Moving these over from Glendive’s Skylark page. I haven’t seen any owner info that wasn’t the Johnsons.
Boxoffice, June 3, 1950: “GLENDIVE, MONT. – Bob and Bill Johnson have opened the new Star-Lit Drive-In, first local outdoor theatre. The theatre accommodates 300 cars.”
Boxoffice, May 19, 1958: “GLENDIVE, MONT. – Bill Johnson, owner of the Star-Lit Drive-In announced the purchase of the theatre by Henry Hochhalter of Hardin for about $45,000.”
The 1951 Film Daily Year Book listed both the Skylark and the “Star-Lite” under Glendive.
The Oct. 5, 1952 edition of the Glendive Daily Ranger noted that “The San Francisco Story” was playing at the Star-Lit Drive-in Theater, and “Room For One More” was showing at the Skylark Outdoor Theatre.
A vandalism report put the Star-Lit’s neon sign “just west of the Yellowstone River bridge”. That matches the position of a drive-in shown in a 1956 aerial photo. By 1965, it had been razed. Its modern-day position is just east of the parking lot of a grocery store at 307 Harmon St.
Billings (MT) Gazette, Sept. 16, 1953: “Carbon County authorities are investigating the dynamiting of a $12,500 sign at a drive-in theater. The Skyline Drive-In sign was wrecked sometime after the theatre closed last Friday night. Owner Bob Adams estimated the damage to the sign at $5,000. He has posted a $100 reward for information leading to the arrest of the persons damaging the sign.”
There were two drive-ins in Glendive, the Skylark and the Star-Lit, later shortened to Starlit.
The 1951 Film Daily Year Book listed both the Skylark and the “Star-Lite” under Glendive.
The Oct. 5, 1952 edition of the Glendive Daily Ranger noted that “The San Francisco Story” was playing at the Star-Lit Drive-in Theater, and “Room For One More” was showing at the Skylark Outdoor Theatre.
An accident report put the Skylark near then-US 10 and a county road, and a speed limit change mentioned that it was in West Glendive. Both match the 2726 W. Towne Street address.
A vandalism report put the Star-Lit’s neon sign “just west of the Yellowstone River bridge”. That matches the position of a drive-in shown in a 1956 aerial photo. By 1965, it had been razed. Its modern-day position is just east of the parking lot of a grocery store at 307 Harmon St.
Boxoffice, Sept. 19, 1953: “The Cinema Park Drive-In has been purchased by Bennie Berger, Minnesota circuit operator, from Fred Crockett.”
Boxoffice, Oct. 3, 1953: “the Cinema Park Drive-In … Arizona’s largest ozoner was bought by Ted Karatz of Minneapolis, whose son Stanley will manage the showcase.”
Boxoffice, Aug. 11, 1956: “Pacific Drive-In Theatres of California has purchased an interest in the Cinema Park Drive-In at 5500 North Seventh St. from Ted Karatz, who remains as stockholder in the operation.”
Boxoffice, Aug. 29, 1953: (with photo) “CAMERON, MO. - Mr. and Mrs. J. L. Conyers, who live just behind the Patio Drive-In here, tell their friends and fellow citizens they have "the world’s largest television screen.” The elderly couple can sit on their front porch and enjoy the pictures being shown at the 250-car Patio. W. A. Silvers, owner and operator, had a speaker line run to the Conyers home when he constructed the drive-in earlier in the summer, and now the Conyers enjoy the shows nightly without leaving the house, thanks to the neighborly showman."
Boxoffice, Aug. 22, 1953: “Eminence, Mo. - The opening of the Smalley Drive-In between here and Winona was held. Carter Smalley of Van Buren, Ark., is owner and manager.”
As NYozoner implied, the drive-in site was roughly bounded by modern-day J & L streets and 2nd & 3rd streets. I uploaded a 1954 UGSG aerial photo that shows it just outside the edge of town back then.
Boxoffice, Aug. 15, 1953: “Chuck Leonard, operator of the Babbit Theatre in Nevada, opened his new drive-in at Hartshorne (sic) July 31”
This photo just ran in a retrospective from the Decatur Herald & Review, which credited it as an H&R File Photo. (Caption: 1948: A steady stream of cars passed through the ticket windows of the Decatur Drive-In. An estimated 200 cars were turned away on opening night.) Is it still copyrighted? Is it in the public domain? Beats me, but I doubt that it’s CC-licensed.
This photo just ran in a retrospective from the Decatur Herald & Review, which labeled it an H&R File Photo. Is it still copyrighted? Is it in the public domain? Beats me, but I doubt that it’s CC-licensed.
Boxoffice, Aug. 1, 1953: “PULLMAN, WASH. - Weskil & Sons, operator of theatres at Colfax, Sandpoint and Pullman, has opened the Big Sky Drive-In at the edge of town. J. M. Hone, manager of the Cordova Theatre here, also will manage the Big Sky.”
Boxoffice, July 25, 1953: “The Del Rio Theatre reopened recently in Cloverdale and is showing Spanish films. William Blair jr. is manager of the house.”
Boxoffice, July 11, 1953: “The St. Ansgar airport soon will have a lighted runway alongside the new Roxy Fly-In and Drive-In, so that aircraft can park and their occupants can watch the outdoor movie. Eight viewing ramps will be provided for automobiles. A ninth ramp will be devoted to the parking of about eight airplanes. The state aeronautics commission said this is a new wrinkle for Iowa - that there are no similar plane drive-ins in the state. Operator of the Roxy is Harland Anderson. Other fly-in theatres reported in various parts of the country are located at Belmar, N.J., Mobile, Ala., and Spearman, Tex.”
Boxoffice, June 6, 1953: “Jules Perlmutter is reported to have closed temporarily the Lake George Drive-In because patronage fell below a profit margin. Perlmutter opened the Lake George about two weeks after the nearby Fort George was relighted.”
Boxoffice, June 6, 1953: “Ernie Stautner, drive-in exhibitor and pro football tackle, will not report to the Pittsburgh Steelers until late August. Stautner and his brother-in-law, Ed Hoffman, operate the Sara-Pla between Saranac Lake and Lake Placid. He said drive-in duties would entail a month delay in reporting”
Motion Picture Herald, Jan. 19, 1952: “At the close of business January 12, Fox West Coast swapped theatres with Gamble and O'Keefe. The Tower, Fresno, is now operated by them and G&O have the Kinema there.”
Boxoffice, March 28, 1953: “Gerald C. Hardy of Fresno, owner and operator of a chain of theatres in California and Nevada, has purchased the Rivoli at 1213 Fulton in Fresno and will reopen it with third-dimension color motion pictures to premiere the new film technique in the San Joaquin valley. The theatre business was purchased from Albert O'Keefe and T. R. Gamble … Installation of the 3-D equipment will cost $15,000 and will include three projectors and a new screen.”
Boxoffice, March 28, 1953: “J. P. Cruz, a resident of Reedley for 30 years, has bought the Star Theatre there from Mattie Sheibley and the equipment from the Panero Theatre Co. Cruz stated the interior of the theatre is being remodeled and air conditioning and projection are being improved"
Moving these over from Glendive’s Skylark page. I haven’t seen any owner info that wasn’t the Johnsons.
Boxoffice, June 3, 1950: “GLENDIVE, MONT. – Bob and Bill Johnson have opened the new Star-Lit Drive-In, first local outdoor theatre. The theatre accommodates 300 cars.”
Boxoffice, May 19, 1958: “GLENDIVE, MONT. – Bill Johnson, owner of the Star-Lit Drive-In announced the purchase of the theatre by Henry Hochhalter of Hardin for about $45,000.”
The 1951 Film Daily Year Book listed both the Skylark and the “Star-Lite” under Glendive.
The Oct. 5, 1952 edition of the Glendive Daily Ranger noted that “The San Francisco Story” was playing at the Star-Lit Drive-in Theater, and “Room For One More” was showing at the Skylark Outdoor Theatre.
A vandalism report put the Star-Lit’s neon sign “just west of the Yellowstone River bridge”. That matches the position of a drive-in shown in a 1956 aerial photo. By 1965, it had been razed. Its modern-day position is just east of the parking lot of a grocery store at 307 Harmon St.
Billings (MT) Gazette, Sept. 16, 1953: “Carbon County authorities are investigating the dynamiting of a $12,500 sign at a drive-in theater. The Skyline Drive-In sign was wrecked sometime after the theatre closed last Friday night. Owner Bob Adams estimated the damage to the sign at $5,000. He has posted a $100 reward for information leading to the arrest of the persons damaging the sign.”
There were two drive-ins in Glendive, the Skylark and the Star-Lit, later shortened to Starlit.
The 1951 Film Daily Year Book listed both the Skylark and the “Star-Lite” under Glendive.
The Oct. 5, 1952 edition of the Glendive Daily Ranger noted that “The San Francisco Story” was playing at the Star-Lit Drive-in Theater, and “Room For One More” was showing at the Skylark Outdoor Theatre.
An accident report put the Skylark near then-US 10 and a county road, and a speed limit change mentioned that it was in West Glendive. Both match the 2726 W. Towne Street address.
A vandalism report put the Star-Lit’s neon sign “just west of the Yellowstone River bridge”. That matches the position of a drive-in shown in a 1956 aerial photo. By 1965, it had been razed. Its modern-day position is just east of the parking lot of a grocery store at 307 Harmon St.
Boxoffice, Sept. 19, 1953: “The Cinema Park Drive-In has been purchased by Bennie Berger, Minnesota circuit operator, from Fred Crockett.”
Boxoffice, Oct. 3, 1953: “the Cinema Park Drive-In … Arizona’s largest ozoner was bought by Ted Karatz of Minneapolis, whose son Stanley will manage the showcase.”
Boxoffice, Aug. 11, 1956: “Pacific Drive-In Theatres of California has purchased an interest in the Cinema Park Drive-In at 5500 North Seventh St. from Ted Karatz, who remains as stockholder in the operation.”
Boxoffice, Aug. 29, 1953: (with photo) “CAMERON, MO. - Mr. and Mrs. J. L. Conyers, who live just behind the Patio Drive-In here, tell their friends and fellow citizens they have "the world’s largest television screen.” The elderly couple can sit on their front porch and enjoy the pictures being shown at the 250-car Patio. W. A. Silvers, owner and operator, had a speaker line run to the Conyers home when he constructed the drive-in earlier in the summer, and now the Conyers enjoy the shows nightly without leaving the house, thanks to the neighborly showman."
Boxoffice, Aug. 22, 1953: “Eminence, Mo. - The opening of the Smalley Drive-In between here and Winona was held. Carter Smalley of Van Buren, Ark., is owner and manager.”
As NYozoner implied, the drive-in site was roughly bounded by modern-day J & L streets and 2nd & 3rd streets. I uploaded a 1954 UGSG aerial photo that shows it just outside the edge of town back then.
Boxoffice, Aug. 15, 1953: “Chuck Leonard, operator of the Babbit Theatre in Nevada, opened his new drive-in at Hartshorne (sic) July 31”
Boxoffice, Aug. 15, 1953: “The Fallon Drive-In at Fallon, Nev., was opened July 31 by Fritz & Whittaker”
This photo just ran in a retrospective from the Decatur Herald & Review, which credited it as an H&R File Photo. (Caption: 1948: A steady stream of cars passed through the ticket windows of the Decatur Drive-In. An estimated 200 cars were turned away on opening night.) Is it still copyrighted? Is it in the public domain? Beats me, but I doubt that it’s CC-licensed.
This photo just ran in a retrospective from the Decatur Herald & Review, which labeled it an H&R File Photo. Is it still copyrighted? Is it in the public domain? Beats me, but I doubt that it’s CC-licensed.
Boxoffice, Aug. 1, 1953: “PULLMAN, WASH. - Weskil & Sons, operator of theatres at Colfax, Sandpoint and Pullman, has opened the Big Sky Drive-In at the edge of town. J. M. Hone, manager of the Cordova Theatre here, also will manage the Big Sky.”
Boxoffice, July 25, 1953: “The Del Rio Theatre reopened recently in Cloverdale and is showing Spanish films. William Blair jr. is manager of the house.”
Boxoffice, July 11, 1953: “Ness City, Kas. - Melvin Eichman has opened the new Star Drive-In here."
Boxoffice, July 11, 1953: “Medicine Lodge, Kas. - Roy Culley has opened his new 250-car Pageant Drive-In here.”
Looks like it was a fly-in from the start.
Boxoffice, July 11, 1953: “The St. Ansgar airport soon will have a lighted runway alongside the new Roxy Fly-In and Drive-In, so that aircraft can park and their occupants can watch the outdoor movie. Eight viewing ramps will be provided for automobiles. A ninth ramp will be devoted to the parking of about eight airplanes. The state aeronautics commission said this is a new wrinkle for Iowa - that there are no similar plane drive-ins in the state. Operator of the Roxy is Harland Anderson. Other fly-in theatres reported in various parts of the country are located at Belmar, N.J., Mobile, Ala., and Spearman, Tex.”
Boxoffice, June 6, 1953: “The new 288-car Rocket Drive-In has been opened by C. L. McVey of Los Angeles.”
Boxoffice, June 27, 1953: “Jack Braxton and George Stoller expect early completion of their 500-space Autovue Drive-In near Camas, Wash.”
Was this ever called the Plainville? Every reference and photo I’ve seen showed it as the Ski-Vue.
Boxoffice, June 13, 1953: “The new 300-car Moore Skivue Drive-In has been opened.”
Boxoffice, June 13, 1953: “The new 400-car Klock 75 Airport Drive-In has been opened by Glenn Klock. It is on Highway 75, a mile west of town.”
Boxoffice, June 6, 1953: “Jules Perlmutter is reported to have closed temporarily the Lake George Drive-In because patronage fell below a profit margin. Perlmutter opened the Lake George about two weeks after the nearby Fort George was relighted.”
Boxoffice, June 6, 1953: “Ernie Stautner, drive-in exhibitor and pro football tackle, will not report to the Pittsburgh Steelers until late August. Stautner and his brother-in-law, Ed Hoffman, operate the Sara-Pla between Saranac Lake and Lake Placid. He said drive-in duties would entail a month delay in reporting”
Motion Picture Herald, Jan. 19, 1952: “At the close of business January 12, Fox West Coast swapped theatres with Gamble and O'Keefe. The Tower, Fresno, is now operated by them and G&O have the Kinema there.”
Boxoffice, March 28, 1953: “Gerald C. Hardy of Fresno, owner and operator of a chain of theatres in California and Nevada, has purchased the Rivoli at 1213 Fulton in Fresno and will reopen it with third-dimension color motion pictures to premiere the new film technique in the San Joaquin valley. The theatre business was purchased from Albert O'Keefe and T. R. Gamble … Installation of the 3-D equipment will cost $15,000 and will include three projectors and a new screen.”
Boxoffice, March 28, 1953: “J. P. Cruz, a resident of Reedley for 30 years, has bought the Star Theatre there from Mattie Sheibley and the equipment from the Panero Theatre Co. Cruz stated the interior of the theatre is being remodeled and air conditioning and projection are being improved"
Boxoffice, March 28, 1953: “Harry Henderson has taken over the Arroyo Theatre, long dark, and reopend the 950-seat showcase”
Boxoffice, March 21, 1953: “The Clovis Theatre at Clovis, Calif., was sold by Mr. and Mrs. Bradley H. Fish to Emanuel A. Giannaros.”