Let's Go to the Movies

Why don’t you write about the movie theaters in St. Andrew’s Parish, West Ashley? This question was posed by a reader of West Ashley Flashback. Good idea. Everyone loves going to the movies and numerous anecdotes have been shared about good times at the Ashley Theater (now the Mellow Mushroom) and the Magnolia Drive-In (no longer in existence), to name a couple.
Let’s begin with the earliest reference to a projected movie in St. Andrew’s Parish related to me by a neighbor. When she was dating her soon to be husband they would go to the Fountain Inn, located on Savannah Highway at the head of Coburg Road, and watch movies that were projected onto a crude outdoor screen (There is a listing for The Fountain Inn Grill in the 1938 Charleston City Directory-this is about the correct timeframe for the story.). Fast forward to June 1, 1949. In this issue of the News and Courier an ad announced the opening of the St. Andrew’s Drive-In Theater. According to the website: www.scmovietheatres.com this drive-in operated from 1949 to February of 1953 at 460 Arlington Drive. It was one of three drive-in theaters (Summerville Drive-In and 4-Mile Drive-In being the other two) owned by Lawrence Henry Ayers and his wife, Ruth.  Ayers sold St. Andrew’s Drive-In to Henry Smith and John H. Pembroke in 1953 and it re-opened as Henry’s Drive-In. No-one has told stories about watching movies at this drive-in.
The construction of the Ashley Theater was announced in a News and Courier article published on December 6, 1948. The Pastime Amusement Company owned by Albert Sottile reported their intentions to locate the new theater “on a site close to the intersection of the Savannah Highway and Ashley River Road, known as the Sugar-bowl section.” Sidebar: Today this stretch of road is known as Magnolia Road. It was also reported that Mr. Sotille had plans to build the theater for awhile but construction had been delayed by a government imposed ban on theater construction. This may have been due to limited availability of materials during World War II. An added bonus in the new theater – air conditioning. Locals remember seeing Sampson and Delilah, Gone With the Wind, Frankenstein, and William Castle’s 13 Ghosts. The feature film usually included a showing of a cartoon prior to the movie. In addition, “the management will gladly cooperate with any civic organization in St. Andrew’s Parish, that may wish to make use of the theatre at other hours of the day, when it is not in regular operation.” Thus, the Holy Trinity Church on Folly Road celebrated its first worship service as a mission at the theatre on October 21, 1956. The congregation held services for a year in the theater transforming it from a place of entertainment to a place of worship every Sunday. Lots of fun stories have been shared about the Ashley Theatre.
Consolidated Theaters, one of the South’s oldest and largest chains, opened the Magnolia Drive-In on April 6, 1950. Features of this drive-in included a 100’ high screen decorated with a large glowing neon magnolia, air-conditioned concession area, rest rooms, parking spaces for 510 cars and seating for 200 on a patio. Some non-movie related events were held at this drive-in. The Ashley River Baptist Church once held an Easter sunrise service and the St. Andrew’s Parks and Playground held a bicycle rodeo.  The Magnolia Drive-In closed on October 30, 1977 siting increasing property values along Savannah Highway as the one of the factors effecting change in this area.
 
Any fun movie theater stories? Contact Donna at westashleybook@gmail.com