“Drive-in Entertainment”

By

Gerry Niskern

Outdoor drive-in movie theaters were numerous around the valley in the l950’s. One of our favorites was the Indian, located on the land behind the Northeast corner of 27^th avenue and W. Indian School Road. They charged per person unlike some who charged a fee per car.  A 7-11 convenience market was built on that corner later on and behind it covering the rest of the land was  a Motel 6.

There was always a little period of adjustment on the tilt of the car and then invariably moving to another spot where the speaker was actually working. The kids wanted to head straight to the snack bar.

I liked the drive-in because I didn’t have to spend hours on the phone trying to get a baby sitter just so we could see a movie. We could take them with. Most kids arrived in their pajamas. All the parents were counting on them konking out soon after the first feature started.  I remember one time that we thought for sure we’d out last the kids. Gone With the Wind was re-released and we planned on eventually enjoying some quiet time. At 1 A. M. when the music was building to a final crescendo and the credits were rolling, we looked back, and our three- year- old was still staring at the screen.

When I think about it, their dad wasn’t crazy about the drive-ins, period. At least once during every excursion he could be heard declaring, “This family doesn’t come to watch the movies, we come to demolish the car!”  That was usually after the knobs were off the window cranks, the wind- wing windows were no longer working and visors were hanging askew.

There was one reason daddy did like the Indian Drive-in. Diagonally across 27^th and Indian School was the Air Haven Airport. A Texaco station was built on the Southwest corner of the intersection later. Directly behind it is a giant microwave communications tower.

Back then Dad loved watching the light planes dropping in just feet above the giant screen as they descended into Air Haven. Talk about distractions and high obstacles!  One of the pilots who flew Globe Swifts and Fairchild Primary Trainers frequently into Air Haven in the l950s remembers it being exciting, considering the runway was only 2,600 feet long!.