K 42 Drive-In
4308 W. Southwest Boulevard,
Wichita,
KS
67215
4308 W. Southwest Boulevard,
Wichita,
KS
67215
1 person
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Sullivan Independent Theatres
Architects: John Winfrey
Previous Names: 42 Skyvue Drive-In
Nearby Theaters
The 500-car capacity 42 Skyvue Drive-In was opened July 22 1949 with Randolph Scott in “Albuquerque”. It was operated by O.F. Sullivan. It was closed on September 22, 1986
Contributed by
Cactus Jack
Want to be emailed when a new comment is posted about this theater?
Just login to your account and subscribe to this theater.
Recent comments (view all 11 comments)
May 15 1974 has “THE LAST DETAIL” and “FIVE EASY PIECES”.Nice to have some movie titles on here.
The K-42 opened on July 22, 1949 as the 42 Skyvue. It kept this name at least into the 60’s. It’s first movie was “Albuquerque”, starring Randolph Scott.
More posts are needed. I can’t help with the location. As far I know, I was only there once. 400 cars does not seem right. It seemed quite small, maybe 100 cars tops. I saw a Star Trek movie there. I believe it was Star Trek 2, which dates to 1981. But by this time, this drive in was one of the last in town aned was showing second run movies. Someone with more knowledge as to the location could help but I believe as with so many former drive ins, the location has been built on and so is not recognizable.
“Why is it K 42?”
Its proximity to Kansas State Highway 42 aka K-42.
BoxOffice reported on Feb. 8, 1960 that among the folks in Kansas City booking films was “George Sproule of the 42 Sky-Vue Drive-In, Wichita”.
Later on the same page, it continued, “George Sproule kindly passed along word of the recent death in Houston, Tex., of Edwin G. Foy, formerly an owner of the Sky-Vue Drive-In at Wichita. Sproule, who now owns and operated the outdoor theatre under the name 42 Sky-Vue, adds that Foy operated this situation about seven years before Sproule bought him out in 1954.”
The site is now occupied by Midway Wholesale, a building materials store. The correct address is 4308 W. Southwest Blvd, Wichita, KS 67215.
This reopened as the k-42 Drive-In on March 29th, 1968. Another ad posted.
July 22nd, 1949 grand opening ad posted.
John Winfrey designed the K-42 Drive-In for Sullivan Independent Theatres Circuit. The venue closed for the season on September 22, 1986 with a triple feature of “Aliens,” “SpaceCamp,” and “Big Trouble in Little China.” It didn’t reopen and was razed for an industrial site.