Causeway Drive-In

In late-1951, Brevard Theatres Inc. finally received the green light from the National Production Authority in Washington DC for the construction of the new drive-in on Merritt Island. They bought a 10-acre tract from Mr. A. Fortenberry who owned the Merritt Island Lumber & Supply Co. The new Drive-In opened on June 3, 1952, screening the 1950 musical “Wabash Avenue” with Betty Grable, Victor Mature & Phil Harris. The second feature was the 1951 western “Gene Autry and the Mounties” with Gene Autry and Elena Verdugo. The new Drive-In had a capacity for 350-cars with RCA in-a-car features on paved parking ranks. The screen was 30ft x 50ft in size. Lewis Fresh was the new manager of the Drive-In. The new airer was opened by Talgar Theatres Inc. dba Brevard Theatres Inc. Rupert N. Koblegard Jr. (dba Sunrise Theatre Inc.) was from Jacksonville, FL. In 1930 Koblegard Jr. had formed a partnership with M.C. Talley (Tal) B.B. Garner (Gar) and Frank Rogers. That was the beginning of Talgar Theatres Inc.

On August 26, 1952 the Drive-In was re-named the Cocoa Drive-In. A.E. Scruggs, the theatre manager reported that on May 28, 1956 the screen was enlarged to 35ft x 70ft., along with new equipment and lens so that CinemaScope movies could be screened. Scruggs had been appointed manager on November 5, 1955. He replaced Harold Hocket. The opening night for the new CinemaScope pictures was on May 29, 1956. On April 3, 1955, the Talgar Theatre holdings were bought out by Horton R. Puddon dba First Southeast Corporation. They had extensive holdings in real estate. The Cocoa Drive-In started hosting the First Methodist Church of Cocoa services starting on September 9, 1956.

A.E. Scruggs announced that the Cocoa Drive-In was being renamed Island-Beach Outdoor Theatre on January 4, 1957. Scruggs said “since the area had grown so much in the past year or two and since the drive-in is the only one of its kind on the Island and Peninsula, it was considered desirable to make the name change”. Randolph Ellinor, the district manager for Pudden Theatres announced that the new Island-Beach Indoor Theatre would be built in front of the screen tower of the Island-Beach Outdoor Theatre. The Island-Beach Indoor Theatre had a grand opening on October 10, 1957. It will be called the Island Beach Recreational Center. Later additions would include a swimming pool and picnic area.

In June of 1960, Fred H. Kent dbs Kent Enterprises bought all of the First Southeast Corporation theatre holdings. Fred H. Kent was a veteran in the theatre business and a lawyer. T.L. Hyde was in charge of the theatres. Before Kent Theatres, Hyde was associated with Talgar Theatres, Florida State Theatres and Sparks Theatres. On March 23, 1966 the drive-in opened with the new name Merritt Island Drive-In. On September 11, 1967 the drive-in was renamed again for the last time to the Causeway Drive-In.

At this time in 1968, Kent Theatres was operating the following drive-in theatres: Causeway, Vanguard, Melbourne Outdoor, Brevard, Indian Harbor Beach, Fort Pierce, Angle, Main Street, Southside, Stuart, Blanding, Lake Forest, Capitol, Perry Highway Outdoor and Vero Drive-In theatres, all in the State of Florida. The Causeway Drive-In closed on January 31, 1980 for good. Later on, the Barn Indoor Theatre will be closed for good also. The theatres were demolished and the property was sold to Walmart. It is now a Harbor Freight Tools, Alliance Stockade and Appliance Direct Stores.

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