According to an article in the May 24, 1948 issue of
the Sandusky Register Star News, the
Sandusky Drive-In Theater was slated to open at 9:15 p.m. on May 24, 1948. The
single feature film on opening night was “Copacabana,” starring Groucho Marx.
The movie ran at 9:15 and again at 11:15, along with short subject and news
reels. In 1948, the Sandusky Drive-In Theater was owned and operated by the
Seitz Amusement Company. The theater was located on a fifteen acre field on
Cleveland Road, not far from the entrance to Cedar Point. The Selby Engineering
Company erected a 60 by 58 foot steel tower, for a 39 by 52 foot screen. RCA
supplied the speakers, enough for 608 cars.
There were also speakers for a row of seats in front of the automobiles,
for individuals who walked in to view the movie at the drive-in. The Drive-In
theater provided inexpensive entertainment, and people could dress very
casually. Often children attended the drive-in theater in their pajamas. The
Berlo Vending Company provided refreshments in a concrete building below the
picture booth where the Simplex projectors were housed. In the 1950s, there
were swing sets for the youngsters to enjoy while waiting the for the first
movie to begin. Shows were changed three times a week, on Sunday, Wednesday,
and Friday nights. The speakers were connected with waterproof wires, so that
the movies could be shown even in rainy weather. Eventually there were double
features shown at the Sandusky Drive-In. The Sandusky Drive-In Theater closed in 2001.
An article which appeared in the May 24, 2010 issue of the Sandusky Register
featured memories of a former employee of the drive-in. Tim Bretz spoke about
the complex dual projector system which had been used at the drive-in. The
Sandusky Drive-In provided inexpensive entertainment to Sandusky area for many
season.
