Carlyle Lake Drive-In

The Car-Breeze Drive-In launched April 30, 1953 with “Babes in Bagdad.” The theatre was located between Carlyle and Beckemeyer and Breese getting the name the Car-Breeze. In 1955, the theatre had a gala re-grand opening when the theatre converted to widescreen playing the CinemaScope “Chief Crazy Horse” on Easter Sunday.

In 1968, the venue would become the Carlyle Lake Drive-In. In 1976, the Carlyle Lake Drive-In ran into both labor issues and local indecency claims – the latter for showing R rated movies without blocking views to U.S. Highway 50. It appears to have closed at the end of the season. The Open Air Flea Market at the Carlyle Lake Drive-In, however, did use the facility for each of the next four seasons.

“The Car-Breeze Drive-In suffered damages estimated at around $15,000 during a recent electrical storm and severe wind. The large screen, tower and fence at the drive-in were blown down.” — Boxoffice, July 18, 1960

The location where this drive-in was located is now 16000 Old US 50, Carlyle IL 62231.

Please update.

It was in between the towns of Carlyle and Breese – hence the name Car-Breez. ;–)

That’s exactly where it was. There are 4 concrete pieces in the ground that used to support the movie screen. This was all before my time, I’m only 30 years old, but I remember the concession stand as it basically sat in the middle of a field (little did I know it used to be an old drive-in theater!

The Car-Breeze was so named because it was located between Carlyle and Breese on Highway 50. After it closed, the screen was demolished and old farm implements were stored on the site. Tall weeds grew around the projection booth, and a local business attached a plywood sign to the old marquee. Recently [2002], the plywood sign disappeared — along with most of the farm implements — and the concession booth was recently demolished. It could hold up to 200 cars.