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Waterford Drive-In Theater
Waterford Michigan
Michigan Drive-In Theaters - Michigandriveins.com
Name: Waterford Drive-In
Address: 3520 Airport Rd. Waterford, MI 48095
County: Oakland
Open Date: 4/15/48?
Close Date: 1987
Status: Demolished, vacant lot
Car Capacity: 700
Screen Count: 1
Owners: Starlight Drive-In Theatres Inc. - National Amusements
Submit: Info On This Drive-In
Aka: Starlight Drive-In
Notes: n/a
Waterford Drive-In

Waterford Drive-In Theater
History & Comments

Update: Originally called the Starlight Drive-In from 1948 to 1961. (Michigandriveins.com 6/19/02)

News Article: Edward A. Long of the Long Sign Co. reports the installation of new signs, featuring flashing incandescent lamps and 24-inch neon tubing text at the Waterford Drive-In at Waterford, operated by Lee Stallard. (Boxoffice Magazine 9/59)

Update: My name is Jim Mcc. and back in the mid to late 1980s I worked at a drive in located in Waterford, Mi. It was owned by the Redstone Mgmt. Group, the one that owns all the Showcase Cinemas and Miracle Twin Drive-In in Burton Mi. At one time in this area there was the Waterford Drive In located Waterford Mi at the corner of Airport and Williams Lk.Rd, Miracle Mile on Telegraph Rd. located in Pontiac Mi., the Blue Sky on Opdkye Rd. in Auburn Hills,Mi., and one more on Dixie Highway in Waterford,Mi. All these were closed over a period of two years with the exception of Waterford which closed in the early 1990s. If I remember correctly, they were all closed because the time of using them as a tax write off was over. You see, business was really not that bad but they were no longer promoting them. Redstone Mgmt kept them open long enough to write off the business losses and provide a tax break to the company. This was planned this way to provide more money for the mega cinemas that they were building then. Waterford was still drawing 150-200 cars on the weeknights and more on the weekends before it closed . The movies that were shown were second run movies and movies that were already on video for rental. Of the four that were in the surrounding area and have closed, all but one lot stands empty. It is actually quite sad because to drive by these you can still see the speaker post sticking up as though they are looking for a long last friend. (Jim Mcc 6/9/03)


Waterford Drive-In Theater Gallery
Click Thumbnails For Large Images
© American Classic Images
June 1987 - © American Classic Images - Purchase this image at American Classic Images
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Waterford Original Screen 1950s
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Ticket Booth Foundation 2003
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Marquee Ruins 2003
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Speaker Pole Pedestals 2003
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Moonbeam 2003
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Moonbeam 2003
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Waterford Late-40s Ad
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Ad Early-60s
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Waterford Article 11/24/71
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Waterford Ticket
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Topo Map
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Aerial 1949
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Aerial 1956
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Aerial 1967
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Aerial 2002


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