Lakeland Drive-In
4226 S. Florida Avenue,
Lakeland,
FL
33813
4226 S. Florida Avenue,
Lakeland,
FL
33813
4 people
favorited this theater
The Lakeland Drive-In opened on March 7, 1950, screening the 1949 comedy “The Life of Riley” with William Bendix, James Gleason and Rosemary DeCamp. In addition to the movie was a screening of a comedy and two color cartoons. The new airer was opened by Charles W. Murrell, (dba the Murrell Amusement Co.). The theatre manager was L.E. Eckoff. The car capacity was 530-cars with in-a-car speakers. The concession stand was sunken so as not to interfere with the view of the screen. Portable ‘buffeterias’ were pushed around the parking ramps for drive-in patrons that wanted to purchase refreshments without going to the concession stand. A popcorn booth was located at the ticket office for patrons who wanted popcorn without getting out of their car. The screen tower was made oversized. It was larger than the accepted size for drive-ins and was made of concrete blocks. In 1954 the screen was widened for CinemaScope movies.
In March 1960, Carl Floyd, (dba Floyd Theatres) purchased the drive-in. At this time Floyd Theatres were operating the Silvermoon Drive-In. On September 10, 1960, the concrete block screen tower was destroyed by hurricane Donna. The drive-in was closed until a new screen tower could be erected. The Lakeland Drive-In reopened on November 18, 1960, with a new screen tower, newly paved ramps/driveways and other improvements. The Lakeland Drive-In also sponsored the Lakeland Drive-In Church which started in the early-1950’s and continued until the drive-in closed. It was closed on April 29, 1984 to make room for the Palm Center Shoppes (including Lakeland’s first Wal-Mart) and Floyd Enterprises Palm Cinema III which opened on April 18, 1986 and has its own page on Cinema Treasures.
Contributed by
Michael Hurley, Randy Studer
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Recent comments (view all 6 comments)
Are you positive that this drive-in closed in 1980? My family went here often and I remember my brother and I playing around, he was born in 1980. Palm Cinema opened in 1986 and I’m pretty sure six years did not pass between the drive-in closing and Palm Cinema opening. Floyd owned the land and drive-in and sold the land with the condition that the shopping center developers allow Floyd to build a new theater on the property (Palm Cinema 3).
Playing “SEVEN MINUTES” and “MYRA BRECKINRIDGE”.Two very poor movies.
It was a C.W. Murell Theatre in 1956.
1958 aerial posted here.
The Lakeland Drive-In’s final attraction is a “triple-and-a-half” feature marathon, with “The Trouble With Girls”, a couple of Three Stooges shorts, “Vanishing Point”, and “The Night The Lights Went Out In Georgia” as its last features.