This April 2006 photo by E. Sean Evans is part of the R. Sean Evans Papers at Northern Arizona University’s Colorado Plateau Digital Collections. I think that NAU holds its rights.
More rainout details. Gallup Independent, Sept. 29, 1951: “Gallup’s new drive-in theater, the Yucca, opened to a capacity crowd last night, but the weather man stepped in to cancel tonight’s billing. Manager Bruce Waugh said the access road to the Yucca, leading in from Highway 66 west of town, has not yet been surfaced, and the night-long rainfall left the possibility that the road would be too rough for an audience this evening. With prospect of good weather tomorrow, Waugh said the theater would again be open to the public”
Jim Argo took this photo, dated Oct. 13, 1982, for the Oklahoma Times. Now you can find it in the Oklahoma Publishing Company Photography Collection at the Oklahoma Historical Society, which says that its copyright status is undetermined.
Bob Albright took this photo for the Oklahoma Times, where it appeared on May 20, 1963. It’s part of the Oklahoma Publishing Company Photography Collection at the Oklahoma Historical Society, which says that its copyright status is undetermined.
This photo ran in a 1981 issue of the Daily Oklahoman. You can find it today at the Oklahoma Historical Society, which says that its copyright status is undetermined.
Bob Albright took this photo on Aug. 19, 1960, for the Oklahoma Times. You can find it at the Oklahoma Historical Society, which says that its copyright status is undetermined.
I’ve uploaded the top of the Fair Park’s grand opening ad. It shows that the first program was the Glenn Ford movie “Framed,” plus a two-reel comedy and cartoon. There were two complete shows at 8:10 pm and 10 pm - quick turnaround!
There was a small drive-in almost three miles northwest of Coalgate on US 75. I wouldn’t describe that as “just outside” of town, but I’d still guess it’s the Skyview.
A 1955 aerial photo showed the drive-in there. Topo maps continued to show its outline through at least 1984, but a 1981 aerial photo showed only traces of the old drive-in. I’m having a heck of a time getting a decent address for the site out of Google Maps, so I’ll leave that piece to our other experts here.
This 1982 photo by John Margolies is part of the John Margolies Roadside America photograph archive (1972-2008), Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division. It’s effectively in the public domain.
Confusing for the future researcher, the N'Eastern ran the same ad on Saturday, Aug. 5. From Aug. 6 through at least the 20th, its ad said it was “Open Tonite”; one of those is in the photo section.
That looks like a blurry, cropped version of a circa-1960 photo by M. H. Millard, Sky Signs Aerial Advertising, that can be found at the Tulsa Historical Society.
The May 20, 1950 issue of BoxOffice reported that Video Theatres planned to open the Lariat on May 30. And three weeks later, BoxOffice wrote that the Lariat had opened in May.
But once again, Boxoffice reported an opening before it happened. An ad in the June 8, 1950 Vinita Leader said ““Opening Postponed due to weather delaying paving of the parking area. Opening Date June 14th” I couldn’t find any confirmation of that date, but it’s a better choice than May.
This News-Gazette photo from “1950-59” is part of the Champaign County Historical Archives, found at the Illinois Digital Archives site. It’s free to use for education purposes; all others are supposed to check with The Urbana Free Library.
I deeply appreciate the wealth of information I find at CinemaTreasures. I hope that we are working together, not in competition, to pool information and uncover the historical facts of these theaters.
It would be very helpful for us all to cite sources of information. If you were there in person, mention that. If you’re quoting the Motion Picture Almanac, we’ve learned that it was often slow to notice changes. If the source is Boxoffice, we know that it sometimes prematurely announced openings. And so forth.
I spot-checked the Pettit-owned theater ads in July issues of Ava’s Douglas County Herald. Listings for “the drive-in” there continued in 1955 and 1956. That was not included in the July 1957 and 1958 issues I checked.
In the 2021 historic picture book Tulsa Movie Theaters, the authors wrote: “The Sheridan Drive-In … operated until 1963 at 4500 South Sheridan Road.”
Photo is from late April-early May 1946, when that double feature was playing at the Olympic, per the L.A. Times.
Boxoffice reused this photo in its June 5, 1954 issue, calling it the “Sky Vue” that time.
This April 2006 photo by E. Sean Evans is part of the R. Sean Evans Papers at Northern Arizona University’s Colorado Plateau Digital Collections. I think that NAU holds its rights.
More rainout details. Gallup Independent, Sept. 29, 1951: “Gallup’s new drive-in theater, the Yucca, opened to a capacity crowd last night, but the weather man stepped in to cancel tonight’s billing. Manager Bruce Waugh said the access road to the Yucca, leading in from Highway 66 west of town, has not yet been surfaced, and the night-long rainfall left the possibility that the road would be too rough for an audience this evening. With prospect of good weather tomorrow, Waugh said the theater would again be open to the public”
Jim Argo took this photo, dated Oct. 13, 1982, for the Oklahoma Times. Now you can find it in the Oklahoma Publishing Company Photography Collection at the Oklahoma Historical Society, which says that its copyright status is undetermined.
I just uploaded a postseason 1962 photo showing workers dismantling the screen tower.
This (also?) appeared in the July 7, 1948 issue of Tulsa World.
Bob Albright took this photo for the Oklahoma Times, where it appeared on May 20, 1963. It’s part of the Oklahoma Publishing Company Photography Collection at the Oklahoma Historical Society, which says that its copyright status is undetermined.
This photo ran in a 1981 issue of the Daily Oklahoman. You can find it today at the Oklahoma Historical Society, which says that its copyright status is undetermined.
Bob Albright took this photo on Aug. 19, 1960, for the Oklahoma Times. You can find it at the Oklahoma Historical Society, which says that its copyright status is undetermined.
I’ve uploaded the top of the Fair Park’s grand opening ad. It shows that the first program was the Glenn Ford movie “Framed,” plus a two-reel comedy and cartoon. There were two complete shows at 8:10 pm and 10 pm - quick turnaround!
There was a small drive-in almost three miles northwest of Coalgate on US 75. I wouldn’t describe that as “just outside” of town, but I’d still guess it’s the Skyview.
A 1955 aerial photo showed the drive-in there. Topo maps continued to show its outline through at least 1984, but a 1981 aerial photo showed only traces of the old drive-in. I’m having a heck of a time getting a decent address for the site out of Google Maps, so I’ll leave that piece to our other experts here.
This 1982 photo by John Margolies is part of the John Margolies Roadside America photograph archive (1972-2008), Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division. It’s effectively in the public domain.
The version I found online had an Oklahoma Historical Society© watermark on the upper left corner. It’s part of the Griffith Amusement Company Collection there.
Wesley Horton is right again. The N'Eastern opened on the first Friday in August 1950. He only mistyped the number - it was August 4, 1950.
The N'Eastern ad the day before said it would open on Friday. And then…
Confusing for the future researcher, the N'Eastern ran the same ad on Saturday, Aug. 5. From Aug. 6 through at least the 20th, its ad said it was “Open Tonite”; one of those is in the photo section.
That looks like a blurry, cropped version of a circa-1960 photo by M. H. Millard, Sky Signs Aerial Advertising, that can be found at the Tulsa Historical Society.
This circa-1960 photo by M. H. Millard, Sky Signs Aerial Advertising, can be found at the Tulsa Historical Society.
That 1962 photo by Howard Hopkins, Hopkins Photography Company, can be found at the Tulsa Historical Society.
That circa-1960 photo by M. H. Millard of Sky Signs Aerial Advertising can be found at the Tulsa Historical Society.
The May 20, 1950 issue of BoxOffice reported that Video Theatres planned to open the Lariat on May 30. And three weeks later, BoxOffice wrote that the Lariat had opened in May.
But once again, Boxoffice reported an opening before it happened. An ad in the June 8, 1950 Vinita Leader said ““Opening Postponed due to weather delaying paving of the parking area. Opening Date June 14th” I couldn’t find any confirmation of that date, but it’s a better choice than May.
This was taken Dec. 9, 1957, per MDOT files.
What happened to that formatting? Weird! Anyway, it was J. B. Beeson who started the caption.
This News-Gazette photo from “1950-59” is part of the Champaign County Historical Archives, found at the Illinois Digital Archives site. It’s free to use for education purposes; all others are supposed to check with The Urbana Free Library.
My dear friends and colleagues,
I deeply appreciate the wealth of information I find at CinemaTreasures. I hope that we are working together, not in competition, to pool information and uncover the historical facts of these theaters.
It would be very helpful for us all to cite sources of information. If you were there in person, mention that. If you’re quoting the Motion Picture Almanac, we’ve learned that it was often slow to notice changes. If the source is Boxoffice, we know that it sometimes prematurely announced openings. And so forth.
I spot-checked the Pettit-owned theater ads in July issues of Ava’s Douglas County Herald. Listings for “the drive-in” there continued in 1955 and 1956. That was not included in the July 1957 and 1958 issues I checked.