Sage Drive-In
3285 E. Andy Devine Avenue,
Kingman,
AZ
86401
3285 E. Andy Devine Avenue,
Kingman,
AZ
86401
1 person
favorited this theater
One of the many drive-ins on old Route 66, the Sage Drive-In was located on E. Andy Devine Avenue, and was one of the first things drivers from back east saw when driving west to Kingman. Opened on September 14, 1956 with Fess Parker in “Davy Crockett and the River Pirates” & Rory Calhoun in “Raw Edge”. It closed in 1968.
Contributed by
Jeff Zimmer
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Recent comments (view all 10 comments)
Here’s a link to a picture of the Sage Drive In marquee from back in 1968: View link
Nice 1968 marquee shot.
This one was taken out by US Hwy 40! Approx. location was where Bank St. & McDonald Ave. met.
This was actually not on Route 66 (E. Devine Ave). You had to go east on E. Evelyn to McDonald and north to the drive-in’s entrance. The westbound exit for Rte. 66 is where it stood.
This is pretty close:
3285 E Andy Devine Ave
Kingman, AZ 86401
The Arizona Republic ran the following note on Sept. 19, 1956: “Kingman now has a drive-in theater, The Sage, managed by Ira Rawlings. Rawlings also manages the States Theater in Kingman. The Lang Theater Corp. owns both theaters.”
High winds toppled the screen a few months later, per an AP story printed Apr. 7, 1957 in the Republic.
Motion Picture Almanac drive-in list appearances:
Here’s a fresh link to that great 1968 marquee photo by Fronske Studio in the Northern Arizona University archives.
From the Oct. 13, 1956 Motion Picture Herald:
The latest drive-in to become a part of the Harry L. Nace circuit is the new Sage drive-in, in Kingman, Ariz., with a 400-car capacity.
Boxoffice, April 13, 1957: “An east Kingman suburb was blacked out for 30 minutes when a 60 mph wind felled a large outdoor theatre screen across a power line. The screen was at the Sage Drive-In about three miles east of Kingman.”
The Gage’s first appearance in the Arizona Republic movie page, in fine print without a mention of a grand opening, was on Sept. 14, 1956. The double feature was “Davy Crockett and the River Pirates” and “Raw Edge”.
As to when it closed, if Kingman phone books suddenly stopped listing it in 1968, that was probably its final season. (We know it opened that year thanks to the sign photo with “Sgt. Ryker”.) The Motion Picture Almanac’s drive-in list was mostly on autopilot in 1967-76.
The 1968 date for closing is likely correct. The overpass for I-40 was completed there in 1969.