History Vanishing Americana--the drive in movie theater

The loss of the drive inn theaters was a mark in time for me..a mark of the end of an era, that i so wish would have never ended.

 

You two you-know-whats! And, yeah, I LIKED Mike's avatar. Why did he change it? WUZ cool, as wuz.

 

Man, what pissed ME off the most was that folks who still wanted to operate drive-in theaters were VICTIM to the hope that people would just behave, as in the old days. Well dickheads came in with their drugs and their violence and cancelled out the profit margin, since owners had to keep an off-duty cop around. BULLshit. Oops, I meant, "BS!"

 

There is still a great drive in theatre in Montclair,Ca. It is called the Mission Tikki Drive-in.I went about 2 years ago and it is great,all done in tiki style,even the employees have to dress the part.It was very cool going,im going to have to make a trip real soon.

 

we still have one in lancaster, ohio. still open! kool name too!!

 

Looks nice and clean, and well maintained too. I like it!

Sadly, our closest one is a poorly maintained dump.

 

In Baltimore Maryland we also have one remaining. There was 3 that I know of. The remaining called Bengies drive in has been going out of business for 10 yrs. Thats what they say all the time. Maybe just a marketing strategy.... There still here....and I hope they stay.

 

Yep the good ole Bengies Drive In.....still there........my best memory as a youngster was swapping dates with my buddy at intermission ........I think there was some heavy partying goin on back then.

 

There is still one in medicine lodge kansas called the pageant drive in I saw a few movies there

 

The drivein that was used in the outsiders is still up and running here in tulsa, they just rebuilt it this year. It is one of the reasons i even moved back to tulsa.

 

Ya forgot one Johnny...."the WHITTIER" on Whittier Blvd near Rosemead Blvd.

 

hey Flats isn't that where BobK took a leak? Holy ground!

 

Ever get up to Illinois we have a cool onr in Earlville, Illinois. It is Route 34 Drive In, opened in 54 and still remains open and for the most part original. A definite flashback to go to in an old ride and listen to the crackly old speakers.

 

there is one in kenosha wi. called the keno drive in. its located on sheridan rd. its almost on the wi.-il. border right along lake michigan. i have been going there for years. my kids are hooked on them to. we go there several times a year in our old cars. if any one in wi or northern il. wants to meet up next summer im in. we could hit all four left in wi.in one summer that would be cool.

 

Still got 1 here in Hamilton ont canada , stoney creek drive in ( if memory serves me right , Its the 1st 1 in canada , ??? of coarse no more speakers hanging on your door , tune ur radio . but atleast its still up and running , and thats a great thing. Kev

 

We managed to make it to the Mansfield drive-in 6 times last summer. Three screens, and its always packed. They offer discounts for classic cars on Thursday nights. Digital projectors make for a nice picture and the sound is good too.

 

One left in Louisville,ky. Is for sale Kenwood drive in?
http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/17110

 

Great pics, thanks for sharing

 

El Monte Drive-In, 1992, about a year before it closed:

Grand View Drive-In, Angola, NY 2006, since demolished for a Wal-Mart that was planned but not built:

 

They're building a brand new, 2 screen drive in in Fort Worth, next to the Cats ballpark. It's behind schedule, but the screens are up. 20 minutes from the house. (YEAH!)

I get different stories, but the rumor mill says if you show up "early" with your "classic car" you'll get in cheap/free and get parked in your own section.

The idea being the regulars show up early too, get a free car show and the food stations do a land office business until the movies start.

 

Malta drive-in south of Saratoga Springs, NY has been open for 60 years. I don't have a rod with a radio so have to remember to take one with me. Sort of miss the window speakers. I pull the 34 P/U in backwards and we set in the bed just like old times...

 

Westbury Drive in New york opened in 1953. The movie "River of no Return" was released in 1954. Today stands a Mulitplex. I fogged many a car window in the back row way back when. We came up for air during the intermission though. Checkout the hood orament in the lower left hand corner. Looks like a Caddy. 1st arial view is 1966 the second is 1994.

 

when i go to the drive in i bring a boom box radio and set it on the roof then i run the wires to the drive in speakers i found at a antique mall. i now have the real deal as close as it can get. i often stop at ceasers pizza and pick up two pies. i eat one with the kids while we wait for the sun to go down. the other one goes on top of the engine staying warm to be eaten between shows.

 

Here is one they are trying to keep alive.
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Harvest-Moon-Twin-Drive-in-Theatre/79436042108?ref=ts&fref=ts

 

I donated when this first came out even though I'll never make it out there to see a movie. They only need 15000 more.

 

Ahh yeah....The Starlight Six in Atlanta was originally the Starlight Twin Drive-In. I got more than my share of tootie in there...

 

We have the 49er here in town. I take my girls 2-3 times a year. Remember, if you want these places to stay in business, eat at the concession stand. They barely break even at for the movies.

 

Thank you everyone; for the walk down memory lane!

When I was in high school, (early '60's) I worked at a Drive in Theater. I apprenticed under an old projectionist (35 mm film) and got "reamed out" more than once for missing a reel change in the beginning, but finally got pretty good at it. They were about 20 min. apart and you had to be certain which projector (of two) that the reels were loaded on.

If a reel finished before the "switch over" (the images and sound track overlapped to allow for a smooth switch over; harder than it sounds!) the audience would start blowing their horns!

I also was responsible for repairing any broken speaker wires. (or missing speakers) These were the kind that hung on your window, and it wasn't unusual for people to drive away without replacing the speaker on the post.

Ahhh ... those were the "good old days!"

 

if i win the lottery i will build one of these along with a dragstrip they are disappearing too

 

Group of us went there last year in the cars...it was fun. We'll plan something for the summer, and I'll keep ya in mind. I'd love to see 20 old cars roll in...
Jefferson is a once a year too..