The Del Mar at the northwest corner of Via De La Valle and Valley Avenue was under construction as early as 1967 and opened in 1970.
Boxoffice, June 22, 1970: “ENCINITAS, CALIF. - The new Del Mar Drive-In held its grand opening Friday night, May 22 … Manager of the Del Mar Drive-In is Herb Burton … (who) has served nine years with Sero Amusement Co., owner of the ozoner”
Boxoffice, Nov. 20, 1972: “Patrons now have better access to Sero Amusement Co.’s Del Mar Drive-In with the opening of the 805 Freeway. The ozoner, built in 1970 by Sero, is located just west of Highway 5 at Via de la Valle Turnoff … Manager of the theatre is Herbert R. Burton, who … helped open the drive-in in 1970.”
The 1977 Motion Picture Almanac listed the Del Mar under Solana Beach, owned by Sero Amusement.
Although its fate had been sealed in development deals announced months earlier, the Del Mar advertised through at least June 1983, which matched its still-intact status in a 1983 aerial photo.
On the other hand, here’s someone who sort of agrees with davidcoppock:
North County Times, April 14, 2002: “One of the area’s most-forgotten drive-in theaters in the long-closed Del Mar Drive-In, which was in Solana Beach on Via de la Valle, across the street from the Del Mar Fairgrounds. "It was built in the early 1950s, recalled Don Terwilliger, former president of the Del Mar Historical Society. "It ran for 15 or 20 years.” "
Was there a nearby drive-in that these historians are misremembering?
To amplify LebowskiT1000’s note, HistoricAerials' 1967 photo of the site showed a drive-in under construction. It was intact through 1983, then razed in a 1984 photo.
The Shawnee advertised in the Kansas City Star as late as Aug. 25, 1978. (I’ll leave pinpointing the final ad to someone else.)
The end probably came on Sept. 5, 1978. The Star wrote, “Fire caused damage estimated at $65,000 today to the kitchen and storage area of the Shawnee Drive-in Theatre’s concessions stand … firemen were notified at 4:05 a.m. … reported by a man, believed to be a passer-by.”
But the screen was still standing on May 7, 1980, when the Star noted, “The Shawnee Drive-in Theater … will be torn down, and the city (Shawnee) is considering new zoning for the area.”
Boxoffice, May 26, 1951: “Clarence Martin has sold the Gem, Hugo, Colo., to Sam Feinstein. Martin then went to Denver where he bought the Alpine from Larry Sandler.”
Boxoffice, May 19, 1951: “LA GRANDE, ORE. - The community’s first airer, the La Grande Drive-In, opened May 1 under the partnership of W. J. Shell and A. V. Parker. The 400-car outdoorer cost an estimated $50,000.”
Boxoffice, Jan. 9, 1954: “LA GRANDE, ORE. – Parker and W. J. Shell, owners of the drive-in theatre, have sold it to Francis Greulich of La Grande and Ted Jones of Santa Monica, Calif. Greulich and Jones own the two La Grande theatres, the Liberty and the Granada.”
Although there are other possibilities, my experienced guess is that Carol’s was either:
One of the drive-ins that advertised in the Miami Herald (see above) but weren’t included in the Film Daily Year Book drive-in list. The two candidates I see are the 27th Avenue and the Le Jeune. Informally, and on Film Row, one of these might have been also known as “Carol’s,” after an owner’s first or last name. Or…
A mistake. Someone added it in error to the 1950 Year Book, then it lingered through inertia to 1951 until one of the other theater owners complained.
Here’s the best hint I could find on the opening date.
Motion Picture Daily, Aug. 6, 1948: “Mrs. Rose Chilypian and her son-in-law, Sarkes Arakelian, have a new drive-in, the Riverview, on the Haverhill-Lawrence, Mass., Boulevard, with accommodations for 500 cars, on Route 110.”
I found this at the Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of David A. Lowrance, which dates it as 1955 and says that it’s in the public domain.
I found this at the Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of David A. Lowrance, which says that it’s in the public domain.
The Mansfield News Journal wrote today that the former Sunset’s screen came down on April 11, 2023. Owner Joe Lykins said he tried to give the screen away for free, but there were no takers. “People are going to hate me,” he said, noting that he plans to use that spot as a retention pond. I saw no mention of whether Lykins plans to keep the Sunset sign, but it was still standing.
There are a couple of nice videos of the sad occasion on the News Journal site.
According to a recent drive-in history article in the Alpena News, in late 1970 a new owner started showing R- and X-rated films, later confiscated by the state police. The drive-in placed bright lights to prevent drivers from seeing the screen from US 23. The Alpena later added a go-kart track, then closed in 1985. The screen burned in 1989. The former drive-in “is now the site of the Arzo Sports and Fun Park recreation complex.”
By the way, the caption is wrong on at least one point. “Go for Broke!” was released in 1951, years after the Lemon Bowl opened. My guess is that it played as a season opener, and some researcher got a wire crossed.
One of the many great photos in the San Diego Reader’s 2008 roundup of every drive-in that had ever been around that city. The article is still available at the Reader site without photos, but you can see the original illustrated version at the Internet Archive.
Hector Frascadore may have run the Farmington for all of its life. His Hartford Courant obituary ran two days after he died on June 23, 1991. It said that Frascadore, a Bristol resident for most of his life, ran Hector’s Market there until he became co-owner and operator of the drive-in in 1951. He retained that position “until 1985 when he retired.” That matches the apparent closure date.
Looks like the Farmington opened in mid-July 1951.
Boxoffice’s roundup of new drive-ins in its Feb. 17, 1951, showed the Bristol under construction in Farmington, owner E. M. Loew, capacity 750 cars.
The Exhibitor wrote on June 13, 1951, “Opening of E. M. Loew’s Farmington Drive-In, now nearing completion, is slated for July 4.”
On July 14, 1951, Boxoffice wrote, “The Farmington Drive-In, an E. M. Loew enterprise, was set for opening by July 15.” The same day, Motion Picture Herald’s story was “E. M. Loew’s Theatres have opened the newly-constructed $200,000 Farmington drive-in, Farmington, Conn. Hector Frascadore, ex-acting manager, Hartford drive-in, Newington, Conn., is manager.” And in the July 18 issue of the Exhibitor, it wrote, “The $200,000 Farmington Drive-In, latest in the E. M. Loew Circuit, opened for business managed by Hector Frascadore, who formerly served as acting manager, Hartford Drive-In, Newington.”
Today I started digging into the history of the People’s Forest Drive-In, only to realize that it was (probably) the future Pleasant Valley.
Film Daily wrote on May 27, 1947 that the People’s Drive-In Theater Corp. had formed, Vincent W. Youmatz of Winsted, president.
The People’s Forest Drive-In, owned by Youmatz, was described as between Hartford and Winsted on US 44. On May 22, 1948, Boxoffice wrote that Youmatz would “reopen his People’s Forest” in a few weeks. One week later, it wrote that he had opened it.
The Exhibitor magazine wrote in August 1948 that Youmatz had made a deal with a Torrington radio station to give away People’s Forest tickets. In September, it wrote that the “Rogers Corner” drive-in had settled with neighbors objecting to the drive-in’s loudspeaker noise, agreeing to close on Oct. 16.
In February 1949, the Exhibitor wrote, “When the Rogers Corner Drive-In reopens, in-car speakers will be in use.” Billboard reported two months later that it had reopened.
In 1951, Youmatz shifted his focus, building the Sky-Vue in Torrington and moving there to manage it, although the People’s corporation still ran the Rogers Corner.
The 1950-51 Theatre Catalog listed the People’s Dr. under Winsted.
In August 1966, Motion Picture Exhibitor announced, “The People’s Drive-In is the new name for the Rogers' Corner Drive-In, Pleasant Valley”. And if the above note from the 2017-owner is to be believed, it switched back again to Rogers Corner in the 1970s.
Boxoffice, May 8, 1948: “Russ Tweedy has built a drive-in at Jerome, Ida.”
Boxoffice, May 22, 1948: “Jerome, Ida. — Russ Tweedy chose a spot in the center of this community to build a drive-in theatre. The area was fringed by homes and the screen tower was plainly visible from the windows. Fearful that the neighbors might protest his location, Tweedy decided to let them in on the act. He installed in-car speakers at their windows.”
Boxoffice, May 8, 1948: “SAN RAFAEL, CALIF. - Sheriff’s deputies recovered a battered safe from the shallows of San Pablo bay recently. It was the safe which had been stolen several months earlier from the Enean Theatre in Pittsburg.”
Boxoffice, May 8, 1948: “Opening of the Bountiful Motor-Vu Drive-In just north of Salt Lake City this week highlighted announcements of openings and plans for several more outdoor theatres in this area. The Bountiful Drive-In, which has a capacity of 650 cars, is owned and operated by J. N. Bills who also runs the Bountiful Theatre. It is situated off the state’s main north and south highway. It was equipped by Service Theatre Supply; designed by Paul K. Evans, their architect, and constructed by Cartwright and Wilson, builders.”
Boxoffice, May 1, 1948: “ROEBUCK, ALA. — The Roebuck Drive-In Theatre, now under construction between Roebuck and Huffman, will be completed and opened in the near future, according to J. B. Waters Theatre Co., owner. The drive-in will have a 550-car capacity.”
Boxoffice, April 24, 1948: “YAKIMA, WASH. — The 800-car drive-in theatre built by the Mercy theatre interests on south First street is expected to open May 1. The ozoner will have a screen 50x56 feet, mounted on a 70-foot tower, and is equipped with in-car speakers, according to Frederick Mercy jr.”
Boxoffice, April 24, 1948: “FRESNO, CALIF.— Lloyd C. Miller of Bakersfield has applied for a permit to build a $100,000 drive-in theatre on a ten-acre site at Fresno and Gettysburg avenues. Miller represents a company, whose identity was not disclosed, which operates several large open air theatres in California, one of them at San Jose. If the Fresno county planning commission and the Fresno county board of supervisors approve the issuance of a permit. Miller proposes to start construction immediately and have the show ready for business in about 90 days. Construction of such a project in the area proposed is not now prohibited by zoning regulations, but it must be approved by the board of supervisors to insure public safety and welfare.”
Boxoffice, April 2, 1949: “FRESNO, CALIF. – The $110,000 Starlite Drive-In, being constructed on North Fresno street between Gettysburg and Shaw avenues here, is scheduled to open between May 1 and May 15. Built on an eight-acre site with space for approximately 600 cars, the Starlite is a Robert L. Lippert Co. project”
Possibly the second screen opener…
Boxoffice, July 4, 1953: “FRESNO, CALIF. – The new Starlite Drive-In Theatre was opened recently at Fresno and Shaw avenues, claiming to be the largest ozoner on the west coast. It has two screens visible from any location, has spaces for 1,500 cars, and features first run pictures. The Starlite twin-view airer is a Robert L. Lippert project. It has two boxoffices and two entrance roads.”
Boxoffice, April 17, 1948: “The Saco Drive-In, Saco, Me., which has the distinction of being the Pine Tree state’s only open air theatre, has been sold to Eugene Boragine of New York City. George O’Neill, who operated the theatre since it was built, returned it to its original owner last month, and he, in turn, sold it to Boragine. Included in the sale, which consists of 54 acres, is a hotel and restaurant. The new owner plans to operate the entire property, although the theatre buying and booking will be handled by Herbert Higgins. Boragine is in the interior decorating business in New York but he will spend the summer months on his new project. He is not a newcomer to the industry as 30 years ago he was the manager of a theatre in Providence for Martin Toohey, who brought his friend into the district to introduce him to the exchanges.”
Boxoffice, April 10, 1948: “NAMPA, IDAHO — Construction of a drive-in theatre at the junction of Karcher road and highway 30, west of Nampa, is moving along and Northwest Theatres, Inc., hopes to have the 400-car layout ready by the middle of April. Incorporators of Northwest Theatres are Dr. L. E. Jewell, A. D. Scrivner, Herb Chriswisser and V. R. Botkin, all of Meridian.”
The Del Mar at the northwest corner of Via De La Valle and Valley Avenue was under construction as early as 1967 and opened in 1970.
Boxoffice, June 22, 1970: “ENCINITAS, CALIF. - The new Del Mar Drive-In held its grand opening Friday night, May 22 … Manager of the Del Mar Drive-In is Herb Burton … (who) has served nine years with Sero Amusement Co., owner of the ozoner”
Boxoffice, Nov. 20, 1972: “Patrons now have better access to Sero Amusement Co.’s Del Mar Drive-In with the opening of the 805 Freeway. The ozoner, built in 1970 by Sero, is located just west of Highway 5 at Via de la Valle Turnoff … Manager of the theatre is Herbert R. Burton, who … helped open the drive-in in 1970.”
The 1977 Motion Picture Almanac listed the Del Mar under Solana Beach, owned by Sero Amusement.
Although its fate had been sealed in development deals announced months earlier, the Del Mar advertised through at least June 1983, which matched its still-intact status in a 1983 aerial photo.
On the other hand, here’s someone who sort of agrees with davidcoppock:
North County Times, April 14, 2002: “One of the area’s most-forgotten drive-in theaters in the long-closed Del Mar Drive-In, which was in Solana Beach on Via de la Valle, across the street from the Del Mar Fairgrounds. "It was built in the early 1950s, recalled Don Terwilliger, former president of the Del Mar Historical Society. "It ran for 15 or 20 years.” "
Was there a nearby drive-in that these historians are misremembering?
To amplify LebowskiT1000’s note, HistoricAerials' 1967 photo of the site showed a drive-in under construction. It was intact through 1983, then razed in a 1984 photo.
The Shawnee advertised in the Kansas City Star as late as Aug. 25, 1978. (I’ll leave pinpointing the final ad to someone else.)
The end probably came on Sept. 5, 1978. The Star wrote, “Fire caused damage estimated at $65,000 today to the kitchen and storage area of the Shawnee Drive-in Theatre’s concessions stand … firemen were notified at 4:05 a.m. … reported by a man, believed to be a passer-by.”
But the screen was still standing on May 7, 1980, when the Star noted, “The Shawnee Drive-in Theater … will be torn down, and the city (Shawnee) is considering new zoning for the area.”
Boxoffice, May 26, 1951: “Clarence Martin has sold the Gem, Hugo, Colo., to Sam Feinstein. Martin then went to Denver where he bought the Alpine from Larry Sandler.”
Boxoffice, May 19, 1951: “LA GRANDE, ORE. - The community’s first airer, the La Grande Drive-In, opened May 1 under the partnership of W. J. Shell and A. V. Parker. The 400-car outdoorer cost an estimated $50,000.”
Boxoffice, Jan. 9, 1954: “LA GRANDE, ORE. – Parker and W. J. Shell, owners of the drive-in theatre, have sold it to Francis Greulich of La Grande and Ted Jones of Santa Monica, Calif. Greulich and Jones own the two La Grande theatres, the Liberty and the Granada.”
Although there are other possibilities, my experienced guess is that Carol’s was either:
One of the drive-ins that advertised in the Miami Herald (see above) but weren’t included in the Film Daily Year Book drive-in list. The two candidates I see are the 27th Avenue and the Le Jeune. Informally, and on Film Row, one of these might have been also known as “Carol’s,” after an owner’s first or last name. Or…
A mistake. Someone added it in error to the 1950 Year Book, then it lingered through inertia to 1951 until one of the other theater owners complained.
Here’s the best hint I could find on the opening date.
Motion Picture Daily, Aug. 6, 1948: “Mrs. Rose Chilypian and her son-in-law, Sarkes Arakelian, have a new drive-in, the Riverview, on the Haverhill-Lawrence, Mass., Boulevard, with accommodations for 500 cars, on Route 110.”
I found this at the Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of David A. Lowrance, which dates it as 1955 and says that it’s in the public domain.
I found this at the Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture, Gift of David A. Lowrance, which says that it’s in the public domain.
The Mansfield News Journal wrote today that the former Sunset’s screen came down on April 11, 2023. Owner Joe Lykins said he tried to give the screen away for free, but there were no takers. “People are going to hate me,” he said, noting that he plans to use that spot as a retention pond. I saw no mention of whether Lykins plans to keep the Sunset sign, but it was still standing.
There are a couple of nice videos of the sad occasion on the News Journal site.
According to a recent drive-in history article in the Alpena News, in late 1970 a new owner started showing R- and X-rated films, later confiscated by the state police. The drive-in placed bright lights to prevent drivers from seeing the screen from US 23. The Alpena later added a go-kart track, then closed in 1985. The screen burned in 1989. The former drive-in “is now the site of the Arzo Sports and Fun Park recreation complex.”
That photo, and that exact caption, appeared in the 2010 book Lemon Grove (Images of America) by Helen M. Ofield and Pete Smith.
By the way, the caption is wrong on at least one point. “Go for Broke!” was released in 1951, years after the Lemon Bowl opened. My guess is that it played as a season opener, and some researcher got a wire crossed.
One of the many great photos in the San Diego Reader’s 2008 roundup of every drive-in that had ever been around that city. The article is still available at the Reader site without photos, but you can see the original illustrated version at the Internet Archive.
Hector Frascadore may have run the Farmington for all of its life. His Hartford Courant obituary ran two days after he died on June 23, 1991. It said that Frascadore, a Bristol resident for most of his life, ran Hector’s Market there until he became co-owner and operator of the drive-in in 1951. He retained that position “until 1985 when he retired.” That matches the apparent closure date.
Looks like the Farmington opened in mid-July 1951.
Boxoffice’s roundup of new drive-ins in its Feb. 17, 1951, showed the Bristol under construction in Farmington, owner E. M. Loew, capacity 750 cars.
The Exhibitor wrote on June 13, 1951, “Opening of E. M. Loew’s Farmington Drive-In, now nearing completion, is slated for July 4.” On July 14, 1951, Boxoffice wrote, “The Farmington Drive-In, an E. M. Loew enterprise, was set for opening by July 15.” The same day, Motion Picture Herald’s story was “E. M. Loew’s Theatres have opened the newly-constructed $200,000 Farmington drive-in, Farmington, Conn. Hector Frascadore, ex-acting manager, Hartford drive-in, Newington, Conn., is manager.” And in the July 18 issue of the Exhibitor, it wrote, “The $200,000 Farmington Drive-In, latest in the E. M. Loew Circuit, opened for business managed by Hector Frascadore, who formerly served as acting manager, Hartford Drive-In, Newington.”
Today I started digging into the history of the People’s Forest Drive-In, only to realize that it was (probably) the future Pleasant Valley.
Film Daily wrote on May 27, 1947 that the People’s Drive-In Theater Corp. had formed, Vincent W. Youmatz of Winsted, president.
The People’s Forest Drive-In, owned by Youmatz, was described as between Hartford and Winsted on US 44. On May 22, 1948, Boxoffice wrote that Youmatz would “reopen his People’s Forest” in a few weeks. One week later, it wrote that he had opened it.
The Exhibitor magazine wrote in August 1948 that Youmatz had made a deal with a Torrington radio station to give away People’s Forest tickets. In September, it wrote that the “Rogers Corner” drive-in had settled with neighbors objecting to the drive-in’s loudspeaker noise, agreeing to close on Oct. 16.
In February 1949, the Exhibitor wrote, “When the Rogers Corner Drive-In reopens, in-car speakers will be in use.” Billboard reported two months later that it had reopened.
In 1951, Youmatz shifted his focus, building the Sky-Vue in Torrington and moving there to manage it, although the People’s corporation still ran the Rogers Corner.
The 1950-51 Theatre Catalog listed the People’s Dr. under Winsted.
In August 1966, Motion Picture Exhibitor announced, “The People’s Drive-In is the new name for the Rogers' Corner Drive-In, Pleasant Valley”. And if the above note from the 2017-owner is to be believed, it switched back again to Rogers Corner in the 1970s.
Boxoffice, May 8, 1948: “Russ Tweedy has built a drive-in at Jerome, Ida.”
Boxoffice, May 22, 1948: “Jerome, Ida. — Russ Tweedy chose a spot in the center of this community to build a drive-in theatre. The area was fringed by homes and the screen tower was plainly visible from the windows. Fearful that the neighbors might protest his location, Tweedy decided to let them in on the act. He installed in-car speakers at their windows.”
Boxoffice, May 8, 1948: “SAN RAFAEL, CALIF. - Sheriff’s deputies recovered a battered safe from the shallows of San Pablo bay recently. It was the safe which had been stolen several months earlier from the Enean Theatre in Pittsburg.”
Boxoffice, May 8, 1948: “Opening of the Bountiful Motor-Vu Drive-In just north of Salt Lake City this week highlighted announcements of openings and plans for several more outdoor theatres in this area. The Bountiful Drive-In, which has a capacity of 650 cars, is owned and operated by J. N. Bills who also runs the Bountiful Theatre. It is situated off the state’s main north and south highway. It was equipped by Service Theatre Supply; designed by Paul K. Evans, their architect, and constructed by Cartwright and Wilson, builders.”
Boxoffice, May 1, 1948: “ROEBUCK, ALA. — The Roebuck Drive-In Theatre, now under construction between Roebuck and Huffman, will be completed and opened in the near future, according to J. B. Waters Theatre Co., owner. The drive-in will have a 550-car capacity.”
Boxoffice, April 24, 1948: “YAKIMA, WASH. — The 800-car drive-in theatre built by the Mercy theatre interests on south First street is expected to open May 1. The ozoner will have a screen 50x56 feet, mounted on a 70-foot tower, and is equipped with in-car speakers, according to Frederick Mercy jr.”
Adding and consolidating Boxoffice notes…
Boxoffice, April 24, 1948: “FRESNO, CALIF.— Lloyd C. Miller of Bakersfield has applied for a permit to build a $100,000 drive-in theatre on a ten-acre site at Fresno and Gettysburg avenues. Miller represents a company, whose identity was not disclosed, which operates several large open air theatres in California, one of them at San Jose. If the Fresno county planning commission and the Fresno county board of supervisors approve the issuance of a permit. Miller proposes to start construction immediately and have the show ready for business in about 90 days. Construction of such a project in the area proposed is not now prohibited by zoning regulations, but it must be approved by the board of supervisors to insure public safety and welfare.”
Boxoffice, April 2, 1949: “FRESNO, CALIF. – The $110,000 Starlite Drive-In, being constructed on North Fresno street between Gettysburg and Shaw avenues here, is scheduled to open between May 1 and May 15. Built on an eight-acre site with space for approximately 600 cars, the Starlite is a Robert L. Lippert Co. project”
Possibly the second screen opener…
Boxoffice, July 4, 1953: “FRESNO, CALIF. – The new Starlite Drive-In Theatre was opened recently at Fresno and Shaw avenues, claiming to be the largest ozoner on the west coast. It has two screens visible from any location, has spaces for 1,500 cars, and features first run pictures. The Starlite twin-view airer is a Robert L. Lippert project. It has two boxoffices and two entrance roads.”
Boxoffice, April 17, 1948: “The Saco Drive-In, Saco, Me., which has the distinction of being the Pine Tree state’s only open air theatre, has been sold to Eugene Boragine of New York City. George O’Neill, who operated the theatre since it was built, returned it to its original owner last month, and he, in turn, sold it to Boragine. Included in the sale, which consists of 54 acres, is a hotel and restaurant. The new owner plans to operate the entire property, although the theatre buying and booking will be handled by Herbert Higgins. Boragine is in the interior decorating business in New York but he will spend the summer months on his new project. He is not a newcomer to the industry as 30 years ago he was the manager of a theatre in Providence for Martin Toohey, who brought his friend into the district to introduce him to the exchanges.”
Boxoffice, April 10, 1948: “NAMPA, IDAHO — Construction of a drive-in theatre at the junction of Karcher road and highway 30, west of Nampa, is moving along and Northwest Theatres, Inc., hopes to have the 400-car layout ready by the middle of April. Incorporators of Northwest Theatres are Dr. L. E. Jewell, A. D. Scrivner, Herb Chriswisser and V. R. Botkin, all of Meridian.”