Red Rock Drive-In
190 Taylor Lane,
Chinook,
MT
59523
190 Taylor Lane,
Chinook,
MT
59523
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The Red Rock Drive-In is located on the west side of the town and sits just to the north of the airport.
Owned and operated by L. Eliason, the Red Rock Drive-In was opened on May 22, 1957. It was still open in 1978, but had closed by the early-1980’s.
Today, the property is now a truck trailer yard. However, the screen is still standing.
Contributed by
Ken McElhaney
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Recent comments (view all 8 comments)
Now Triple T Truck Sales.
The address for this Drive-in is now 190 Taylor Ln, Chinook MT 59523.
Please update.
The Dec. 12, 1977 Boxoffice ran an obituary of Herbert Bonifas, who “built the Blaine Theatre, a 450-seat house, in 1948. This replaced the Orpheum and Gem Theatres opened in 1911 by his father-in-law, Johnnie Griffin. The Red Rock Drive-In was opened in 1957. When land was needed for a rest home in the community, he gave part of the Drive-In acreage for it, and when it was built, he wired in sound for the benefit of the guests who had a clear view of the screen. In 1973 he sold the theatres to Leon Eliason and retired”.
Boxoffice, May 11, 1957: “CHINOOK, MONT. – Three people in this area were winners in a contest … for naming the new drive-in theatre at the west side of town. Red Rock is the name chosen for the new drive-in.” (The winner and two other entrants, suggesting Spur and Many Moons, won annual passes.)
Boxoffice, June 15, 1957: “Chinook’s newest enterprise, the Red Rock Drive-in Theatre, was opened to the public recently for the first time by Herb Bonifas. The Red Rock, which will accommodate 200 cars, is equipped with RCA sound and has a CinemaScope screen.”
opened on May 22nd, 1957.
We have overwhelming evidence that the Red Rock opened in May 1957. (kennerado, I presume you found that date in the Great Falls Tribune.) So what should we make of the aerial photo I just posted, showing a small drive-in at 190 Taylor Lane in 1956? If HistoricAerials is accurate, Herb Bonifas built his drive-in well in advance of its opening date.
And according to Google Earth, the original projection building and screen are still there.
I photographed a drive-in screen from the train in December 2024. It was south of the tracks. Perhaps this is the same one.
Still open in 1978, but appears that it closed during the early-1980s. A 1983 aerial view shows the theater but there is another building being constructed next to the projection/concession stand.
Opened with Gregory Peck in “Duel In The Sun” along with two unnamed cartoons and two unnamed shorts.