Prince Drive-In

Boxoffice, Jan. 17, 1953: “TUCSON – Two workmen were killed here Saturday (10) when a 57-foot screen tower wall collapsed during construction at the Prince Drive-In on East Prince road, near north Campbell avenue. One man was killed instantly beneath 20 tons of debris from the fallen screen. The second, who had loosened his safety belt and jumped from the falling screen, died at a local hospital four hours later. … Both men had been hired on the day of the accident by theatre manager Hugh Downs.”

Here’s an ad from its later years:http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:GmmbQgdwS7IJ:newspaperarchive.com/us/arizona/tucson/tucson-daily-citizen/1976/11-27/page-29+&cd=14&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=ca&lr=lang_en

The Google map pin isn’t exactly right. The theater was right at the corner of Prince and Campbell. The screen faced the street, yet in spite of this they often showed pretty racy stuff. I remember once driving by it when they were showing the nudist film, GARDEN OF EDEN. My mom was trying to steer the car and cover my eyes at the same time.

Hello, I worked at the Prince around 1970-71 best i can remember. I Was actually robbed at gun point once while working the back gate.
Still have a lot of crazy and fun memories , Mike, Larry I miss you guys.. Raul, Bill Anderson(manager) R.I.P.

Chuck..

I live a block from the former location, it’s presently apartment buildings and other private homes.

Lostmemory, thanks pal, a graet picture. I was hoping I was not seeing things. I remember I almost caused a major traffic accident,trying to pull over to get a look at this 9 screen drive-in. I started out as a projectionist at my dad`s Midway Drive-In in Pa. between Hummelstown & Middletown Pa. in 1956. I have always had a great love for them. I remember driving along in my Swift tractor trailer and seeing this place and could not remember where it was,and was really impressed.
Dave Grau (Mungo)
Norelco