Killarney Drive-In
11503 MO-72,
Ironton,
MO
63650
11503 MO-72,
Ironton,
MO
63650
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The Killarney Drive-In opened on July 13, 1950. It was located in Ironton to the east of Arcadia, MO. It closed on September 9, 1985 with Kevin Kline in “Silverado”. Only vague footprints and the entrance road of the drive-in can still be seen today.
Contributed by
Ken McIntyre
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Recent comments (view all 5 comments)
Approx. address for this drive-in was Missouri 72 & State Highway Jj, Arcadia, MO 63650. At the first driveway east of the intersection at the back of the property, some of the outline is still there.
This drive-in, listed in the 1952 Theatre Catalog, was set to open in June 1950. From the June 3, 1950 issue of BoxOffice:
ARCADIA, MO. – The 300-car drive-in being constructed on Route 70 by William Basden and Irwin Degonia will be named the Killarney. Equipment purchased from Joe Hornstein, Inc., St. Louis, includes a timber screen tower, Century projection and sound and Cooperative diecast speakers. The theatre will open this month.
I think the actual address of this theater is 11503 MO-72 Ironton, MO 63650. There is a house and a pond on the property now but you can still see the ramps. Unless this property was another drive-in theater.
Molly and Irvin Degonia partnered with Bill and Violet Basden to launch the Killarney Drive-In Theatre named after nearby Killarney Lake opening July 13, 1950. The partners opened on a 35-year leasing agreement.
The theater’s future was threatened three times - once when the land owner announced the creation of a pig farm and twice during storms in 1965 is and 1973 (during a screening of “Wrath of God”) that tore down the screen tower. One closure led to a sign on the Killarney’s attractor reading, “Closed Temporaly” (sic) which confused the local newspaper.
“Gone with the Wind” had the most successful run with fireworks nights always at capacity for the seasonally-operated ozoner. But the Killarney closed at the end of its 35-year leasing agreement on September 9, 1985 with “Silverado” and “Perfect.” An article five years later found the operators still on the adjoining property with the original, matching Ashcroft projectors still functional and ready to go despite never reopening.
A closer address is 11503 MO-72, Ironton, MO. As mentioned previously by Kris4077. This places it right on the property.
Today, it is private property with a house that sits on the same spot where the projection booth/concession stand once stood. The only remnants of the drive-in are the entrance/exit road and faint hints of ramps that can barely be seen on the southern end of the property.
https://tinyurl.com/4s3h884v