Grand Opening - Country Squire in 1965

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Who could forget the fabulous Crest or the Tower Theater? Fresno’s drive-ins were the most popular with teens, among them the Moon-Glow and the Sunset. The world’s largest outdoor screen was housed at the Sunnyside Drive-in. Did you hide in the trunk to save 50 cents or possibly steam up the car’s windows? Share your old Fresno theater memories here.
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took64a

Grand Opening - Country Squire in 1965

Post by took64a » Tue May 12, 2015 8:54 am

Hello everyone. I have been clipping newspaper ads and found some information about the Country Squire. I lived close by and went there not too long after the opening but missed the first movie shown there (I went a few weeks later to the showing of Cat Ballou). I see the first one was "The Man from Button Willow" Did anybody here attend that one? It was on October 13, 1965
Attachments
County Squire Oct 12 1965.jpg
First film shown at the Country Squire on Oct. 13, 1965

took64a

Re: Grand Opening - Country Squire in 1965

Post by took64a » Tue May 12, 2015 9:32 am

The following day, after the grand opening - the review came out. The theater had a full house of 500 that came to see the film and TV star: Anthony Eisely of "Hawaiian Eye". The article references the "less enchanted adults". After all it was an animated film. The film and the grand opening went to benefit the Holy Rosary Orphanage.
Attachments
Country Squire Next day Review.jpg

Lost Fresno
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Re: Grand Opening - Country Squire in 1965

Post by Lost Fresno » Sat May 16, 2015 3:59 pm

Thank Gerry, I appreciate the email you sent. Great idea to post about the Country Squire as many of us have very fond memories of this special place. I am posting the article from the Bee which first announced it's opening. Please share here if you remember it!
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The_Fresno_Bee_The_Republic.jpg
Fresno Bee - Sun. Oct. 10, 1965 - Opening article

Big J
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Re: Grand Opening - Country Squire in 1965

Post by Big J » Thu Feb 18, 2016 8:10 am

Great stuff...thanks for sharing!!

Guest

Re: Grand Opening - Country Squire in 1965

Post by Guest » Thu Jul 06, 2017 1:41 pm

This theater was scant blocks from my home on East Swift Avenue. But the opening feature was of no interest to me. Subsequently, I went there many times.

Jubal
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Re: Grand Opening - Country Squire in 1965

Post by Jubal » Thu Dec 05, 2019 3:50 pm

I faintly recall seeing that movie ("The Man from Buttonwillow) at the Country Squire Theater ! Can barely recall...I was pretty young at the time. I can only remember one scene...where some bad guys hit the good guy (voiced by Dale Robertson) over the head & he falls into a well or ship's hold. A few years ago I watched a clip from the animated feature at YouTube and saw that it was not from a major studio and had a low budget look. Wonderful to see that it did so well in the the Fresno market ! Of course, I saw many movies over the years late at that wonderful theater (The Country Squire). Saw "The Sting", "The Towering Inferno", "The Day of the Locust", "Pete's Dragon" & so many others ! Wonderful memories !

Richard Frey

Re: Grand Opening - Country Squire in 1965

Post by Richard Frey » Sun Aug 02, 2020 11:43 am

While the Country Squire was in the permit process, many neighbors objected to its building. The developers made a promise that only "family friendly files" would ever be shown. I attended when it was a new theater and I liked it very much. At the end of its life, I think that it started to show X rated movies, probably to try and save its existence.

Kim Lauters

Re: Grand Opening - Country Squire in 1965

Post by Kim Lauters » Tue Aug 18, 2020 5:42 pm

Greetings,
I saw so many great movies at the Country Squire Theatre. Among one of the most memorable, was the infamous Jaws movie. The theatre was full and the movie goers in the balcony were unusually rowdy. Well, someone thought it would be funny to throw chewed gum onto the crowd below. I had to cut the gum out of my hair when I got home. Needless to say, I started sitting in the balcony from there on out.

Gunner

Re: Grand Opening - Country Squire in 1965

Post by Gunner » Wed Dec 30, 2020 9:46 pm

I remember seeing Jaws, Exorcist, and Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid at Country Squire. Charlotte's Web also.

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