The Ford-Wyoming Drive-In: Cars, Candy & Canoodling in the Motor City

by Karen Dybis

Overview

Shortly after World War II, three Dearborn brothers bought a vacant parcel to build a drive-in theater. Local groups opposed them, fearing such a place would elicit immoral behavior. But the Clark family persevered to see its movie palace become a Metro Detroit mainstay, hosting celebrities, rock stars and a never-ending line of families with kids in footie pajamas. A handshake transferred ownership to movie magnate Charles Shafer and his business partner, Bill Clark, who expanded the theater to a massive nine screens. But blockbusters and hordes of teens couldn't mitigate the effects of Detroit's decline, auto company bankruptcies and Michigan's economic malaise. Despite it all, the mighty Ford-Wyoming kept the movies showing, bringing a bit of Hollywood glamour to the gritty Motor City.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781626195486
Publisher:	Arcadia Publishing SC
Publication date:	08/26/2014
Series:	Landmarks
Pages:	128
Product dimensions:	5.90(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.40(d)

About the Author

Karen Dybis is a metro Detroit writer who has blogged for Time magazine and worked the business desk at the Detroit News. She was born in Bad Axe (where she saw her first drive-in movie in the back of a Suburban), raised in Romeo and is proud to say her two children had their first drive-in movie experience at the Ford-Wyoming.

Table of Contents

Acknowledgements 7

Prologue. A Farewell Tour 9

1 A Field of Destiny 11

2 The Founding Family 20

3 The Hot Potato 32

4 A Night at the Drive-in 45

5 Up in Flames 59

6 The Deans of Detroit 70

7 The Gang's All Here 77

8 Detroit Downturn 86

9 Going Digital 87

10 "My Favorite Place on Earth" 105

Epilogue. A Communal Experience 117

Appendix. Open Michigan Drive-in Theaters 121

Selected Bibliography 123

Index 125

About the Author 128