Due to the expansion of the 9-screener 309 Cinema, the 309 Drive-In which became a twin in 1981 closed its gates during the same year in 1986 not just because of the Cinema 9, but a plan of a strip mall being added.
Found it! Meridian’s Royal Drive-In’s page information is wrong, because the Royal in Meridian opened on July 21, 1949 and closed in the 1990s.
The town of Petal’s Royal Drive-In is the one that opened in September/October 1953 as the East Forrest before became the Royal Drive-In in November 1961, and ran until closing in 1965 (and yes its history contains a stolen car incident in May 1961).
Now I know it, I found it entirely. This information belongs to a different Royal Drive-In. This was never called the East Forest Drive-In, because all of that information belongs to the Petal, MS East Forrest/Royal Drive-In which closed in 1965.
The Royal Drive-In in Meridian opened its gates on July 21, 1949 with “Little Women”, and according to my research on Google Earth, it may had closed in the late 1990s or early 2000s. As of 2020, most of the stuff and remains were still there including the screen, the concession stand, and the projection booth, but the sign is gone. “For Sale” signs were spawned all over the former entrance gate.
According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, the 309 Drive-In actually has 2 screens since 1981 as the 309 Twin Drive-In.
It opened as the Starlite Drive-In as early as 1949, it became the 309 Drive-In in 1950. It became a twin in 1981, renaming as the 309 Twin Drive-In (apparently there are many alternate names from this theater throughout the years, such as the Route 309 Drive-In, the Budco 309 Drive-In, the Budco 309 Twin Drive-In, and the Budco Bucks County 309 Twin Drive-In). The 309 Twin’s last year in operation is 1986, closing its gates for the final time.
The actual relaunch date as the Fox Theatre is August 23, 1935, reopening with Shirley Temple in “Our Little Girl” along with a Mickey Mouse cartoon in “Shanghaied”, a short entitled “Moon Over Manhattan”, and a Fox Movietone Newsreel (equipped with RCA Photophone).
The original opening date is May 1, 1953, but reports that it was rescheduled to May 4, 1953. Its first attraction is “When Worlds Collide” along with an unnamed cartoon and a newsreel.
That contest occurred on its opening day, May 24, 1953 with “With A Song In My Heart” as its first attraction. No selected short subjects were added on its opening day, but Cedar City’s Jack Robb was selected the winner for the contest winning 2 nights at the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas. Also, in connection of the 300-capacity Hyland’s opening, the Parks Theatre had closed its doors for only the summer, but remains opened in the colder days.
The theater had a few multiple gun incidents throughout the 1980 season, including its first incident with a 22 caliber rifle firing in July 1980 and its last incident involving damaged from the screen after gunfire later that December.
It was closed in the 1990s. As of 2021, the parking traces from the parking lot was still attached.
I Don’t Know If Either The James Or The Paramount Has An Installation Of An Iron Fireman WhirlPower Space Conditioner, Installed And Serviced By Spiers Service Authorized Distributor Of 2214 Wickham Avenue, Newport News, Both 1.5 Miles Between Both Theaters And Spiers. I Think It Came From The James, But I Could Be Wrong Though.
Both Loew’s Incorporated and Loews (the other Loews that was merged in 2008) operated this theater throughout its entire history until Loews closed its doors for the final time on October 31, 1989. The last attractions were “Black Rain” at Screen 1 and “Sea Of Love” at Screen 2. However, a message that reads “call your local theater for schedule” remains throughout November of that year.
It actually opened to the public on April 10, 1952 according to the front page of the Caldwell Watchman, with Fred Astaire in “Royal Wedding” in technicolor with no selected short subjects being its first attraction. Maybe it had a formal opening on the 9th, but I don’t know yet.
All I know is that the theater was remodeled, I’ve seen advertisements dating back to late June 1961 and there is a sign that reads that the theater is remodeling. This continued into the following month in July. No other descriptions has been determined from the Hattiesburg American until the announcement of the Royal. I believe the Royal was named right after A. Lloyd Royal himself from the Royal Theatres (MS) chain. Also do you know the first attraction(s) the East Forrest Drive-In ran when it opened in the fall of 1953, including short subjects?
Both Royal Drive-Ins in Petal and Meridian were definitely one of the funniest histories I’ve ever seen in CinemaTreasures, because the Meridian’s East Forest opened around the time the East Forrest in Petal opened, and it closed exactly a month (or 2) apart for both East Forest/East Forrests before both becoming Royals later that year.
The Empire opened its doors on September 20, 1909 under the management of Frank Evans and Perry Ryan of the borough of Fair Haven who has been in the theater business prior to the Empire opening.
Update: The Jackson Drive-In stopped showing films right after the 1959 season. However it was used as a special event in 1960. So it might’ve been closed in 1960.
Correction: The Jackson Drive-In is the second oldest drive-in in the Jackson area and in the state of Mississippi behind the Silver Slipper, opening its gates on October 17, 1941 with Cary Grant in the 1937 film “The Awful Truth” along with the Three Stooges short: “Violent Is The Word For Curley” (1938), and a Grantland Rice Sportlight: “Bowling Skill” (1940).
I mistakenly said something while typing this because I thought this is the first but its the second because the nearby Sliver Slipper opened 2 years prior to the Jackson, oops.
So yes I believe this has to be the former East Forrest Drive-In which opened between the last week of September and the first week of October 1953 and continuing until closing as the East Forrest in May 1961, then it became the Royal.
Due to the expansion of the 9-screener 309 Cinema, the 309 Drive-In which became a twin in 1981 closed its gates during the same year in 1986 not just because of the Cinema 9, but a plan of a strip mall being added.
Found it! Meridian’s Royal Drive-In’s page information is wrong, because the Royal in Meridian opened on July 21, 1949 and closed in the 1990s.
The town of Petal’s Royal Drive-In is the one that opened in September/October 1953 as the East Forrest before became the Royal Drive-In in November 1961, and ran until closing in 1965 (and yes its history contains a stolen car incident in May 1961).
Now I know it, I found it entirely. This information belongs to a different Royal Drive-In. This was never called the East Forest Drive-In, because all of that information belongs to the Petal, MS East Forrest/Royal Drive-In which closed in 1965.
The Royal Drive-In in Meridian opened its gates on July 21, 1949 with “Little Women”, and according to my research on Google Earth, it may had closed in the late 1990s or early 2000s. As of 2020, most of the stuff and remains were still there including the screen, the concession stand, and the projection booth, but the sign is gone. “For Sale” signs were spawned all over the former entrance gate.
According to the Philadelphia Inquirer, the 309 Drive-In actually has 2 screens since 1981 as the 309 Twin Drive-In.
It opened as the Starlite Drive-In as early as 1949, it became the 309 Drive-In in 1950. It became a twin in 1981, renaming as the 309 Twin Drive-In (apparently there are many alternate names from this theater throughout the years, such as the Route 309 Drive-In, the Budco 309 Drive-In, the Budco 309 Twin Drive-In, and the Budco Bucks County 309 Twin Drive-In). The 309 Twin’s last year in operation is 1986, closing its gates for the final time.
Closed In 1979.
The Embassy Theater became the Neenah Theater in October 1911. It was closed in the 1990s and was razed in September 1998.
The actual relaunch date as the Fox Theatre is August 23, 1935, reopening with Shirley Temple in “Our Little Girl” along with a Mickey Mouse cartoon in “Shanghaied”, a short entitled “Moon Over Manhattan”, and a Fox Movietone Newsreel (equipped with RCA Photophone).
The original opening date is May 1, 1953, but reports that it was rescheduled to May 4, 1953. Its first attraction is “When Worlds Collide” along with an unnamed cartoon and a newsreel.
Beginning in the early 1970s, a flea market is also occupied at the theater, still in operation though.
Opened with “Murder At The Vanities” along with an unnamed comedy and a newsreel.
Opened in September 1948, closed in 1982.
The only incident I can find from this theater is a vehicle accident that involves 3 cars on July 1, 1960.
That contest occurred on its opening day, May 24, 1953 with “With A Song In My Heart” as its first attraction. No selected short subjects were added on its opening day, but Cedar City’s Jack Robb was selected the winner for the contest winning 2 nights at the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas. Also, in connection of the 300-capacity Hyland’s opening, the Parks Theatre had closed its doors for only the summer, but remains opened in the colder days.
The theater had a few multiple gun incidents throughout the 1980 season, including its first incident with a 22 caliber rifle firing in July 1980 and its last incident involving damaged from the screen after gunfire later that December.
It was closed in the 1990s. As of 2021, the parking traces from the parking lot was still attached.
I Don’t Know If Either The James Or The Paramount Has An Installation Of An Iron Fireman WhirlPower Space Conditioner, Installed And Serviced By Spiers Service Authorized Distributor Of 2214 Wickham Avenue, Newport News, Both 1.5 Miles Between Both Theaters And Spiers. I Think It Came From The James, But I Could Be Wrong Though.
Both Loew’s Incorporated and Loews (the other Loews that was merged in 2008) operated this theater throughout its entire history until Loews closed its doors for the final time on October 31, 1989. The last attractions were “Black Rain” at Screen 1 and “Sea Of Love” at Screen 2. However, a message that reads “call your local theater for schedule” remains throughout November of that year.
Opened with Walt Disney’s “The Ugly Dachshund” and “Winnie The Pooh And The Honey Tree”.
It actually opened to the public on April 10, 1952 according to the front page of the Caldwell Watchman, with Fred Astaire in “Royal Wedding” in technicolor with no selected short subjects being its first attraction. Maybe it had a formal opening on the 9th, but I don’t know yet.
All I know is that the theater was remodeled, I’ve seen advertisements dating back to late June 1961 and there is a sign that reads that the theater is remodeling. This continued into the following month in July. No other descriptions has been determined from the Hattiesburg American until the announcement of the Royal. I believe the Royal was named right after A. Lloyd Royal himself from the Royal Theatres (MS) chain. Also do you know the first attraction(s) the East Forrest Drive-In ran when it opened in the fall of 1953, including short subjects?
Both Royal Drive-Ins in Petal and Meridian were definitely one of the funniest histories I’ve ever seen in CinemaTreasures, because the Meridian’s East Forest opened around the time the East Forrest in Petal opened, and it closed exactly a month (or 2) apart for both East Forest/East Forrests before both becoming Royals later that year.
Opened As Early As 1919, Closed On September 20, 1959 With Walt Disney’s “Sleeping Beauty”.
Opened on October 24, 1908, closed in 1914 after being destroyed by a fire.
The Empire opened its doors on September 20, 1909 under the management of Frank Evans and Perry Ryan of the borough of Fair Haven who has been in the theater business prior to the Empire opening.
Update: The Jackson Drive-In stopped showing films right after the 1959 season. However it was used as a special event in 1960. So it might’ve been closed in 1960.
Correction: The Jackson Drive-In is the second oldest drive-in in the Jackson area and in the state of Mississippi behind the Silver Slipper, opening its gates on October 17, 1941 with Cary Grant in the 1937 film “The Awful Truth” along with the Three Stooges short: “Violent Is The Word For Curley” (1938), and a Grantland Rice Sportlight: “Bowling Skill” (1940).
I mistakenly said something while typing this because I thought this is the first but its the second because the nearby Sliver Slipper opened 2 years prior to the Jackson, oops.
So yes I believe this has to be the former East Forrest Drive-In which opened between the last week of September and the first week of October 1953 and continuing until closing as the East Forrest in May 1961, then it became the Royal.
The earliest attraction I can find dates back to February 1926. So as on my thought, it opened as early as 1925.
I might check if the East Forrest is in that same address.