There is a web site by Jack Loeks Theatres devoted to the closing Studio 28 at View link with a timeline at View link
The Studio 28 was built on a portion of the Beltline Drive-in Theatre site in 1965 as a single screen theater. Over the years it added more screen overtaking a putting golf course and eventually the drive-in itself to become the 20 screen megaplex which is now closing due to competition from glitzier megaplexes including their Celebration Cinemas.
The “Mother, Jugs and Speed” and “Mega Bowl” marquee messages go back to the filming of the film “Semi-Pro” in Flint last year. The two-disc expanded edition of the “Semi-Pro” DVD includes a documentary titled “Four Days in Flint” which includes scenes filmed at the Capitol Theatre including those cut from the finished film. For the filming, the marquee got a makeover so that it became fully functional electrically for the first time in many years.
After the first drive-in theater opened, Wilson Shankweiler passed through Camden, NJ and saw that drive-in theater. He had some vacant land behind his hotel in Orefield, PA near Allentown. So he decided to turn that vacant land into a drive-in theater which opened in 1934. Today, Shankweiler’s Drive-In Theatre is the oldest drive-in theater and is still in operation. /theaters/704/ http://www.shankweilers.com
I paid my respects tonight. Todd also had a heart attack last year, but he obviously did not recover. In talking to the Warrington family members at the funeral home, I’m left with the impression that most of the family members are determined to keep the US 23 DI open. Lou was there. He lost weight, has back, blood pressure and kidney problems, but he’s determined to recover from his health problems. Let’s all hope for Lou’s full recovery and for the “23” to stay open.
You’re welcome. If anyone reading this is in the Flint area and there is a movie you would like to see, if it’s playing at either the US 23 Twin DI or the Miracle Twin DI, please see it there. At the “23” to help out the Warrington family or at the Miracle Twin to convince National Amusements to keep it open.
On the “Father of the Bride” show, the $10 admission mentioned in the above story is just for the ‘wedding reception.’ The Argus-Press has a story on the show at View link Tickets (or in this case, ‘invitations’) are $12 for adults and $5 for High School and below. The West Annex only seats 100, so get your ‘invitations’ early. Check the above OCP newsletter link for further details.
Mr. Robitaille is referring to the Sun Theatre in Williamston, MI which is listed in Cinema Treasures at /theaters/4214/
I wish you luck in getting the facade restored.
A similar 1950s marquee hid details from the Michigan Theatre in Ann Arbor MI until it was removed and replaced with a smaller marquee which showed off the facade instead of hiding it.
New photos of the interior of the Lyric Cinemas can be seen at View link which shows the carved up cinema treasure 4-plex being used as church. The church took down the wall separating cinemas 2 and 3 to create a sanctuary. The original ceiling was exposed when the tiles on the drop ceiling were removed which shows that the theater is restorable. A news story telling the history of the theater is at View link from The Ludington Daily News.
This follow up news story at View link compares this fire to the one last February which destroyed the Lebowsky Center in Owosso, MI. The story even quoted this writer.
Whoops! Just after I wrote my last comment, another big suspicious fire, this one fatal, struck a three-story building just kitty corner from the Lebowsky Center. You can read that news story at View link and at View link There were two other fires before the Lebowsky Center one. Nearby, the Capitol Bowl bowling alley was destroyed in a 2006 fire and has been rebuilt. In 2005, an almost century old factory building was also destroyed by fire.
There haven’t been other arsons like this I’m aware of in the Owosso area. I hope Phase Two of the rebuilding includes installation of a sprinkler system.
It was announced on Wednesday, June 27 that the Lebowsky Center will be rebuilt! The OCP will need to raise $100,000 to start the rebuilding process. Most of the Phase One rebuilding will be covered by insurance. Phase One involves building new walls, a new roof, new exterior doors along Park Street, restoring electrical systems, basic lighting and a new roof heating system. They plan on beginning construction in July with the theater completely enclosed by the time winter sets in.
Carmike did do the right thing! They amended the deed restiction so the State Theatre is now allowed to show first run movies which open at 200 or fewer theaters. So the State Theater will be open for movies again with the target date of Thanksgiving weekend.
The other ABC Theatre on Pierson Road was the Northwest Theatre. That closed around 1982 at the same time the Eastland Mall Theatre was sold to National Amusements. The Northwest Theatre was later torn down and is a vacant lot today. When ABC left the theater business, Plitt took both theaters over.
There is a web site by Jack Loeks Theatres devoted to the closing Studio 28 at View link with a timeline at View link
The Studio 28 was built on a portion of the Beltline Drive-in Theatre site in 1965 as a single screen theater. Over the years it added more screen overtaking a putting golf course and eventually the drive-in itself to become the 20 screen megaplex which is now closing due to competition from glitzier megaplexes including their Celebration Cinemas.
If you read the linked article, you will noticed that I was quoted in it.
The “Mother, Jugs and Speed” and “Mega Bowl” marquee messages go back to the filming of the film “Semi-Pro” in Flint last year. The two-disc expanded edition of the “Semi-Pro” DVD includes a documentary titled “Four Days in Flint” which includes scenes filmed at the Capitol Theatre including those cut from the finished film. For the filming, the marquee got a makeover so that it became fully functional electrically for the first time in many years.
After the first drive-in theater opened, Wilson Shankweiler passed through Camden, NJ and saw that drive-in theater. He had some vacant land behind his hotel in Orefield, PA near Allentown. So he decided to turn that vacant land into a drive-in theater which opened in 1934. Today, Shankweiler’s Drive-In Theatre is the oldest drive-in theater and is still in operation.
/theaters/704/
http://www.shankweilers.com
I paid my respects tonight. Todd also had a heart attack last year, but he obviously did not recover. In talking to the Warrington family members at the funeral home, I’m left with the impression that most of the family members are determined to keep the US 23 DI open. Lou was there. He lost weight, has back, blood pressure and kidney problems, but he’s determined to recover from his health problems. Let’s all hope for Lou’s full recovery and for the “23” to stay open.
On top of everything else, I learned that Todd Warrington, Lou’s son died Friday. He was just 45. His online obituary is at…
View link
You’re welcome. If anyone reading this is in the Flint area and there is a movie you would like to see, if it’s playing at either the US 23 Twin DI or the Miracle Twin DI, please see it there. At the “23” to help out the Warrington family or at the Miracle Twin to convince National Amusements to keep it open.
On the “Father of the Bride” show, the $10 admission mentioned in the above story is just for the ‘wedding reception.’ The Argus-Press has a story on the show at View link Tickets (or in this case, ‘invitations’) are $12 for adults and $5 for High School and below. The West Annex only seats 100, so get your ‘invitations’ early. Check the above OCP newsletter link for further details.
Mr. Robitaille is referring to the Sun Theatre in Williamston, MI which is listed in Cinema Treasures at /theaters/4214/
I wish you luck in getting the facade restored.
A similar 1950s marquee hid details from the Michigan Theatre in Ann Arbor MI until it was removed and replaced with a smaller marquee which showed off the facade instead of hiding it.
Not in the Flint, Michigan area where there are two competing twin-screen drive in theaters still in operation from late April to early September.
New photos of the interior of the Lyric Cinemas can be seen at View link which shows the carved up cinema treasure 4-plex being used as church. The church took down the wall separating cinemas 2 and 3 to create a sanctuary. The original ceiling was exposed when the tiles on the drop ceiling were removed which shows that the theater is restorable. A news story telling the history of the theater is at View link from The Ludington Daily News.
This follow up news story at View link compares this fire to the one last February which destroyed the Lebowsky Center in Owosso, MI. The story even quoted this writer.
A photo of the Lebowsky Center interior, taken a month before the fire during The Home Depot makeover, is at View link
About 200 seats under the balcony survived the fire. You can see a tour of the fire damage at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gju6f8e_D1M
I forgot to add that this theater was torn down long ago.
There is an article about this theater at…
http://www.drive-ins.com/dbtcdet.htm/tc=47/pga=53
Whoops! Just after I wrote my last comment, another big suspicious fire, this one fatal, struck a three-story building just kitty corner from the Lebowsky Center. You can read that news story at View link and at View link There were two other fires before the Lebowsky Center one. Nearby, the Capitol Bowl bowling alley was destroyed in a 2006 fire and has been rebuilt. In 2005, an almost century old factory building was also destroyed by fire.
There haven’t been other arsons like this I’m aware of in the Owosso area. I hope Phase Two of the rebuilding includes installation of a sprinkler system.
They still don’t know who did it or why.
It was announced on Wednesday, June 27 that the Lebowsky Center will be rebuilt! The OCP will need to raise $100,000 to start the rebuilding process. Most of the Phase One rebuilding will be covered by insurance. Phase One involves building new walls, a new roof, new exterior doors along Park Street, restoring electrical systems, basic lighting and a new roof heating system. They plan on beginning construction in July with the theater completely enclosed by the time winter sets in.
Carmike did do the right thing! They amended the deed restiction so the State Theatre is now allowed to show first run movies which open at 200 or fewer theaters. So the State Theater will be open for movies again with the target date of Thanksgiving weekend.
National Amusements now lists their operating drive-ins at http://www.nationalamusements.com
http://www.nationalamusements.com now lists the Miracle Twin DI showtimes.
The other ABC Theatre on Pierson Road was the Northwest Theatre. That closed around 1982 at the same time the Eastland Mall Theatre was sold to National Amusements. The Northwest Theatre was later torn down and is a vacant lot today. When ABC left the theater business, Plitt took both theaters over.