Belmont Drive In

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Maxwell A. Milbauer and his wife, Emma, enjoyed entertaining children in the Belmont area by showing 16mm movies on a large sheet that hung in their back yard. On one particular evening Elvin Doll, and his wife Edith, came over to watch a movie. Max and Elvin worked together and had and talked a few times before about beginning a business of their own. Edith remarked that perhaps they should open an outdoor theater where people could watch a movie in the comfort of their car. The two men agreed that this was a good idea.

When they built the Belmont Auto they got into trouble quickly. They had a terrible time trying to build that place. They almost went out of business before they even got started because the weather wasn’t on their side.” The weather was really bad and they got stuck in the mud, literally.

They built the business on a shoestring and did a lot of work themselves. This included mixing concrete for the bases of the speaker posts, as well as pouring and finishing the floor of the concession stand. Finally, as the theater neared completion, August 6, 1947, was chosen for the grand opening. It was a big event and invitations were sent to the community. Unfortunately, a big storm is coming. Dayton Power and Light didn’t have the electricity hooked up yet and they were running that close to getting open. When DP&L service men came out, it was lightning and thundering, and they refused to go up the pole.  Belmont Auto Theater had to cancel the opening night.

The Belmont Auto Theater finally opened on August 7, 1947, featuring 1946 musical “Three Little Girls in Blue” with June Haver, George Montgomery and Vivian Blaine. The Belmont could park 400 cars and later it was increased to 700 cars in thirteen rows. 

On June 16, 1948, the screen tower was destroyed by fire, also destroyed were the office and sound equipment in the base of the tower. 

 The Belmont would become the first drive-in theatre in the area to introduce stereophonic sound, car heaters, 3-D movies and CinemaScope. It was also one of the few one-screen theaters to offer two concession stands.

On September 13, 1962, a big wind storm blew down the wooden screen tower and it was replaced this time with a new all steel screen tower. The airier reopened on September 22, 1962.

On February 22, 1977, the Belmont Auto Theatre brought back stereo sound with the showing of “The Man Who Fell to Earth” starring David Bowie and Sean Connery in “Zardoz”. 

In 1983 the Miami Valley Research Park bought the land from BAC Theatres as part of a future plan to build a 1,250 acre research park. The drive-in was operated through the 1997 season and closed for good. The Belmont Auto was demolished in 2002.