Top Ten Oldest Establishments of Their Kind-- Part 2

5.  THEATER:  Teatro Olimpio in Vicenza, Italy.  Opened in 1585

4.  AMUSEMENT PARK:  Bakken in Copenhagen, Denmark.  Opened in 1583

3.  MUSEUM:  Musei Capitolini in Rome, Italy.  Opened in 1471

2.  UNIVERSITY:  The University of al-Quarwiyy in Fez, Morocco.  Opened in 859

1.  HOTEL:  Nishiyama Onsen Keiunkan in Japan.  Opened in 705

--DaCoot

Top 10 Oldest Establishments of Their Kind in the World: Airport and Restaurant

From March 31, 2022, ListVerse by Kerri Lee Gluch.

I am just listing them.  For more information, go to the site.

10.  AIRPORT:  College Park Airport, Maryland.  Opened 1909

9.  MOVIE THEATER:  State Theater in Washington, Iowa.  Opened May 14, 1897.

8.  SHOPPING MALL:  Galleria  Vittorio Emanuele II in Milan, Italy.  Opened in 1877

7.  ZOO:  Tiergarten  Schonbrunn on Vienna, Austria.  Opened 1752

6.  RESTAURANT:  Restaurante Botin in Madrid, Spain.  Opened 1725.

--Cooter

McHenry Outdoor Theater-- Part 1

This drive-in theater is located about six miles from home and it is not one of those billboard theaters, but has a massive stone (or something like it) screen housing.

From Drive-In Movie.com.

Originally opened in 1951, the Skyline Drive-In, now the McHenry Outdoor Theater, is a single screen drive-in theater located in McHenry, Illinois.

It is the Chicago area's last  remaining drive-in.

Double features are shown seasonably.

In December 2020, the owner announced that he had bought ten more additional acres and plans to turn it into a three-screen venue.

--Coot-In

Return of Drive-In Theaters-- Part 8:The Spud Drive-In Theatre

It would be possible to build a whole vacation around a visit to The Spud Drive-In Theatre in Idaho's Teton Country, located about an hour's drive from Grant Teton National Park.

Operating since 1953, it beckons to guests with a giant potato (what, a giant potato in Idaho, who'd have figured) sitting in "Old Murphy," a 1946 Chevrolet flatbed truck, parked along the driveway.

The drive-in sign is modeled after an Idaho license plate, featuring the motto "Famous Potatoes."  

A couple years ago, owner Lenny Zaban added two rustic cabins at the back of the lot, where overnight guests can watch movies from the porch or the nearby hot tub and enjoy specialties from the snack bar, including "Spud Buds" (potato tots) and caramel corn made fresh nightly.

Spend a Night at the Theater.  --Cooter

Return of Drive-In Theaters-- Part 7: The 66 Drive-In Theatre

And what would drive-in theater's be without at least one on the famed Mother Road, Route 66?  There are several, including one that just reopened on Sapulpa, Oklahoma, and, of course, Litchfield, Illinois, but probably the most famous one even carries the name, 66 Drive-In Theatre neat Carthage, Missouri.

Its original neon sign continues to attract road-trippers.  (Route 66 is part of the National Trust's National Treasures Program.)

Tickets are often sold out of the original ticket booth, a glowing little building with walls made entirely of glass blocks.

For a complete Route 66 experience ,owner Nathan McDonald recommends staying at the recently restored Boots Court motel (1939) in the nearby town of Carthage, which advertises "A Radio In Every Room)"

Whether You Want One Or Not.  --CootBoots

Return of the Drive-In Theaters-- Part 6: Capri Drive-In

Also in Michigan is the Capri Drive-In Theater at Coldwater, which replaced its original 1964 marque with a faithful replica after it was destroyed in a 2001 auto crash.  It opened in 1964 and had a contest to pick a name. The name was submitted by Mary Magocs and she got a sewing machine for her name.

Admission in 1964 was $1 and a cheeseburger would set you back 45 cents.

The original double lane snack bar is still in place and does a brisk business in footlongs and garlic pickles.

Last Halloween, the drive-in offered socially distanced "trunk-or-tricking" and spotlighted best costumes on the screen during intermission -- a tradition that Susan Magocs says will continue forward.

--CootTrunk

Return of Drive-In Theaters-- Part 5: Ford-Wyoming Drive-In

The FORD-WYOMING DRIVE-IN--in Dearborn, Michigan -- where the headquarters of the Ford Motor Company are also located -- is one of the country's largest, with a roughly 1,700 car capacity.

Named for its location at the intersection of Ford Road and Wyoming Avenue, this drive-in is open year round.  "The only time we've ever been closed is when there is a snowstorm just before the theater opening, or in extreme cold," says co-owner Bill Clark.

Taking a cue from the movie palaces of old, the back of the movie screen -- whuch faces the road -- is designed to look like an Art Deco building, with jaunty red accents.

The theater has upgraded two of its five screens with laser projectors and will be doing the same on the remaining screens soon.  It offers streaming audio over Wi-Fi and broadcast audio over  FM radio.

--Cooter

Return of Drive-In Theaters-- Part 4: The Mahoning, Shankweiler's and Bengies

**  THE MAHONING DRIVE-IN THEATER in Horsham, Pennsylvania decided not to go with digital and stay retro with 35 millimeter films.  Today, fans travel from all over the country for its multi-day movie marathons of genre and cult classics.  ("Zombiefest" regularly sells out.)

On site camping is available and the door to the projection room is always open so guests can see the original 1940s-era film projectors in action.

**  SHANKWEILER'S DRIVE-IN THEATER is Orefield, Pennsylvania, close to The Mahoning.  It opened in 1934, a year after Hollingsfead's now-lost, groundbreaking venue.   It is now the oldest drive-in in thye country.

**  THE BENGIES DRIVE-IN THEATRE in Middle River, Maryland (1956).  Drive-in design has its own refinements and architectural engineer Jack Vogel was an expert at it.   For one of his family's own venues (this one) he designed a special curved screen that focuses light for a better image, with the right proportions to display the then-new Cinemascope widescreen format without cropping.

The 120-by 52 foot screen is now the largest drive-in screen in the United States.

The venue is now run by Jack's son, D. Vogel, who has continued the tradition of audience participation, asking people to flash their headlights to vote for upcoming movies if they like the trailer.

Love Them Old Drive-Ins.  --Cooter

The Return of Drive-In Theaters-- Part 3: The Problem With Netflix and Digital Distribution

These days, movie venues must contend with the rise of Netflix and other streaming sites.  And, of course, those who people who say they'll wait until the film comes out and they can watch it on their 75-inch HDTV.  (But I say there is absolutely no comparison between a 75-inch screen and the BIG SCREEN in the theater.)

But, nearly a decade ago, they also had to deal with anothern technological upheaval -- the switch from film to digital distribution.  To show new releases, owners had to switch to digital projection systems.  And, that was a pricer upgrade.

*********************************

The article listed several well-known drive-ins across the country:

WELLFLEET DRIVE-IN on Massachusetts' Cape Cod.  Carries on the early tradition of being a comperehensive entertainment center.  In addition to its outdoor screen, the 1957 venue has an 18-hole miniature golf course that dates from 1961, an ice cream bar and even a four-screen indoor movie theater.

It is one of the few drive-ins that still offer sound through traditional stereo speakers that attach to the inside of the car window.  (They do, however, also sound via the FM radio.)

--CootGital

The Return of the Drive-In Theaters-- Part 2: A Huge Decline in Numbers

Drive-In popularity peaked in 1958, when there were more than 4,000 in operation in  the United States.  According to the United Drive-in Theatre Owners Association, 305 remained as of October 2019.  

These drive-ins usually show new releases with audio comng through the car radio instead of theater-supplied speakers that attached to your car windows (and had that wonderful tinny sound, just remember to remove the speaker from your window before you go home).

Snack bars are likely to have vegetarian options.

Most still offer a double feature for the price of one ticket.  (Although this leads to a late movie start in the summer and even earlier morning end to the second movie which pretty much rules out the second feature for me.) 

--Coot-In

The Return of the Drive-In Theaters-- Part 1

From the Summer 2021 Preservation Magazine "Movie Magic" by Lydia Lee.

One thing that improved during the pandemic was the fate of the drive-in theater business which had been in decline for a long time.  But because of the way they are set up, conditions were excellent for them.

After World War II, drive-ins flourished as part of a new life-style including an automobile and a house in the suburbs.  According to Mary Morley Cohen: "Drive-ins allowed audiences to experience the new pasttimes in a familiar, cheaper, and more public context.

From their start, the drive-ins were more welcoming than the fancy movie palaces of previous decades (especially those built around 1928).

Riverton, New Jersey, native Richard Hollingshead, Jr., opened the first drive-in theater in nearby Camden in 1933, promoting it as a venue where "the whole family is welcome, regardless of how noisy the children are apt to be."

To entice families, drive-ins offered playgrounds, snack bars that served full meals, and, in some cases, even bottle warmers for babies.  "The highly sociable atmosphere was quite a bit different from sitting quietly in a darkened, indoorn theater," wrote Cohen.

--Cooter

The DeKalb Theatre

From the January 10, 2023, MidWeek (DeKalb County, Illinois) "Looking Back."

1923, 100 Years Ago.

"Work on the DeKalb theatre, DeKalb's newest playhouse, is progressing rapidly now and many people stop to give the beautiful front a careful  inspection.

"Today, much additional equipment for the place arrived, as three large loads of  steam radiators were lined up in front of the place for an hour or more.

"The furniture is purchased and will be shipped as soon the order comes from the manager.  Plans are about completed for opening the new playhouse  about May 1."

And, it still stands.  The famed Egyptian Theater also is in DeKalb.

--Cooter

50 Things About 'The Godfather' on Its 50th Anniversary-- Part 1: Dem Oranges

 The movie "The Godfather" was released on March 15, 1972.  I don't remember if I saw it on the big screen back then or not.  Most likely not.  But on March 24 this year I finally got my chance to see it at the theater and took advantage of it at the Fox Lake Theatre in Fox Lake, Illinois.  

I was expecting a big crows and was surprised when I found myself the only one there.  Oh, well, my own private screening.

I have seen it many times on TV.  That was just one magnificent film.

Chicago Sun-Times movie columnist Richard Roeper wrote an article "50 Ways to Love 'The Godfather.' "

Here they are:

1.  ORANGES.  Beware the oranges.  When you see one in the movie, death and heartbreak are sure to follow.

2.  CONNIE'S WEDDING:  The soon-to-be-late Tessio juggles an orange.

3.  STREET WHERE DON CORLEONE gets shot:  Oranges spilled.  "I'm gonna buy some fruit."

4.  PRODUCER JACK WOLTZ's dining room table with a giant bowl or oranges.

5.  THE FIVE FAMILIES' MEETING:  An orange atop the bowl of fruit on the table.

6.  DON COREONE's DARDEN:  Oranges

7.  PRODUCTION DESIGNER DEAN TAVOULARIS used the oranges to brighten the otherwise muted hues of the sets.

Beware the Oranges.  --CootFather

Name That Movie Quote

Sure looking forward to getting back into the old movie theater this summer.  I haven't been in one since February 2020.  And, I usually see between 50 and 75 movies a year.

Anyway. the May 16, 2021, Parade magazine had an article on "50 Years of Movies We Love."

And, a quote from each movie.

See if you can identify the movie from the quote:

**  "Go ahead and make my day."  (1983)

**  "Whoever said orange is the new pink was seriously disturbed."  (2001)

**  "Why did it have to be snakes?  I hate snakes."   (1981)

**  "I do wish we could chat longer, but ... I'm having an old friend for dinner."   (1991)

**  "You're a wizard, Harry."  (2001)

Answer in the next post.   Maybe.

Get Guessin'.  --Cooter

Is That John Dillinger Buried In John Dillinger's Grave?-- Part 1

From the November 30, 2019, Chicago Sun-Times "Cemetery seeks to keep body in Dillinger's grave"by John Seidel.

"When it comes to whether the body inside 1930s gangster John Dillinger's grave will actually be exhumed, Indianapolis' Crown Hill Cemetery says it has the last word.

"And the cemetery says it refuses to open the grave for 'a decades-old conspiracy theory that Dillinger was not, in fact, shot and killed by the FBI, properly identified by his family or buried at Crown Hill in 1934.' "

But, the case might ultimately be decided by a judge.

Meanwhile, the Indiana State Department of Health has given approval for the exhumation to move forward on New Year's Eve.

Two of Dillinger's descendants made national news this past summer when they said they had evidence that the person fatally shot outside Chicago's Biograph Theater on July 22, 1934, may not have been Dillinger.

--Cooter

Waukegan Movie Theaters and Actors and Movies

During Waukegan's history, there have been a total of 43 movie theaters at 23 locations in the city.  Sadly, today there is not a single Waukegan theater showing first-run films, the nearest place to see one of those is nearby Gurnee.

Three famous ones were the Elite Theater, originally a vaudeville stage, the Academy and the Genessee which was built in 1927 and still stands.

One famous Waukegan person in the movie business was Jack Benny who appeared in the movie "Man About Town" which had its world premier in Waukegan in 1939 at the Genessee Theater.

Dorothy LaMour, George Chandler and Ray Bradbury also were from Waukegan.

"The Navy Way" movie was filmed a lot at Great Lakes Naval base near Waukegan in North Chicago, and had its world premier at the Genessee.

--Cooter

George Kirke Spoor and the Early Waukegan Film Industry-- Part 1

GEORGE KIRKE SPOOR

Born Dec. 18, 1871   Died Nov. 24, 1854

Early film pioneer.  Founded Essanay Studios in Chicago with Gilbert M. "Bronco Billy" Anderson in 1907.  Essanay lasted until 1917 and made 2,000 films of which, 215 survive to this day.

He also played a part in the career of Charlie Chaplin and some of the filming was done in Waukegan.

Spoor and Anderson also were instrumental in discovering other early movie stars like Wallace F. Beery, Francis X. Bushman and Gloria Swanson.In 1894, while Spoor was the manager of the Phoenix Opera House in Waukegan, he teamed up with inventor Edward Amet to build and exhibit the "Magniscope," the first practical 35 mm movie  projector ever designed and used for large audience display.

--Cooter

Waukegan and the Motion Picture Industry-- Part 1: Edison, Dickson and the Beginning of the Motion Picture Industry

The Fox Lake / Grant Township Historical Society then had our presentation, which today was on Waukegan and its role in the early motion picture industry.    Our presenter was Ty Rohrer of the Waukegan History Museum.

Had things worked out differently, who knows, maybe Lake County and Waukegan might have become "Hollywood" instead of out in California.

When people think of Waukegan and movies, they think of Jack Benny and the Famous Genesee Theater.  But, there is a whole lot more to the story.

Thomas Edison is given credit for the invention of the movie camera, but it was actually William Kennedy Dickson, in Edison's employ, who was the major force in its development.  He invented the kinetoscope.  Part of the reason for this was to see if all four of a horses' hooves came off the ground at the same time while in a gallop.

The kinetoscope was essentially a peep machine in which one person at a time could view it. But, that made it hard to make money with just at a time viewing it. It had to become larger.

--Cooter

June 6, 1944-- D-Day: Other Events That Happened on June 6 Through the Years

Today marks the 75th anniversary of D-Day here in the United States.  In most of Europe, June 6 was yesterday because of the international dateline.

From the June 6, 2019, Chicago Tribune "On June 6."

Here are some other events that took place on June 6.

1918--  The World War I battle of Belleau Wood, which resulted in a U.S. victory over the Germans in France.  This was a great day in the history of the USMC.

1925--  Walter Percy Chrysler founded the Chrysler Corporation.

1933--  The first drive-in movie theater opened in Camden, New Jersey.

1942--  Japanese forces retreated in the World War II Battle of Midway, regarded as the turning point in the war in the Pacific.

1944--  Allied forces launched their invasion of Europe, landing on the beaches of France in what became known as D-Day.

--Cooter

The 1918 Flu Epidemic Hits Chicago-- Part 2

By mid-November, Chicago had experienced 38,000 cases of it and another 13,000 had its deadly companion, pneumonia.  In the end, some 10,000 Chicagoans had died.  The epidemic began in the city September 8, 1918,  when several sailors reported sick at the Great Lakes Naval Training Station.

Military bases had been jammed across the country after the U.S. had entered World War I and these proved breeding grounds for the highly contagious disease.  By September  21, the commanding officer of the base said they had 800 cases.

The September 28, Chicago Tribune said that Fort Sheridan, the Army's base in the Chicago area, had logged 120 cases that day alone, making a total of 300 cases.

Every theater and public hall in Waukegan and North Chicago closed  In North Chicago, schools shut down.  However, the Chicago schools remained open.

Then, the incidences of the flu exploded.  On October 8, the Tribune reported  135 deaths and 1,342 new cases.  The next week, the paper reported  more than 2,000 new cases were happening every day.

--Cooter