We all must have been travelling in the same circles, or at least very close. While you guys worked the vinema, i was next door working at Roy Rodgers,1976-1978. When your movie let out on a Friday or Saturday night it was like a flood at Roy’s. In fact, our store did the highest $ sales in NJ, no doubt thanks to your theatre. We would close Roys and go to Jack in the Box on Parsonage across from the mall. Life was so simple then.
Roderick, unfortunately i do not recall the colors of the trains. I also never got to ride it, but recall seeing it in operation. I remember the concession stand excatly as you described it. Yes, that drive-in had to be the place to go on weekends back at its peak. I remember being in an architect’s office and seeing the rendering for this very drive-in. I saw it in his office back in the late 80’s. It was a full sized framed painting and must have been the conceptual picture of what the theatre would look like when it wss built. Funny, I recall staring at that picture and all my memories of that place played out in my head. Those were certainly good times, when family values and togetherness meant something.
Menlo Park Cinema was another of the best! Saw Star Wars (4) times there. Having Roy Rodgers next door only made it one of the best movie date destinations. Keep your 3D and Surround Sound, I’ll take a drive-in with a metal speaker hanging on my car window anytime.
What a great theatre. My memories are only good and very,very vivid. First movie i recall seeing was “THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE Ugly”, to this day when i watch that movie i see Tucco’s face on that big outdoor screen running through the cemetary. Other movies i saw there; The Sound Of Music, indoor thetare. “PATTON”, outdoors, “Live and Let Die”, indoors. My first drive in car date was there in my 1971 Olds Cutlass, funny thing though i cant recall what movie we saw, but i dont think thats why we went to the movies. God i miss those vinyl bench front seats, they were so comfortable and roomy. Back to the movies; the very lastmovie they showed was “The Last Starfighter” which was indoors, and i think i saw it close to the last day they operated, by myself just because. I do remember the train under the screen, it was very cool and in operation in 1967-1968.
I will always cherish my mrmories of this place and often frequent this location, and even though it has changed drastically, i can still see that train under the movie screen. And before i go, i must mention that indoor concession stand with their foil wrapped hamburgers and hot dogs, and most importantly my steel canned 10 oz Yoo hoo drink. No Yoo hoo drink since has ever tasted as good. Sorry for rambling, but i guess i’m showing my age.
We all must have been travelling in the same circles, or at least very close. While you guys worked the vinema, i was next door working at Roy Rodgers,1976-1978. When your movie let out on a Friday or Saturday night it was like a flood at Roy’s. In fact, our store did the highest $ sales in NJ, no doubt thanks to your theatre. We would close Roys and go to Jack in the Box on Parsonage across from the mall. Life was so simple then.
Roderick, unfortunately i do not recall the colors of the trains. I also never got to ride it, but recall seeing it in operation. I remember the concession stand excatly as you described it. Yes, that drive-in had to be the place to go on weekends back at its peak. I remember being in an architect’s office and seeing the rendering for this very drive-in. I saw it in his office back in the late 80’s. It was a full sized framed painting and must have been the conceptual picture of what the theatre would look like when it wss built. Funny, I recall staring at that picture and all my memories of that place played out in my head. Those were certainly good times, when family values and togetherness meant something.
Menlo Park Cinema was another of the best! Saw Star Wars (4) times there. Having Roy Rodgers next door only made it one of the best movie date destinations. Keep your 3D and Surround Sound, I’ll take a drive-in with a metal speaker hanging on my car window anytime.
What a great theatre. My memories are only good and very,very vivid. First movie i recall seeing was “THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE Ugly”, to this day when i watch that movie i see Tucco’s face on that big outdoor screen running through the cemetary. Other movies i saw there; The Sound Of Music, indoor thetare. “PATTON”, outdoors, “Live and Let Die”, indoors. My first drive in car date was there in my 1971 Olds Cutlass, funny thing though i cant recall what movie we saw, but i dont think thats why we went to the movies. God i miss those vinyl bench front seats, they were so comfortable and roomy. Back to the movies; the very lastmovie they showed was “The Last Starfighter” which was indoors, and i think i saw it close to the last day they operated, by myself just because. I do remember the train under the screen, it was very cool and in operation in 1967-1968. I will always cherish my mrmories of this place and often frequent this location, and even though it has changed drastically, i can still see that train under the movie screen. And before i go, i must mention that indoor concession stand with their foil wrapped hamburgers and hot dogs, and most importantly my steel canned 10 oz Yoo hoo drink. No Yoo hoo drink since has ever tasted as good. Sorry for rambling, but i guess i’m showing my age.