Cinema C Drive-In
8300 NW 10th Street,
Oklahoma City,
OK
73127
8300 NW 10th Street,
Oklahoma City,
OK
73127
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From the thread about the NE 66 drive in theatres…
This is WHAT HAPPENED TO THE BARTON DRIVE-IN THEATRES:
“MichealKilgore asks about the relationship of the Thomases and R.L. Barton. . they were related, but the Thomas family BUILT and sold the 66 to the Barton’s in the period where R.L. Barton was acquiring all the drive-in theatres in the greater OKC area.
And save for Charlie Shadid’s efforts at the Hillcrest and Cinema 70, as well as Roy Stanton (owner of Springlake park) / George Grube’s efforts with the 14 flags in the late 60’s he would have.
But then, R.L. Barton sold/leased all of his theatre interests in 1966 to Greater Oklahoma City Amusement (headed by Lewis Ingram). After R.L. Bartons death in 75 the properties went to his eldest son, Gerald (who had recently bought into the United Founders life insurance company).
All the drive-in properties were mortagaged to the hilt, and sold to United Founders Life company. Gerald Barton was investigated by the state, and moved to California.
So ENDED all of the Barton Drive in theatres:
-The Airline
-The Bomber/Soldier Creek (Midwest City)
-The Circle (Bethany)
-The Del (Del city)
-The Lakeside DI (OKC)
-The North Penn Twin
-The NW Hiway DI (OKC)
-The Sooner Twin (Midwest City)
-The 66 Drive-in (The old N.E. 66 THIS THEATRE)
-The 77 Drive-in
-The old Tinker DI property (Midwest City)
The only theatre to survive into the 70’s was the Sooner Twin and 77. The Sooner Twin survived into the early 80’s while the 77 showed porn until about ‘74 and closed for good. All the others were closed."
-Wesely Horton
I’m a little surprised that nobody here has asked what circle this drive-in was originally named after. The answer is that it was named for its builder, Harry Circle, who also owned a couple of Circle Grocery stores.
Although I haven’t found proof, my guess is that the Circle opened in 1949. It was in the 1949-50 Theatre Catalog, which would have been published in late 49 or early 50.
The April 15, 1950 Motion Picture Herald had one sentence referencing the ad that rivest266 uploaded: “The Circle drive-in theatre opened Sunday, April 2, for the 1950 season.” That’s how a magazine would present a season opener, not a grand opening. And look at the ad itself - nothing about it suggests that the Circle is new.
Anyway, the owner listed in the 1952 Theatre Catalog was W. J. Nethery, a former public school teacher who apparently dabbled in real estate. That’s probably who sold it to Barton in 1954.
In April 1955, an 80-mile-per-hour windstorm knocked down the Circle’s tower. Barton took the occasion to replace it with a wide screen, reopening in May.
Based on newspaper ads, it looks like the Circle was closed for a while before they tried to reboot it as the Cinema C. I couldn’t find Circle ads from August 1965 until the Cinema C’s Grand Opening. And it looks like the reboot didn’t take; I couldn’t find any Cinema C ads after October 1967.
The June 5, 1954 Motion Picture Herald reported that Barton Theatres had acquired the Circle drive-in. “Mr. and Mrs. Harold Combs are managing the theatre temporarily. This is the 15th theatre in the Barton chain in Oklahoma City.”
The Daily Oklahoman wrote on June 9, 1968 that the former Barton drive-ins, including “the Sooner Twin, North Penn Twin, Northwest Highway, Cinema C, Cinema 66, Lake Air, Airline, Barton’s 77 and Soldier Creek”, were going to be merged with Ferris Enterprises, run by Maurice Ferris.
“Ferris said the merged companies plan to remodel all of the former Barton theaters at a cost of more than $500,000. The remodelling will begin June 12 with the closing of the North Penn Twin and the Cinema 66.”
Does the c in Cinema C stand for anything?
The address listed is incorrect. A more accurate address for this theater is 8300 NW 10th St. Oklahoma City OK 73127. This is further east. Now housing.
Please update.
Odd name!! Was there a Cinema A or Cinema B drive-in as well?
This opened as the Circle Drive-In on April 2nd, 1950. Grand opening ad in the photo section.