Starlite Drive-In
2011 W. Broadway Avenue,
Sulphur,
OK
73086
2011 W. Broadway Avenue,
Sulphur,
OK
73086
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The actual opening date is May 8, 1950 with William Bendix in “Life Of Riley” with no extra short subjects.
Boxoffice, Aug. 5, 1963: “W. T. Kerr, Sulphur, … was also a partner in a drive-in, the Starlight, which was destroyed in a windstorm and never reopened. His partner was Mrs. Izah Adams, who operated the Ritz Theatre, Sulphur, for many years, but who is no longer in the theatre business."
The theatre’s final day of operation was July 14, 1955 when a windstorm knocked down the tower. Unfortunately, a car full of people sought shelter at the tower and the car was crushed by the tower causing three of the storm’s six injuries. The theatre was demolished for a potential hospital site.
The June 10, 1950 issue of BoxOffice included the Starlite, “owned by Waite Kerr and Mrs. Izaah Adams”, in its list of newly built drive-ins that opened in May 1950. It also included the Comet in that list.
A more accurate address for this theater is 2011 W Broadway Ave, Sulphur, OK 73086. This points directly to the drive in itself. Now Arbuckle Memorial Hospital.
Please update.
Both the Starlite Drive-In and Comet Drive-In opened in spring 1948 on Hwy 7, ¼ west of Sulphur. They were across the street from each other, with the Comet on the north side and the Starlite to the south. Only one survived into the 1960s, the Comet, as the Starlite had disappeared in the 1960 aerial photo.
Here is a 1954 aerial photo showing both drive-ins, courtesy of Earth Explorer and USGS:
http://flic.kr/p/9bUgPC
Here is a 1960 aerial photo showing the Comet Drive-In on the north sideof Hwy 7, and no more Starlite Drive-In:
http://flic.kr/p/9bUnfs