Lariat Drive-In

438356 Route 66,
Vinita, OK 74301

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Additional Info

Previously operated by: Video Independent Theaters Inc.

Styles: Rustic

Nearby Theaters

Lariat Drive-In  438356 U.S. 60, Vinita, OK...Grand Openning.

Opened on June 20, 1950 with Rod Cameron in “The Plunderers”. It was operated by Video Independent Theaters Inc. Styled with an "Old West" theme and rustic landscaping, the 300 car capacity Lariat Drive-In was a comfortable setting in which to view a double feature, short subject, and color cartoon. It was closed in 1984.

Today a church building occupies this property.

Contributed by Tumbleweed

Recent comments (view all 8 comments)

raybradley
raybradley on June 25, 2009 at 10:40 pm

Oklahoma Hysterical Society has a vintage view of the former Lariat Drive-In. To see picture type in word “Lariat”,

View link

jwmovies
jwmovies on October 18, 2012 at 8:46 pm

Now Vinita Church of Christ. Approx. address for this drive-in was 438356 U.S. 60.

dansdriveintheater
dansdriveintheater on January 17, 2019 at 10:33 am

behind the church some of the ramps still remain!

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore on February 25, 2019 at 4:43 am

I’m surprised that some of the outstanding Oklahoma drive-in historians haven’t chimed in with the details on the Lariat. All I have is my bookshelf, but here’s what I’ve got.

The Lariat was absent from the Theatre Catalog’s first two lists in their 1948-50 editions. It debuted on the TC’s third list for the 1952 edition.

The Lariat was in the first Motion Picture Almanac list, the 1950-51 edition. Here’s a summary of all of its MPA list mentions:

  • 1950-52: capacity 300, no owner
  • 1952-54: capacity 300, owner Video
  • 1958-66: capacity 300, owner Video Ind.
  • 1969-76: capacity 300, no owner info (though included in the Video Independent Theatres, Inc's holdings)
  • 1977-82: capacity 300, owner Video Indep.
  • 1983-84: 1 screen, owner Video Indep.
  • 1985: off the list

The screen was gone from the 1995 aerial photo.

Kris4077
Kris4077 on February 27, 2019 at 10:25 pm

Address is wrong its not 438356 U.S. 60 its 438356 U.S. 66 please change.

Kenmore
Kenmore on February 27, 2019 at 11:17 pm

US-66 is no longer recognized as an official highway.

However, Route or Rte 66 is recognized, so the address should be 438356 Rte 66, Vinita, OK.

US-69 also works for this address as well.

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore on January 13, 2022 at 3:11 am

The May 20, 1950 issue of BoxOffice reported that Video Theatres planned to open the Lariat on May 30. And three weeks later, BoxOffice wrote that the Lariat had opened in May.

But once again, Boxoffice reported an opening before it happened. An ad in the June 8, 1950 Vinita Leader said ““Opening Postponed due to weather delaying paving of the parking area. Opening Date June 14th” I couldn’t find any confirmation of that date, but it’s a better choice than May.

50sSNIPES
50sSNIPES on October 20, 2024 at 7:04 pm

The Lariat Drive-In opened its gates on June 20, 1950 with Rod Cameron in “The Plunderers” with no extras. It was originally scheduled to open on June 14, 1950, but was postponed to June 20 due to rain.

  • On July 9, 1950, one of the original employees of the drive-in, 15-year-old Allen Patrick of Estella, suffered minor injuries after he fell from an unknown-modeled truck that was driven at 10 MPH by another theater employee, Sam Brittain.
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