Mulberry Drive-In
4020 Florida 60,
Mulberry,
FL
33860
4020 Florida 60,
Mulberry,
FL
33860
2 people
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The Fran-Linn, Opened Its Gates On January 20, 1953 With Jeffery Hunter In “Belles On Their Toes” (Listed As “Bells On Her Toes” For Some Odd Error), Unknown If Any Short Subjects Were Added. It Was Renamed The Mulberry Drive-In In 1955.
The Closing Date Is Completely Unrecognizable, Due To The Tampa Tribune Not Completely Demonstrating Any Showings.
Nearly Half Of The Screen Was Gone, Possibly Because Of Unknown Reasons. It Was Demolished In 2011, Possibly Because Of Views Of The Screen Around The Time Captured By Google Maps Showing The Outskirts Of The Tower Loose, Possibly For Collapsing. It Was Completely Demolished By The End Of The Year.
Today, Partial Traces Can Be Seen.
In the early to mid 1950s my father worked at this theater. I was just 3-5 years old. We lived in Mulberry just a few miles east of the theater. It was my fathers job to open the theater for the evening showing. This was my fathers 2nd job. First, we would first go to the ICE house in Mulberry and pickup a ice for the concession (before commercial ice machines). We then went to the theater and open the concession, crush the ice, put the movie reel (I think we got this from the post office) in the projector room (someone else came a little later and ran the projector). Finally, my dad would go to the ticket booth and begin selling tickets. At that moment, ours was the only car in the theater. Us kids, with my mother would play on the play ground until the movie started. All this happened before sundown. I remember seeing the Creature from the Black Lagoon (scarry) and many others ….
I drove past this site today and saw that the entire screen structure has been removed. All that remains is an empty field.
Approx. address for this drive-in was 4020 Florida 60.
Video from 1997: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=90C71FTs-6g
Your welcome Chuck1231. The link to the second photo you posted is from my other Flickr account. They were all shot on the same day.
The screen is built just like the WOODZO DRIVE-IN in Newport,Tenn.only the WOODZO was painted yellow.
From looking at all the photos, it looks like the left side of the wide screen addition is still on the screen, but the right side is gone. What do you think?
Thanks drewc. and for the pictures.
I posted more images at View link
This was the Fran-Linn Drive-In Theaatre, later known as the Mulberry Drive-In Theatre.
Same Drive-in? There was a Fran-LIN DRIVE-In in Mulberry,Fla. in the late 50’s.Wonder if it is a name change?
To pin point the drive-in exactly on the Google Maps, especially the satllite and photo, go to the following (why it works so much better, I’LL never know).
PLEASE CHANGE THE ADDRESS TO,
FLORIDA 60 AT TURNER ROAD,
Thanks for the photos Chuck1231.
From my last visit in 2009.