Moon-Glo Drive-In

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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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fresno103
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Moon-Glo Drive-In

Post by fresno103 » Wed Aug 11, 2010 8:57 am

I grew up during the hay day of the movie drive-in phenomena. Before I learned to drive, I remember climbing on top of our roof to see the Moon-Glo screen, way off in the distance. My house was near the Ashlan Parking Shopping Center and the screen was on Dakota Ave. which didn't seem that far away. I hatched a scheme to buy a parabolic listening dish with ear phones that I saw for sale in my comic book. I figured I'd be all set to watch and hear movies for free. Of course, that was nuts and only a dream.

I would have to wait until I was 16 years old to drive my parents car and actually take my girlfriend there. Oh, the memories of the once proud Moon-Glow! Now apartments stand where the great Moon-Glo used to reside and I hear that happened in 1980. I found the information listed below about the Moon-Glo and even an old ad for a movie I don't remember. The aerial shot shows the theater with its twin screen configuration. I think that had already been done when I first went in the late 60's not as some web sites have reported that it was done in the mid-70's. The location was:

Moon-Glo Drive-In
2041 W. Dakota Ave.
Fresno, CA 93725

*Note from admin: Newspaper clipping inserted from 1951 showing Moon Glo as a new drive in
Attachments
The_Fresno_Bee_The_Republic_Sat_Nov_17_1951.jpg
Fresno Bee - Sat. Nov. 17, 1951 - Moon Glo ad

flmnfvr

Re: Moon-Glo Drive-In

Post by flmnfvr » Tue Nov 23, 2010 1:25 am

My Grandparent lived right across the street from Moon-Glo on W Dakota Ave we could sit on the sidewalk in front of the house & see the screen the kid next door would jump the fence & turn all the back rows speakers up so we could hear it too. There were only 2 lane roads & housing tracks around Moon-Glo it also only had 1 screen there was a vacant lot behind it & then a big old farm house & burn both run down looking on the SW corner of Crystal & Dakota the place was unkept we never saw anyone outside but lights were on at night so we knew someone or something lived in there all kinds of crazy scary stories were told by older kids to scar us little kids half to death.

I think the house is still there all boarded up I remember the old barn fell-in and stayed like that for years. My grandma still lives in that house & my grandpa helped build it he worked for the company that built those homes back in the late 40's early 50's she's said awhile back that she's lived there 68yrs. I was born in May of 1961. Fresno was a great place to grow up I have the best memories. It's sad that there is so much crime & shootings, drugs & gangs. The Fresno PD really dropped the ball on that crap. What did they think?? Oh it's just a fad or faze they will get bored with it & everything will be back to normal real soon. Or if we don't talk about then it's not really happening. It's just so sad what has happened to our once nice sweet quiet little town.

kmcc01
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Re: Moon-Glo Drive-In

Post by kmcc01 » Wed Mar 14, 2012 8:01 pm

Ah, the Moon Glo Drive in, a staple of my early formative years! I grew up on West Michigan Avenue just North of Hughes Ave. and as a youngster I would get my telescope and climb on the roof and watch movies through the scope. The last movie I remember seeing there was Caveman with Ringo Starr and Barbara Bach. I wonder if there are any of the old drive ins left that are still in use?

*Note from admin: Newspaper clipping added showing 1963 ad with special announcement from district manager
Attachments
The_Fresno_Bee_The_Republican_Sat__May_25__1963_.jpg
Fresno Bee - Sat. May 25, 1963

Lost Fresno
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Re: Moon-Glo Drive-In

Post by Lost Fresno » Wed Oct 10, 2018 11:45 am

In 1952, the Moon-Go Drive-In was still new and the Motor-In was not too bad either. By the 1960s the Motor-In had declined and featured $1.50 per car load to draw customers. The Moon-Glo was near where I lived and was my favorite until the huge screen at Sunnyside appeared.
Attachments
Fresno Bee Apt 5 1952.jpg
Click to Enlarge / Fresno Bee - April, 5, 1952

Hartwa

Re: Moon-Glo Drive-In

Post by Hartwa » Tue Nov 29, 2022 4:06 pm

I worked at The Moon-Glo in 1978 as an usher.
What a great Job. Manager: Claudia, Dave Usher, Beth the beautiful blonde with hair the longest I’ve seen, Margaret, Judy. What a great crew. I was there for the last movies then we all got moved to Woodward Park 4 on Blackstone and Herndon. It was owned by Pacific Drive in Theaters and we all had Screen Actors Guild Union cards Lol.
Didn’t make much but hey we had SAG cards.

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