Delayed? Or for the season? Motion Picture Herald, Jan. 13, 1951: “The Commonwealth Theatre Corporation opened a new drive-in theatre at Batesville, Ark.”
Motion Picture Herald, Aug. 23, 1952: “Official opening of Nowata’s first drive-in theatre, the Sky-Vu, took place August 11. C. D. Hicks and J. J. Bowden are the owners.”
Motion Picture Herald, Sept. 20, 1952: “The Parkvu, Nowata, opened this week. Owner is Chester Fleming.”
The 1953-54 Theatre Catalog included both. The Park Vu held 300, owned by C. V. Fleming, and the Sky-Vu on “Rt. 60” held 265, owners Bud Hicks and J. J. Bowden. US 60 is the east-west highway through Nowata.
Motion Picture Herald, Aug. 30, 1952: “The Bloomer Amusement Co., of Belleville, Ill., has purchased the Starlight drive-in east of Upper Alton, Ill. The sale was completed by Joe Goldfarb and Harry Beck of Alton, Ill.”
Adding a name. Motion Picture Herald, Aug. 23, 1952: “Anson Longtin is changing the name of his 467-seat Oak Park, Sacramento to the Guild and has inaugurated a foreign-pictures policy.”
Motion Picture Herald, Aug. 16, 1952: “The 450-seat New Peralta in Oakland, closed by William Garren, June 21, was set to be reopened August 10 by Robert Wells.”
Motion Picture Herald, Aug. 9, 1952: “The Starlite theatre, Shawnee, Okla., as an added attraction, has on display a 130 pound hard shell turtle estimated to be 300 years old.”
Motion Picture Herald, Aug. 9, 1952: “The Barton Theatres have bought the N W Hi-Way drive-in theatre from the Sullivan Theatres of Wichita, Kan. The drive-in is the 12th theatre in the Barton chain.”
Motion Picture Herald, Aug. 2, 1952: “Earl Young, who served as manager (of Malco theatres in Jonesboro AR) for the past three years, has resigned and gone into business for himself. He now owns and operates the Trumann drive-in at Trumann, Ark.”
Motion Picture Herald, Aug. 2, 1952: “The Peso drive-in is the new name of the re-opened North screen of the former Twin Open Air drive-in, operated by the Harry L. Nace Theatres. South screen has been operating for some time under the name of Acres-Of-Fun.”
Motion Picture Herald, July 27, 1952: “Bailey Enterprises have sold their Capital theatre, Morrison, Ill., to LeRoy B. McMahon, who also operates the Gran in Granville, Ill.”
Motion Picture Herald, July 5, 1952: “W. A. Collins, of DeSoto, Mo., announced that he had completed plans for the erection of a 400-car open air theatre, to cost $75,000, at the intersections of State Highways 21 and 110. Construction will start as soon as permits and materials can be obtained, he said.”
Motion Picture Herald, July 5, 1952: “The Cinema Park drive-in, Phoenix, is the subject of an article in the July issue of Holiday magazine, in which this ozoner is names as one of the most best (?) open air theatres in the U.S.”
Motion Picture Herald, July 5, 1952: “Tom Murphy has opened his new 330-car drive-in, the Trail, at Clayton, N. M., it is being managed by his brother, William Murphy.”
Looks like the remodeled theater was renamed. Motion Picture Herald, July 5, 1952: “Mitchell Kelloff has opened his new Spur, La Veta, Colo. This replaces the Chief.”
Motion Picture Herald, March 29, 1952: “Fire destroyed the 900-seat Arcadia theatre, Ranger, Texas, shortly before it was to open its doors. B. E. Garner, owner, said it apparently began in an air-conditioning unit and swept along the ceiling to the front of the building. Mr. Garner said the $150,000 building was a total loss.”
Motion Picture Herald, March 29, 1952: “Rube Levine has installed 500 metal chairs at his 54 Drive-In, Kankakee, Ill., to take care of "walk-in” customers."
Delayed? Or for the season? Motion Picture Herald, Jan. 13, 1951: “The Commonwealth Theatre Corporation opened a new drive-in theatre at Batesville, Ark.”
Aha! There were two drive-ins in Nowata.
Motion Picture Herald, Aug. 23, 1952: “Official opening of Nowata’s first drive-in theatre, the Sky-Vu, took place August 11. C. D. Hicks and J. J. Bowden are the owners.”
Motion Picture Herald, Sept. 20, 1952: “The Parkvu, Nowata, opened this week. Owner is Chester Fleming.”
The 1953-54 Theatre Catalog included both. The Park Vu held 300, owned by C. V. Fleming, and the Sky-Vu on “Rt. 60” held 265, owners Bud Hicks and J. J. Bowden. US 60 is the east-west highway through Nowata.
Same drive-in? Motion Picture Herald, Sept. 20, 1952: “Jack Butler is expanding his Ski-Way Drive-In, Danville, Ill., from 900- to 1200-car capacity.”
The Sky-Way was one of two Danville drive-ins (with the Dixie) in the 1952 Theatre Catalog. Owner Jack Butler, capacity 600.
Motion Picture Herald, Aug. 30, 1952: “The Bloomer Amusement Co., of Belleville, Ill., has purchased the Starlight drive-in east of Upper Alton, Ill. The sale was completed by Joe Goldfarb and Harry Beck of Alton, Ill.”
Adding a name. Motion Picture Herald, Aug. 23, 1952: “Anson Longtin is changing the name of his 467-seat Oak Park, Sacramento to the Guild and has inaugurated a foreign-pictures policy.”
Motion Picture Herald, Aug. 16, 1952: “The 450-seat New Peralta in Oakland, closed by William Garren, June 21, was set to be reopened August 10 by Robert Wells.”
Motion Picture Herald, Aug. 9, 1952: “The Starlite theatre, Shawnee, Okla., as an added attraction, has on display a 130 pound hard shell turtle estimated to be 300 years old.”
Motion Picture Herald, Aug. 9, 1952: “The Barton Theatres have bought the N W Hi-Way drive-in theatre from the Sullivan Theatres of Wichita, Kan. The drive-in is the 12th theatre in the Barton chain.”
Motion Picture Herald, Aug. 2, 1952: “Earl Young, who served as manager (of Malco theatres in Jonesboro AR) for the past three years, has resigned and gone into business for himself. He now owns and operates the Trumann drive-in at Trumann, Ark.”
Motion Picture Herald, Aug. 2, 1952: “The Peso drive-in is the new name of the re-opened North screen of the former Twin Open Air drive-in, operated by the Harry L. Nace Theatres. South screen has been operating for some time under the name of Acres-Of-Fun.”
Motion Picture Herald, July 27, 1952: “Bailey Enterprises have sold their Capital theatre, Morrison, Ill., to LeRoy B. McMahon, who also operates the Gran in Granville, Ill.”
Motion Picture Herald, July 19, 1952: “On July 1, the 548-seat Liberty in Sacramento reverted to its former owner John DiStacio from Ray Kelsall.”
Motion Picture Herald, July 12, 1952: “The New 300-car Ocean drive-in at Crescent City opened under operation of Leech, Miller and McCuen.”
Motion Picture Herald, July 5, 1952: “W. A. Collins, of DeSoto, Mo., announced that he had completed plans for the erection of a 400-car open air theatre, to cost $75,000, at the intersections of State Highways 21 and 110. Construction will start as soon as permits and materials can be obtained, he said.”
Boxoffice, Sept. 11, 1948: “Bruce Prater has sold the Sierra Theatre, Loyalton, Calif. to Ross E. Jones of Bieber, Calif.”
Motion Picture Herald, July 5, 1952: “Leonard Massey took over the 200-seat Sierra, Loyalton, from Ross Jones.”
In between, the only theater in town in the 1950 Film Daily Year Book was the Loyalton, 196 seats.
Motion Picture Herald, July 5, 1952: “The Cinema Park drive-in, Phoenix, is the subject of an article in the July issue of Holiday magazine, in which this ozoner is names as one of the most best (?) open air theatres in the U.S.”
Motion Picture Herald, July 5, 1952: “Tom Murphy has opened his new 330-car drive-in, the Trail, at Clayton, N. M., it is being managed by his brother, William Murphy.”
Looks like the remodeled theater was renamed. Motion Picture Herald, July 5, 1952: “Mitchell Kelloff has opened his new Spur, La Veta, Colo. This replaces the Chief.”
Motion Picture Herald, July 5, 1952: “U. A. Kane has opened his new 500-car Rocket drive-in at Las Cruces, N. M.”
Motion Picture Herald, July 5, 1952: “R. A. Daniels, operating in Tatum, N. M., is building a 300-car $40,000 drive-in there, to be opened August 15.”
Motion Picture Herald, March 29, 1952: “Fire destroyed the 900-seat Arcadia theatre, Ranger, Texas, shortly before it was to open its doors. B. E. Garner, owner, said it apparently began in an air-conditioning unit and swept along the ceiling to the front of the building. Mr. Garner said the $150,000 building was a total loss.”
Motion Picture Herald, March 29, 1952: “Gardner Theatre Supply has sold the equipment of the Rex, Chicago Heights, to the Cozy theatre, Mindin, La.”
Motion Picture Herald, March 29, 1952: “Rube Levine has installed 500 metal chairs at his 54 Drive-In, Kankakee, Ill., to take care of "walk-in” customers."
Motion Picture Herald, March 29, 1952: “The Yale, Maywood, Ill., and Towne, Cicero, Ill., have closed.”
Motion Picture Herald, March 22, 1952: “N. D. Fischer plans to open his new drive-in at Willow Springs, Mo., about May 1.”