Snak-Vu Drive-In
1715 44th Street,
Columbus,
GA
31904
1715 44th Street,
Columbus,
GA
31904
1 person
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Nearby Theaters
Opened on October 30, 1964 with Harry VonZell in “Micro-Spook”. The Snak-Vu Drive-In was a small drive-in located on the Manchester Expressway. It was the brain child of Curt Drady, a man who was well ahead of his time. Curt had the idea that if you could locate your concession near the street, you could keep it open during the day and make money while other drive-ins were closed. He also used FM radio to broadcast the sound to the cars instead of speakers on post. The only problem is that cars weren’t equipped with FM radios in those days. To solve this he passed out small FM transistor radios as you entered the theater and collected them at the exit.
The Snak-Vu Drive-In only held about 100 cars and the idea was that you ordered your food at a window as you entered the theater. Then you made a loop around the perimeter of the lot arriving back at another window in the concession to pick up your order. Then you found a place to park and watch the movie. The movie was free with your order. Curt couldn’t compete for feature films. Martin Theaters made sure he couldn’t get films. What an embarrassment! Curt had built a drive-in smack in the middle of Martin’s home town, their national headquarters. The only films Curt could rent were short subjects, Three Stooges comedies, and old serials. He put together a forty minute program that repeated itself throughout the evening.
Contributed by
Sam McQuagg JR, John Gilbert
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 7 comments)
Part of the overview did not upload. Credit for same should go to John Gilbert. Read Here http://www.columbusgeorgiaonline.com/drive_in_chapter2.htm
This is of interest to me because my Grandfather Curt Baggett was Curt Drady’s very good friend. They collaborated on the Rexview (pre Martin) and the Snak-Vu. Curt Baggett owned Seban INC, a TV and Appliance store in Columbus for many years before closing about 1980.
thanks guys great to see someone from Columbus on Ct.I put a lot of your theatres on, because i was thinking no one would.
Interesting concept and name!! When did it open and close? Is it still at all, unused?
Is any of the drive-in still there?
The Snak-Vu opened on October 30, 1964 with Harry VonZell in “Micro-Spook” along with the 1949 Fox And Crow Color Rhapsody “Grape Nutty” and a sports-reel “Russlin' Rampage”.
A 1968 aerial shows the drive-in intact with the screen up, but it is quite small. I doubt that you could put more than 30 cars in that small space. By 1981, the screen was gone.
Today, the property is home to Delta Motor Company, a used car dealership. Only the projection booth remains.