. 3, 1939: “LINCOLN - The Reinheimer Amusement Co. of Chicago Friday announced the sale of the Vogue theater, 622 Broadway, to M. A. Kirkhart of Litchfield. Dillon Kelly, present manager of the theater of the theater, will be transferred to Chicago as manager of the Parkway theater. Mr. Kirkhart, a former employe of the Frisina Amusement Co. and Litchfield theater manager, will move to Lincoln with his family. The change in ownership will become effective Jan. 1.”
The Green Meadows' final ad in the State Journal-Register was on Aug. 8, 1980, when it was showing “Oh Heavenly Dog” + “Scavenger Hunt” / “Love at First Bite” + “Old Dracula”.
That issue’s Movie Week roundup repeated (probably inaccurately) the drive-in’s movies from the week before. A week later, on Aug. 16, it repeated them again, but the final shows were likely to have been on the weekend of Aug. 8.
The Diane’s first ad in Springfield’s Daily Illinois State Journal, in the classifieds under “Carlinville Ads”, was on May 24, 1952. “The new Diane Drive-In Theatre, 1 ½ miles west of Carlinville! 2 shows nightly - rain or clear! First show at dusk! Adults, 50c; children under 12 free in cars.”
Springfield’s Daily Illinois State Journal ran a “Now Open” ad for the Route 4 (“North Edge of Thayer”) on June 28, 1950.
Daily Illinois State Journal, April 30, 1949: “Taylorville, April 29 - Dominic Frisina, of the Frisina Amusement Co., Friday announced plans to erect a modern Drive-In theater in the vicinity of Sharpsburg. The new theater will be designed to accommodate 500 cars and will cost approximately $100,000, Frisina said. Tentative plans also call for a supervised play area for the children plus "baby sitting” service, free to patrons of the theater."
Here’s something closer to the opening date, plus an indication that this drive-in always had the same name.
The Exhibitor, Sept. 6, 1950: “In Lincoln, Ill., Steve Bennis held the grand opening of the Bennis Auto Vue drive-in. The 500-car drive-in has been equipped by the St. Louis Theatre Supply Company with deluxe RCA sound and projection equipment, and RCA in-car speakers.”
Boxoffice, May 29, 1978: “ESTHERVILLE, IOWA - A windstorm which produced gusts estimated at 70 miles per hour recently toppled the screen tower at the Chief Drive-In. There has been no estimate of the dollar-value of damage at the theatre, which had planned to present the motion picture "Linda Loveland for President” the night the storm occurred."
This appeared on the cover of the Sept. 7, 1964 issue of Boxoffice.
The Grizzly (Big Bear Lake), Nov. 1, 1956: “Lake Drive-In Theater at Metcalf Meadows, construction of which was begun this week under direction of owner J. M. (Jim) Boyd of Los Angeles, will encompass 13.89 acres to include parking facilities for 600 cars and a hold-out area for addition 200 vehicles. Completion of the project is slated for early May 1957. The 30'x60' flat screen will be located in the north corner of the area, near the highway. In addition to snack bar, kitchen and sanitary facilites, the two story structure to be located in the center of the area will house a projection room, office and generator storage. An auditorium to seat 140 will be used for large groups, such as youngsters from summer camps arriving in bus loads, or for audiences in inclement weather. The building will be primarily of redwood siding by George M. Lindsey and Robert Lindsey, AIA, of Los Angeles … Mr. Boyd … was manager of the Embassy Theater in San Francisco when in 1928 the first talking picture was presented.”
Sorry, I forgot to mention that the ad ran on May 23, 1957.
The Grizzly (Big Bear Lake), Nov. 8, 1956: “Work is progressing rapidly before heavy snow falls for spring completion of Peter Pan Woodland Drive-In Theater in Bear City. Installation of plumbing, underground wires for speakers and grading on ramps is being done this week. The 50'x80' screen, located in the southeast corner, west of Greeway Drive is in front of Peter Pan Club. There will be parking facilities for 664 cars on opening fat with additional facilities for 150 more vehicles planned for a later date. It is an Earl C. Strebe Theater. He is also owner and operator of Big Bear Theater, as well as theaters in Palm Springs and Lake Arrowhead. Bill Meyer of Big Bear Theater will also manage the drive-in which will be complete with snackbar concessions.”
This map, marked with a 1950 copyright, includes the “Peter Pan Woodland Drive-In Theater” next to Baldwin Lake. Maybe that copyright has a typo, or the drive-in was added to the 1950 map?
Based on Google Street View archives, the Lake’s screen finally came down between August 2015 and August 2016.
Boxoffice reported that this Roadium opened on May 19, 1950.
Boxoffice, May 27, 1950: “GARDENA, CALIF. – Added to the swelling list of ozoners in the southland territory was the Roadium No. 2, 480-car drive-in which opened here (19). Dale Gasteigen is the owner and managing operator of the new showcase and is a partner with Joe Bianca in the operation of the Roadium No. 1, located in the nearby township of Paramount.”
Boxoffice, July 15, 1950: (opened 1950 list) “Roadium, 480, Dale Gastigen”
Boxoffice, March 18, 1950: “TAFT, CALIF. – A new drive-in is being constructed on a ten-acre site on Sixth street here northeast of the Lincoln school for Scott Theatres, Inc., owners and operators of the Terrace Drive-In in Bakersfield and of a chain of drive-ins in Texas.”
Boxoffice, March 25, 1950: “TAFT, CALIF. – The new $90,000 drive-in being built on a ten-acre plot between Taft and Ford City, will be opened about the first of May, says Oliver E. Scott, vice-president of Scott Theatres, Inc. “We haven’t decided on a name for the new theatre,” Scott says. “We have been thinking of initiating a name contest, awarding a prize for the winning suggestion.” Scott Theatres operates a circuit of theatres in Texas, and Scott and his mother Maggie operate the big Terrace Drive-In in Bakersfield. Mrs. Scott is president of the organization.”
Boxoffice, May 20, 1950: “TAFT, CALIF. – The new Sunset Drive-In nearing completion between Taft and Ford City will be opened May 15, by Oliver E. Scott of Scott Theatres, operator of the Terrace Drive-In in Bakersfield and of a chain in Texas. The Sunset will have space for 560 cars and will cost $100,000.”
Boxoffice, July 15, 1950: (open 1950 list) “Sunset, 628, Scott Theatres”
Theatre Catalog, 1952: “Sunset D. I. Exec: James Parks and Sam Stiefel. (628)”
Looks like it opened on May 18, 1950, if the Boxoffice note is accurate.
Boxoffice, Feb. 11, 1950: “SANTA PAULA, CALIF. – Negotiations have been completed here for the purchase of an eight-acre site on the old Walnut Park subdivision for erection of a drive-in by the Hickey Bros Co. of Ojai. The drive-in will accommodate 500 cars and will feature RCA in-car speakers.”
Boxoffice, May 27, 1950: “SANTA PAULA, CALIF. – With the Hickey Bros. Land Co. as owners and managing directors, a 450-car drive-in, the Santa Paula, opened here (18).”
Boxoffice, July 15, 1950: (open 1950 list) “Santa Paula, 450, Hickey Bros.”
Boxoffice, Feb. 18, 1950: “PALM SPRINGS, CALIF. – The El Rancho Drive-In has been reopened by lessee Reg C. Jones after completion of a five-week remodeling program. Jones, a Palm Springs contractor, has rehabilitated the airer, erecting a new snack bar building, paving the ramps, painting the screen and numerous other improvements. The drive-in, located on Highway 111 on the corner of Highway 80, will be managed by Frank Millan, with Reba Perry assisting him.”
All that work for nothing? The June 10, 1950 issue of BoxOffice had a note of California closings including “Redge Joneses' El Rancho Drive-In, a 500-car operation in El Centro. Poor business was given as reason for the shutterings.”
Aerial photos show the 1823 Mission Avenue drive-in by 1953, then redeveloped between 1978 and 1980.
And this ad from 1948 shows that back then, it was advertising as the Mission Drive-In.
Looks like this drive-in was first proposed as the Midway. Note that the artist’s drawing is an exact match for the eventual Big Sky aerial photo.
Thanks to various angles, Google Street View images show that all four screens were still there in May 2015, the screens were gone but a swap meet was active in August 2017, but the entire site had been razed by February 2020.
Theatre Catalog, 1952 & 1955-56: “Midway D. I., Fall Brook Rd. Exec: Midway Entr. Inc., 4025 Lankershim Blvd., N. Hollywood. (508)”