West Side Drive-In

Brookpark Road and Rocky River Drive,
Cleveland, OH 44135

Unfavorite 4 people favorited this theater

Showing 11 comments

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore on March 1, 2024 at 8:55 am

Boxoffice, May 4, 1940: “Cleveland - Phil Smith of Boston has been arranging for the opening of the new West Side Drive-In on or about May 10.”

davidcoppock
davidcoppock on October 5, 2018 at 11:54 pm

Opened on 3/7/1940 with “It’s a date”. Closed in 1955. Site is now near runway 28.

rivest266
rivest266 on January 19, 2014 at 10:44 am

July 4th, 1940 grand opening ad uploaded in the photo section

Michigandriveins.com
Michigandriveins.com on September 2, 2013 at 11:23 am

Detroit’s Westside Drive-In had an identical tower: http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/11103

darrenparlett
darrenparlett on August 12, 2013 at 8:10 pm

wow..you folks know heaps bout these old theatres . Man i thought i was knowledgeable on the subject .

Drive-In 54
Drive-In 54 on August 12, 2013 at 6:43 pm

Uploaded 1952 aerial map. The drive-in was gone in 1962. Also, the design of the screen tower must have been a common one. I have see other screen towers in Ohio that were built just like it.

jwmovies
jwmovies on January 3, 2013 at 3:48 pm

Before the airport expansion, the drive-in would have been 2 blocks south of Hwy 237 SB on-ramp. Rocky River Dr. extended further south when this was open.

rivest266
rivest266 on March 13, 2011 at 10:32 am

this opened on July 4th, 1940. ad: View link

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on January 10, 2010 at 8:22 pm

The drive-in can be seen in this 1952 aerial view, but it was gone by 1970.
http://tinyurl.com/yg46cs3

chspringer
chspringer on January 10, 2010 at 6:12 pm

My parents used to take me to this drive-in when I was a young boy. I remember that there was a playground in front of the screen and they had pony rides before the show started.

I seem to remember that the place closed in 1959 to make way for airport expansion. I don’t think it could have still be open in 1975 as mentioned above. Maybe someone can confirm the exact close date.

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on July 9, 2009 at 8:01 pm

The June 19, 1948 issue of Boxoffice magazine had a story about the growing presence of drive-ins in the Cleveland area. At that time there were about 50, which was worrying the indoor theater owners. The West Side was one of the drive-ins on the list. Owner at that time was Phil Smith.