Robin Drive-In
6903 W. State Street,
Rockford,
IL
61102
6903 W. State Street,
Rockford,
IL
61102
3 people
favorited this theater
The Robin Drive-In, one of three outdoor theaters located around Rockford at one time (also including the Belford Drive-In and Sunset Drive-In), it was opened on August 11, 1950 with William Holden in “Father Was a Bachelor”. It could park 726 cars. On May 29, 1984 a tornado knocked down the screen and it was re-erected about a month later. The Robin Drive-In was closed on August 5, 1985 with Chevey Chase in “Fletch” & Steve Martin in “All of Me”.
The property is still undeveloped, though traces of the drive-in, like the frame of the marquee and the foundation of the concession stand, still exist, though the area has become heavily overgrown.
Contributed by
Bryan
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Recent comments (view all 9 comments)
I uploaded an aerial photo of the drive-in as well as its grand opening ad from August 11th, 1950.
As kids, we used to love The Robin. Not for the movies, but because of the great kiddie playground in front of the screen. We’d sometimes become disappointed when we’d have to go back to the car when the movies started.
It was owned by the Robin Theatre Company in 1956.
Two 1950 photos added courtesy of the Rockford Rewind Facebook page.
Too bad that the Robin wasn’t repaired and reopened after the tornado. As a child, I went to the movies here with my parents. My parents didn’t have a great marriage and it was no surprise when they divorced. But they were always in a good mood when they went to the Robin, no matter what issues they had.
The property sat for years after the drive-in closed basically untouched until 2005 or so when everything was removed.
Today, the land is clear with no trace that a drive-in ever existed. Even the foundation for the concession stand has been removed.
Motion Picture Herald, Jan. 27, 1951: “The H & E Balaban circuit purchased two drive-ins, the 600 car Hilltop at Joliet and the 750 car Robbins (sic) at Rockford.”
Opened on August 11, 1950 with William Holden in “Father Is A Bachelor” and the full-length March Of Time film “The Golden Twenties” (unknown if extras added).
Right after the screen got knocked by the May 29, 1984 tornado, it actually didn’t end its life. Employees help put the screen back up and reopened the Robin around a month later. The Robin Drive-In closed for the final time on August 5, 1985 with “Fletch” and “All Of Me”.