Billboard, Sept. 15, 1951: “Wayne Horton, manager at San Saba, Tex., for Theater Enterprises, Inc., last week announced that construction had begun there on a 300 car-capacity open-airer for the circuit.”
Boxoffice, Aug. 4, 1951: “EDMOND, OKLA. – Grand opening of the Sundown Drive-In was held in July on Highways 66 and 77 just south of Edmond. Jack and Jimmie Hull are the owner-managers. "Lorna Doone” was the opener at the Sundown ozoner. Family programs will be stressed, the Hulls announced. In-car speakers are used and parking us easily accessible from the highways. Restrooms have germicidal lamps and the usual is available at the concession stand. A marquee board and playground will be completed later."
Same drive-in? Billboard, Sept. 26, 1953: “East Texas Theaters, Inc., has purchased a 13-acre site at Nacogdoches, Tex., where it plans to construct a new drive-in theater. The circuit owns the Main and Stone Fort theaters there.”
Same drive-in? Billboard, Sept. 26, 1953: “The Westerner Drive-In, Colorado City, Tex., has been sold to West Texas Drive-In, Inc., by Mac Carnohan and H. R. Barker.”
Amplifying another part of dallasmovietheatres' note above. Billboard, Sept. 5, 1953: “Maurice S. Cole has sold his Key City Drive-In, Abilene, Tex., to All State Theaters. This is part of a $1,600,000 expansion program for the circuit which has moved into new headquarters at Abilene. Tom Griffing is president.”
The Aug. 29, 1953 Billboard added a few details: “New drive-in at Calgary, Atla., is the Cinema Park, which can accommodate 1,100 cars. Site covers 45 acres and the screen is 65 feet by 48 feet.”
Billboard, Aug. 22, 1953: “A new drive-in theater, the Lake View (sic), opened in Kansas City Kan., August 7. It is owned by Lake View (sic?) Drive-In Theater Corporation, headed by George E. Bennett. Frank Westbrook is vice-president and general manager. The theater boasts what it calls the "largest screen in the world,” measuring 108 by 68 feet."
Maybe it always held 500 cars? Billboard, Aug. 8, 1953: “Panther Drive-In is nearing completion and was slated to open August 1. The drive-in is at Lufkin, Tex., and is owned and operated by Phil Isley. It has 500-car capacity.”
Billboard, July 18, 1953: “Albert Knopp, city manager of the Long Theater Circuit, Hebronville (sic), Tex., has announced opening of the Pioneer Drive-In on a four-day policy. The drive-in will also feature Spanish-language films.”
This photo by A. E. Crane, circa 1995-2013, is part of the US Department of Transportation’s National Scenic Byways Program. It’s in the public domain, and you can download it from the National Archives Catalog.
The Chief’s final night was Labor Day, Sept. 4, 1989, showing “Star Trek V” and “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.” The next day, its section of the United Artists theater ad said simply “Closed.”
The Starlite ownership bounced around in its final years. Clarence Files moved to Naturita, and the projector-snack bar couple at the Uranium there, Gladys and Ernest Barnes, bought the Starlite in late July 1961. Mr. and Mrs. Files took back the Starlite toward the end of the 1962 season.
Boxoffice mentioned on June 14, 1965 that A. M. Crews had taken over the Starlite from the Fileses. The April 4, 1966 issue reported that someone (presumably Crews) announced that the Starlite would not reopen, but three weeks later, Boxoffice said, “Harold Haws, formerly a motion picture theatre operator in the territory, will reopen the Starlite Drive-In at Grand Junction.”
The Starlite’s final English-language ad in the local Daily Sentinel was Oct. 15, 1966, where it promised, “Open Thurs., Fri., Say. & Sun., fall & winter season. Car heaters.” It ran ads for a Spanish-language double feature on Oct. 16-18, then stopped advertising there. A 1976 retrospective in the Daily Sentinel said of the local drive-ins, “Chief and Rocket prices went up to 85 cents in 1967, the same year the Starlite folded.”
The April 3, 1954 Motion Picture Herald wrote that Arthur Salcida bought the County from Waldo Slusher. But that was a typo. The Aug. 13, 1955 issue of Boxoffice spelled his name correctly, as Arthur Salcido.
The April 27, 1956 Albuquerque Journal, reporting the District Court docket, wrote: “Sidney Johnson, dba Southwestern Film Service, given judgment of $2739.34 against Arthur Salcido, dba County Drive-In Theater, on defendant’s confession of judgment.”
This photo, dated 1979, was included in a 2016 Los Angeles Times article about the death of its photographer, John Margolies. The photo credit in the article was “(John Margolies/courtesy Taschen Books)”.
There is a very similar photo, also dated 1979, in the John Margolies Roadside America photograph archive of the Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division. That photo, from the same angle, includes more shadows covering the San Pedro sign, though not the screen mural. It’s available here, and is effectively in the public domain.
Boxoffice, Aug. 31, 1964: “Bob Smith of the Nu Buflo Theatre, Buffalo, will take over the Ritz Theatre, Marshfield, as of September 4, he announced while on (Kansas City) Filmrow.”
Boxoffice, May 25, 1970: “Oren Davis, Marshfield exhibitor, died Sunday (10). Mrs. Oren (Irene) Davis announced that she would continue to operation of the theatre”
Boxoffice, Dec. 8, 1951: “Marshfield, Mo. – Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Schmidt of Niangua bought the Skyline cafe from Herman Pearce and plan to build a drive-in theatre.”
Billboard, Sept. 15, 1951: “Mr. and Mrs. W. E. Cox Jr. have completed a $5,000 renovation project on their Chief Drive-In at Seminole, Tex.”
The 1952 Theatre Catalog listed the Chief with a capacity of 300 cars, owner Audry Cox.
Billboard, Sept. 15, 1951: “Wayne Horton, manager at San Saba, Tex., for Theater Enterprises, Inc., last week announced that construction had begun there on a 300 car-capacity open-airer for the circuit.”
Boxoffice, Aug. 4, 1951: “EDMOND, OKLA. – Grand opening of the Sundown Drive-In was held in July on Highways 66 and 77 just south of Edmond. Jack and Jimmie Hull are the owner-managers. "Lorna Doone” was the opener at the Sundown ozoner. Family programs will be stressed, the Hulls announced. In-car speakers are used and parking us easily accessible from the highways. Restrooms have germicidal lamps and the usual is available at the concession stand. A marquee board and playground will be completed later."
Same drive-in? Billboard, Sept. 26, 1953: “East Texas Theaters, Inc., has purchased a 13-acre site at Nacogdoches, Tex., where it plans to construct a new drive-in theater. The circuit owns the Main and Stone Fort theaters there.”
Same drive-in? Billboard, Sept. 26, 1953: “The Westerner Drive-In, Colorado City, Tex., has been sold to West Texas Drive-In, Inc., by Mac Carnohan and H. R. Barker.”
Billboard, Sept. 5, 1953: “William Clark, Detroit, has taken over buying and booking of film for the new Night Sky Drive-In at Beulah, Mich.”
Amplifying another part of dallasmovietheatres' note above. Billboard, Sept. 5, 1953: “Maurice S. Cole has sold his Key City Drive-In, Abilene, Tex., to All State Theaters. This is part of a $1,600,000 expansion program for the circuit which has moved into new headquarters at Abilene. Tom Griffing is president.”
The Aug. 29, 1953 Billboard added a few details: “New drive-in at Calgary, Atla., is the Cinema Park, which can accommodate 1,100 cars. Site covers 45 acres and the screen is 65 feet by 48 feet.”
Billboard, Aug. 22, 1953: “A new drive-in theater, the Lake View (sic), opened in Kansas City Kan., August 7. It is owned by Lake View (sic?) Drive-In Theater Corporation, headed by George E. Bennett. Frank Westbrook is vice-president and general manager. The theater boasts what it calls the "largest screen in the world,” measuring 108 by 68 feet."
Billboard, Aug. 15, 1953: “Don Bryson and Mrs. Earleen Weathers have opened the 208-car capacity Don Juan Drive-In at Barksdale, Tex.”
Maybe it always held 500 cars? Billboard, Aug. 8, 1953: “Panther Drive-In is nearing completion and was slated to open August 1. The drive-in is at Lufkin, Tex., and is owned and operated by Phil Isley. It has 500-car capacity.”
Billboard, Aug. 8, 1953: “El Charro Drive-In has been opened in San Antonio by John H. Flache, Lamesa, Tex. Delmo Pierce has been named manager.”
Billboard, July 18, 1953: “Albert Knopp, city manager of the Long Theater Circuit, Hebronville (sic), Tex., has announced opening of the Pioneer Drive-In on a four-day policy. The drive-in will also feature Spanish-language films.”
Billboard, July 18, 1953: “High winds recently caused about $200 damage to Derrick Drive-In, Crane, Tex., according to James Winter, manager.”
Billboard, July 18, 1953: “New Skyvue Drive-In Theater has been opened by Lynn Smith and L. J. Piwetz at Lockport (sic), Tex.”
This photo by A. E. Crane, circa 1995-2013, is part of the US Department of Transportation’s National Scenic Byways Program. It’s in the public domain, and you can download it from the National Archives Catalog.
The Chief’s final night was Labor Day, Sept. 4, 1989, showing “Star Trek V” and “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.” The next day, its section of the United Artists theater ad said simply “Closed.”
The Starlite ownership bounced around in its final years. Clarence Files moved to Naturita, and the projector-snack bar couple at the Uranium there, Gladys and Ernest Barnes, bought the Starlite in late July 1961. Mr. and Mrs. Files took back the Starlite toward the end of the 1962 season.
Boxoffice mentioned on June 14, 1965 that A. M. Crews had taken over the Starlite from the Fileses. The April 4, 1966 issue reported that someone (presumably Crews) announced that the Starlite would not reopen, but three weeks later, Boxoffice said, “Harold Haws, formerly a motion picture theatre operator in the territory, will reopen the Starlite Drive-In at Grand Junction.”
The Starlite’s final English-language ad in the local Daily Sentinel was Oct. 15, 1966, where it promised, “Open Thurs., Fri., Say. & Sun., fall & winter season. Car heaters.” It ran ads for a Spanish-language double feature on Oct. 16-18, then stopped advertising there. A 1976 retrospective in the Daily Sentinel said of the local drive-ins, “Chief and Rocket prices went up to 85 cents in 1967, the same year the Starlite folded.”
The April 3, 1954 Motion Picture Herald wrote that Arthur Salcida bought the County from Waldo Slusher. But that was a typo. The Aug. 13, 1955 issue of Boxoffice spelled his name correctly, as Arthur Salcido.
The April 27, 1956 Albuquerque Journal, reporting the District Court docket, wrote: “Sidney Johnson, dba Southwestern Film Service, given judgment of $2739.34 against Arthur Salcido, dba County Drive-In Theater, on defendant’s confession of judgment.”
The original photo is © John Gateley, as shown on Flickr.
This photo, dated 1979, was included in a 2016 Los Angeles Times article about the death of its photographer, John Margolies. The photo credit in the article was “(John Margolies/courtesy Taschen Books)”.
There is a very similar photo, also dated 1979, in the John Margolies Roadside America photograph archive of the Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division. That photo, from the same angle, includes more shadows covering the San Pedro sign, though not the screen mural. It’s available here, and is effectively in the public domain.
This 1994 photo by John Margolies is effectively in the public domain. Higher-res versions are available from the Library of Congress.
This 1994 photo by John Margolies is effectively in the public domain. Higher-res versions are available from the Library of Congress.
Boxoffice, Aug. 31, 1964: “Bob Smith of the Nu Buflo Theatre, Buffalo, will take over the Ritz Theatre, Marshfield, as of September 4, he announced while on (Kansas City) Filmrow.”
Boxoffice, May 25, 1970: “Oren Davis, Marshfield exhibitor, died Sunday (10). Mrs. Oren (Irene) Davis announced that she would continue to operation of the theatre”
Boxoffice, Dec. 8, 1951: “Marshfield, Mo. – Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Schmidt of Niangua bought the Skyline cafe from Herman Pearce and plan to build a drive-in theatre.”