Summer Drive-In (first)

5150 Summer Avenue,
Memphis, TN 38122

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Additional Info

Previously operated by: Malco Theatres Inc.

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Summer Drive-In marquee lit

The original Summer Drive-In was opened by Kemmons Wilson in 1948 with Yvonne DeCarlo in “River Lady”. It was Memphis' first drive-in, and was down the street from where Wilson would open the world’s first Holiday Inn in 1952. In 1948, it was one of the country’s largest drive-in’s with a capacity for 670 cars. During winter months pipe lines laid on a concrete base were used to freeze over around an acre of the drive-in lot and provide an ice rink. It was later operated by Malco Theatres Inc. and was sold for development in 1966.

The Summer Twin Drive-In (now Summer Drive-In with 4-screens) was opened further east along Summer Avenue the same year the original Summer Drive-In closed. It is still in operation and has its own page on Cinema Treasures.

Contributed by Vincent Astor

Recent comments (view all 2 comments)

Drive-In 54
Drive-In 54 on January 28, 2014 at 3:52 pm

Thanks Vincent and Ken for fixing both listings for the Summer Drive-In.

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on October 4, 2016 at 2:23 pm

2012 article about the 1st Summer Drive-In.

http://memphismagazine.com/ask-vance/the-summer-drive-in/

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