Autoview Drive-In
1202 N. Pearl Street,
Tacoma,
WA
98406
1202 N. Pearl Street,
Tacoma,
WA
98406
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Now 1202 Pearl Apartments directly west of The University of Puget Sound. Please update.
1950 Auto-View reopening at new location:
The second Autoview Drive-In is a replacement of the first Autoview Drive-In after the first Autoview Drive-In’s screen was destroyed from a large early morning fire on August 31, 1948.
The second Autoview Drive-In opened its gates on April 13, 1950 with Montgomery Clift in “The Heiress” and John Payne in “Captain China” with no extra short subjects, featuring installations of RCA speakers, a 60ft high-tensile steel screen (which is larger than the previous 40x50ft screen that was used in the first Autoview), and ultramodern fireproof equipment. The second Autoview was first managed by former first Autoview operator Frank B. Smith of Tacoma.
The theater closed on September 6, 1986.
It looks like this was open as early as 1947.
Last season: 1986.
Used to live in Tacoma, and had friends who lived in the Polynesia apts. right behind the parking lot of Autoview. We used to sit on the back fence of the drive-in and watch the films. I probably saw Jaws 50 times while hanging out with friends back there. We were like ally cats on the back fence. :)
The police would come by, sometimes, to see what we were up to. As long as we didn’t cause any problems, they would let us stay, and even turned up a few speakers in the very back, so we could actually hear as well as watch.
We had a lot of fun hanging out there, on those warm summer nights, in the early 70’s.
Great name for a Drive-in.
Great picture Robert. Peter Cushing a class act!
Here is a photo from drive-ins.com circa 1947:
http://tinyurl.com/ybkdu86
A great 50’s double bill
