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Texas Drive-In Movie Theatres
Welcome to the site that is dedicated to the memory of Drive-In Movie Theatres and the support of Drive-In Movie Theatres still in operation. This is just a small amount of the information available about drive-ins.
Below you will find information and photos about Drive-In Theatres. Please come back when you can. I'm trying to add new information as often as possible.
I grew up working at Drive-In Theatres and helping construct them. I hope that this page will spark more interest in this historic family entertainment. People use to and still do visit Drive-In Theatres to enjoy entertainment with their family and friends. At a Drive-In you can enjoy a movie and visit with family and friends which helps bring us all a little closer together.
There is nothing like a night at the drive-in with your family, friends or a date.
Latest additions to this site.
The Litestar Drive-In Theatre opened as the Starlite. Its at Porter, TX near Houston Texas. (7/10/06)The Showboat Drive-in Theatre, FM 2920 West of Tomball, Texas is now open. A link to their web site is listed below in Operational Texas Drive-in Theatres. (added 5/24/06)
CLICK HERE, MAC'S DALLAS THEATRE PAGE, TO SEE SOME WONDERFUL PHOTOS OF SOME OLD CLOSED DALLAS AREA INDOOR THEATRES. They were taken by, and put up on a web page by MAC PATTERSON of Red Oak, Tx. Listed lower on my page just below a link to a list of closed drive-ins in other states. (added 5/16/06)
Linda Kay Drive-in Theatre, Rylie (Dallas), TX, Photo of marguee taken in 1993. In closed section. (added 5/6/06)
Cactus Drive-in Theatre, Donna, Texas,listed in the closed section. (3/27/06).
Operational Texas Drive-In Theatres
Some have Web page links:Organized by name of city.
TOWN & COUNTRY Drive-in, Abilene, Tx. Click here
for a lot of photos and information.
TASCOSA Drive-in, 1999 Dumas Highway (Hwy. 287), (1 block S. of NE 24th, 1/2 mile off of U.S. Route 66) Amarillo,TX
806/383-3882; You can see the newspaper article in the Amarillo Globe News. (Click on the back or return button on your browser to get back to my page.)
The Sandell Drive-In Theatre, Clarendon, TX. (added to open 8/20/02)
ElPaso, Texas. (Name unknown)
Showing X-Rated, Adults only, films. Open Fri. & Sat.
"Galaxy Family Theatre", Exit 255, I-45, Garrett (Ennis), Texas. Phone # (972) 875-5505
7/7/2006, They have added a 4th screen and a mini snack bar for drinks and popcorn.
Information about thier 12/17/04 Grand Opening:
I didn't get to attend opening night but I hear it was a great success. Imagine, a drive-in theatre having a grand opening two days before the first day of winter. Only in Texas.
Kids setting in the back of pickups at the, two days before the first day of winter, grand opening of a drive-in theatre. Again, only in Texas.
I understand that people came from the far reaches of the area. A near capacity crowd of nearly 800 cars. And that was with only 2 of the 3 screens open.
The owners were painting, a bulldozer was moving dirt and a plumber still working right up to the opening of the box office. In my experience, many years ago, that's the way opening night usually goes. This is a complicated operation with many things that have to be done.
It seems to me that things ran pretty smoothly. The owners should be congratulated. I hope this is the beginning of a long successful run of the Galaxy.
Their website is here.
The Dallas Morning News had a story in their 12/15/04 Metro section, 12/17/04 The Movies section and 12/18/04 Metro section. (updated 7/10/06)
THE LAST DRIVE-IN PICTURE SHOW, Gatesville, TX Pictures and information.
GRAHAM Drive-in, Jacksboro Hwy, Graham, Tx. (940) 549-8478.Go see a photo.
BRAZOS Drive-in, West Pearl St., (Bus. Hwy.377 West), Granbury, Texas, (817) 573-1311, (817) 573-8086
They celebrated their 50th anniversary in spite of storm damage. Look at the story.
Some Pictures at the 2000 season opening. Their website is Brazos Drive-in.
The Showboat Drive-in Theatre, 22422 FM 2920,Hockley, TX 77447 (FM 2920 West of Tomball, TX) Ph# 281-351-5224
Click here for their web site.(updated 7/10/06)
The Central Texas Drive-in Theatre, Killeen, TX
4001 S. Fort Hood Street, Killeen, TX 76542, Phone: 254/616-6400, Map at Mapquest
Here are some links to news stories about this drive-in and others. KCEN TV; Chronicle; WOAI; DFW
SKYVUE Drive-in, Lamesa, Texas
They are open year round. They have a really nice playground area under the screen for the kids. It is the old metal style playground equipment, but all in excellent shape. They use radio sound. This drive-in was one of the ones featured in the Texas Monthly in September 1997. You can look at some photos and the phone number here.
Stars and Stripes Drive-in Theatre, Lubbock, TX (Added 8/22/03)
VALLEY, McAllen, Texas.
Big Sky Drive-in Theatre, 5906 Highway 80, Midland, TX. Ph# 432-617-3001 Click here for their website.
Big Sky construction details from Spring of 2005 that I posted then.
Litestar Drive-in Theatre (formerly the Starlite Drive-In Theatre), 24003 N HWY 59, Porter Tx, 77365, (2 miles north of Houston city limits), Phone # 281-354-3786
Click here for their website.
TOWER Drive-in, Rule, Texas Photos and other information.
The new owner, Adam Hulin, from Asheboro, North Carolina, has the Tower Drive-in open. Phone # 940/997-0137.
MISSION 4 Drive-in, San Antonio, Texas. See some photos and some information about it's status. On 7/9/01 I added some emails from it's happy patrons.
Corral Drive-in Theatre, a few miles south of San Saba on Highway 16, San Saba, Texas 76887, Phone # 325/372-4611 (updated 4/10/05) It had reopened in the Spring of 2004 but I was there 0n 3/25/05 and found it closed.
There are some pictures on the Galaxy's web site.
CROSSROADS Drive-in, Shiner, Texas.
A recent email from the owner says, "... this is 2004 and we are having our fourth
successful summer season. We are open from Friday and Saturday nights,
Memorial day to Labor Day Weekend every summer playing double features.
We open on Sundays during the Memorial Day,4th of July and Labor Day
holidays. We would like to have October Halloween/Ocktober fest and
Thanksgiving/Christmas weekend shows at the Crossroads during our off
season."
Their website.
Drive-in, Tyler, Texas. (x-rated) Pictures and information. (Updated 12/9/01)
MIDWAY Drive-in, Turkey, Tx. Wonderful news about the Midway Drive-in Theatre, Turkey, Tx. I recieved this email on 6/15/2000 from Anna Bradshaw, email her, "While doing a search on a town, I ran across your page on drive-in movie theaters. I thought it might be of interest to you that the Midway Drive-In, located between Quitaque and Turkey, TX has recently reopened."
WES-MER Drive-in, between Weslaco and Mercedes, Texas.
Many thanks to all of the Texas Drive-in Movie Theatre visitors who have given me much of this information.
Now to the sad section. These, and many more, are not open anymore.
Country Squire Drive-In Theatre
This is where it all started for me in 1965. I've added some new photos and information, 5/6/01.
Astro Drive-In Theatre, Dallas,Tx. I have a lot of information and photos and will be adding more.
Linda Kay Drive-In Theatre, "Kaufman Pike, in Rylie" It was on what is now known as highway 175 near near Masters Dr., Dallas. Terraserver topo map. Photo of marguee taken in 1993. My thanks to Mac Patterson, of Red Oak, TX, for sending this photo to me. (added 5/6/06)
Weatherford Drive-In Theatre, Hwy. 180 W. of town. It is now a car auction bussiness. Photo date 5/9/98. There are residential quarters built into the screen. I'm beginning to wonder if automobiles are attracted to the lead left on the lot from all those autos that have been in the drive-ins all the years they were open.
Jefferson Drive-In Theatre, Dallas, TX. (Next to Cockrell Hill, TX.) (2/18/04 The Jefferson has been bought by the Dallas School District to build a new school.) My mom worked there in the 70's.
Chalk Hill Drive-In Theatre, Fort Worth Ave. near Cockrell Hill Rd., Dallas, Tx.
These links will take you to other pages I have prepared with information and some photos that I have, and that others have sent me, about these closed drive-ins:
The 67 Drive-in Theatre, Brownwood, TX (added 2/10/02)
Cactus Drive, Donna, Texas, (Between Donna and Weslaco) I am searching for the address, exact location. It opened in October, 2005 and closed in December. I understand that the man running it fell upon some ill health and that the screen and ticket booth are already gone. There is a newspaper article at
about when it opened. (3/27/06)
The 87 Drive-In Theatre, Fredricksburg, TX. (added 1/12/2000)
The Capada Drive-In Theatre, Floydada, TX. (added 8/28/99)
The Chief Drive-In Theatre, Cleburne, TX.
The Capri Drive-In Theatre, Marshall, TX. (added 10/28/99)
The Joy Drive-In Theatre, Bellmead, (Waco), TX. (Added 11/25/01)
The McLennan Drive-In Theatre, McGregor, TX.
The Mesquite Drive-In Theatre, Jacksboro, TX. (added 6/25/01)
The Mission Drive-In Theatre, Menard, TX. I may be wrong about the name of this one. (added 1/17/2001)
The Rebel Drive-In Theatre, Dublin, TX.
The Starlite Drive-In Theatre at Shertz, TX. (added 9/2/03)
The Trail Drive-In Theatre, Athens, TX.
The Drive-Ins in,Temple, TX. (Added 8/23/99)
The
Drive-in Theatre, Terrell, TX. (Added 12/9/01)
The Circle Drive-In Theatre, Waco, TX. (Added 9/3/00)
Help save a Fort Worth Drive-in, Some information about a group trying to save the Meadowbrook Drive-in. (added 12/9/99)
HERE IS A LITTLE INFO ABOUT A FEW OF THE DRIVE-IN THEATRES I WISH I HAD PHOTOS OF.
Colonial Drive-in Theatre, Argyle, Texas
Circle Drive-In, Meridian, Tx.
"I think the drive-in at Meridian was called Circle Drive In, I will need to check on that. The late Sheriff John O. Baxter worked there when he was in high school. It was located on HWY 6 about 2 miles east of the circle. You could see where it was for along time. I looked last week and it was hard to remember it has changed alot but I can show you. The river flooded and washed the tower into the river." Thanks, to my friend, Ken Holmes, E-mail, 5/6/98.
Hill Drive-In Theatre, Hillsboro, Tx. (See link below for old newspaper ads, articles and a photo of the snack bar now.)
Of course I wish I had a photo of every drive-in theatre.
THESE LINKS ARE TO NEWSPAPER ADS AND ARTICLES.
Dallas, Texas Newspaper Ads
Hill Drive-In Theatre, Hillsboro, Tx.
Parkway Drive-In Theatre, Mexia, Tx.
CLICK HERE TO SEE A LIST OF DRIVE-IN THEATRES OPERATING IN OTHER STATES and COUNTRIES.
CLICK HERE TO SEE A LIST OF CLOSED DRIVE-IN THEATRES IN OTHER STATES.
CLICK HERE, MAC'S DALLAS THEATRE PAGE, TO SEE SOME WONDERFUL PHOTOS OF SOME OLD CLOSED DALLAS AREA INDOOR THEATRES. They were taken by, and put up on a web page by MAC PATTERSON of Red Oak, Tx. (added 6/16/06)
LINKS TO DRIVE-IN WEB SITES IN OTHER PLACES.
Please use your browsers "Back" button to come back to this web page.
A very professional Drive-in info site.
Prince Edward Island: Travel and Vacation/Recreation/Theatres (Drive-in)
Brownsville Drive-In Multi-Theaters
Canada Drive-Ins around Swift, Current and Saskatchewan.
Family Drive-in Theatre of Kane, Pa.
99W Drive-in Theatre, Newburg, Oregon
LINKS TO OTHER RELATED SITES.
Please use your browsers "Back" button to come back to this web page.
Surf Drive-in Theatre Port Arthur, TX (Added 2/23/03)
"How to Build a Inexpensive Drive In" This is a book by Steve Rodman the builder and operator of the Crossroads Drive-in Theatre at Shiner, TX. Please let him know that you found his link on Texas Drive-in Movie Theatres website. (Added 8/27/02)
Dallas Drive-Ins Added 5/23/01.
Thunderbird Drive-in at Corpus Christi Demolition 1998. Added 9/19/02
Cinematour Added 1/27/02
Ken's Drive-in Movies Added 1/27/02
Blair Line Products for Model Railroaders. (added 12/4/01)
Russia gets its first drive-in movie theatre. (added 12/4/01)
The American Drive-in Movie Theatre A wonderful book by Don and Susan Sanders.
Kipp Teague's RetroWeb - Harvey's Drive-In Theatre
Happy Days
Drive-In Trader
Boxoffice Magazine: ROLLING OUT THE FIRST DRIVE-IN THEATRE
9/29/01, A Video Journalists from California visits Texas preparing a documentary on drive-in theatres.
Travis Mathews of San Fransisco, CA came to Texas compiling information and video preparing a documentary about drive-in theatres. Bill O'Brien of New York was with him assisting.They traveled from San Fransisco stopping in a few places in between interviewing people about drive-ins.
On Sat. 9/29/01 they met with several drive-in enthusiast from the DFW area. They all went to the Fort Worth Twin, the Meadowbrook and the site of the Riverside in Ft. Worth. They videotaped interviews and discussions about drive-ins, their past, present and future.
Travis and Bill planned to continue East then North to Ohio.
Below is a photo of the group in Ft. Worth.
My HTML TEACHER. Thanks to my friend Chris Nold for helping create and maintain this page.
These are links to other pages I am working on.
My Private Process Server Information. And a few interesting places.
Murphy, Tx. Police Investigators.
81, 82 & 83 Imperial automobiles.
Please email me with your comments, suggestions and any drive-in theatre photos you might have. Thanks and I look forward to hearing from you.
Let me know what you think about my page. Send mail to, Sam Love, by clicking here.
I updated this page on 5/24/06.
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