drive in theater – Larry Johnston, Nostalgic Artist

Fort George Drive-in Theatre

December 31, 2014February 22, 2021 Admin

Ft. George Drive-in Theatre

Southgate, Michigan

During the outdoor drive in era, the Ft George Drive-in was built in 1950. It was located at 16300 Fort Street, in Southgate, Michigan. The theatre had one screen and could hold 1200 cars, which later, after remodeling, was able to service 1300.

During a storm in 1990, the screen was damaged by the high winds. It was eventually torn down in 1991.

While touring with my paintings, I had done several theatres, when I was told about the Ft George theatre at the Wyandotte Art Fair, just north of Southgate, where the drive-in theatre used to be. After some research, I found a black and white sketch of the theatre. I believe it was on a matchbook cover.

I painted the 24 x 36 painting before the show, the following year. I made prints of the painting and it became a popular item in the area. It’s amazing how many people remember that theatre along with some of the stories that followed.

Other outdoor Theatres I have painted are: 28^th St. Drive-in, St. Petersburg, FL: Tri-way Theatre, Plymouth, IN

around the sides of the wood.

24” x 36” ………. $1,295.00 Original Painting

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28th Street Drive-In Theatre

December 30, 2014February 22, 2021 Admin

28th Street Drive-in Theatre

St. Petersburg, FL.

For those of us that remember the teenage years with outdoor drive-in theatres, we have heard many stories about what happened at those theaters. The painting depicted here, in St. Pete, Florida, shows how some of us saved a few bucks, by hiding in the trunk of the car, until after we were inside the theatre. I’m sure you never did that!

Those were just rumors, right? They eventually got smart and just charged by the carload, instead of per person. There are less than 500 outdoor theatres left in the country. Most have been converted to shopping centers and housing communities.

Other outdoor theatre paintings I have done are: Tri-way Outdoor Theatre, Plymouth, IN; Ft. George Drive-in Theatre, Southgate, MI

Other St Pete places I have painted are:

Biff Burger

28th Street Drive in Theatre

Ted Peters Smoked Fish

Pelican Diner

around the sides of the wood.

11″ x 14″Black Edge………. $141.82

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11″ x 14″ White Edge………. $141.82

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11″ x 14″ Wrapped Edge………. $141.82

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18″ x 24″Black Edge………. $237.96

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18″ x 24″ White Edge………. $237.96

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18″ x 24″ Wrapped Edge………. $237.96

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24″ X 30″ original painting on stretched canvas not available.

Tri-Way Drive-In Outdoor Theatre

December 25, 2014April 21, 2021 Admin

Tri-Way Drive-in Outdoor Theatre

Plymouth, Indiana.

The Drive-in Theatres dwindled in numbers, as developers bought up the properties, I tried to capture the images of a few of those theatres. One of the few remaining theatres in Indiana, is the Tri-way in Plymouth, Indiana. It has 3 screens so they can show several movies at once, to bring in larger crowds.

This painting was done at a time before the recent remodeling a few years ago, which included the neon sign. I personally like the older sign, which I captured in the painting. There are a number of the cars you may have seen during the outdoor theatre era.

As you drove to the parking spot, the ground was raised in the front for easy visibility to see the movie. The pole next to the car held the speakers, which could be removed and placed inside the car, complete with volume control. Most people hung it on the window and then rolled it up as far as they could. The biggest problem was the failure to put the speaker back on the pedestal before leaving at the end of the movie, ripping the cord and taking the speaker with them. Many memories were made at the outdoor theatres. They had the concession stand in a building, which also housed the movie projector. Some even had playgrounds below the screen, for the parents to entertain their children before the start of the movie, although I never saw anyone use them.

Other Outdoor Movie Theatres I have painted are: 28^th Street Drive-in, St. Petersburg, FL; Ft. George Drive in Theatre, Southfield, MI

around the sides of the wood.

24″ X 36″ original painting on canvas not available.