Boxoffice, Dec. 12, 1960: “Horace Denning, local district supervisor of Dixie Drive-In Theatres … (is) announcing the reopening of the Atlantic Drive-In Tuesday (6), less than a month from the time the outdoorer’s screen tower was destroyed by fire. Local television stations gave news coverage to the reopening … (including) the drive-in’s new all-steel, CinemaScope screen tower. In celebrating the opening, which came exactly 21 years after the Dec. 6, 1939, opening date, adult patrons were admitted for 21 cents and children under 12 were admitted free … the 1939 opening … featured (Bing) Crosby in "East Side of Heaven” and (Clark) Gable in “Call of the Wild.” "
Boxoffice, Dec. 12, 1960: “The Reynolds, Clinton, formerly the Airport Drive-In, was reopened as of November 24. The Queen City Booking is handling this account and also the Rialto, Durham”
Boxoffice, July 25, 1960: “The Beach Drive-In, Jacksonville Beach, operated for the past several years by Kent Enterprises, has been sold and dismantled for commercial development adjacent to a large shopping center.”
Boxoffice, July 25, 1960: “A lightning rod now graces the screen tower at the St. Bernard Drive-In, Arabi, installed after the tower was struck by lightning while a picture was in progress. The lightning burned a spot in the screen and stained a portion of it with smudge. Joe Williams, who was working at the concessions stand at the time, said that the show was halted to permit viewers to recover from the shock, then was continued. The screen was repaired the following day.”
Boxoffice, May 30, 1960: “Harry Thomas, Gulf States maintenance chief, was in Lafayette supervising the renovation of the Twin Drive-In, which was opened ten years ago by the Guidry and Sellers brothers”
This note from the Feb. 22, 1960 issue of BoxOffice is phrased as if the Carol had opened earlier: “Charles and Mildred Payson, who have the Carol Drive-In at Carrollton, were on (Film) Row recently with the word that they will open their drive-in for the summer on April 8.”
Boxoffice, May 30, 1960: “The reopened Carol Drive-In has undergone a face-lifting during recent weeks. A new tile floor on the concession stand, refinishing of the restrooms, several technical changes in booth equipment and a layer of new rock on the ramps and roadways have improved the situation.”
Boxoffice, May 16, 1960: “Sunset Drive-In, Hot Springs, Ark., has been forced to close after the screen tower was destroyed. Mrs. Jesse Howe, owner, is rushing repairs and will reopen shortly”
Boxoffice, May 16, 1960: “B. B. Garner of Lakeland … retired from an active role in the industry during April when he released the Ritz Theater and the Outdoor Drive-In, both in Winter Haven, to the Floyd Theatres circuit.”
Same drive-in? Boxoffice, May 16, 1960: “Two brothers, Herman and Sherman Bowen, have taken over operations of the nearby (to Jacksonville) Fernandina Drive-In, Fernandina”
Boxoffice, May 16, 1960: “Mark Keel, new owner of the Plant City Drive-In, located in Dover, has changed the outdoorer’s name to the more appropriate one of Dover Drive-In.”
Boxoffice, May 9, 1960: “The Nite Auto Movies, Greeneville, Tenn., which was closed early in the year due to a fire, reopened Thursday (5). This drive-in, formerly operated by O. G. Roaden, Loyal, Ky., was taken over by E. L. Wilson, operator of the Ashway Drive-In, Greeneville.”
Boxoffice, May 2, 1960: “George Sobel has leased the Delray Drive-In, Delray, from Elias Chalhub, who is now operating the Riviera Drive-In, Riviera Beach.”
Boxoffice, May 2, 1960: “Frank Nolan and Frank X. Rauch … have purchased the Ace-Hi Drive-In at McConnelsville from George and Charles Barkhurst. The new owners said first-run product will be played at the 385-speaker drive-in located off Route 77, north of McConnelsville.”
There was something carved out of the forest west of town on US-129 / GA-11 in a 1967 aerial photo, on the south side of the highway at about today’s 280 State Hwy 11. The only signs that it had been a drive-in were two driveways and a lot of unusually pale ground.
Boxoffice, April 25, 1960: “C. H. Fountain is reopening his Fountain Drive-In at Lakeland April 29 for the season … Fountain is putting his drive-in, including 17 acres located on U. S. 129, on the market for $6,000.”
Boxoffice, April 18, 1960: “Gulf States has taken over operation of the Honey Theatre and Mojac Drive-In in Indianola, Miss., and has transferred the account from Memphis to the New Orleans exchanges”
Boxoffice, April 11, 1960: “The Elza and Skyway drive-ins, Oak Ridge, Tenn., have been taken over by Mrs. Juanita Foree and associates from O. G. Roaden of Loyal, Ky. Mrs. Foree is an officer in the Newport Amusement Co. and partner in the Lakemont Drive-In, Alcoa, Tenn.”
Boxoffice, April 4, 1960: “A unit of Floyd Theatres, the Tower Drive-In at Tampa, was forced to close temporarily when flood waters filled the outdoorer’s grounds”
Boxoffice, April 4, 1960: “Jim Poindexter was force to close his Floriland Drive-In, Tampa, because of extensive damage to his screen tower during a subtropical rainstorm”
Boxoffice, March 14, 1960: “Carl Floyd of Haines City has added the Auto Park Drive-In, Tamps, to his Floyd Theatres circuit. It was formerly operated by Mrs. S. E. Brittain, whose husband has the large Brittain Plaza Theatre at Tampa”
Boxoffice, Dec. 12, 1960: “The Princess, Jacksonville, Ala., … was shuttered after the last showing Saturday (3)”
Boxoffice, Dec. 12, 1960: “Horace Denning, local district supervisor of Dixie Drive-In Theatres … (is) announcing the reopening of the Atlantic Drive-In Tuesday (6), less than a month from the time the outdoorer’s screen tower was destroyed by fire. Local television stations gave news coverage to the reopening … (including) the drive-in’s new all-steel, CinemaScope screen tower. In celebrating the opening, which came exactly 21 years after the Dec. 6, 1939, opening date, adult patrons were admitted for 21 cents and children under 12 were admitted free … the 1939 opening … featured (Bing) Crosby in "East Side of Heaven” and (Clark) Gable in “Call of the Wild.” "
Boxoffice, Dec. 12, 1960: “The Reynolds, Clinton, formerly the Airport Drive-In, was reopened as of November 24. The Queen City Booking is handling this account and also the Rialto, Durham”
Boxoffice, July 25, 1960: “The Beach Drive-In, Jacksonville Beach, operated for the past several years by Kent Enterprises, has been sold and dismantled for commercial development adjacent to a large shopping center.”
Boxoffice, July 25, 1960: “A lightning rod now graces the screen tower at the St. Bernard Drive-In, Arabi, installed after the tower was struck by lightning while a picture was in progress. The lightning burned a spot in the screen and stained a portion of it with smudge. Joe Williams, who was working at the concessions stand at the time, said that the show was halted to permit viewers to recover from the shock, then was continued. The screen was repaired the following day.”
Boxoffice, May 30, 1960: “Lewis Gates reopened the Regal at Gulfport, which he acquired from Dr. J. O. Tate”
Boxoffice, May 30, 1960: “Harry Thomas, Gulf States maintenance chief, was in Lafayette supervising the renovation of the Twin Drive-In, which was opened ten years ago by the Guidry and Sellers brothers”
This note from the Feb. 22, 1960 issue of BoxOffice is phrased as if the Carol had opened earlier: “Charles and Mildred Payson, who have the Carol Drive-In at Carrollton, were on (Film) Row recently with the word that they will open their drive-in for the summer on April 8.”
Boxoffice, May 30, 1960: “The reopened Carol Drive-In has undergone a face-lifting during recent weeks. A new tile floor on the concession stand, refinishing of the restrooms, several technical changes in booth equipment and a layer of new rock on the ramps and roadways have improved the situation.”
Boxoffice, May 16, 1960: “Sam Rutherford has taken over and reopened the Ski-Hi Drive-In, Moulton, Ala., effective Saturday (7).”
Boxoffice, May 16, 1960: “Sunset Drive-In, Hot Springs, Ark., has been forced to close after the screen tower was destroyed. Mrs. Jesse Howe, owner, is rushing repairs and will reopen shortly”
Boxoffice, May 16, 1960: “B. B. Garner of Lakeland … retired from an active role in the industry during April when he released the Ritz Theater and the Outdoor Drive-In, both in Winter Haven, to the Floyd Theatres circuit.”
Same drive-in? Boxoffice, May 16, 1960: “Two brothers, Herman and Sherman Bowen, have taken over operations of the nearby (to Jacksonville) Fernandina Drive-In, Fernandina”
Boxoffice, May 16, 1960: “Mark Keel, new owner of the Plant City Drive-In, located in Dover, has changed the outdoorer’s name to the more appropriate one of Dover Drive-In.”
Boxoffice, May 9, 1960: “The Nite Auto Movies, Greeneville, Tenn., which was closed early in the year due to a fire, reopened Thursday (5). This drive-in, formerly operated by O. G. Roaden, Loyal, Ky., was taken over by E. L. Wilson, operator of the Ashway Drive-In, Greeneville.”
Boxoffice, May 2, 1960: “George Sobel has leased the Delray Drive-In, Delray, from Elias Chalhub, who is now operating the Riviera Drive-In, Riviera Beach.”
Boxoffice, May 2, 1960: “Frank Nolan and Frank X. Rauch … have purchased the Ace-Hi Drive-In at McConnelsville from George and Charles Barkhurst. The new owners said first-run product will be played at the 385-speaker drive-in located off Route 77, north of McConnelsville.”
Boxoffice, May 2, 1960: “James M. Bullock took over ownership of the Cairo Drive-In, Fuquay Springs as of April 17”
There was something carved out of the forest west of town on US-129 / GA-11 in a 1967 aerial photo, on the south side of the highway at about today’s 280 State Hwy 11. The only signs that it had been a drive-in were two driveways and a lot of unusually pale ground.
Boxoffice, April 25, 1960: “C. H. Fountain is reopening his Fountain Drive-In at Lakeland April 29 for the season … Fountain is putting his drive-in, including 17 acres located on U. S. 129, on the market for $6,000.”
Boxoffice, April 18, 1960: “Gulf States has taken over operation of the Honey Theatre and Mojac Drive-In in Indianola, Miss., and has transferred the account from Memphis to the New Orleans exchanges”
Boxoffice, April 11, 1960: “The Elza and Skyway drive-ins, Oak Ridge, Tenn., have been taken over by Mrs. Juanita Foree and associates from O. G. Roaden of Loyal, Ky. Mrs. Foree is an officer in the Newport Amusement Co. and partner in the Lakemont Drive-In, Alcoa, Tenn.”
Boxoffice, April 4, 1960: “A new member of the Floyd (Theatres) circuit is the Ruskin Drive-In, Ruskin, which formerly was operated by Harry Jones”
Boxoffice, April 4, 1960: “A unit of Floyd Theatres, the Tower Drive-In at Tampa, was forced to close temporarily when flood waters filled the outdoorer’s grounds”
Boxoffice, April 4, 1960: “Jim Poindexter was force to close his Floriland Drive-In, Tampa, because of extensive damage to his screen tower during a subtropical rainstorm”
Adding detail to part of Nunzienick’s fine post:
Boxoffice, March 14, 1960: “Carl Floyd of Haines City has added the Auto Park Drive-In, Tamps, to his Floyd Theatres circuit. It was formerly operated by Mrs. S. E. Brittain, whose husband has the large Brittain Plaza Theatre at Tampa”
Boxoffice, May 23, 1960: “Skylark Drive-In at Corinth, Miss., has lost its screen by fire. Repairs are being rushed”