W. 5th Ave. Drive-In

900 W. 5th Avenue,
Columbus, OH 43212

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Showing 8 comments

Mark_L
Mark_L on June 22, 2012 at 11:48 pm

DAK8601 is correct, the theatre opened on 5/1/1953, with a Grand Opening on 7/1/1953. In the Grand Opening ad, there is a “best wishes” ad from West Fifth Auto Sales which was directly in front of the theatre.

Mark_L
Mark_L on August 22, 2011 at 12:33 pm

Looking at an aerial picture from 1957, there does appear to be a car lot in front of the theatre. I can see cars parked very closely together on the west side of a barn like building. In a 1971 shot, this structure is gone.

DAK8601
DAK8601 on August 22, 2011 at 4:09 am

Thanks, Mark_L for the great find! So cool to finally see some pictures of the theater! Does it look to you like there was a car lot on W 5th in front of the theater?

Reading through Columbus Dispatch, looks like theater opened to public May 1 and then held grand opening July 11. Maybe once all the final details had been nailed down?

Mark_L
Mark_L on August 16, 2011 at 8:50 pm

Official name was “West 5th Avenue Auto Theatre”. This theatre was planned as a year-round operation.

Mark_L
Mark_L on July 16, 2011 at 1:29 pm

Opened 7/11/1953 with TITANIC (starring Clifton Webb & HITCHHIKER. Advertised “Spacious Entrance and Exit for safety & speed, completely paved parking for greater safety and protection of your car, new and convenient Snack Bar easily accessible for all patrons, Latest Improved Individual speakers for each car, and Enjoy your movies in the cool of the evening.” Among others, good wishes were extended by Crumley Hudson (Columbus' only Hudson dealer), Howard Johnson Restaurant, Marble Cliff Quarries and the Circle Drive In (Stop in after the movie — Convenient Curb service.)

DAK8601
DAK8601 on April 19, 2011 at 3:17 am

July 4, 1974- “Spend a night with the nurses!”

Dusk til Dawn all-nurses show at the W. 5th Ave. Drive-In kicks off with “Candy Stripe Nurses,” then “Night Call Nurses,” followed by “Student Nurses,” next “Private Duty Nurses,” and finally “Young Nurses.”

DAK8601
DAK8601 on April 11, 2011 at 2:53 am

Program Friday, April 19 & 20, 1974- Dusk til Dawn horror quintuple feature. “I Dismember Mama,” “Blood-Splattered Bride,” and three other living dead features.

“Up-Chuck Cup” and Sanity Insurance policies offered to all patrons—just in case.

Free breakfast and a pass to a future show offered to patrons making it to dawn.

Pure drive-in.

Mark_L
Mark_L on May 26, 2010 at 4:01 am

On May 3, 1965, the screen was blown down by a storm, and the drive-in was forced to close. It reopened with a new screen on 5/17/1965.