Wadsworth Indoor Drive-In
5050 Wadsworth Boulevard,
Arvada,
CO
80002
5050 Wadsworth Boulevard,
Arvada,
CO
80002
3 people
favorited this theater
The Wadsworth Indoor Drive-In was opened May 8, 1954 with Donald O'Conner in “Walking My Baby Back Home” and John Lund in “Battle at Apache Pass”. Operated by Lee Theatres Inc., it could accommodate 1,000 cars. There was a 502-seat, air conditioned theatre in a 145 feet long building which opened July 11, 1954. This building also housed the projection booth, concessions area and a five-room apartment for the manager. The CinemaScope screen was 96 feet wide.
It was still open in 1978 and was demolished in the late-1970’s. The marquee roadside sign was saved and has been installed at a different location.
Contributed by
Ken Roe
Want to be emailed when a new comment is posted about this theater?
Just login to your account and subscribe to this theater.
Recent comments (view all 17 comments)
There’s a large article, over two pages with photos, about the construction of the Wadsworth in the June 5, 1954 Better Theatres Section of the Motion Picture Herald. It concludes by noting that C. K. Lee, head of Lee Theatres, Inc., Denver, “owner of the theatre, also has two Colorado Springs drive-ins and the Monaca (sic), Denver.”
From the Aug. 20, 1955 Motion Picture Herald:
“Because of a petition asking that he be enabled to collect $40,000 put into the theatre, Max Weinstein caused the closing of the Wadsworth drive-in. A hearing was set for this week and the theatre will be sold at public auction Aug. 29. Built in 1954, the theatre is said to have cost $348,000.”
The saga continued. From the Apr. 21, 1956 Motion Picture Herald:
Merf Evans, manager of the Denham, has formed A-Best-Drive-In, Inc., and the company has leased the closed Wadsworth, a 1,000-car drive-in, in a Denver suburb, for 10 years. Terms of the lease are for nine per cent of ticket sales, five per cent of concession income, and 25 per cent of net profits before income taxes. Evans is president of the company and will be managing director.
The April 17, 1954 issue of Billboard provided more background:
New to the Denver area is the indoor-outdoor theater now nearing completion in the Northwest section of the city. Construction of the Wadsworth drive-in marks the culmination of a long-time dream of L. K. Lee, general manager of Lee Theaters of Greeley, Colorado Springs and Denver. It will serve an area of nearly 50,000 patrons. Featuring a double ramp arrangement for 1,000 cars and seating capacity for 600 patrons in the glass enclosed, air-conditioned indoor theater, all will view the same 96-foot CinemaScope screen. This, plus the latest in-car electric heaters, will make the drive-in a year-round operation. Also available will be rides for children, adjacent to the theater’s picnic area. An open-view, stainless steel cafeteria will dispense hot and cold foods. Lee came to Denver from Oklahoma in 1945. His first venture in the Denver area was a partnership in the Arvada. He helped build the Motorena, Greeley, in 1949 and had a hand in construction of the drive-in at Torrington, Wyo. Others with which he is connected are the Kar-Vu, Brighton, and the Monace Drive-In, Denver. LeRoy Ramsey, former manager of the Tower Theater, Denver, has been named manager of the Wadsworth. Victor Love, of Ad Film, Inc., will continue to do publicity and advertising for the five Lee theaters.
And the June 5, 1954 edition kept those details gushing:
The second drive-in to open in the Denver area within six weeks pulled excellent crowds as the Lee Theater chain opened its 1,000-car Wadsworth Drive-In. The opening was postponed for a week due to bad weather, but the delay gave LeRoy Ramsey opportunity for more advertising and promotional stunts. … At the Wadsworth, utilizing both indoor and outdoor facilities, the Lee brothers have instigated a permanent policy of admitting every 50th car free. Opening festivities included free gifts for every customer and special kid gimmicks.
Billboard, Aug. 28, 1954:
One of the largest drive-in crowds of the season jammed L. K. Lee’s Wadsworth Drive-In in Denver recently for the opening of a week’s run of “Bob and Sally.” Opening night saw cars lined up for more than 30 blocks with an estimated 500 cars turned away from the educational film on marital relations. A slight objection raised by church and civic groups in the suburb where the theater is located did nothing to hurt the box office. This latest addition to the Lee chain has had a tough uphill fight for its share of the auto theater trade in a city already boasting over 20 well established drive-in’s, but manager Walter Wright is beginning to see results of an extensive promotion campaign. Radio and newspaper advertising are keeping the theater’s name in front of the public, but a permanent policy of allowing every 50th car in free helps develop location identification.
The Wadsworth’s Grand Opening ad on May 8, 1954, promised a program of “Walking My Baby Back Home” with Donald O'Connor, “The Stand at Apache River” with Stephen McNally, and an unfortunately named “Kolor Kartoon Karnival”. The same program was advertised the next three days, so that’s probably what really happened.
I’ve put together a booking history for the Wadsworth Drive-in, from 1954 up to 1978 so far, in case anyone might like to know when a particular movie played there. I’ll be happy to share my research with you. Take care – Ken Mitchell ()
My Father LeRoy Ramsey was the first manager of this theater. I remember going to the construction site on the weekends while it was being built. We lived in the apartment above the indoor auditorium. Rather cool being a youngster and having your own private movie theater.
i would like to know which drive-ins and indoor theatres in colorado had shown star wars the first one
The complete grand opening ad posted.