Not a word had been said, but the signs were right! It had been a beautiful summer day without a raincloud in sight. Everyone had been fed an early supper, and the children given their baths early donning their pajamas. That was unusual when there was still plenty of daylight for outdoor play. Mom was popping a huge tub of popcorn, and Dad was preparing a cooler of soft drinks. The children, on their best behavior, watched in anticipation. Finally, the word came: get in the car! Yes! We were all going to the Dixie-Lee Drive-In!
The Drive-In was the best news for young couples as it provided a place for family entertainment with no need for a babysitter. The usual ritual was that Dad drove the family car by the ticket booth, paid for the number of occupants in the car, and proceeded to park next to an outdoor speaker. The speaker was then attached to the car window to allow all to hear the movie. The quality of the speaker was evaluated with music that was playing prior to the show. If the speaker was inferior, the car was moved to a better location. The children could watch the movie on the giant outdoor screen, and, once becoming sleepy, they could lie down in the back seat while Mom and Dad had time together to enjoy the main feature.
Showtimes at the Dixie-Lee. (Photo courtesy of cinematreasures.org.)
The Drive-In did offer the amenities of refreshments and bathroom facilities at an indoor building if one had a surplus of money to spend. Speaking of money, there are stories of how young people tried hiding in the trunk of the car to avoid paying for the show, but somehow, they were always greeted by movie security and their flashlights as they crawled out of the trunk. Busted!
Prior to the Dixie-Lee opening in 1950, the nearest Drive-In for Concord-Farragut residents was the Knoxville Drive-In at Bearden or Cole’s Drive-In at Loudon. The local Drive-In was especially popular with the teenage crowd and it soon became the place to hang out which included a visit to nearby Byrd’s Drive-In Restaurant after the show. Only those that were more enamored and did not have an interest in the movie chose the back two rows of the theater parking area.
In 1949, the 8.75-acre tract of land at 110 S. Watt Road was purchased by Mose Lee Waller Jr. (1920-2007), and the Dixie-Lee featured family-oriented movies for 23 years until he leased the land to Texas National Corporation that booked X-rated films at the theater. The neighborhood of homes on the bluff at the rear of the theater complained of “free X-rated shows” to their children from their windows and the line of cars parked along the road to view the movies without paying. Members from area churches picketed the entrance and held public meetings which finally resulted in a raid on an obscene film. The manager was found guilty, fined $50 and sentenced to four months on the Penal Farm. Theater owner, Vista Theater Inc., pleaded guilty and was fined $2,500 plus court costs.
The last movie shown was in 1981, but yet another legal battle with the owner vs the town of Farragut and neighbors ensued for the purpose of having the deteriorated screen and structures removed. A neighbor complained that material from the screen had blown off during a wind storm, striking her dog, and causing it to lose its tail. By 1983, the final vestiges of the Dixie-Lee Drive-In were removed, but memories for the residents remain until this day.
Mona Isbell Smith is a retired computer systems analyst who enjoys freelancing.