HomeDrive-In TheatersBel-Aire Twin Drive In - Monroe, MI

Bel-Aire Twin Drive In - Monroe MI

Address: 6231 N Monroe
City: Monroe
State: MI
Zip: 48162
County: Monroe
Open: 1955 (5-27-55) AD
Closed: <1988>
Capacity: 800
Owner History: Selcorp
Number of visits to this page: 18917
General Information:

From Cinema Treasures

The Bel-Aire Twin Drive-In went through a couple of names when it was a single screen General Custer Drive-In (in 1955), Bel-Aire Drive-In and finally when a second screen was added, the Bel-Aire Twin. It is listed as having a 800 car capacity with two screens.

It was owned by Ben Robbins and later by Selcorp. The General Custer Drive-In opened on May 25, 1955 with Robert Mitchum in “Track of the Cat” & Robert Taylor in “Many Rivers to Cross”. It possibly closed in 1988.

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Info Updates:
12/14/2014 - Mark Whelan
I was a projectionist at the BelAir Drive In the summer of 1984. We played the movie Gremlins all summer long. At the end of the summer I moved to Florida and when I returned in the early summer of 87' I was recovering from a motorcycle accident that left me with all my ribs broken and 4 vertebrae fused in my spine. I spent the summer using a walker to get around. By the time I had recovered enough to enjoy it and drove the 6 miles to the site, I was greeted by a Closed sign. The Denniston had already closed and I didn't get to enjoy another night at the drive in until I took my son and his friends to the drive ins operated in the parking lot of the Pontiac Silverdome. Cars with thousands of dollars invested in sound systems with their speaker turned up negated the need to turn my radio on to listen to the movie soundtrack that was broadcast for car radios. We watched our movie (can't remember what it was) and then watched some of the other screens movie before we left. Now i live one mile from the old Commerce, Michigan Drive In site and drive by the still standing marque every morning and wish my 14 year old son would have the opportunity to experience a Saturday night at the Drive In with his girl and his friends.
2/18/2012 - Vince
Hi again. Thought you would like to know: there was another drive- in in Monroe County. Long ago. I don't remember the name of it but it was located at Ida Corners. On the on the Nort West corner of Ida-Maybe Rd and S Custer or M-50. I think it went up in the mid-1940's, right after WW II. And I think it had one big speaker rather than speakers in the cars. I never went there as I was too young to drive but I went past it many times and always looked for it as it was a novelty at the time. I hope this is of some interest to you. Vince.
1/6/2003 - MichiganDriveIns.com
We had the Bel-Aire Drive-In at 6231 N.Monroe St. and the Denniston Drive-In located 1/8 mile down the road at 6501. When you parked over at screen 2 of the Bel-Aire, in the far corner, you could actually see the one screen at the Denniston through the trees. Denniston closed in 1985, and the Bel-Aire in 1987."
1/6/2003 - MichiganDriveIns.com
The Bel Aire was originally called the Custer Drive-In, the name was changed to Bel Aire in March 1969. It was still a single screen at that time.
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Bel-Aire Twin Drive In - Vintage Aerial
Vintage Aerial
Bel-Aire Twin Drive In - Now - Photo From Water Winter Wonderland
Now - Photo From Water Winter Wonderland
Bel-Aire Twin Drive In - General Custer Drive-In Ad 5-25-55
General Custer Drive-In Ad 5-25-55
Bel-Aire Twin Drive In - General Custer Drive-In Grand Opening Ad 5-25-55
General Custer Drive-In Grand Opening Ad 5-25-55
Bel-Aire Twin Drive In - Aerial - Photo From Terraserver
Aerial - Photo From Terraserver
Bel-Aire Twin Drive In - Monroe Aerial 4-21-57
Monroe Aerial 4-21-57
Bel-Aire Twin Drive In - Denniston-Bel Aire Aerial 10-24-81
Denniston-Bel Aire Aerial 10-24-81
Bel-Aire Twin Drive In - Live Search
Live Search
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