News Article: Clark Theatre Service, headed by William Clark, has assumed buying and booking for two major drive-ins at Flint, the North Flint and the U.S. 23, making Clark the largest booker of upstate drive-ins in Michigan. Clark now handles 18 drive-ins and 17 indoor houses. The U.S. 23 is now owned by Louis Warrington, who formerly operated it in partnership with Lee A. Stallard. The 1,500-car airer is being equipped with in-car heaters for 12-month operation. The North Flint is managed by Clyde Willard, transferred from the Monarch Theatres drive-in at Lancaster, Ohio. The owner is Flint View Corp., a subsidiary of Monarch Theatres of Chicago, headed by Jerry Shinach, which operates 11 midwestern outdoor theatres. Former manager Robert Fredley, who handled bookings for the U.S. 23, has left the organization. (Boxoffice Magazine 10/7/63)

Update: The South Dort Drive-In was due to be demolished in the fall of 1984. The screen was purchased from the demolition company, divided into two, and one half was erected as screen two at the US 23 in 1985. (9/3/00)

Update: The US-23 is now closed for the 2003 season. The last open night was Sunday September 21st, the features were American Wedding & SWAT on screen one, and Freddie vs Jason & Jeepers Creepers 2 on screen two. Owner Lou Warrington indicated the 23 would be open again in 2004. (Michigandriveins.com 9/22/03)

News Article: Louis M. Warrington Jr., owner of the U.S. 23 Twin Drive-In Theatre, dies at 72
GRAND BLANC, Michigan -- Louis M. Warrington Jr., owner and operator of the U.S. 23 Twin Drive-In Theatre in Mundy Township, died Wednesday at his winter home in Vaiden, Miss. Warrington, 72, of Grand Blanc, devoted a half-century of his life to the business that was built by his dad and operated by Warrington in the heyday of drive-in movies. He owned several other businesses in the Pontiac area, said his son, Louis M. Warrington III, but the drive-in was his first and favorite. "That was his baby," he said. "He started working there when he was 18. We lived in a house underneath the screen until I was in first grade. My dad worked there seven nights a week during the summers, then spent his winters in Mississippi hunting birds." The family plans to keep the drive-in open for another year, in memory of Warrington, then put it up for sale. In 1958, approximately 5,000 drive-ins existed in the United States, including 110 in Michigan. Today, only a handful remain, including the U.S. 23 Drive-In, Genesee County's oldest and one of two left in the Flint area. In a 2001 interview, Warrington told the Flint Journal that providing affordable family entertainment was one of the joys of his business. "When I see families with kids in pajamas, young people on dates and groups of friends just out enjoying the summer evening, it makes my work worthwhile," Warrington said. "People having fun keeps me going." Warrington's father built the U.S. 23 Drive-In in 1951, along with a home beneath the screen, and gave it to his son to operate. He was 18 at the time. The first movie shown there was "Trail of Robin Hood," starring Roy Rogers. After arsonists burned down the original screen and the home beneath it in 1997, Warrington built two new screens and reopened the business. "He was a very dedicated man," said his wife, Diane Warrington. "He was honest and he was fair." Warrington's son, Todd, who died last year, worked there for years. Another son, Jeff, also preceded Warrington in death. He leaves his wife, Diane; son, Louis Warrington III, of Willis, Texas; three grandchildren and brother Bob Warrington of Waterford. Services will be Friday at Swartz Funeral Home, 1225 W. Hill Road, Mundy Township, followed by burial at Evergreen Cemetery. Visitation will be from 5-8 p.m. Thursday, also at Swartz Funeral Home. (The Flint Journal/Mlive.com 2/21/09)

News Article: U.S. 23 Twin Drive-in Theatre could be in operation this summer -- Mundy Township, Michigan -- A five-year lease is being negotiated to reopen the U.S. 23 Twin Drive-in Theatre this summer, according to Louis M. Warrington III of Houston, an owner of the property. He declined to name who will be leasing the 35-acre property, but he said the drive-in will reopen this summer under new management. A date has not been set. "We have no intention of selling it," Warrington said. "We will be leasing it to someone else." The drive-in has been in Warrington's family since it opened in 1951. It was briefly put up for sale after the February death of Warrington's father, who owned and operated the drive-in for years. The U.S. 23 Twin will become the only remaining drive-in theater operating in Genesee County. Owners of the Miracle Twin Drive-in in Burton have announced it will not reopen this year. (The Flint Journal 4/17/09)

Update: Here is the tentative plans for the US 23 Drive-in Theater this summer. The Drive-in will be leased and managed by The Farmington Hills based The Theater Group. The drive-in is tentatively slated to open for the season on Friday May 8,2009 and will run through September or October. The new management group plans on adding two additional screens by the end of may to bring the total up to 4 screens. There will also be renovations made to the concession stand and restrooms to make them more modern. Once the plans are finalized, I will update you with more information. Also the name of the Drive-in will be changed to The New US 23 Drive-in Theater. (Jake Stocker -- General Manager -- The New US 23 Drive-in Theater 4/17/09)

News Article: Lease deal will keep U.S. 23 Twin Drive-in Theater open for five years, with improvements planned
MUNDY TOWNSHIP, Michigan -- It looks like the drive-in movie experience in Genesee County won't disappear after all. A Farmington Hills-based group earlier this month signed a five-year lease with owners of the U.S. 23 Twin Drive-in Theater on Fenton Road in Mundy Township. That means the hot pink and lime green neon marquee will stay lit and you can continue to pack your kids into the car to watch the latest summer flicks. The Theater Group Inc. has big plans for the theater, including adding a third screen to the property by Memorial Day weekend and a fourth next year. The facility will receive a facelift with the re-painting of the screens, renovation of snack bars and building of new box offices, said Jake Stocker, who will be the general manager at the drive-in. "We want to try and reinvent the drive-in movie-going experience," Stocker said. "We are going to make a pretty big investment to upgrade the property." The Theater Group is made up of four investors, including the owner of a drive-in theater in the Detroit area. The news excites Gary Flinn, drive-in movie buff and Flint Journal columnist. "It's a big shot in the arm (for the drive-in business), especially with the improvements they want to make," he said. There will be a grand opening May 8. While Stocker doesn't have specific movies scheduled, he said the theater will have the biggest summer blockbusters. The owner, Louis Warrington III, put the facility up for sale after his father, Louis II, died in February. After not getting the price he wanted, he decided to lease it. "It benefited us and it benefited them," said Warrington III, of Houston. The drive-in has been in the Warrington family since it opened in 1951. The first movie it showed was Roy Rogers' "The Trail of Robin Hood." The theater was named for the old U.S. 23, which later became Fenton Road after the current expressway was built in the late 1950s. The theater will be open weekends only from May 8 through Memorial Day and every day from Memorial Day to Labor Day. It will stay open through October. • The U.S. 23 Twin Drive-in Theater will be leased for five years for a Farmington Hills-based group. • It will have a grand opening May 8. • Adult tickets are $7, kids 4-12 and students are $5. (The Flint Journal 4/29/09)

News Article: U.S. 23 Drive-In ready with a new look, new movies
Mundy Township -- One of the sure fire signs of spring and warmer weather in Mid-Michigan is a trip to the local drive-in movie theater. While many outdoor theaters have closed over the years, they're not all dead. The fortunes are turning around for the U.S. 23 Drive in on Fenton road in Mundy Township. Since their heyday in the 50s and 60s, many drive-in theaters have succumbed to a combination of economic hard times and skyrocketing land values, putting pressure on local owners to sell. One local drive-in, however, is about to get an extreme makeover and a fresh start. Drive-in theaters were once as common as dandelions this time of year, but over time they've dwindled to just six in the entire state. A Detroit-area investment group has a five-year lease on the U.S. 23 Drive-In from the original owner's family, which has run movies at the Fenton Road location since 1951. "What's nice about the drive-in is people like to be outdoors in the summer," General Manager Ken Stocker said. Patrons can see first-run movies under the stars as soon as they're released. Peek inside the concession area and you can almost taste and smell the popcorn, hot dogs and other foods soon to be offered. Repairs and reconditioning to the vintage projectors are almost complete. The two huge screens are getting a fresh coat of paint just in time for the start of the season and the original road sign, which hasn't worked fully since the 1970s, is being restored to its full brilliance. Antiquated speakers are no longer needed, since the movie's audio can now be received on your vehicle's radio. "It's a good, cheap family entertainment. You get two movies for the price of one," Stocker said. "Our concession prices are a lot less expensive than going to the movie theater, for example." Local residents couldn't be happier. "I think it's great. Being that there's so many other drive-ins that are closing right now in these times. I think that there should be a couple of them open," Shelley Masters said. "Anytime that we can preserve one of our original landmarks, I think it's a great idea because, Flint, again, was one of the greatest towns in the country for a long, long time," said Dave Donahue from nearby PD's Pub. The grand opening is scheduled for Friday, May 8, with the name of the movies still to be announced. Tickets will run $7.00 for adults and $5.00 for students and children. (abc12.com 5/5/09)