Maybe it always held 500 cars? Billboard, Aug. 8, 1953: “Panther Drive-In is nearing completion and was slated to open August 1. The drive-in is at Lufkin, Tex., and is owned and operated by Phil Isley. It has 500-car capacity.”
Billboard, July 18, 1953: “Albert Knopp, city manager of the Long Theater Circuit, Hebronville (sic), Tex., has announced opening of the Pioneer Drive-In on a four-day policy. The drive-in will also feature Spanish-language films.”
This photo by A. E. Crane, circa 1995-2013, is part of the US Department of Transportation’s National Scenic Byways Program. It’s in the public domain, and you can download it from the National Archives Catalog.
The Chief’s final night was Labor Day, Sept. 4, 1989, showing “Star Trek V” and “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.” The next day, its section of the United Artists theater ad said simply “Closed.”
The Starlite ownership bounced around in its final years. Clarence Files moved to Naturita, and the projector-snack bar couple at the Uranium there, Gladys and Ernest Barnes, bought the Starlite in late July 1961. Mr. and Mrs. Files took back the Starlite toward the end of the 1962 season.
Boxoffice mentioned on June 14, 1965 that A. M. Crews had taken over the Starlite from the Fileses. The April 4, 1966 issue reported that someone (presumably Crews) announced that the Starlite would not reopen, but three weeks later, Boxoffice said, “Harold Haws, formerly a motion picture theatre operator in the territory, will reopen the Starlite Drive-In at Grand Junction.”
The Starlite’s final English-language ad in the local Daily Sentinel was Oct. 15, 1966, where it promised, “Open Thurs., Fri., Say. & Sun., fall & winter season. Car heaters.” It ran ads for a Spanish-language double feature on Oct. 16-18, then stopped advertising there. A 1976 retrospective in the Daily Sentinel said of the local drive-ins, “Chief and Rocket prices went up to 85 cents in 1967, the same year the Starlite folded.”
The April 3, 1954 Motion Picture Herald wrote that Arthur Salcida bought the County from Waldo Slusher. But that was a typo. The Aug. 13, 1955 issue of Boxoffice spelled his name correctly, as Arthur Salcido.
The April 27, 1956 Albuquerque Journal, reporting the District Court docket, wrote: “Sidney Johnson, dba Southwestern Film Service, given judgment of $2739.34 against Arthur Salcido, dba County Drive-In Theater, on defendant’s confession of judgment.”
This photo, dated 1979, was included in a 2016 Los Angeles Times article about the death of its photographer, John Margolies. The photo credit in the article was “(John Margolies/courtesy Taschen Books)”.
There is a very similar photo, also dated 1979, in the John Margolies Roadside America photograph archive of the Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division. That photo, from the same angle, includes more shadows covering the San Pedro sign, though not the screen mural. It’s available here, and is effectively in the public domain.
Boxoffice, Aug. 31, 1964: “Bob Smith of the Nu Buflo Theatre, Buffalo, will take over the Ritz Theatre, Marshfield, as of September 4, he announced while on (Kansas City) Filmrow.”
Boxoffice, May 25, 1970: “Oren Davis, Marshfield exhibitor, died Sunday (10). Mrs. Oren (Irene) Davis announced that she would continue to operation of the theatre”
Boxoffice, Dec. 8, 1951: “Marshfield, Mo. – Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Schmidt of Niangua bought the Skyline cafe from Herman Pearce and plan to build a drive-in theatre.”
Boxoffice, April 26, 1976: “GILLESPIE, ILL. – Louis C. Odorizzi, 67, Staunton, died Friday evening (2) in St. Mary’s Hospital, St. Louis, Mo. He was a former theatre owner-operator. Odorizzi had operated the Sunset Drive-In, Mount Olive, the Labor Temple Theatre, Staunton, and most recently, the Canna Theatre, Gillespie.”
This photo is (also?) available as part of the Security Pacific National Bank Collection at the Los Angeles Public Library, which says that commercial use requires permissions and fees. But if Drive-In 54 has rights to release it under a Creative Commons license, then thanks!
This photo is (also?) available as part of the Security Pacific National Bank Collection at the Los Angeles Public Library, which says that commercial use of the image requires permissions and fees. But if dallasmovietheaters found a public domain source for this fine photo, that would be nifty!
Boxoffice, May 29, 1948: “S. R. Claggett is managing the Motor Movies first drive-in in Stockton, which was opened May 14 by the Blumenfeld circuit. It is a 712-car layout.”
Answering the questions of (about) when and why the Rialto was renamed…
Boxoffice, May 8, 1948: “Robert Walker, owner of the Rialto in Fruita, Colo., got a bargain in a sign that had Uintah on it – so that is the new name of the theatre”
Boxoffice, May 1, 1948: “ROCKFORD, ILL. – The contract for construction of the 800-car drive-in in the Lover Park area of Rockford has been awarded by the Riverlane Amusement Corp., controlled by Mannie Burdie and Sidney Schermer of St. Louis. Work has progressed about 30 per cent. The theatre was designed by Leo F. Abrams and is scheduled to open May 30. It will cost well in excess of $100,000.”
Boxoffice, May 1, 1948: “LINCOLN – Construction is well in progress on the 800-car drive-in being installed here by the Starview Amusement Corp., controlled by Mannie Burdie and Sidney Schermer of St. Louis. The theatre was designed by Leo F. Abrams, St. Louis architect. The overall cost of the project will be approximately $150,000. The theatre is scheduled to open Memorial day.”
Boxoffice, April 24, 1948: “RIVERSIDE, CALIF. – Roy Hunt has announced plans to construct a new drive-in theatre, the Rubidoux, in West Riverside. The house takes its name from Mount Rubidoux, famed as the locale for Easter sunrise services.”
Boxoffice, April 3, 1948: “SAN ANTONIO, TEX. – Pictures of the new San Pedro Drive-In near the airport appeared in local newspapers. It is owned by Al Wolf, former Warner salesman, and some of his kinsmen, and it will open early in April.”
Billboard, Aug. 15, 1953: “Don Bryson and Mrs. Earleen Weathers have opened the 208-car capacity Don Juan Drive-In at Barksdale, Tex.”
Maybe it always held 500 cars? Billboard, Aug. 8, 1953: “Panther Drive-In is nearing completion and was slated to open August 1. The drive-in is at Lufkin, Tex., and is owned and operated by Phil Isley. It has 500-car capacity.”
Billboard, Aug. 8, 1953: “El Charro Drive-In has been opened in San Antonio by John H. Flache, Lamesa, Tex. Delmo Pierce has been named manager.”
Billboard, July 18, 1953: “Albert Knopp, city manager of the Long Theater Circuit, Hebronville (sic), Tex., has announced opening of the Pioneer Drive-In on a four-day policy. The drive-in will also feature Spanish-language films.”
Billboard, July 18, 1953: “High winds recently caused about $200 damage to Derrick Drive-In, Crane, Tex., according to James Winter, manager.”
Billboard, July 18, 1953: “New Skyvue Drive-In Theater has been opened by Lynn Smith and L. J. Piwetz at Lockport (sic), Tex.”
This photo by A. E. Crane, circa 1995-2013, is part of the US Department of Transportation’s National Scenic Byways Program. It’s in the public domain, and you can download it from the National Archives Catalog.
The Chief’s final night was Labor Day, Sept. 4, 1989, showing “Star Trek V” and “Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade.” The next day, its section of the United Artists theater ad said simply “Closed.”
The Starlite ownership bounced around in its final years. Clarence Files moved to Naturita, and the projector-snack bar couple at the Uranium there, Gladys and Ernest Barnes, bought the Starlite in late July 1961. Mr. and Mrs. Files took back the Starlite toward the end of the 1962 season.
Boxoffice mentioned on June 14, 1965 that A. M. Crews had taken over the Starlite from the Fileses. The April 4, 1966 issue reported that someone (presumably Crews) announced that the Starlite would not reopen, but three weeks later, Boxoffice said, “Harold Haws, formerly a motion picture theatre operator in the territory, will reopen the Starlite Drive-In at Grand Junction.”
The Starlite’s final English-language ad in the local Daily Sentinel was Oct. 15, 1966, where it promised, “Open Thurs., Fri., Say. & Sun., fall & winter season. Car heaters.” It ran ads for a Spanish-language double feature on Oct. 16-18, then stopped advertising there. A 1976 retrospective in the Daily Sentinel said of the local drive-ins, “Chief and Rocket prices went up to 85 cents in 1967, the same year the Starlite folded.”
The April 3, 1954 Motion Picture Herald wrote that Arthur Salcida bought the County from Waldo Slusher. But that was a typo. The Aug. 13, 1955 issue of Boxoffice spelled his name correctly, as Arthur Salcido.
The April 27, 1956 Albuquerque Journal, reporting the District Court docket, wrote: “Sidney Johnson, dba Southwestern Film Service, given judgment of $2739.34 against Arthur Salcido, dba County Drive-In Theater, on defendant’s confession of judgment.”
The original photo is © John Gateley, as shown on Flickr.
This photo, dated 1979, was included in a 2016 Los Angeles Times article about the death of its photographer, John Margolies. The photo credit in the article was “(John Margolies/courtesy Taschen Books)”.
There is a very similar photo, also dated 1979, in the John Margolies Roadside America photograph archive of the Library of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division. That photo, from the same angle, includes more shadows covering the San Pedro sign, though not the screen mural. It’s available here, and is effectively in the public domain.
This 1994 photo by John Margolies is effectively in the public domain. Higher-res versions are available from the Library of Congress.
This 1994 photo by John Margolies is effectively in the public domain. Higher-res versions are available from the Library of Congress.
Boxoffice, Aug. 31, 1964: “Bob Smith of the Nu Buflo Theatre, Buffalo, will take over the Ritz Theatre, Marshfield, as of September 4, he announced while on (Kansas City) Filmrow.”
Boxoffice, May 25, 1970: “Oren Davis, Marshfield exhibitor, died Sunday (10). Mrs. Oren (Irene) Davis announced that she would continue to operation of the theatre”
Boxoffice, Dec. 8, 1951: “Marshfield, Mo. – Mr. and Mrs. Lloyd Schmidt of Niangua bought the Skyline cafe from Herman Pearce and plan to build a drive-in theatre.”
Boxoffice, April 26, 1976: “GILLESPIE, ILL. – Louis C. Odorizzi, 67, Staunton, died Friday evening (2) in St. Mary’s Hospital, St. Louis, Mo. He was a former theatre owner-operator. Odorizzi had operated the Sunset Drive-In, Mount Olive, the Labor Temple Theatre, Staunton, and most recently, the Canna Theatre, Gillespie.”
This photo is (also?) available as part of the Security Pacific National Bank Collection at the Los Angeles Public Library, which says that commercial use requires permissions and fees. But if Drive-In 54 has rights to release it under a Creative Commons license, then thanks!
This photo is (also?) available as part of the Security Pacific National Bank Collection at the Los Angeles Public Library, which says that commercial use of the image requires permissions and fees. But if dallasmovietheaters found a public domain source for this fine photo, that would be nifty!
Boxoffice, May 29, 1948: “S. R. Claggett is managing the Motor Movies first drive-in in Stockton, which was opened May 14 by the Blumenfeld circuit. It is a 712-car layout.”
Answering the questions of (about) when and why the Rialto was renamed…
Boxoffice, May 8, 1948: “Robert Walker, owner of the Rialto in Fruita, Colo., got a bargain in a sign that had Uintah on it – so that is the new name of the theatre”
Boxoffice, May 1, 1948: “ROCKFORD, ILL. – The contract for construction of the 800-car drive-in in the Lover Park area of Rockford has been awarded by the Riverlane Amusement Corp., controlled by Mannie Burdie and Sidney Schermer of St. Louis. Work has progressed about 30 per cent. The theatre was designed by Leo F. Abrams and is scheduled to open May 30. It will cost well in excess of $100,000.”
Boxoffice, May 1, 1948: “LINCOLN – Construction is well in progress on the 800-car drive-in being installed here by the Starview Amusement Corp., controlled by Mannie Burdie and Sidney Schermer of St. Louis. The theatre was designed by Leo F. Abrams, St. Louis architect. The overall cost of the project will be approximately $150,000. The theatre is scheduled to open Memorial day.”
Answering the question of why that name…
Boxoffice, April 24, 1948: “RIVERSIDE, CALIF. – Roy Hunt has announced plans to construct a new drive-in theatre, the Rubidoux, in West Riverside. The house takes its name from Mount Rubidoux, famed as the locale for Easter sunrise services.”
Boxoffice, April 3, 1948: “SAN ANTONIO, TEX. – Pictures of the new San Pedro Drive-In near the airport appeared in local newspapers. It is owned by Al Wolf, former Warner salesman, and some of his kinsmen, and it will open early in April.”