Retired Drive-In projector comes home to Dayton
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-Submitted photo
The 1952 Super Simplex 35 mm projector had an arc light which blasted the image out into the night air where it was reflected off the drive-in screen. The projector now calls the front window of Locally Nourished, 245 E. Main Street, home after years of being on display at Dan Mortimore's video production business in Spokane.
DAYTON–Remember the Dayton Drive-In?
Many fondly do, and one of them is Dan Mortimore, former projectionist at the Dayton Drive-In, who has lovingly kept and maintained one of the two 35-mm projectors that screened hundreds of movies over the years for the residents of this area.
When the long-time Touchet Valley center of summertime entertainment closed in 1984–because the screen blew down in a wind storm–the valley lost one of its traditional spots for cinema fans to catch the not only the latest movies out of Hollywood, but also those "drive-in classics" like THX-1138, George Lucas's (who later brought us Star Wars) first foray into science fiction, or that schlock classic "Food of the Gods."
Hundreds of other titles had played over the years under the management of Nancy Otterson, formerly of Waitsburg and now of Walla Walla, and her late husband Jack Otterson.
When the screen toppled, the Ottersons kept up maintenance on the snack bar and especially the two 1952-era Super Simplex projectors until selling the property in 1992.
That's when former projectionist Mortimore offered to buy the projectors. Mr. Otterson had meticulously maintained them in the intervening years, Mortimore says.
-Submitted photo
Helping to place the vintage drive-in projector in restaurant Locally Nourished's front window were Dayton High School classmates of former Dayton Drive-In projectionist Dan Mortimore Kevin Floyd, Roger Trump and Mel Fitzpatrick. The projector does function and has been kept in good condition by Mortimore, however, without the high-voltage arc light once used at the drive in.
Mortimore, owner of Mortimore Productions, Inc., in Spokane, is a 1970 graduate of Dayton High School. This week he returned one of the projectors to Dayton, to the front window of Locally Nourished at 245 E. Main Street, operated by Alicia Walker and Boe Stevenson.
He had purchased both projectors and in the intervening years, had given one to a W.S.U. professor of architecture, Dr. Jeff Burnett.
The Dayton Drive-In was started by Lowell Spiess of Pendleton, which is still a Spiess family-owned and operated drive in theater.
Mortimore has displayed the Super Simplex at his video production studio in Spokane all these years and is shifting gears into retirement, so finding a suitable home for the projector was recently completed with its move here Monday, October 23.
Accompanying Mortimore was Mel Fitzpatrick, a member of the Class of 1971 who is a neighbor of Mortimore's. Assisting with the installation were Mortimore's classmates Kevin Floyd, Roger Trump and Marilyn (McHargue) Trump, all members of the Class of 1970.
