Sunset Drive-In
1455 Imlay City Road,
Lapeer,
MI
48446
1455 Imlay City Road,
Lapeer,
MI
48446
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Boxoffice, March 9, 1970: “Harry Mohney, Durand theatre circuit operator, has purchased the Laney Drive-Ins in Michigan from Mrs. Margaret Laney, wife of the late founder. The theatres involved are: Alpena and Thunder Bay drive-ins, Alpena, and Sunset Drive-In, Lapeer. Buying and booking of films will be handled by Clark Theatre Service, Oak Park.”
Boxoffice, April 27, 1970: “Sheriff’s deputies censored movies at the Sunset Drive-In as they were being shown, under orders from the circuit court judge, on a recent Friday night. An injunction was issued at the request of the Lapeer County prosecutor, which banned the showing of "obscene” portions of the picture. Deputies and the prosecutor stood by where the film was being run and the prosecutor placed his hand in front of the projector lens to edit the film. The parts found to be objectionable were deleted for Saturday and Sunday evening showings."
The 1950 drive-in construction roundup that appeared in the Feb. 17, 1951 issue of Boxoffice included the already open Sunset in Lapeer, capacity 500 cars, owned by Robert & Harold Schuckert.
Whatever traces of ramps remained after the drive-in closed seem to be long gone. The only remnants left is part of the entrance road.
The Sunset was operational as early as 1954 but it could be opened a few years prior than that. A 1958 aerial view shows the drive-in with a new screen, meaning that there’s probably an incident with its older screen.
The Sunset closed in the mid-1980s. It appears operational between 1982 and 1983, but a 1987 aerial view shows some of its traces being occupied by a newly-made road and a small parking lot.