I heard this comment about this theatre in it’s last days: You need to take two sticks with you when you go there. One to hold up the seat and one to fight off the rats. I personally have seen a rat go across the floor the only time I ever went there.
This theatre was built for a private owner named CHARLES ROOK. He could only get second run product. His motto was “REMEMBER, it’s NEW until YOU have seen it.” He lived at the GREYSTONE hotel on the next block. He usually stood at the door and greeted the patrons. Later years, I worked there as a union projectionist when ABC was running it. They were showing chopped up X rated at the time. A bank is now on that spot.
I’m W.M.Singleton, was owner of the Encore DI. First let me correct the capacity. It was 150 cars, not 100. It was located several miles west of Wetumpka on hwy 29 near Elmore. We opened in 1951 with a 10 year land lease. Near the end of the lease, a storm got the screen and I chose not to rebuild. For one reason, television and home air conditioning was already taking a toll on drive in theatres. Sorry, but I don’t have any photos. I later moved to Montgomery and became a member of IATSE and worked as projectionist at the Capri, the Paramount, the Empire, the South Plaza DI, the Charles, but mostly the Martin Twin and Twin Oaks 4. After Carmike automated the projection system, I became part of their management team. I stayed with them a number of years until I retired. I have always loved theatre work and the projected image since I was 16 and was projectionist at the Lyric Theatre in Prattville, AL. I live in Florida now with my wife Marian.
I heard this comment about this theatre in it’s last days: You need to take two sticks with you when you go there. One to hold up the seat and one to fight off the rats. I personally have seen a rat go across the floor the only time I ever went there.
This theatre was built for a private owner named CHARLES ROOK. He could only get second run product. His motto was “REMEMBER, it’s NEW until YOU have seen it.” He lived at the GREYSTONE hotel on the next block. He usually stood at the door and greeted the patrons. Later years, I worked there as a union projectionist when ABC was running it. They were showing chopped up X rated at the time. A bank is now on that spot.
I’m W.M.Singleton, was owner of the Encore DI. First let me correct the capacity. It was 150 cars, not 100. It was located several miles west of Wetumpka on hwy 29 near Elmore. We opened in 1951 with a 10 year land lease. Near the end of the lease, a storm got the screen and I chose not to rebuild. For one reason, television and home air conditioning was already taking a toll on drive in theatres. Sorry, but I don’t have any photos. I later moved to Montgomery and became a member of IATSE and worked as projectionist at the Capri, the Paramount, the Empire, the South Plaza DI, the Charles, but mostly the Martin Twin and Twin Oaks 4. After Carmike automated the projection system, I became part of their management team. I stayed with them a number of years until I retired. I have always loved theatre work and the projected image since I was 16 and was projectionist at the Lyric Theatre in Prattville, AL. I live in Florida now with my wife Marian.