The Eugene Drive-In, located on 2860 Willamette St. Eugene, OR, opened in 1948 and pictured an array of popular films for the whole family to enjoy. The Eugene Drive-In’s opening pictures consisted of “The Noose Hangs High” (1948) by Abbott and Costello, followed by “Where the North Begins” (1923) by Chester M. Franklin. The Eugene Drive-In featured movies that have just come out for public viewing and movies that were released 20 years prior. The newspaper advertisement described these pictures and the opening event with a quote that read, “Weekend, weekout, we’ll bring you a sparkling array of the biggest pictures from Hollywood’s greatest studios.” This theatre was dedicated to providing popular entertainment rather than strictly first-run productions.
The New Eugene Drive-In, located on 1400 Henderson Ave. Eugene, OR, opened in 1962 after the original Eugene Drive-In closed. This new theater offered three screens compared to the original’s one screen. The New Eugene Drive-In opened its location with a screening of “My Geisha” (1962) by Jack Cardiff and “Bachelor in Paradise” (1961) by Bob Hope. However, this is misspelled on the newspaper advertisement as “Batchlor in Paradise,” which could’ve been on purpose, but most likely wasn’t. The ad describes “My Geisha” as “the WACKIEST HOAX that ever turned the screen hilarious.” It seems this theatre wanted to attract crowds that enjoy humor, popular pictures, and enjoy family outings.
Both of these theatres, although they are continuations of each other, tend to show movies that are from the year they came out or are well-known by the Eugene community.
