Milford Red and Blue Drive-In
230 Cherry Street,
Milford,
CT
06460
230 Cherry Street,
Milford,
CT
06460
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Two screens on May 10th, 1978 and its last season was in 1985.
Billboard, July 24, 1954: “One of the first drive-in theaters in the country, E. M. Loew’s 850-car capacity Milford (Conn.) Drive-In, is to undergo extensive remodeling, including installation of a 76-foot-wide screen, according to George E. Landers, the circuit’s Hartford, Conn., division manager. The theater will have a new concession building, lounges and relandscaping.”
According to notes in the June 1940 issues of The Exhibitor, the Milford’s second year was delayed by local protests. It opened June 26 that year “with individual amplifiers for cars.”
This was my assigned Drive-In to manage summer of 1979. The Sat. Flea Market was huge and almost always sold out. Went to work Friday afternoon and worked straight thru two big drive-in nights and flea market to early Sunday morning. Ahh to be young again. Not sure what year it closed to make way for the Showcase Cinema that followed.
Opened May 26, 1939 (opening day ad uploaded to photos) and originally advertised as the Drive-in Theatre Milford. Operated in the ‘40s by Carl Hellpen for the EM Loew chain, which also ran drive-ins in Montville (Norwich-New London DI) and elsewhere in CT.
lol They showed xxx movies in the early ‘80’s. I saw some there and also watched just the top of the screen many times from the pizza place across the street (Mama Teresa’s?).
Saw many movies here during late 60’s & early 70’s. Remember seeing Woodstock, The Incredible two headed transplant, The Dr. Phibes movies and plenty of AIP Corman pictures.
230 Cherry St, Milford, CT 06460
The above address will map accurately to the location of the drive-in.
Here is a 1960 aerial photo of the drive-in, courtesy of Earth Explorer and USGS.
Any Photos?
Here is an August 1958 ad from the Bridgeport Post:
http://tinyurl.com/p7b9xk
View link
Oops. Forgot to add that the 1963 address is on 230 Cherry Street.
The Milford/Orange City Directory from 1939 shows the drive-in as “Drive-In Auto Theatres Corp” on Boston Post Road. In 1942 it becomes “Loew’s EM Theatre”. In 1956 it changes again to “Milford Drive-In”. In 1963 it’s “Northeast Drive-In” and disappears from the 1972 directory.
Recently, the Showcase Cinemas that replaced the Drive In were themselves closed down for a newer, bigger Cine-showbox-plex located in the CT Post Mall, a short distance down the road.