That illustration was part of the Great Lakes Steel Corporation’s ad in the Oct. 23, 1948 issue of Motion Picture Herald (and possibly elsewhere). That magazine is in the public domain.
Thanks, 50sSnipes! The dead giveaway for the site today are the signs that show “Drive-In Lane”: https://goo.gl/maps/iGGa6V4gwkxQZLja8
The drive-in was perfectly positioned against that little pond, which is the only other remnant that I could see today. The closest address I could wring out of Google Maps is 15719 MS-37, Taylorsville, MS 39168, for the Maranatha Mennonite Church about a quarter-mile farther south.
Boxoffice, Nov. 18, 1950: “ADRIAN, MICH. - Speakers at drive-in situations are stolen at times but at the Sky Drive-In here, an enterprising thief stole the entire insides of a speaker and left the shell hanging on the post. R. B. Tuttle, manager, said that a recent fog which rolled in so heavily near the end of the second feature of a dual bill caused him to give out 400 rain checks. Nearly a third of the patrons decided they had their money’s worth and refused rain checks, he said.”
Boxoffice, Nov. 18, 1950: “ANNA, ILL. - The government’s ban on the construction of new amusement and recreational facilities has delayed the plans of Rodgers Theatres of Cairo to build a drive-in near the eastern city limits here. The Rodgers circuit purchased the property early in October.”
Boxoffice, July 11, 1953: “ANNA, ILL. – The Rodgers Drive-In near the eastern city limits had its grand opening Wednesday (1). It is owned and operated by the Rodgers Theatres, Cairo, Ill.”
Boxoffice, Nov. 18, 1950: “HERCULANEUM, MO. - The 400-seat Vanita (sic) Theatre, dark since July 15, has been reopened under new management. The building is owned by A. L. Burke of Lewistown.”
Boxoffice, Nov. 18, 1950: “SPEARMAN, TEX. - J. D. Wilbanks, farmer three miles east of here is planning to build a drive-in theatre on his farm. He had all materials and equipment on hand before curbs were put on construction of amusement projects. He plans a 200-car drive-in to be in operation by February.”
Boxoffice, Nov. 18, 1950: “SULPHER SPRINGS, TEX. - Fire destroyed the Mission Theatre here November 6, damaged an apparel shop, a record shop, and the local PMA office. The buildings were of brick and wood construction. Loss was estimated at $100,000. The theatre was destroyed.”
Sounds like Leon may have been one of those guys who sold his drive-in like a used car off a lot.
Boxoffice, Nov. 18, 1950: “L. D. Glasscock has put his Mathis Drive-In up for sale”
Motion Picture Exhibitor, Oct. 31, 1962: “The Mathis Drive-In, Mathis, Tex., operated by Leon Glasscock, has been sold and will give way to a homes development project.”
Boxoffice, Nov. 18, 1950: “GATESVILLE, TEX. - The Circle-S Drive-In, 350-car situation, has been opened here by the Skelton brothers, owners of four theatres here. Work on the airer located on Highway 36, began in August.”
Boxoffice, Nov. 18, 1950: “QUINCY, FLA. - Construction is under way on a 250-car drive-in on the new Tallahassee highway less than a mile from town. Interstate Enterprises, operators of the Leaf, Shaw and Roxy theatres, as well as others in south Georgia, are building the drive-in.”
Boxoffice, Nov. 18, 1950: (Memphis Film Row notes) “From Arkansas came … Paul Shafer, Poinsett Drive-In, Marked Tree”
Boxoffice, April 25, 1953: “Jimmie Singleton, Marked Tree, Ark., … has purchased the Poinsett Drive-In, Marked Tree, from Paul Shaffer and Robert Bradley. Singleton already owns and operates the New and Star at Marked Tree, the Tyro at Tyronza, Grand and Trumann Drive-In at Trumann, Ark.”
Boxoffice, Nov. 18, 1950: “RIDGEWAY, MO. - The theatre building here has been sold to G. W. Vost of Pattonsburg by Mr. and Mrs. Junior Clark of Midwest Theatres.”
Boxoffice, Nov. 18, 1950: “C. B. Kelly of the Kelly, Wakeeney, Kas., has remodeled that house and has installed 498 new Irwin seats, purchased from Shreve Theatre Equipment Co.”
Boxoffice, Nov. 18, 1950: “MILFORD, IOWA - The Strand Theatre and the Lakeview (sic) Drive-In here have been sold by H. A. Parrott. James Travis, the new owner, is son-in-law of R. V. Fletcher, Hartington, Neb., exhibitor.”
That “Lakeview” was probably a mistake. The 1952 Theatre Catalog lists the Lakeland, capacity 300 cars, owner Jim Travis.
Boxoffice, Nov. 18, 1950: “SHELDON, IOWA - The Sheldon Drive-In has been sold to the Sheldon Theatre Corp. by G. E. Sessler. The corporation is made up of the same group of Des Moines men who recently bought the Iowa Theatre in downtown Sheldon. The drive-in was constructed south of Sheldon last year. This season it was completely redocorated and landscaped.”
Boxoffice, Nov. 18, 1950: “PAOLA, KAS. - In hopes of an early lifting of the federal ban on amusement building, the Griffith Theatre Enterprises, owners of the Paola and Osawatomie Theatres, have purchased ten acres of land near here for a drive-in.”
Boxoffice, Nov. 18, 1950: “LOS ALAMOS, N. M. - The federal ban on amusement building will not affect the construction of a new theatre on the proving grounds here. The new building, scheduled for completion next summer, will contain office and commercial space in addition to the theatre.”
The editors messed up the spelling of Magee, but some of the other info checks out.
Boxoffice, Nov. 11, 1950: “MAGEEHE, MISS. - The Mageehe Drive-In at Mageehe, Miss., has opened under the management of Mrs. H. A. Everett. Motiograph sound, projectors and lighting equipment was installed by the Hodges Theatre Supply Co. The new outdoor cost about $75,000. Mrs. Everett also is owner of another theatre here.”
A few months after I posted this here, I discovered that it was taken in 1979 by Steve Fitch. Since it’s still on Pinterest, I’ll leave this photo up until I hear differently.
That illustration was part of the Great Lakes Steel Corporation’s ad in the Oct. 23, 1948 issue of Motion Picture Herald (and possibly elsewhere). That magazine is in the public domain.
Boxoffice, Dec. 2, 1950: “Richey, Mont. - The Richet Theatre here has been reopened under the management of Harold Goulding.”
Thanks, 50sSnipes! The dead giveaway for the site today are the signs that show “Drive-In Lane”: https://goo.gl/maps/iGGa6V4gwkxQZLja8
The drive-in was perfectly positioned against that little pond, which is the only other remnant that I could see today. The closest address I could wring out of Google Maps is 15719 MS-37, Taylorsville, MS 39168, for the Maranatha Mennonite Church about a quarter-mile farther south.
In early March 2023, winds knocked down most of a Sky Vue screen and heavily damaged its sign, according to a story from WLEX TV.
Boxoffice, Nov. 18, 1950: “ADRIAN, MICH. - Speakers at drive-in situations are stolen at times but at the Sky Drive-In here, an enterprising thief stole the entire insides of a speaker and left the shell hanging on the post. R. B. Tuttle, manager, said that a recent fog which rolled in so heavily near the end of the second feature of a dual bill caused him to give out 400 rain checks. Nearly a third of the patrons decided they had their money’s worth and refused rain checks, he said.”
Boxoffice, Nov. 18, 1950: “PORTLAND, IND. - Construction has been started on the 450-car Mallers Drive-In here.”
The Aug. 8, 1951 issue of The Exhibitor reported that “Mallers brothers opened their new Sky Vue Drive-in, near Portland, Ind.”
Boxoffice, Nov. 18, 1950: “ANNA, ILL. - The government’s ban on the construction of new amusement and recreational facilities has delayed the plans of Rodgers Theatres of Cairo to build a drive-in near the eastern city limits here. The Rodgers circuit purchased the property early in October.”
Boxoffice, July 11, 1953: “ANNA, ILL. – The Rodgers Drive-In near the eastern city limits had its grand opening Wednesday (1). It is owned and operated by the Rodgers Theatres, Cairo, Ill.”
Boxoffice, Nov. 18, 1950: “HERCULANEUM, MO. - The 400-seat Vanita (sic) Theatre, dark since July 15, has been reopened under new management. The building is owned by A. L. Burke of Lewistown.”
Boxoffice, Nov. 18, 1950: “SPEARMAN, TEX. - J. D. Wilbanks, farmer three miles east of here is planning to build a drive-in theatre on his farm. He had all materials and equipment on hand before curbs were put on construction of amusement projects. He plans a 200-car drive-in to be in operation by February.”
Boxoffice, Nov. 18, 1950: “SULPHER SPRINGS, TEX. - Fire destroyed the Mission Theatre here November 6, damaged an apparel shop, a record shop, and the local PMA office. The buildings were of brick and wood construction. Loss was estimated at $100,000. The theatre was destroyed.”
Sounds like Leon may have been one of those guys who sold his drive-in like a used car off a lot.
Boxoffice, Nov. 18, 1950: “L. D. Glasscock has put his Mathis Drive-In up for sale”
Motion Picture Exhibitor, Oct. 31, 1962: “The Mathis Drive-In, Mathis, Tex., operated by Leon Glasscock, has been sold and will give way to a homes development project.”
Boxoffice, Nov. 18, 1950: “GATESVILLE, TEX. - The Circle-S Drive-In, 350-car situation, has been opened here by the Skelton brothers, owners of four theatres here. Work on the airer located on Highway 36, began in August.”
Boxoffice, Nov. 18, 1950: “QUINCY, FLA. - Construction is under way on a 250-car drive-in on the new Tallahassee highway less than a mile from town. Interstate Enterprises, operators of the Leaf, Shaw and Roxy theatres, as well as others in south Georgia, are building the drive-in.”
Boxoffice, Nov. 18, 1950: (Memphis Film Row notes) “From Arkansas came … Paul Shafer, Poinsett Drive-In, Marked Tree”
Boxoffice, April 25, 1953: “Jimmie Singleton, Marked Tree, Ark., … has purchased the Poinsett Drive-In, Marked Tree, from Paul Shaffer and Robert Bradley. Singleton already owns and operates the New and Star at Marked Tree, the Tyro at Tyronza, Grand and Trumann Drive-In at Trumann, Ark.”
Boxoffice, Nov. 18, 1950: “RIDGEWAY, MO. - The theatre building here has been sold to G. W. Vost of Pattonsburg by Mr. and Mrs. Junior Clark of Midwest Theatres.”
Boxoffice, Nov. 18, 1950: “C. B. Kelly of the Kelly, Wakeeney, Kas., has remodeled that house and has installed 498 new Irwin seats, purchased from Shreve Theatre Equipment Co.”
Boxoffice, Nov. 18, 1950: “MILFORD, IOWA - The Strand Theatre and the Lakeview (sic) Drive-In here have been sold by H. A. Parrott. James Travis, the new owner, is son-in-law of R. V. Fletcher, Hartington, Neb., exhibitor.”
That “Lakeview” was probably a mistake. The 1952 Theatre Catalog lists the Lakeland, capacity 300 cars, owner Jim Travis.
Boxoffice, Nov. 18, 1950: “SHELDON, IOWA - The Sheldon Drive-In has been sold to the Sheldon Theatre Corp. by G. E. Sessler. The corporation is made up of the same group of Des Moines men who recently bought the Iowa Theatre in downtown Sheldon. The drive-in was constructed south of Sheldon last year. This season it was completely redocorated and landscaped.”
Boxoffice, Nov. 18, 1950: “PAOLA, KAS. - In hopes of an early lifting of the federal ban on amusement building, the Griffith Theatre Enterprises, owners of the Paola and Osawatomie Theatres, have purchased ten acres of land near here for a drive-in.”
That 1954 note may have been a season opener.
Boxoffice, Nov. 18, 1950: “LARNED, KAS. - The Larned Drive-In, which opened last June, has closed for the winter.”
Same theater?
Boxoffice, Nov. 18, 1950: “LOS ALAMOS, N. M. - The federal ban on amusement building will not affect the construction of a new theatre on the proving grounds here. The new building, scheduled for completion next summer, will contain office and commercial space in addition to the theatre.”
The editors messed up the spelling of Magee, but some of the other info checks out.
Boxoffice, Nov. 11, 1950: “MAGEEHE, MISS. - The Mageehe Drive-In at Mageehe, Miss., has opened under the management of Mrs. H. A. Everett. Motiograph sound, projectors and lighting equipment was installed by the Hodges Theatre Supply Co. The new outdoor cost about $75,000. Mrs. Everett also is owner of another theatre here.”
Same drive-in?
Boxoffice, Nov. 18, 1950: “DeRidder, La. - Gay Ranchero Drive-In, $80,000, under construction. John Harvey, manager.”
Another capacity data point:
Boxoffice, Nov. 11, 1950: “Las Vegas, N.M. - Remodeled 726-seat Serf reopened by Fox Intermountain.”
A few months after I posted this here, I discovered that it was taken in 1979 by Steve Fitch. Since it’s still on Pinterest, I’ll leave this photo up until I hear differently.