In 1956, at the height of the drive-in theatre craze in Australia, a new drive-in known as the Starline was opened at the junction of Glynburn Road (formerly Glynde Road) and Hectorville Road, Hectorville.

Designed by architects Lawson, Cheesman and Doley, it had spaces for 273 cars, with films projected on to an 80-foot (24m) CinemaScope screen. One new innovation was that unlike previous drive-in theatres, the projection box was located behind the cars rather than in the middle of them, on the second-storey of the concessions building. Other family friendly features included a barbeque area and children's playground beneath the screen.

Figure 1 The Advertiser, Saturday 10 March 1956, page 10.

Opening night was Tuesday 18th December 1956. The gates were opened at 6.30pm and parents were invited to bring their children along to see Father Christmas. There were two sessions, one at 7.50pm, featuring "Susan slept here" (1954) starring Dick Powell and Debbie Reynolds, and a second session at 9.50pm, featuring "Sea Devils" (1953) starring Rock Hudson and Yvonne de Carlo. These movies set the scene for the kind of family friendly 'B' Movies that were to follow for the next decade.

Figure 2 The Advertiser, Tuesday 18 December 1956, page 22.

The feature-length movie was proceeded by an instructional film on how to use the speakers, and a reminder to switch off your engine, and turn off your headlights. Followed by hand-painted glass advertising slides spruiking local businesses, and a short film such as a newsreel or cartoons.

The Starline Drive-in canteen had "a menu ranging from delicious grilled steaks and delicious fried fish to tasty snacks." Later menus included Starburger steak rolls, Pluto Pup hot dogs, donuts and nut sundaes. The canteen was designed with large plate-glass windows so that patrons could watch the screen from inside the concessions building.

The Hectorville Drive-in proved so popular that a second drive-in theatre was approved by Hectorville ratepayers in 1958, for the corner of Montacute and Robson Roads, Hectorville, where the East Torrens Primary School is today. Needless to say, plans for the second drive-in theatre did not proceed.

By 1965, there were fifteen drive-in theatres operating in metropolitan Adelaide, some with multiple screens. As competition increased, the Hectorville Drive-in occasionally screened 'adult only' movies "behind the high wall" to obscure the screen from passing motorists and neighbouring houses.

The audience for drive-in theatres gradually changed from families, to teenagers and young adults. By the 1970s, most movies were rated 'NRC' (not recommended for children) or 'M' (mature audience), and the schedule largely consisted of disaster movies, kung-fu films, spaghetti westerns, and low-brow comedies. Such as, Bud Spencer and Terence Hill in "They call me Trinity" (1970), followed by Bruce Lee in "Enter the Dragon" (1973).

During the 1980s, the increasing popularity of the video-recorder began a major downturn in drive-in theatre attendance. Advertising for the Hectorville Drive-in featured the tag line "experience that drive-in magic", to remind people of their childhood memories, and offered games of chance such as 'Starline match-up' with over $50,000 in prizes to be won.  

However a dramatic restructuring of Greater Union Theatres saw the overnight closure of Hectorville, Woodville North, and O'Halloran Hill drive-ins on Wednesday 4th April 1984. The last films to play at the Hectorville Drive-in were the romantic comedy-drama, "Class" (1983) starring Andrew McCarthy, and the teen sex comedy "Losin' It" (1983) starring Tom Cruise.

Figure 3 Hectorville, August 1963, photo by Darian Smith.

Researched and written by Helen Thiselton, Local History Officer.

1. The Advertiser, Saturday 10 March, 1956, page 10.
2. The Advertiser, Tuesday 18 December 1956, page 22.
3. Hectorville Drive-in Theatre: instructions for use of speakers] (c. 1957) Cinesound Productions, Australia, 35mm film. National Film and Sound Archive.
4. The Advertiser, Thursday 5 January, 1984, page 23.
5. The Advertiser, Monday 16 June 1958, page 6.
6. The Advertiser, Monday 16 July 1964, page 14.
7. The News, 31 August 1976.
8. The Advertiser, Thursday 5 January, 1984, page 23.
9. The Advertiser, Wednesday 4 April 1984, page 34.