Long ago on independence square (Lee's Summit, Blue Springs: foundations, complaints, stable)

[MRG Dallas]

Originally Posted by Major Tom 58

According to the Examiner and Star, the Twin Drive In has been saved from extinction because of cinema going digital, by being taken over by an indoor movie chain. Ironic isn't it.

The Twin should be enshrined bcoz . . .

[CaseyMO]

Originally Posted by MRG Dallas

The Twin should be enshrined bcoz . . .

The Twin and the I-70 are being saved by B&B Cinema out of Texas. They have been upgraded to digital and they opened today or maybe tomorrow. B&B opened a theater in Grain Valley about a year or two ago.

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by CaseyMO

The Twin and the I-70 are being saved by B&B Cinema out of Texas. They have been upgraded to digital and they opened today or maybe tomorrow. B&B opened a theater in Grain Valley about a year or two ago.

Speaking of digital--or I guess not speaking of digital.

I would take my Dickinson Road sweetie to the Granada or to the Englewood or you guys would take your date to the same places or to the National, Isis, KIMO, Admiral, Roxy, Paramount, Uptown, or where ever.

You two would be sitting there watching the movie when a small white splotch (for lack of a better word) would appear in the upper right hand of the giant screen. Sometime later, another small splotch would appear in the same place. And then later again.

Sometime the splotch was subtle. Sometime larger.

My question is "What was happening?"

[Mad Anthonie]

Welcome to Memorial Day in Independence.

How many of you remember the Memorial Day Parades? When I was a kid it was tradition for us to view the parade along South Main. I think its route was around the Square, south on Main to Ruby, then east into the main gate at Woodlawn Cemetery.

[Mad Anthonie]

Originally Posted by WCHS'59

Speaking of digital--or I guess not speaking of digital.

I would take my Dickinson Road sweetie to the Granada or to the Englewood or you guys would take your date to the same places or to the National, Isis, KIMO, Admiral, Roxy, Paramount, Uptown, or where ever.

You two would be sitting there watching the movie when a small white splotch (for lack of a better word) would appear in the upper right hand of the giant screen. Sometime later, another small splotch would appear in the same place. And then later again.

Sometime the splotch was subtle. Sometime larger.

My question is "What was happening?"

Those were cues for the projectionist. In days of old the movies came on multiple reels. It would start on one projector, and be switched to a second at the end of the reel. A good projectionist made the switches seamlessly. By the 1970s someone had designed a giant horizontal reel. The entire movie would be spliced together onto this platform, thus no need to switch.

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by Mad Anthonie

Those were cues for the projectionist. In days of old the movies came on multiple reels. It would start on one projector, and be switched to a second at the end of the reel. A good projectionist made the switches seamlessly. By the 1970s someone had designed a giant horizontal reel. The entire movie would be spliced together onto this platform, thus no need to switch.

A lot of people were unaware of that. Sometimes it seemed as though the signal came when there was action to come and as a kid I thought that is what the signal was. Most of the time, one was so immersed in the movie, the splotch was not noticed as there were several changes made. It was not a standard sized splotch either. Sometimes it was small and sometimes it was really noticeable. Sometimes it seemed as though someone in Hollywood just took a stylus of some kind and scratched a small mark in a few frames.

Sometime in the eighties, my step daughter was working at a movie theater and I began reminiscing about the spots for changing the upright reels. She sort of looked at me like I was a little daffy and said the reels were on their sides (and what did I know, chuckle).

As an aside, the CinemaScope, Superscope, Regalscope, Techniscope movies (wide screen) had to have a special lens (I think it is called anamorphic) placed on the projector to provide that wide screen format, otherwise the movie frame was squeezed into a normal 35mm width shape with the actors being squeezed into tall figures and everything looking abnormal. One time in a military outpost, the projectionist lost the lens and we had to view the entire movie (HAWAII with Max Von Sydow) with all the characters squeezed out of shape. After a few frames, one got used to it.

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by Mad Anthonie

Welcome to Memorial Day in Independence.

How many of you remember the Memorial Day Parades? When I was a kid it was tradition for us to view the parade along South Main. I think its route was around the Square, south on Main to Ruby, then east into the main gate at Woodlawn Cemetery.

To my knowledge I do not remember a Memorial Day parade.

The only parade I remember is the Halloween parade. It was held at night and it was usually too darn cold to be standing there waiting for a procession to come along, but at one time it was a big deal.

The Star reported that one of the Halloween parades in the fifties drew 30,000 spectators. And, if I am recalling correctly it was advertised as being a mile long. There were many bands, including Blue Springs and Lee's Summit and East high school. Many horse units including the Queen City Posse. There were horse women in the units also.

It seemed the marchers in that parade gathered beginning at the Memorial Building and extending west to River and then branching north and south on River.

I was in the parade one year and it seemed our starting spot was at the old William Chrisman. The procession proceeded east on Maple to Main, turned south on Main and then turned west on Lexington. The parade participants dispersed somewhere on west Lexington around Pleasant, maybe.

I dont know if they even have a Halloween parade anymore.

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by CaseyMO

The Twin and the I-70 are being saved by B&B Cinema out of Texas. They have been upgraded to digital and they opened today or maybe tomorrow. B&B opened a theater in Grain Valley about a year or two ago.

From the B&B web site:

Independence/Kansas City, MO-B&B Theatres is pleased to announce the acquisition of The Twin Drive-In in Independence, MO and the I-70 Drive-In in Kansas City, MO. These drive-ins were going to be forced to close at the end of this season because Hollywood will stop making 35MM film at the end of this year. Beginning in March, B&B Theatres will expand upon its Kansas City presence by assuming ownership of The I-70 Drive In and The Twin Drive In, both longstanding entertainment staples of the Kansas City Metro area. B&B Theatres promises to not only save these classic drive ins from closing but also to help them to thrive as digital projectors are installed, concession options are modified and improved, and the signature B&B customer service model delivers an entertainment experience that is second to none! B&B Theatres and their talented crew will work to ensure an unforgettable cinematic experience for all that attend.


I believe 1975 was the last time I went to a drive in movie--in Coffeyville, Kansas.

[WCHS'59]

Originally Posted by CaseyMO

The Twin and the I-70 are being saved by B&B Cinema out of Texas. They have been upgraded to digital and they opened today or maybe tomorrow. B&B opened a theater in Grain Valley about a year or two ago.

Holy Moly. The Examiner says the Twin Drive In has been a fixture for more that 60 years. I dont believe that is correct. In fact, I know it is incorrect.

If it is, the Twin would have been built in 1954.

Never happened.

One site says it was built in '65. That would make it a little less than fifty.

[WCHS'59]

40 Highway Drive In was king for many years.

I think Heart Drive in came in about 1954. I-70 drive in came in after I-70 came through in the early sixties. 63rd Drive in came in about the same time but maybe earlier.