Skyway Drive-In Theatre, Rosewood at the Fairgrounds: 1970s 3 comments
Here's another of Columbia's many drive-in theaters that I never went to, or at least I think it is. I don't really have an address from the 15 April 1973 ad in The State, just "at the Fairgrounds gate", and this lot, adjacent to Jaco's, is the only one that looks plausible. It is now, and has been for as long as I can remember, used for parking during the State Fair, and is vacant the rest of the year.
Of the three movies playing, I have never heard of two of them, and would never have heard of Blindman except for a recent retrospective review in Video Watchdog. This is a great magazine if you have any interest in SF/Fantasy/Horror/Low Budget movies. They were quite pleased with Ringo Starr's performance in this forgotten spaghetti western.
I'm not sure when the Skyway closed -- after 15 April 1973, obviously. I'm sure it was gone by the time I was in college around 1980 as I remember taking a bus to the Fair then, and I'm sure I would have noticed a drive-in as they dropped us off at the front gate.
3 Responses to 'Skyway Drive-In Theatre, Rosewood at the Fairgrounds: 1970s'
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Del
26 Apr 09 at 9:45 pm
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Oh man the Skyway, have not thought about it in years, back in the early 70s, for a 16 to 17 year old teenager, Drive-ins were where I took my dates, The Beltline Drive In, The Skyway, The Twylight at Jacson Blvd. I was into cars and girls, at the drive-in I could do both, no pun intended. In early 1973 I went to the Skyway with my girl to see Vanishing Point, it was basically a car chase movie with the star driving a 1970 Dodge Challenger, Supercharged, It became a cult classic. On the way home going east on Bluff road, I guess I thought I was "Kawalski" the star of the movie, got going a little to fast and you guessed it, caught by the Highway Patrol in my Mom's new 1973 Mustang. At a young 16 years old I was terrified my parents would find out. The ticket was $35.00. a lot of money in 1973 for a 16 year old. My girlfriend helped me save up the money for the fine and my parents still don't know about it. I'm 54 now, maybe I should tell them.
Rick
16 Jan 11 at 3:59 pm
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Seawell's Food Caterers (1125 Rosewood) is the old Drive-In site.
Bobby P.
18 Sep 11 at 10:41 pm
The pic. of the empty field where cars park or used to park for the Fair was the "spill-over" screen. The Skyway had 2 screens.. the main one was right across the street from the main entrance to the fair grounds, but if the main screen parking area was too full, they (it) had an overflow screen right behind it so more people could see the movie. I can sort of remember that..it was back in the early to mid 60's though. Has anyone taken or have a pic. of the Sumter Hwy Drive In? The screen sat there for years after the place had closed, but dont know if it's still there.