KALAMAZOO DRIVE-IN THEATRES – 1948 to 1985

1996 by J. P. Jenks

  The first blush of local Drive-In theatre fever ascended through the Kalamazoo valley region in February of 1948 when it was announced in the papers that Butterfield Theatres, Inc. of Detroit planed to build Drive-In theatres in 36 Michigan cities.[1]  The company was then but a nameless, faceless corporation, but the original Col. Walter S. Butterfield had been one of the authentic pioneers of a two-a-day vaudeville back in 1906 through these parts.  His first vaudeville house in Kalamazoo was called the Bijou, replaced by the Majestic in 1907.  Twenty years later, at the age of 60, having developed the strongest chain of vaudeville and film houses in southern Michigan, he opened the State, a palace designed by the famous John Eberson.  Unfortunately, the public had more respect for Col. Butterfield than did his successors.

  Plans to build Drive-In Theatres in 36 Michigan cities included Kalamazoo, the story promised, and true to the former history of the company, each would be “equipped to handle vaudeville, dramatic, operatic and musical productions as well as motion pictures and television.”  Huh?  Whatever they had in mind is anyone’s guess, but clearly the suits at Butterfield, Inc. were clueless about what a Drive-In Theatre might be, and in fact no such theatres were ever reported to have been constructed.

  Anyway, the seeds had been planted, and someone must have figured that if the big guns at Butterfield could smell a profit under the stars, maybe it wasn’t such a bad idea.  What we know is that five months later the first ads began to appear for the opening of the “Kalamazoo Auto Theatre," [2] opposite the airport, but the identity of who was behind it did not emerge in the press until many years later.

  Not much is known about Albert W. Ochs, builder of that first local Drive-In Theatre except that he was born in Ohio in 1905, made his money primarily in the bowling alley business, built a total of two successful Drive-Ins which he eventually sold to Butterfield Theatres, Inc. in 1961, and finally joined that great ozoner in the sky in 1985, [3] the same year the last of all local Drive-Ins gave its final show.  His second Drive-In, called the “Douglas,” opened in 1955, but was actually the third of such structures.  The second was opened in 1950 by Harold Kortes and Charles Sears. [4]

  The “131” Drive-In Theatre was located about 16 miles north of Kalamazoo on former US-131 near Plainwell.  Kortes & Sears were owners of the only film emporium in that fair town, and must have reasoned that a nearby ozoner would draw well from the district, including Kalamazoo.  Truly a “mom and pop” shop, the “131” did well for a 400 car lot with a 50 foot screen, which detail must have been noticed by Albert Ochs.  The local name for old US-131 at the time was Douglas Avenue.

  With the Kalamazoo Auto Theatre at a twitch south of town, and the “131” a mere coffee break away to the north, there was room for another in between.  Hence in 1955 Ochs opened with the “Douglas," [5] right on the north edge of Kalamazoo in direct competition with the “131,” simultaneously changing the name of his other theatre to the “Portage.”  Maybe the competition helped more than it harmed.  Other little Drive-Ins were beginning to sprout elsewhere, notably the “M-60” near Mendon.

  At the peak of success Ochs sold both of his airdomes to Butterfield Theatres, Inc. of Detroit. [6] All regional Drive-In Theatres did well throughout the 1960s and well into the 1970s, but by the mod- to late-1970s business was dropping off fast.  Times had changed.  The property on which the “Portage” was set was worth more than the income from the theatre, so the property was ultimately sold.  In the meantime, urban sprawl had pushed the slum district in the direction of the “Douglas,” so eventually it was just abandoned.  Old 131 out to Plainwell had been replaced with a much faster freeway which sidestepped Plainwell entirely, so the “131” ended up ironically as a wrecked car lot.

  1983 was the last year for both the “M-60” and the “Portage” Drive-Ins.  1984 was the last year for the “131,” and 1985 was the last year for the “Douglas.”  In 1985 a reporter for the local press wrote the epitaph for the Drive-In Theatres of this part of the state, lamenting the passing of an era. [7]  The “Douglas” continued through July, but was then abandoned.  Recently I conducted an informal survey of 18 to 24 year olds on whether there was a future for Drive-In Theatres.  Their most typical response?  What’s a Drive-In Theatre?”

Mr. Jenks is a Historian, Computer Software Engineer and Management Consultant, with an interest in the history of theatrical architecture and technology.  While his primary area of focus is the period from the Civil War to the Great Depression, he was a child of the Drive-In Theatre age and has researched the history accordingly.

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