Nostalgia thrives at drive-in

Editor's note: Butler and Wanda Felts, who operated Nevada's Trail Drive-In from 1974 to 1983, are still in the business of drive-in theaters, and still operates a theater in Lamar. Here's his the tale of the couple in the projection room By Steve Moyer Nevada Herald It's a warm Friday evening, the sun is about to set, the temperature is cooling off after a hot day. Just as he's done thousands of times Butler Felts is behind the concession stand of the Barco Drive-in Theater popping popcorn for the crowd, sure to be there as soon as box office opens. "I've been here since before it opened. I worked for a man named A.J. Simmons and he brought me over from Pittsburg where I was working a drive-in to supervise building this one." Felts is 79, his birthday was just a week ago. He and his wife, Wanda, own the Barco and live in a house on the property. "When we were first married Wanda and I lived in an apartment in the base of the tower. After we bought the drive-in we built the house." Felts and his wife have been married more than 50 years and even their meeting was connected to a theater. "I met Wanda at the cafe here parents owned. It was right next door to the Plaza theater on the square." Felts has a connection to the Nevada theaters also. "The Trail was built a year after the Barco. Harley Fryer got it and the Fox in '68 and his brother Dick ran them. We bought them in 1974 and then in the fall of '83 I sold them to Jim Novak." Since the close of the Trail, Felts said he still sees many familiar faces. "We see a lot of people from Nevada down here. There's a school teacher we see all the time. People still like seeing a movie outdoors and it's not that far." Running the Barco has always been a family affair. "Our two boys worked here until they left home and our oldest, Jim, still helps us out. Our granddaughter works here so it's still a family affair." Felts isn't sure what's going to happen to the drive-in when he and his wife stop. "I'd like to find someone who would take it over. No one lives forever and I'd like for the Barco to still be there." Although it's been a family affair at the theaters over the years the Felts have employed several memorable people. "Richard Murray was the most conservative projectionist I ever saw. Most projectionists would strike the arc (old projectors used a system that burned copper clad carbon rods to produce light) before the reel change cue would come up, but not Richard. He would wait until he saw the cue mark to strike the arc. It only saved a few seconds of life for the rod but he would save them and use them on short reels." Scott Kelly is a former employee who now manages the Plaza theater. "Scott is a worrier. Even though he's not working here anymore he still calls me up and worries about how we're doing. He'll say "Did you get this picture?" or "Did that film arrive in good shape?". He's always concerned about us, it's just his nature." Asked about the biggest changes he's seen Felts didn't hesitate. "Projection light and sound. We use a 3,000 watt quartz light bulb now instead of the arc projectors and we use radio to transmit the sound to peoples cars. We have a few speakers out for those who can't receive the sound but most of the people use the radio. Everything else is pretty much the same, some things just don't change. Cars have changed over the years more than the drive-in. We used to have to keep jumper cables and an air tank ready for the cars that had a flat or the battery ran down. We use the jumper cables every once in awhile but it's been years since we've had to use the air tank." "Drive-ins used to advertise their advantages. The whole family could come and save on baby-sitters, they charge pretty good money and you didn't have to pay for them to watch your kids. You could smoke in your car if you wanted and it didn't bother anyone. It was "Come as you are" and people didn't have to worry about how they looked." Felts said he was recently visited by someone tracking drive-ins. "He said there were only 14 drive-ins left in Missouri. I hear that may be bottoming out with some opening up again. People are becoming interested again. I remember having this kid who would pull stunts like trying to sneak in. I caught him and he was really embarrassed. He's one of our best customers now, I see him every week. The Barco is usually open on the weekends, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, from the first of April to sometime in September or October. "It depends a lot on what product is out there. If there isn't anything good to draw people in there's no sense in staying open. Then you have school starting up about this time, there are a lot more things for people to do and it takes away from the crowds. If things stay the same this year we'll close Sept. 7."