Big Sky Drive-In

4111 W. Indian School Road,
Phoenix, AZ 85019

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Additional Info

Previous Names: Tab Drive-In, Vale Drive-In

Nearby Theaters

Big Sky Marquee 1983

The Tab Drive-In opened October 18, 1956 with Glenn Ford in “Jubal” & Pedro Armendariz in “The Littlest Outlaw”. It was renamed Vale Drive-In on February 22, 1958. In 1959 it was renamed Big Sky Drive-In. It operated until 1985. Car capacity was 400.

Contributed by Lost Memory

Recent comments (view all 13 comments)

Shawn_B
Shawn_B on August 12, 2017 at 12:31 am

In between the Pawn Now and what used to be a Kmart, there is a strip of land that I believe was the driveway for the Big Sky. I always remember seeing the sign for the Kmart when I saw movies there. In the 80’s, they were showing rock movies. I remember seeing “Song Remains the Same” there.

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore on March 28, 2019 at 7:56 pm

The Oct. 24, 1956 issue of the Motion Picture Exhibitor reported “The Tab Drive-In, 4227 West Indian School, opened last week. The spot is owned and operated by Hi-Plains Picture Company, in which Wayne Arnold, Everett Toomey, and Marvin Bell are partners.

“The new ozoner is equipped with a wide screen and the latest sound equipment. Six playground units for children are being built and a snack bar is included in plans.”

Note that this address matches several ads posted in the Photo section here.

davidcoppock
davidcoppock on May 10, 2019 at 8:33 am

Opened as Tab Drive-in with some cartoons(not named), “Jubal” and “Littlest outlaw”. Opened as as Vale Drive-in with “Jack Slade” and “Panhandle”.

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore on January 17, 2020 at 4:52 pm

Boxoffice, Aug. 10, 1957: “The operators of the Tab Drive-In have filed a petition for bankruptcy.”

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore on January 19, 2020 at 1:31 pm

Boxoffice, Aug. 10, 1957: “The operators of the Tab Drive-In have filed a petition for bankruptcy.”

Boxoffice, March 24, 1958: “Wayne Arnold has renamed the Sage Drive-In in Phoenix the Vale”

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore on April 8, 2021 at 10:04 pm

Boxoffice, Oct. 27, 1956: “The Tab, newest drive-in theatre (in Phoenix), will show movies from dusk to dawn as long as patrons are on hand, according to Manager Wayne Arnold”

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore on July 12, 2021 at 9:07 am

Sage Drive-In grand opening adSage Drive-In grand opening ad 10 Oct 1957, Thu Arizona Republic (Phoenix, Arizona) Newspapers.com

The Sage / Vale was definitely on West Indian School Road, near where aerial photos show a drive-in by 1958 through 1986. (The screen was gone in 1987.) Please add Sage Drive-In as a Previous Name here.

davidcoppock
davidcoppock on July 12, 2021 at 9:34 am

Reopened on 10/10/1957 with “Duel in the sun” and “Funny face”.

davidcoppock
davidcoppock on July 12, 2021 at 9:38 am

Reopened on 10/10/1957 as Sage Drive-in.

davidcoppock
davidcoppock on July 12, 2021 at 9:44 am

Reopened as Vale Drive-in on 22/2/1958 with “Jack Slade” and “Panhandle”.

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