Dependable Drive-In
549 Moon Clinton Road,
Moon Township,
PA
15108
549 Moon Clinton Road,
Moon Township,
PA
15108
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With the demise of the Twin Hi-Way Drive-In in 2015, the Dependable is now the only operating drive-in theater in Allegheny County
I had wondered how the drive-in got its name. Now I know. From the May 6, 1950 issue of BoxOffice:
CORAOPOLIS, PA. – Joseph Marcus, who heads Dependable Coal Co., is constructing a new outdoor theatre near here to be named the Dependable Drive-In.
Opened on 27/6/1950 with “When my baby smiles at me”. There is also a miniture golf course on the drive-in site(Movieland miniture golf).
The Pittsburgh Press wrote on July 6, 1950 that “The New Dependable Drive-In Theater … opened just a week ago … was heavily damaged” in a flood that caused widespread damage in Moon Township.
The Pittsburgh Press wrote in December 1950 that the Dependable’s “owner”, “president Joseph Marcus, of the Dependable Drive-In, Inc.,” sued DeVry Corp., makers of the film projector, and sales agent D. E. Lovett for selling a bad unit and failing to repair it.
The Daily Courier of Connellsville PA wrote in September 1951 that the Dependable’s owner was Howard C. Benson when it was the victim of a holdup. The armed robber was caught, convicted and sentenced in just three months. Those were the days!
In April 1952, The Pittsburgh Press wrote that the Dependable Corp. had been chartered in 1950 with stock held by three couples – H.C.A. Hofacker and wife Florence, Joseph Marcus and wife Dora, and Robert J. Springer and wife Helen May. The Springers sued the other two couples for leasing the drive-in to Ernest Stern in June 1951. The Moon Drive-In Theater, Inc. “gained control from Mr. Stern” in September 1951.
Robert J. Springer offered a reward in 1955 for whoever shot the tame mallards at the adjoining lake.
In March 1974, neighbors signed petitions against the X-rated movies showing at the Dependable. “Let’s face it – X-rated films are the only thing that saves us,” Rick Glaus, Dependable manager, told The Pittsburgh Press.
In February 1977, Dependable Drive-In Inc. sold 26.4 acres to Regal Development Corp. for $500,000.
The 1952-56 Theatre Catalogs listed the Dependable with owners Norbert and Ernest Stern, Assoc. Drive-In Ths., capacity 400. Or maybe they were just the bookers.
The 1952-59 Motion Picture Almanacs had the “Owner or Booker” as Hanna Theatre Service, capacity 400. In the 1961-66 editions, it was Associated Theas.
When ownership info returned in the 1978 edition, the capacity was up to 500 and the owner was R. Glaus. It stayed that way through 1982, then the Dependable was off the MPA list by 1984.
The Tribune-Review said Glaus was 56 in July 2010, which would have made him about 24 in 1978. Maybe that City Paper story meant 1978 instead of 1968.
In 2006, the Pittsburgh City Paper wrote that Rick Glaus was the drive-in’s “operator … who has run the Dependable since 1968”. Starting that fall, he planned to keep the drive-in open all year.
The Pittsburgh Tribune-Review wrote in 2010 that Rick Glaus “operates the drive-in with his son, Jonathan. The Glaus family bought the Dependable in the late 1960s from original owner Pat Springer.” Some other sources call Rick the son of the original owner.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette wrote in 2011 that Rick owned the Dependable, and that he was “a son of the late John Glaus, who managed and owned indoor and outdoor theaters.”
I’m guessing that Jonathan soon became known as Jay, because The Pitt News wrote in 2012 about “Jay Glaus, the 19-year-old manager”.
The Beaver County Times wrote in February 2016 that Jay Glaus was the “general manager”, and the Dependable had just added a 9-hole mini-golf course. A month later, WTAE wrote that Rick was (still) the owner.
Ran a lot of Triple X features,then out of nowhere they have “BATMAN” and “LETHAL WEAPON II” playing together.
Interesting Name!
Here is another photo:
http://tinyurl.com/y3tcaxw
Part of the Associated Drive-In Theatres chain in 1955-“First with the Hits”. Associated headquarters was 72 Van Braam Street, Pittsburgh. Associated also ran the Blue Dell, Camp Horne, Colonial, Harmar, Maple, South Park and Twin Hi-Way drive-ins at that time.
I think I may have been at this drive-in 12 years ago for the first night’s showing of “Independence Day.” But I only recall it having two screens. Does anyone know if it has expanded in the past dozen years? Or if there were other drive-ins operating within a few miles of Beers School Rd and Business 60? Anyway, whatever drive-in I attended out near the old airport south of Pittsburgh was my last drive-in. As I recall it was tucked away in a heavily wooded area. I don’t even remember seeing the other screen at all. Bring mosquito repellant if you attend a movie during the late summer.
This is an awesome drive-in. Being the last in Allegheny County, I highly recommend coming here for a show on summer’s evening!
This is the only drive-in left in Allegheny County (the county Pittsburgh is located)