My parents, Bill and Gladys Dobbs, entered the theatre business in 1944 when they purchased the Pacific Northwest theatre circuit, which included locations in Parma, New Plymouth, and Wilder. Every night, my dad drove to Wilder while my mom and I spent our evenings at the Parma Theatre. Looking back, I’m amazed I managed to make it through second grade! As time went on, our routine normalized a bit, and we even stayed home on some school nights.

Those were golden years for the movie industry. During the war, people had become used to staying in town, and in Parma, the theatre was the only form of entertainment. This continued until 1952, when the movie industry experienced a sharp and sudden downturn in Parma. It hit almost overnight, just like flipping on a television for the first time. We went from long lines at the box office to just a handful of patrons. The word television wasn’t even spoken in our home.

The rise of TV brought another shift: the drive-in theatre. My father had great foresight and got the ball rolling. In June of 1953, we opened one of the valley’s first drive-ins—the Parma Motor-Vu. I was a freshman in high school, and as we danced to “Rock Around the Clock,” it was an incredibly exciting time in my life.

Those early years were good—but not great. In the 1960s, the major saving grace for us was Spanish-language films. They helped keep both the Parma Theatre and the Motor-Vu open. By the 1970s, my parents began to enjoy more prosperous times. They started thinking about retirement, but every time a potential buyer showed interest, my dad would send them packing. He just couldn’t let go of his dream.

In 1976, my husband, David Cornwell, and I entered into an arrangement that allowed my parents to semi-retire. Then, in 1977, came a major change—radio sound. Many of you may remember the old metal speakers that hung from the poles. You’d hook them onto your car window—hopefully remembering to remove them before you drove off! Many a car window was broken that way. My dad had to remove and repair each speaker every fall and reinstall them every spring. So when the radio sound arrived, we were more than ready. Sure, a few car batteries died each night, but we had a trusty charger and no complaints.

The 1980s were tough times for both drive-ins and indoor theatres. With movies readily available on TV and video, attendance declined. The Parma Theatre closed in 1985. Even the famous Motor-Vu marquee went dim—except for the letters "MO." We couldn’t afford to fix it, and the kids started calling it “The MO.” At first, it felt like a sad reminder of hard times, but eventually we all embraced the name. Two years later, we finally got the sign fixed—well, mostly. The “R” still didn’t light up, so it read “Moe Toe Voo.”

By the 1990s, things started looking up again. The few remaining drive-ins in the country were able to book more current films. Grandparents began bringing their grandkids to share the nostalgia, and business started to pick up. We focused on maintaining a clean, safe, family-friendly atmosphere—and serving the best popcorn in the valley, thanks to our 65-year-old Manley popcorn machine (still in use and going strong!).

In 1998, we modernized by installing a used platter film system, which allowed the whole program to be spliced onto a single platter. When it worked, it was a joy.

Then came digital cinema. As the 21st century approached, it became clear the film industry was changing again. By 2012, we were told that film distribution would end after 2013. Many drive-ins were forced to close due to the high cost of converting to digital. But we couldn’t give up. We opened the 2013 season with digital projection—and what a difference! The picture was stunning. That same year, we celebrated our 60th anniversary with a BBQ for employees (past and present), family, and friends. All but one of our four generations were there, including my mother, Gladys, who was 103 at the time. She passed away not long after, at nearly 105. We’re forever grateful to her and my father for creating this Idaho gem.

In 2014, we added DirecTV so we could present a live, closed-circuit Jimmy Buffet concert. It also allowed us to screen Boise State football games, which we plan to continue doing whenever possible—as long as it’s dark enough outside!

The Motor-Vu remains a true family business. All three of my children grew up here and still help out from time to time. Over the past decade, seven of my grandchildren have been on the payroll. Our employees become like family. We love what we do, and thanks to our loyal community, we plan to keep it going.

2022 “ A new chapter”: After nearly ten years, it is clear that an update to this story is in need. Yes, we are now a decade into the great digital phenomenon. I, somehow, survived that transistion with a lot of assistance from our internet tech. This has given us the opportunity to play DVD movies, which opened up a whole new venue. That is renting the place on off-nights to schools, organizations, churches, families and businesses for private parties. We gave up on Directv, too expensive to keep live for the occasional game. Many games air at 4:00, which is too early to be visible on our screen.

In 2018, my youngest daughter, Susan Haaheim, became the owner of the Parma Motor-Vu. I, however, have not gone away. I returned to my original job at the popcorn machine, which is yes, still popping at the age of 80.

Ofcourse, what is there to say about 2020 that hasn’t been hashed and re-hashed? For the Motor-Vu it was amazing. Here we are with cars lined up to Jackson’s, playing 30 year old movies.

This brings us to the big event in 2023 when the Parma Motor-Vu will turn 70 years old. We will have the decade celebration party with employees, old and new, and family in June.

I am so happy and proud to be able to still be a part of this great, family adventure, standing at my popper, visiting with all you wonderful patrons. Thank you for reading my story.

See you at the Motor-Vu.
—Karen Dobbs Cornwell and Family