Dixie Drive-In Theatre
Levin Theaters opened the Dixie Drive-In at 6201 North Dixie Drive on July 12, 1957. During its grand opening, the Dixie gave orchid corsages flown in from Hawaii to the ladies, the choice of a stuffed bear, French poodle or beautiful salad service to the first fifty cars, and a giant balloon and candy to the kids. The Dixie also ran a dusk to dawn 5 movie marathon, which included ‘A Face in the Crowd’ with Andy Griffith, ‘Living it Up’ with Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis, and ‘7 Little Foys’ with Bob Hope.
Many drive-ins offered playgrounds and the Dixie was no exception. While most drive-ins built the playground in front of the picture screen, the Dixie’s was placed behind the concession stand. It was an economic use of the land, since the building obstructed the view of the picture screen for about eighty feet and no cars could be parked there. This was convenient both to the parents, being centrally located on the theater’s grounds, and to the owners of the Dixie, since the playground was only a few feet away from the snack bar. While the theater did allow kids under twelve for free, parent still paid the price of bringing them, since the pre-show play stimulated the children’s appetites.
In 1964 brothers Sam, Al and Lou Levin, who were owners of several drive-ins, including the Dixie, Salem, Sherwood and Dayton East, decided to produce their own movie. Sam reasoned that since at the time ‘beach’ movies and the Beatles were big draws at the ticket office, a film combining the two ideas was sure to make it big.
While Lou stayed home to tend the family business, Sam and Al left for Hollywood. There they contracted for a studio and a director. Casting for the movie included Noreen (Bachelor Father) Corcoran and Martin West. The musical score included songs by Leslie Gore, the Crickets and the Beach Boys.
By the end of summer the picture, entitled ‘The Girls on the Beach’, was completed. Paramount released the picture nationwide the following year.
“It was fairly successful,” says Al Levin. “Sam did the editing. He wasn’t satisfied with the way they wanted to end the picture. Sam proceeded to finish the picture himself. As a matter of fact, not only did he help in editing, but the last scenes of the picture he directed himself.”
Both Sam and Al starred in the picture, too. They had cameo appearances as judges of a bathing beauty contest.
On May 19, 1965 the picture premiered at the Dixie and Sherwood Drive-Ins. A ‘beach party’ was held from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Patrons were treated to free popcorn, hot dogs and marshmallows, which could be roasted over a ‘beach bonfire’.
What did Al Levin think of the experience?
“It was interesting, let’s put it that way,” he said.
The Dixie Drive-In Theatre is still going strong. Levins decided to switch to first-run movies in an effort to revive the theater. It worked so well that a second screen was added at the Dixie during the 2002 season. The Paris Flea Market, which has been running for well over three decades, fills the theater’s lot every Sunday with hundreds of buyers and sellers. The ticket booth has been repainted, new film platters have been installed, and patrons listen to the movies in FM stereo. It is this type of care that will bring the patrons back again and again, and will assure that the Dixie stays open for the next generation of children to enjoy.
Sidebar comments in book about the Dixie Drive-In Theatre:
Dixie Drive-In’s second screen was salvaged from the Sherwood Twin Drive-In on West Third Street. The installation of this screen allows the theater to keep popular movies for a longer period of time, while still allowing for newer movies to be shown. The screen was first used on June 28, 2002, showing the films Minority Report and Insomnia.
Al, Sam and Lou Levin at the premiere of their movie “Girls on the Beach”. It was later renamed “Summer of ‘64”. Dayton Daily Amusement Editor Gee Mitchell reviewed the movie during its grand premiere.
“It borders on perpetual motion, in fact motion to a rock ‘n’ roll beat that seldom lets up either, and much of it supplied by a handsome young cast of bikini-clad starlets and muscular young men and cavorting in equally handsome settings. Just watching was exhausting for an elderly codger, but then, these things aren’t intended for one who is winded by a two-minute fox trot.”
Traffic jams early Sunday mornings in front of the Dixie Drive-in aren’t unusual. The cars are full of bargain hunters and sellers on their way to the Dixie Paris Flea Market. In business since 1967, the flea market is like one big, outdoor garage sale. Nowhere else in Dayton could sellers get thousands of buyers to see their merchandise without advertising. And the buyers get more for their money, a very good thing in an ever changing economy. Fresh, home-grown produce is another plus to going to the Paris Flea Market. Pictured below is Mike ‘The Produce Man’ Brown, who has been setting up at the flea market for over thirty years. Nothing beats eating a tomato that’s ripe from the vine. Or corn that Mike claims is “sweeter than a Mother’s love.”
Dixie Auto Cruise-In Theatre
Middletown joined the ever growing number of cities with drive-ins when the Dixie Auto Cruise-In opened on September 10, 1947. According to the grand opening ad the Dixie Auto was ‘The Middlewest’s finest and best equipped cruise-in theatre’. While that statement has been debated, there was no doubt that the theater’s screen tower was quite unusual and very impressive. The red and white structure, with the white wooden fence around it, looked like a grand horse barn found on the green fields of Kentucky. There were rooms built underneath the tower. Used as offices at first, they would later be converted and rented out as an apartment.
Earl Cox, owner of the Starglow in Middletown, took over the drive-in in 1969. The Dixie was a popular sot in Middletown and was kept up beautifully throughout Cox’s ownership. Unfortunately, all things must come to an end. On March 19, 1998 the staff of the Middletown Journal published a story entitled “Drive-In theater cruises into history”, which told of the Dixie’s demise.
It’s the end of an era.
The Dixie Cruise-In Theater - Middletown’s last drive-in - has been sold to the Loyal Order of Moose Lodge No. 501.
“I’ve been in it (the theater business) since 1955 and I figured it was time for me to get out,” said Earl Cox.
Cox, 72, had owned the drive-in at 3009 S. Main since 1969. At one time he also controlled The Colonial and The Studio theaters, and he built the Towne East theater, today owned by Regal Cinemas. Cox said selling the property wasn’t easy.
“It was a very hard decision because it got into your blood, and it was my life,” he said.
Moose Lodge administrator Jerry Gabbard said the lodge purchased the drive-in and its approximately 14 acres of land for $425,000. Five months of talks preceded the sale, he said.
He said the lodge, now located just across South Main from the theater, hopes to build a new building on the property in abut two years.
“Our membership is growing so big and so fast, we’ve just got to do something,” Gabbard said.
The lodge has nearly 2,200 male members and about 1,300 female members, he said. Five years ago, it had 1,600 to 1,700 men and 800 women, he added.
Lodge leaders envision a larger lodge building that could cost $2 million to build, Gabbard said. Until then, the lodge will hold special functions, such as fund raisers, at the former drive-in.
Gabbard said he realizes that drive-in fans may mourn the sale of the theater. “We weren’t real happy about that, either,” he said.
Sidebar comments in book about the Dixie Auto Cruise-In Theatre:
Patrons to the Dixie were alerted to tune their car’s radio to 540 AM on the dial in order to listen to the movie in ‘Radio Sound’.
Although the neon had long disappeared from the marquee, the red and white sign survived until the theater’s closing, the arrow pointing the way to a night full of entertainment.
The Dixie seemed to be a variation of the design used by the Dayton West Drive-In. However, barn doors replaced the windows usually seen underneath the screen tower.
The grand opening of the Dixie Auto Cruise-In Theatre was a big success, since it meant that the residents of Middletown no longer had to drive to Dayton or Cincinnati to see a movie outdoors.
Melody 49 Twin
The Melody 49, located at 49 Pleasant Plains Road, Brookville, opened with a bang on July 4, 1966. With space for 1,100 cars on its 18 acres, the cost of the year round theater was estimated to run $500,000 by Ralph T. Sharp, Inc., the general contractor for the project. A 75’ x 130’ Cinemiracle picture screen, installed by the M. E. Renfro Screen Tower Company, was chosen so that both 35 and 70 mm movies could be shown. Circle-R electric car heaters were provided during the winter to adventurous movie goers.
Melody 49 began their gala opening with a giant fireworks display, followed by three hit movies, including the incredible undersea adventure ‘Around the World Under the Sea’ starring Lloyd Bridges.
Michael Chakeres, then vice-president and general manager of Chakeres Theaters, Inc. stated that the new theater would “have first run and subsequent run family-type shows similar to Southland 75 (Drive-In). This is a fast growing area and will serve Brookville, Englewood, Trotwood and other communities.”
In 1982 Melody 49 switched to a sound process with operated through a special cable installed above the drive-in parking area. The movie soundtrack was transmitted through the cable, which broadcasted over an AM frequency that could be picked up by the patron’s car radio. In 1998 this was replaced by an FM frequency.
The theater changed it name to the Melody 49 Twin in 1987 after a second motion picture screen was added. Taken from Southland 75 after it closed, the smaller screen was set up at the back of the lot and could accommodate approximately 200 cars.
“So when attendance at the major screen drops off, we can move the film tot he smaller screen and bring in a new picture for the major screen,” explained Grant Frazee, general manager of Chakeres Theaters at the time.
Chakeres must be doing something right. The Melody is still open and doing quite well. With its great location, this theater is assured of lasting for many more years.
Sidebar comments in book about the Melody 49 Twin Theatre:
Melody 49 was the second all-medallion theater in Ohio, meaning that everything was electrically operated, including the heating and air-conditioning.
The three lane snack bar, designed by architect R. J. McNutt, was built to be capable of serving 2,000 patrons in 30 minutes. Since most refreshments were bought during the ten minute intermission, quick service was of the utmost importance. Automatic food warmers were installed to ensure that the snacks remained hot and delicious.
Miami Cruise-In
On July 3, 1946 Miamisburg opened its first outdoor theater, the Miami Cruise-in. Jointly owned by W. H. Mooney and brothers Dave and Lou Clemmer, the ten ramp, 500 car capacity drive-in was located on Dixie Highway (now 6861 Dayton-Cincinnati Pike), one mile south of the city.
The Miami Cruise-In had originally planned to open May 1, but interruptions in construction due to weather and late delivery of essential material and equipment delayed the opening another two months. Even then the exterior of the theater had not yet been completed. The theater’s grand opening ad stated “We are in the rough – we are not yet complete – but here is the theatre you have been waiting for!” It would take another month before the $43,000 drive-in was finally finished.
The Miami offered the best innovations in theater equipment, with DeVry projection and Alteck sound being purchased for the latest in picture and sound projection. The screen tower was 50 feet wide and 43 feet tall. Two hundred reclining chairs sat in front of the first ramp, for patrons who wanted to get out of the car and stretch their legs.
Music was provided during intermission. And, although a concession stand stood on ramp four, there was no need to leave your car if you were hungry. You only had to beep your horn for refreshments to be delivered to you.
According to residents who remember the drive-in, the Miami was one of the best kept theaters in the area. Underneath the screen tower was a number of rooms where Lou Clemmer and his family lived for a short period of time. During the summer flowers were planted all along the base of the tower and around the ticket booth.
“The Miami was my local drive-in,” says Scott Scarborough. “Right down the street from the Miami was this monstrous railroad bridge – a steel behemoth built in the ‘20s. Right in the middle of every movie a huge train would come chugging through town. The engineer would always lay on his whistle. I’m sure it was on purpose.”
Not all of the movie watchers paid to see the show according to Scott.
“The Cruise-In was built right next door to a trailer park. Residents would pile onto their roofs to watch the movies.”
The theater was bought by Cinema 40, Inc. on April 1, 1983. On April 14 the theater began advertising that it intended to show two X-rated movies, ‘Inside Desiree Cousteu’ and ‘Obsessed’. These were canceled when the company was informed that this would violate township zoning regulations. Two months later, however, the Miami Township police raided the theater and confiscated the two X-rated movies being played there, and arrested the projectionist and theater manager on charges of pandering obscenity. Gary Cunnoe, then Miamisburg Court prosecutor, said that the raid was conducted in response to complaints from neighbors near the theater that could view the movies from their homes. The Miami Cruise-In never reopened.
Sidebar comments in book about the Miami Cruise-In:
This drive-in pass from 1969 admitted the driver in for free, when accompanied by a paid admission, to either the Miami Cruise-In or the North Star in Dayton. At one time both of these drive-ins, as well as the Showboat in Springfield, were owned by Edward Parker.
A temporary flea market was opened during the summer of 1986. Plans for reopening the theater fell through in 1987. The screen tower was demolished and the land sat vacant for a number of years. The location now holds the Miamisburg Stor-All and a Penzoil gas station.
Miller’s Grove Drive-In Theatre
In 1933 John P. Miller, a limestone quarry and coal business owner who in 1905 had moved from Maryland to Frederick, Ohio, opened a wooded area on Frederick Pike for families to gather on sunny afternoons to have a picnic or swim in the pool. This was named Miler’s Grove. After John’s death in 1938, his sons Bill and Dale took over the ownership.
On April 3, 1949 the two Miller brothers announced that a drive-in theater would be built next to the Grove. Located at 11995 Frederick Pike, the theater was situated on a twenty acre tract of land. A steel framework for a 56 foot square screen was built. Space was provided originally for 444 cars, with hopes of doubling that amount later on. Films on religious topics with strong moral backgrounds were shown on Sunday nights. Lighted speaker stands for easy location of cars and special ramps for buses and other large vehicles were also available.
“We had the Grove and Miller’s swimming pool,” remembers Harriet Mote, who was married to Bill Miller at the time. “We were open every day of the week. In those days we kept the pool open until 10 o’clock at night. It sort of fell in with the business that we were in at the time. I remember when we opened because I went down and sold the tickets. We had a friend of mine that worked the one window and I worked the other window. (Patrons) could come in on each side of the ticket booth. It was fun.”
Bill and Harriet’s son, John, remembers when the theater was being built.
“I was about 9 years old when they opened. I’d come home from school and ride down there to watch them hook up and put up the speakers. There was a speaker for each car.”
Miller’s Grove had its share of kids who would pull down the road, put somebody in the trunk and pull back into the back row for them to get out. What they didn’t seem to realize was that sneaking in wasn’t necessary.
“Dad and Dale had a policy…” says John’s brother, Tom. “All you had to do was walk up there and tell them that you didn’t have the money and they’d let you in for free.”
Outside the concession stand, under the canopies on each side, were benches that you could sit and watch the movie.
“I sat in them many a night,” says Tom. “The benches were like your school desks today, where the arm came out and around and came back so you could put your food on it to eat.”
Movies weren’t the only form of entertainment offered at Miller’s Drive-In.
“Dad also liked fireworks. He was real good friends with Walter Biesler, who used to own the United Fireworks and we were one of the first drive-in theaters to have fireworks. I remember on the Fourth of July, that drive-in would be full and there would be people parked on Frederick Road and Old Springfield. That was before all your communities had fireworks. Dad was a great promoter of that. We put on a presentation of fireworks that was unreal.”
Bill Miller passed away in 1958. In 1960 the business was split up, with Bill’s wife, Harriet, taking the excavation business and Dale taking Miller’s Grove, which included the drive-in.
Unfortunately, business at the theater slowly declined over the years. Dale Miller blamed it on the amount of competition from other theaters.
“The theaters in the shopping malls really hurt business,” Dale told the Troy Daily News. “At the height of the drive-ins, you didn’t have all the other theaters. People would come out and eat supper at the drive-in…buy it at the concession stand. Then they stopped coming, and we had to cut down to weekends and holidays.”
Miller’s Grove Drive-In closed in the fall of 1986.
Sidebar comments in book about the Miller’s Grove Drive-In Theatre:
The Miller’s Grove motto was ‘have a swim - enjoy a show’. “That was the idea”, says Tom Miller. “There would be people here on Friday or Saturday or Sunday that would go to the swimming pool. They’d swim and picnic during the day, then they’d leave there and go to the drive-in theater. It was an all day affair. They came from miles around.”
“We helped park the cars.” Tom Miller remembers. “When a row got full you’d stand at the end of the row and help direct them so they’d know what row was full and what row wasn’t.”
When all the regular parking spaces were taken, Tom would direct customers to a large area in the back of the drive-in. “We’d call it the overflow area. We had a big bullhorn type speaker that people had to listen to. So even though they didn’t have individual speakers for their cars, they could still get into the drive-in theater.”
Drive-in theaters were at first considered by many as too low-brow to go to, in part due to the fact that drive-ins had a tough time getting first-run movies. But times changed, especially after The New Yorker carried a picture of a drive-in movie screen on its June 19, 1954 cover. If it was good enough for The New Yorker, then it had to be high class.
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