Lakeside Drive-In

MichaelKilgore on January 7, 2022 at 7:15 am

Just sayin', the use of the one-word Lakeside in this drive-in’s name vs. two words was about 10-1 in Boxoffice. Its ads in the Conneautville Courier and Greenville Record-Argus used the one-word name. And yes, I’m a little ashamed to care about which is correct. Here’s a data dump:

Boxoffice, April 16, 1949: “Conneaut Lake, Pa. - 425-car drive-in planned by F. E. Hasley, East Pittsburgh operator, and Sam Yakins (sic), Coverdale exhibitor.”

Boxoffice, May 14, 1949: “Conneaut Lake, Pa. - Lakeside Drive-In, 425 cars, to open soon for F. E. Hasley, East Pittsburgh, and Sam Yakish, Coverdale.”

Boxoffice, June 4, 1949: “Two Pittsburgh exhibitors, F. E. Hasley and Sam Yakish, are making plans for the opening of their new Lakeside Drive-In near Conneaut Lake, Pa.”

Variety, June 22, 1949: “Leonard Tischler acquired Colonial, Coverdale, Pa., from Sam Yakish, who will devote all his time to Lakeside drive-in at Conneaut Lake which he and Elmer Hasley, East Pittsburgh exhib, are opening soon.”

Boxoffice, Sept. 11, 1961: “Something different and fascinating is the early evening projection at Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Hasley’s Lakeside Drive-In Theatre, Conneaut Lake, Pa. Starting just before dusk, a cartoon is projected via special lens to make a strong 12x16 picture and then, in turn, each following film subject becomes larger via change of machines, change of lens and change of aperatures. After about six different sizes, each one progressively larger, darkness has set in and the feature picture is projected wide-screen on the giant concrete screen tower. The Hasleys, veterans in exhibition, have remodeled and outfitted the concessions.”

Boxoffice, Nov. 12, 1962: “Elmer Hasley closed the Lakeside Drive-In at Conneaut Lake several weeks ago, when one weekend night not one car entered the property, and he knew the season was over. His season was three weeks late opening this year and three weeks earlier in closing.”

Boxoffice, Dec. 12, 1966: “Mr. and Mrs. Elmer Hasley are installing a complete sewage system at their Lakeside Drive-In at Conneaut Lake. The septic system will be removed”

Boxoffice, Sept. 23, 1968: “Exhibitor F. Elmer Hasley sr., 66, a member of the motion picture industry for nearly half a century, died Thursday (12) while en route to a Shrine ceremonial at Atlantic City. Hasley, together with his wife Mildred, owned and managed the Lake Side Drive-In at Conneaut Lake.”

Boxoffice, May 19, 1969: “Chester DeMarsh Theatres acquired the LakeSide Drive-In, Conneaut Lake, the transfer being made from Mrs. F. Elmer Hasley”

Boxoffice, June 9, 1969: “Chester DeMarsh Theatres opened the Lakeside Drive-In at Conneaut Lake, recently leased from Mrs. F. Elmer Hasley.”

Boxoffice, March 22, 1971: “Sam Yakish, in many years past an exhibitor at Coverdale, now Bethel Park, … was a partner in exhibition at a drive-in at Conneaut Lake with the late Frederick Elmer Hasley”

Boxoffice, Jan. 1, 1973: “PITTSBURGH - Cinemette Corp. of America, with headquarters in the Fulton Building here, has brought its total screens to 80 with the acquisition of 12 theatres from the Chester DeMarsh circuit … units acquired by Cinemette include: … Lakeside Drive-In, Conneaut Lake, Pa.”