I saw a post from The Courier Record newspaper a “Photo from the Past” on Facebook. The picture shows damage to the drive-in. In the caption, it mentions that the drive-in survived Hurrican Hazel in 1954 (90 mph winds) and that country music stars such as Roy Acuff and Hank Williams played at the drivein. It also mentions that the Crewe, Burkeville, Kenbridge, and Victoria drive-ins had closed by then (1986).
I found an advertisement for this theater in the January 7, 1961, issue of the Roanoke Times. Movies showing that day were “Edge of Eternity” with Cornell Wilde at 1:44, 5:48, & 9:52; “Flying Fontaines” at 12:20, 4:24, & 8:28; and “3rd Color Hit” - “7th Cavalry” with Randolph Scott at 11:05, 3:09, & 7:13. Starting the next day was “Where the Hot Wind Blows” with Gina Lollabrigida plus John Wayne, Henry Fonday, and Shirley Temple in “Fort Apache.”
I found this picture in a scrapbook at a family reunion I attended this past weekend. The movie showing “Desert of Lost Men” was released in November 1951.
I just submitted an advertisement I scanned from the “Lynchburg News” that shows what I remember of the Paramount, that it was only showing X-rated movies by the 1970s. I remember my father telling me he remembered 6 theaters being downtown when he was growing up. The Paramount and Boonsboro must have been owned by the same institution or individual because the ads are together in one block.
The above is an advertisement I copied from the Halifax Gazette newspaper, dated 20 October 1949. I have an account with Fold3.com and for whatever lucky reason, images of the newspaper are available there.
We drove by there yesterday. Faye & Copeland Roads are merely grass paths now. The ticket booth is gone. I posted a picture of the remains of the projection booth / concession stand. Gaston Volunteer Fire Dept. has taken over part of site with plans to build & enlarge.
My first movie there as a VT student was “Mandingo.” I saw many movies there; one of my favorites was getting to see “Dirty Dancing” there the weekend it opened. This is also where I saw “Blazing Saddles” for the first time.
I went to see Disney’s “Jungle Book” and “The Aristocats” in this theatre. The last movie I ever saw in it was “Willard.” I will say that the Feds didn’t own that building; they sold the old court house to the city for its use and leased the structure built on the Warner site. The new Federal Court House is a wonderful building adapting and adding to an old school. They left the “warner site” because that building had sick building syndrome.
I never got to see any movies at the drive-in. I always read the Lynchburg paper to see what was playing at all the drive-ins around. My now husband took me to see Once Upon a Midnight (I think was the title – it was a Sidney Sheldon novel) at the twin hardtop built later on.
I got to see “Song of the South” for the very first time in this theatre. My parents took my cousins, my sister, and me to see SotS when Disney re-released it in the early 1970s. What a wonderful experience!
I found above picture reprinted in the South Boston newspaper (News & Record). If you look at the windows of preceeding building, I believe it shows that the Princess was located on Wilborne Avenue, not Main Street, where Halifax Theatre “is.”
I saw a post from The Courier Record newspaper a “Photo from the Past” on Facebook. The picture shows damage to the drive-in. In the caption, it mentions that the drive-in survived Hurrican Hazel in 1954 (90 mph winds) and that country music stars such as Roy Acuff and Hank Williams played at the drivein. It also mentions that the Crewe, Burkeville, Kenbridge, and Victoria drive-ins had closed by then (1986).
I found an advertisement for this theater in the January 7, 1961, issue of the Roanoke Times. Movies showing that day were “Edge of Eternity” with Cornell Wilde at 1:44, 5:48, & 9:52; “Flying Fontaines” at 12:20, 4:24, & 8:28; and “3rd Color Hit” - “7th Cavalry” with Randolph Scott at 11:05, 3:09, & 7:13. Starting the next day was “Where the Hot Wind Blows” with Gina Lollabrigida plus John Wayne, Henry Fonday, and Shirley Temple in “Fort Apache.”
I found this picture in a scrapbook at a family reunion I attended this past weekend. The movie showing “Desert of Lost Men” was released in November 1951.
I just submitted an advertisement I scanned from the “Lynchburg News” that shows what I remember of the Paramount, that it was only showing X-rated movies by the 1970s. I remember my father telling me he remembered 6 theaters being downtown when he was growing up. The Paramount and Boonsboro must have been owned by the same institution or individual because the ads are together in one block.
My father took me to see “Bonnie & Clyde” as well as “Bullitt” there. My mother & sister sat in the back & went to sleep on “Bullitt.”
The above is an advertisement I copied from the Halifax Gazette newspaper, dated 20 October 1949. I have an account with Fold3.com and for whatever lucky reason, images of the newspaper are available there.
We drove by there yesterday. Faye & Copeland Roads are merely grass paths now. The ticket booth is gone. I posted a picture of the remains of the projection booth / concession stand. Gaston Volunteer Fire Dept. has taken over part of site with plans to build & enlarge.
Picture taken on Saturday, 31 August 2013
I think this should be a link to an arial view of Gaston Drive In.
http://maps.yahoo.com/place/?lat=36.501968602161924&lon=-77.64588887872378&q=259%20Old%20Emporia%20Rd%2C%20Gaston%2C%20NC&t=h&bb=36.503090738949695%2C-77.64822384480794%2C36.50084646537415%2C-77.64355391263962&addr=259%20Old%20Emporia%20Rd%2C%20Gaston%2C%20NC%2027832-9548
My husband & I went to see the Buddy Holly story there during the late 1970s. I remember thinking that the theater would be wonderful to restore.
My first movie there as a VT student was “Mandingo.” I saw many movies there; one of my favorites was getting to see “Dirty Dancing” there the weekend it opened. This is also where I saw “Blazing Saddles” for the first time.
I went to see Disney’s “Jungle Book” and “The Aristocats” in this theatre. The last movie I ever saw in it was “Willard.” I will say that the Feds didn’t own that building; they sold the old court house to the city for its use and leased the structure built on the Warner site. The new Federal Court House is a wonderful building adapting and adding to an old school. They left the “warner site” because that building had sick building syndrome.
I never got to see any movies at the drive-in. I always read the Lynchburg paper to see what was playing at all the drive-ins around. My now husband took me to see Once Upon a Midnight (I think was the title – it was a Sidney Sheldon novel) at the twin hardtop built later on.
I got to see “Song of the South” for the very first time in this theatre. My parents took my cousins, my sister, and me to see SotS when Disney re-released it in the early 1970s. What a wonderful experience!
I found above picture reprinted in the South Boston newspaper (News & Record). If you look at the windows of preceeding building, I believe it shows that the Princess was located on Wilborne Avenue, not Main Street, where Halifax Theatre “is.”