The Cañon City Daily Record wrote on Aug. 9, 2019 that Chuck and Marianne James planned to reopen the Skyline in the spring of 2020. “The Jameses were the third owners of the Skyline … (when they) first owned it from 1993 to 2004.” They bought it this time in May 2019 from the Nothdurft family, which owns the local 4 Mile Cinema. “The Jameses agreed not to run it as a commercial operation for a year.”
This photo by Stanley L. Payne is available here in the Stan Payne Collection.
The original caption from the Colorado Springs Gazette Telegraph: “Drive-In Theater Opens Wednesday – Workmen are busily adding the finishing touches to the Starlight Drive-In theater which is scheduled to Open Wednesday night two and one-half miles east of Colorado Springs on Highway 24.”
The Holly Chieftain, Jan. 24, 1948: “It was announced this week that Mr. and Mrs. Marvin Ellis, son-in-law and daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Northrup of Syracuse, Kansas have leased the Pontiac Theatre and will take over its management February 1st. The Northrups who operate a Theatre at Syracuse, have operated the Pontiac Theatre here for the past ten years. Mr. and Mrs. Ellis and small son will make their home in Holly and plan to move here as soon as living quarters are available.”
Based on its ads and stories in the Rocky Ford Daily Gazette-Topic, The Starlite held its grand opening on Thursday, March 26, 1953, with all ticket sales going to the Pioneer Memorial Hospital Fund. (They raised $245.70.) The first program was “The Girl in White” with short subjects “Thar She Blows,” “Fly Thru the Air,” and “Little Wise-Quacker.” The owners were listed as A. C. Sever, Carl Downing, and S. A. Sever.
The Chief held its grand opening on Friday, July 7, 1950, as told in ads and stories in the Rifle Telegram. The opening program was “The White Savage,” along with “All Technicolor short subjects.”
The Lake Estes Drive-In Theatre held its grand opening on Friday, May 15, 1953, based on its ad in that day’s Estes Park Trail. The opening program was “Painting the Clouds With Sunshine” and three cartoons. Adults were 80 cents, including tax, but children under 12 were free. All ladies received free Princess Aloha orchids flown in from Hawaii by owners L. L. Teuscher and D. D. “Ted” Shanks.
Thanks to a series of long articles from 1972-76, I’ve got a decent picture of the 88’s early, rocky, pre-Holshue years. This is a summary of what I read in Boxoffice:
As Kenneth James Mitchell mentioned, the “East 88th Avenue” opened in August 1971 after a neighborhood petition drive in support of a zoning variance helped it become possible. It was built by Paul Cory, who owned the Starlite Drive-In in Sterling among other theaters. That first season passed quietly, though reportedly unprofitably.
At the beginning of the 1972 season, the East 88th Avenue switched to X-rated movies. The previously supportive neighbors were very unhappy about the change. Motorists were distracted by the explicit events on-screen. So many children watched from the roof of the school across the street that the school district built a fence to keep the kids off. The drive-in asked the county for permission to build its own 30-foot fence, but was denied. The drive-in decided to erect poles to support a light screen to block the view, but the county objected, getting the courts to hold Cory in contempt until the poles came down. In November, Cory told the court that he’d sold the East 88th Street to Olympic Drive-In Theatres of St. Louis. The drive-in filed appeals, bought some car heaters, and settled in to wait out the winter.
On the afternoon of Feb. 11, 1973, a bomb went off in the concession stand, blowing a 12-inch hole in the wall and causing about $1500 damage. Earlier, some guy had assaulted manager Michael Middleton in a grocery store; the suspect was booked and released on bail.
In early March, a court issued an injunction to shut down the drive-in, but that failed because it used the wrong address. (8700 Rosemary instead of the accurate 8780 Rosemary) The East 88th Avenue reopened for the season, only to face an attempted blockade by neighbors' cars. Finally, later in the month, another court landed a successful injunction using a different tack, shutting down the drive-in until it had installed curbs, sidewalks and such as promised in its original zoning variance, to the satisfaction of the county. Which was not in the mood to be satisfied.
Somehow in May, the East 88th Avenue must have reached a settlement. The injunctions were waived as the owners promised to lay off the X-rated stuff. Projectionist Paul Rabe was installed as the new manager.
In April 1974, EMW Management of Houston sold the East 88th Avenue to Steve Eisner of Scottsdale AZ. The drive-in was listed for sale in the January 1976 classified ads, and that’s about when Bill Holshue, longtime manager of the Lake Shore Drive-In in Lakewood, came into the picture. The rest is much quieter history.
Boxoffice, June 17, 1974: “Heavy winds … destroyed the screen tower at the Mile High Drive-In, Lead, S.D., operated by Leonard Steele. A new tower is being installed and an early reopening is scheduled.”
Boxoffice, May 27, 1974: “Joe Lister has taken over the operation of the Mesa Theatre, Pagosa Spring. The house formerly has been operated by Albert Petry”
Boxoffice, April 8, 1974: “Frank McLaughlin and Lain McCoy, who operate DeLuxe Theatres in (Denver), have taken over the Lamar Theatre, Lamar. The showhouse formerly was operated by Atlas Theatres but was closed about a year ago.”
Boxoffice, Nov. 17, 1975: “MSB Associates, with headquarters in Lafayette, Colo., has entered the exhibition field and is now operating the Lamar Theatre in Lamar, Colo., as well as the Rex and L&L Drive-In in Louisville, Colo.”
Boxoffice, Dec. 3, 1973: “VERNAL, UTAH – Twin cinemas 1 and 2 had their grand opening Friday, November 23. Cinema 1 played "Lost Horizon,” while the premier offering in Cinema 2 was “Westworld,” according to Warren Mott, owner and operator of the complex."
Boxoffice, Aug. 6, 1973: “Evergreen Theatres of Colorado, headquartered in Loveland, Colo., recently opened a new 300-car ozoner on Highway 50 on the western edge of Lamar. Named the Arrow Drive-In, the theatre is operated by Vern Peterson and John Lindsay and will operate on a two-change-a-week, split-week policy.”
Thanks, Joe. I removed my note about the American and submitted that as a “new” theater on CT.
And here’s a note that’s definitely about the Fox. Boxoffice, Nov. 20, 1972: “Paul Cory has taken over the operation of the 890-seat Fox Theatre in Sterling. Cory also operates the Starlite Drive-In and the newly erected Center Theatre in the town”
Boxoffice, Nov. 6, 1972: “Cooper Theatres held a special invitational grand-opening preview October 19 in the new Wilshire Twin theatres … (which) have a total capacity of 600, seating approximately 300 in each auditorium.”
The University Hills twin cinema opened on Nov. 3, 1972, based on a Boxoffice note three days later. “Billy Jack” was the first movie in one auditorium, and “Fantasia” was the first in the other.
Boxoffice, Aug. 7, 1972: “Don Swales opened the new $200,000 600-seat Summit Theatre, located in the Four Seasons Village area of Breckenridge, with a snack and champagne party. The inaugural film attraction was "The French Connection.” Swales also operates the Crossroads Cinema in Vail, Colo., and the recently constructed Playhouse Theatre in Aspen, Colo."
Boxoffice, July 31, 1972: “DOUGLAS, WYO. – James and Patricia O'Neal have taken over the Mesa Theatre here and, as of August 2, will operate the theatre under the new name, the Carousel Cinema.”
Boxoffice, July 24, 1972: “A newcomer to the business, Roland Callies, has taken over operation of the Oshkosh Drive-In, Oshkosh, Neb. Former owners were Howard and Doreen Jensen. The theatre had been closed for about a year.”
Boxoffice, April 12, 1971: “The old Lafa Theatre, located in Lafayette, was completely destroyed by fire. The house had been closed for the past ten years.”
Boxoffice, Jan. 18, 1971: “Commonwealth Theatres has taken over the operation of the Acme and Gem theatres and the Knight Drive-In in Riverton, Wyo. The theatres had been operated by veteran exhibitor Tom Knight, who died recently.”
Boxoffice, July 13, 1970: “The Pagedale Board of Aldermen again turned down an application for an operators' license by the Olympic Drive-In. According to City Atty. Paul J. Boll, the theatre has operated without a license for several years.”
Boxoffice, May 25, 1970: “The screen tower in the Pawnee Drive-In, North Platte, Neb., was completely destroyed in a tornado-like wind. The accident happened during the daylight hours while the theatre was not in operation. The drive-in is operated by Commonwealth Theatres and manager Steve Schenck is hopeful that a new screen can be installed within the next two weeks.”
Boxoffice, May 11, 1970: “Dismantling of the old Arrow Drive-In, Julesburg, has been completed with the razing of the screen tower. The drive-in equipment was purchased and will be moved to a new location to be announced later.”
Boxoffice, April 20, 1970: “The Kit Carson Drive-In … was acquired in mid-March by Dollison Theatres, it was announced by president Les Dollison. … He said company policy dictates that X-rated movies not be shown on weekends, traditionally "family night” in his theatres."
The Cañon City Daily Record wrote on Aug. 9, 2019 that Chuck and Marianne James planned to reopen the Skyline in the spring of 2020. “The Jameses were the third owners of the Skyline … (when they) first owned it from 1993 to 2004.” They bought it this time in May 2019 from the Nothdurft family, which owns the local 4 Mile Cinema. “The Jameses agreed not to run it as a commercial operation for a year.”
This photo by Stanley L. Payne is available here in the Stan Payne Collection.
The original caption from the Colorado Springs Gazette Telegraph: “Drive-In Theater Opens Wednesday – Workmen are busily adding the finishing touches to the Starlight Drive-In theater which is scheduled to Open Wednesday night two and one-half miles east of Colorado Springs on Highway 24.”
The Holly Chieftain, Jan. 24, 1948: “It was announced this week that Mr. and Mrs. Marvin Ellis, son-in-law and daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Frank Northrup of Syracuse, Kansas have leased the Pontiac Theatre and will take over its management February 1st. The Northrups who operate a Theatre at Syracuse, have operated the Pontiac Theatre here for the past ten years. Mr. and Mrs. Ellis and small son will make their home in Holly and plan to move here as soon as living quarters are available.”
Based on its ads and stories in the Rocky Ford Daily Gazette-Topic, The Starlite held its grand opening on Thursday, March 26, 1953, with all ticket sales going to the Pioneer Memorial Hospital Fund. (They raised $245.70.) The first program was “The Girl in White” with short subjects “Thar She Blows,” “Fly Thru the Air,” and “Little Wise-Quacker.” The owners were listed as A. C. Sever, Carl Downing, and S. A. Sever.
The Chief held its grand opening on Friday, July 7, 1950, as told in ads and stories in the Rifle Telegram. The opening program was “The White Savage,” along with “All Technicolor short subjects.”
The Lake Estes Drive-In Theatre held its grand opening on Friday, May 15, 1953, based on its ad in that day’s Estes Park Trail. The opening program was “Painting the Clouds With Sunshine” and three cartoons. Adults were 80 cents, including tax, but children under 12 were free. All ladies received free Princess Aloha orchids flown in from Hawaii by owners L. L. Teuscher and D. D. “Ted” Shanks.
Thanks to a series of long articles from 1972-76, I’ve got a decent picture of the 88’s early, rocky, pre-Holshue years. This is a summary of what I read in Boxoffice:
As Kenneth James Mitchell mentioned, the “East 88th Avenue” opened in August 1971 after a neighborhood petition drive in support of a zoning variance helped it become possible. It was built by Paul Cory, who owned the Starlite Drive-In in Sterling among other theaters. That first season passed quietly, though reportedly unprofitably.
At the beginning of the 1972 season, the East 88th Avenue switched to X-rated movies. The previously supportive neighbors were very unhappy about the change. Motorists were distracted by the explicit events on-screen. So many children watched from the roof of the school across the street that the school district built a fence to keep the kids off. The drive-in asked the county for permission to build its own 30-foot fence, but was denied. The drive-in decided to erect poles to support a light screen to block the view, but the county objected, getting the courts to hold Cory in contempt until the poles came down. In November, Cory told the court that he’d sold the East 88th Street to Olympic Drive-In Theatres of St. Louis. The drive-in filed appeals, bought some car heaters, and settled in to wait out the winter.
On the afternoon of Feb. 11, 1973, a bomb went off in the concession stand, blowing a 12-inch hole in the wall and causing about $1500 damage. Earlier, some guy had assaulted manager Michael Middleton in a grocery store; the suspect was booked and released on bail.
In early March, a court issued an injunction to shut down the drive-in, but that failed because it used the wrong address. (8700 Rosemary instead of the accurate 8780 Rosemary) The East 88th Avenue reopened for the season, only to face an attempted blockade by neighbors' cars. Finally, later in the month, another court landed a successful injunction using a different tack, shutting down the drive-in until it had installed curbs, sidewalks and such as promised in its original zoning variance, to the satisfaction of the county. Which was not in the mood to be satisfied.
Somehow in May, the East 88th Avenue must have reached a settlement. The injunctions were waived as the owners promised to lay off the X-rated stuff. Projectionist Paul Rabe was installed as the new manager.
In April 1974, EMW Management of Houston sold the East 88th Avenue to Steve Eisner of Scottsdale AZ. The drive-in was listed for sale in the January 1976 classified ads, and that’s about when Bill Holshue, longtime manager of the Lake Shore Drive-In in Lakewood, came into the picture. The rest is much quieter history.
Boxoffice, Aug. 28, 1972: “National General Theatres has sold the Serf Theatre in Las Vegas, N.M., to John Brenden, who headquarters in Minneapolis”
Boxoffice, June 17, 1974: “Kuaid Quadri has taken over operation of the Serf Theatre, Las Vegas, N.M., from the former operators.”
Boxoffice, June 17, 1974: “Heavy winds … destroyed the screen tower at the Mile High Drive-In, Lead, S.D., operated by Leonard Steele. A new tower is being installed and an early reopening is scheduled.”
Boxoffice, May 27, 1974: “Joe Lister has taken over the operation of the Mesa Theatre, Pagosa Spring. The house formerly has been operated by Albert Petry”
Boxoffice, April 8, 1974: “Frank McLaughlin and Lain McCoy, who operate DeLuxe Theatres in (Denver), have taken over the Lamar Theatre, Lamar. The showhouse formerly was operated by Atlas Theatres but was closed about a year ago.”
Boxoffice, Nov. 17, 1975: “MSB Associates, with headquarters in Lafayette, Colo., has entered the exhibition field and is now operating the Lamar Theatre in Lamar, Colo., as well as the Rex and L&L Drive-In in Louisville, Colo.”
Boxoffice, Dec. 3, 1973: “VERNAL, UTAH – Twin cinemas 1 and 2 had their grand opening Friday, November 23. Cinema 1 played "Lost Horizon,” while the premier offering in Cinema 2 was “Westworld,” according to Warren Mott, owner and operator of the complex."
Boxoffice, Aug. 6, 1973: “Evergreen Theatres of Colorado, headquartered in Loveland, Colo., recently opened a new 300-car ozoner on Highway 50 on the western edge of Lamar. Named the Arrow Drive-In, the theatre is operated by Vern Peterson and John Lindsay and will operate on a two-change-a-week, split-week policy.”
Thanks, Joe. I removed my note about the American and submitted that as a “new” theater on CT.
And here’s a note that’s definitely about the Fox. Boxoffice, Nov. 20, 1972: “Paul Cory has taken over the operation of the 890-seat Fox Theatre in Sterling. Cory also operates the Starlite Drive-In and the newly erected Center Theatre in the town”
Boxoffice, Nov. 6, 1972: “Cooper Theatres held a special invitational grand-opening preview October 19 in the new Wilshire Twin theatres … (which) have a total capacity of 600, seating approximately 300 in each auditorium.”
The University Hills twin cinema opened on Nov. 3, 1972, based on a Boxoffice note three days later. “Billy Jack” was the first movie in one auditorium, and “Fantasia” was the first in the other.
Boxoffice, Aug. 7, 1972: “Don Swales opened the new $200,000 600-seat Summit Theatre, located in the Four Seasons Village area of Breckenridge, with a snack and champagne party. The inaugural film attraction was "The French Connection.” Swales also operates the Crossroads Cinema in Vail, Colo., and the recently constructed Playhouse Theatre in Aspen, Colo."
Boxoffice, July 31, 1972: “DOUGLAS, WYO. – James and Patricia O'Neal have taken over the Mesa Theatre here and, as of August 2, will operate the theatre under the new name, the Carousel Cinema.”
Boxoffice, July 24, 1972: “A newcomer to the business, Roland Callies, has taken over operation of the Oshkosh Drive-In, Oshkosh, Neb. Former owners were Howard and Doreen Jensen. The theatre had been closed for about a year.”
Boxoffice, April 12, 1971: “The old Lafa Theatre, located in Lafayette, was completely destroyed by fire. The house had been closed for the past ten years.”
Boxoffice, Jan. 18, 1971: “Commonwealth Theatres has taken over the operation of the Acme and Gem theatres and the Knight Drive-In in Riverton, Wyo. The theatres had been operated by veteran exhibitor Tom Knight, who died recently.”
Boxoffice, July 13, 1970: “The Pagedale Board of Aldermen again turned down an application for an operators' license by the Olympic Drive-In. According to City Atty. Paul J. Boll, the theatre has operated without a license for several years.”
Boxoffice, May 25, 1970: “The screen tower in the Pawnee Drive-In, North Platte, Neb., was completely destroyed in a tornado-like wind. The accident happened during the daylight hours while the theatre was not in operation. The drive-in is operated by Commonwealth Theatres and manager Steve Schenck is hopeful that a new screen can be installed within the next two weeks.”
Boxoffice, May 11, 1970: “Dismantling of the old Arrow Drive-In, Julesburg, has been completed with the razing of the screen tower. The drive-in equipment was purchased and will be moved to a new location to be announced later.”
Boxoffice, April 20, 1970: “The Kit Carson Drive-In … was acquired in mid-March by Dollison Theatres, it was announced by president Les Dollison. … He said company policy dictates that X-rated movies not be shown on weekends, traditionally "family night” in his theatres."