Also, here’s more information about Kamloops' Drive-Ins. There were two in total during the golden age of drive-ins:
The Skyway was the first drive-in in the Kamloops opening April 17, 1950 with “The Red Pony” (plus a Bob/Bing short, unnamed cartoon, and a travelogue all about Banff, Alberta). It was last operated by Odeon and closed September 16, 1980 with “Xanadu” and “The Blues Brothers”.
The Sundown was the other Kamloops Drive-In opening June 29, 1954 with “Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd” (no extras) with the installations of CinemaScope. It closed in 1969.
FOUND IT! I found the grand opening advertisement and it went with the name of “Field Of Dreams Drive-In” (of course not the movie) at first. I haven’t checked to see if it later became the Halston Drive-In.
Despite the theater being freaking small, the Field Of Dreams Drive-In opened its gates on June 25, 1995 with a 35x70ft screen and a 200-car capacity which is completely shocking despite being a very small looking drive-in theater. Its first films screened there were “Crimson Tide” and “Johnny Mnemonic”.
Could be. It looks very darn close to the screen. The screen is also located at a very odd spot as people can see either the film or the intermission reel in various different areas across Halston Drive very easily, even while filling up gas at either the Esso or Chevron or waiting to get food at the A&W drive-thru.
Indeed. It looks really small, looks like a capacity of 60 cars I believe. The projection/concession booth used to be standing too but was demolished in 2018.
The Sky-Hi (not Sky High) Drive-In opened its gates by the Kayton Entertainment Company under the management of R.S. Woodward of Franklin on July 3, 1948 with a one-day showing of John Hall in “Kit Carson” along with an unnamed cartoon and a newsreel. During intermission on grand opening, the management tested all of its car speakers by playing a handful of records which were then-current Top 40 hits.
However, the theater wasn’t completely complete on grand opening day. The firm on that day planned to construct two additional ramps in the front section of the traces and the marquee within by the following season.
The Kayton chain operated the Sky-Hi Drive-In until after the 1965 season. On March 31, 1966, shortly before the Sky-Hi reopening for the 1966 season, the Sky-Hi was sold to the DeMarsh Theatres chain of Grove City.
The Rialto Theatre was destroyed by a large fire on March 23, 1925, which also suffered damage from its hotel as well. It was rebuilt and reopened on November 21, 1925.
Nice! You did experience a lot of great memories back then! I’m sure that the remaining surviving members who previously worked with Arkansas’s United Artists chain still know you today!
The Manassas 4 Cinemas opened its doors by R/C Theatres in 1985. It was a first-run house at start, but when Loews took over operations from the Manassas 4 Cinemas in 1990, it became a second-run house. It was bought by Mark O'Meara in 1996, and in 2001, the theater returned back as a first-run house.
The El Tovar Theatre opened as an all-sound theater with the installations of RCA Photophone. The El Tovar opened its doors with Alice White in “Broadway Babies” along with Edward Van appearing live on-stage performing “A Night In Spain” and Billy Sweitzer’s performance on the Wurlitzer organ.
50sSNIPES
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Vixenon
Apr 15, 2023 at 10:30 am
The Empire Theatre opened with a one-day showing of Hazel Daly in “The Little Rowdy” along with Fatty Arbuckle in “Fatty And The Broadway Stars”.
During its later years, the Polk Theatre was operated by the Plitt Theatres chain. The Polk ended its first-run movie-house run on September 23, 1984 with “Muppets Take Manhattan” following a short closure after its run. The Polk Theatre reopened on October 15, 1984 as a performing arts house. The Polk later screened back movies years later under the independent and foreign category.
Yep, it looks like it did close on November 8, 1990. And thanks to the Lakeland Ledger archives, I was able to find more Lakeland Mall Twin showings from later than 1985. In the late-1980s, the Lakeland Mall Twin went towards a sub-run dollar house.
The Tampa Tribune did not show every single Lakeland Mall Twin showing in portions of the mid-1980s (although it did made a short comeback in some 1988 Tampa Tribune issues for a time during its last days as a first-run theater before becoming sub-run dollar).
Opened in 1981.
The Paramount opened on March 23, 1955 with “Seven Brides For Seven Brothers” along with a cartoon and a newsreel.
Also, here’s more information about Kamloops' Drive-Ins. There were two in total during the golden age of drive-ins:
The Skyway was the first drive-in in the Kamloops opening April 17, 1950 with “The Red Pony” (plus a Bob/Bing short, unnamed cartoon, and a travelogue all about Banff, Alberta). It was last operated by Odeon and closed September 16, 1980 with “Xanadu” and “The Blues Brothers”.
The Sundown was the other Kamloops Drive-In opening June 29, 1954 with “Abbott and Costello Meet Captain Kidd” (no extras) with the installations of CinemaScope. It closed in 1969.
FOUND IT! I found the grand opening advertisement and it went with the name of “Field Of Dreams Drive-In” (of course not the movie) at first. I haven’t checked to see if it later became the Halston Drive-In.
Despite the theater being freaking small, the Field Of Dreams Drive-In opened its gates on June 25, 1995 with a 35x70ft screen and a 200-car capacity which is completely shocking despite being a very small looking drive-in theater. Its first films screened there were “Crimson Tide” and “Johnny Mnemonic”.
Could be. It looks very darn close to the screen. The screen is also located at a very odd spot as people can see either the film or the intermission reel in various different areas across Halston Drive very easily, even while filling up gas at either the Esso or Chevron or waiting to get food at the A&W drive-thru.
I’m pretty sure that the Halston has to be Canada’s smallest drive-in theater I think.
Indeed. It looks really small, looks like a capacity of 60 cars I believe. The projection/concession booth used to be standing too but was demolished in 2018.
The Sky-Hi (not Sky High) Drive-In opened its gates by the Kayton Entertainment Company under the management of R.S. Woodward of Franklin on July 3, 1948 with a one-day showing of John Hall in “Kit Carson” along with an unnamed cartoon and a newsreel. During intermission on grand opening, the management tested all of its car speakers by playing a handful of records which were then-current Top 40 hits.
The Kayton chain operated the Sky-Hi Drive-In until after the 1965 season. On March 31, 1966, shortly before the Sky-Hi reopening for the 1966 season, the Sky-Hi was sold to the DeMarsh Theatres chain of Grove City.
Closed in the mid-to-late 1990s.
The Rialto Theatre was destroyed by a large fire on March 23, 1925, which also suffered damage from its hotel as well. It was rebuilt and reopened on November 21, 1925.
Nice! You did experience a lot of great memories back then! I’m sure that the remaining surviving members who previously worked with Arkansas’s United Artists chain still know you today!
Nice!
The Manassas 4 Cinemas opened its doors by R/C Theatres in 1985. It was a first-run house at start, but when Loews took over operations from the Manassas 4 Cinemas in 1990, it became a second-run house. It was bought by Mark O'Meara in 1996, and in 2001, the theater returned back as a first-run house.
During its final years of operation, the Delmar screened X-rated films.
Opened by United Artists in 1973 as the UA Cinema I & II.
Opened on January 1, 1988 and closed on February 21, 2010.
Opened in 1950, closed in 1972, demolished later that decade.
The El Tovar Theatre opened as an all-sound theater with the installations of RCA Photophone. The El Tovar opened its doors with Alice White in “Broadway Babies” along with Edward Van appearing live on-stage performing “A Night In Spain” and Billy Sweitzer’s performance on the Wurlitzer organ.
The Empire Theatre opened with a one-day showing of Hazel Daly in “The Little Rowdy” along with Fatty Arbuckle in “Fatty And The Broadway Stars”.
The Polk Theatre also previously operated under the ABC Florida State Theatres chain before Plitt took over from the chain in November/December 1978.
Opened as early as 1952, closed in the 1980s.
Yes, and the answer is a yet another roller-coaster.
During its later years, the Polk Theatre was operated by the Plitt Theatres chain. The Polk ended its first-run movie-house run on September 23, 1984 with “Muppets Take Manhattan” following a short closure after its run. The Polk Theatre reopened on October 15, 1984 as a performing arts house. The Polk later screened back movies years later under the independent and foreign category.
Yep, it looks like it did close on November 8, 1990. And thanks to the Lakeland Ledger archives, I was able to find more Lakeland Mall Twin showings from later than 1985. In the late-1980s, the Lakeland Mall Twin went towards a sub-run dollar house.
The Tampa Tribune did not show every single Lakeland Mall Twin showing in portions of the mid-1980s (although it did made a short comeback in some 1988 Tampa Tribune issues for a time during its last days as a first-run theater before becoming sub-run dollar).
Opened with “Rawhide” and “Call Me Mister” with no extra short subjects.