Billboard, Feb. 23, 1952: “Construction has been started at Belton, Tex., on a new 300-car open-air theater to be owned and operated by Mr. and Mrs. H. H. Cluck.”
Billboard, Feb. 16, 1952: “L. D. Manor, owner of the Park Drive-In, Sweetwater, Tex., last week announced that he plans to install in-car speakers, new lighting system and widen theater’s entrance.”
Billboard, Jan. 26, 1952: “New spot under construction at Killen (sic), Tex., will be known as the Rancier Drive-In, according to Ace Clary. National Production Authority recently granted approval for the project, and the open-airer is expected to be ready for a March bow.”
Billboard, Jan. 12, 1952: “Tulia Theater Company reported construction has begun on a 400-car open-airer at Tulia, Tex., and will be completed by early spring.”
Billboard, June 13, 1953: “East Texas Theaters has opened the new Circle Drive-In at Henderson, Tex. The drive-in has an auditorium with 300 seats, which is year-round air-conditioned.”
Billboard, May 23, 1953: “Theater Enterprises, Inc., has opened three new drive-ins in Texas. … Guy Moses, manager, opened the Trail Drive-In at Stockton.”
A note further down in the same column clarified what happened. “Remodeling of the Trail Drive-In Theater, Fort Stockton, Tex., has been completed, according to G. C. Moses, manager. Improvements included installations of more than 200 speakers, erection of a new screen, neon lighting on the front, a new box office, marquee, concession stand and general lighting of the drive-in.”
Billboard, May 23, 1953: “Mr. and Mrs. George Reed have opened the new 250-car capacity Antelope Drive-In Theater at Abernathy, Tex. They also operate the Nue-Vue Theater there.”
Billboard, May 16, 1953: “Paul W. Gay has taken over management of the Oasis, Kermit, Lariat and Tower Drive-In theaters in Kermit, Tex. … He replaces Frank Love Jr., who is retiring.”
Billboard, March 28, 1953: “C. C. Hamm, Quitaque, Tex., and Harry Barnhill, Turkey, Tex., have started construction of a new 200-car capacity drive-in between those two cities. Each operates a standard theater in those towns."
Billboard, March 28, 1953: “Alton Parker last week announced the opening of the new Texas Drive-In Theater at Fairfield, Tex. Construction, started last November, has just been completed.”
Billboard, March 7, 1953: “Sale of the East Sprague Drive-In Theater to Favorite Theaters Co., Inc., Salt Lake City, for $87,219 was announced last week by Joseph Rosenfield, owner. Rosenfield is president of Favorite Theaters, which owns the Post, Granada and Liberty theaters in Spokane. The outdoor theater opens its third (sic?) season March 4.”
Billboard, Feb. 28, 1953: “Simons Amusement Company plans extensive improvements to the Silver Star Drive-In at Polaris, Idaho, which it purchased recently from George Kelton, S. K. Garrett and B. J. Dickinson. The company, which operates theaters in Northern Idaho and Western Montana, has named Conrad Shelhamer general supervisor of its interests.”
Adding a name, Billboard, Jan. 24, 1953: “Bernie Swiney is building a new drive-in theater in El Paso, Tex., which will be named the Cactus Drive-In. It is expected to be opened soon.”
At the other end of the Cactus' life, the El Paso Times wrote on Jan. 25, 1966 that Commissioners Court had authorized buying the Cactus for $130,374 so the land could be used for the trans-mountain road. Some of that went to the landowners, “the Goodman Estate and others,” and some to El Paso Cactus Drive-In Theater, Inc.
Obviously, the Cactus filled a need, and that’s why the Rocket soon opened just a few blocks up Dyer Street.
The Nov. 7, 1953 Billboard wrote that the $25,000 Horn, the first drive-in in Waller County, was being built by Nelson F. Horner, “former Kerrville, Tex., theater operator.”
Billboard, Oct. 24, 1953: “The new Tex Drive-In with capacity of 500 cars has been opened at Port Arthur, Tex. It was built by Howard L. Arthur, Robert M. Rogers and Jack W. Wooldert Jr. Arthur will be manager.”
The Kilgore held its grand opening on Saturday, Aug. 12, 1950, based on extensive coverage in the Kilgore News Herald. The opening program was “It’s a Great Feeling” with Doris Day, plus a color cartoon and a fireworks display between showings. “After the fireworks show, (owner) Liggett was host to a number of press, radio and theater folks at a chicken barbecue at the Crim residence.”
Billboard, Feb. 23, 1952: “Construction has been started at Belton, Tex., on a new 300-car open-air theater to be owned and operated by Mr. and Mrs. H. H. Cluck.”
Billboard, Feb. 16, 1952: “L. D. Manor, owner of the Park Drive-In, Sweetwater, Tex., last week announced that he plans to install in-car speakers, new lighting system and widen theater’s entrance.”
Billboard, Jan. 26, 1952: “New spot under construction at Killen (sic), Tex., will be known as the Rancier Drive-In, according to Ace Clary. National Production Authority recently granted approval for the project, and the open-airer is expected to be ready for a March bow.”
Billboard, Jan. 12, 1952: “Tulia Theater Company reported construction has begun on a 400-car open-airer at Tulia, Tex., and will be completed by early spring.”
Billboard, Jan. 12, 1952: “Derrick Drive-In is expected to open within the next several weeks at Crane, Tex.”
Billboard, June 13, 1953: “East Texas Theaters has opened the new Circle Drive-In at Henderson, Tex. The drive-in has an auditorium with 300 seats, which is year-round air-conditioned.”
Billboard, June 6, 1953: “The Rose Garden Drive-In, Tyler, Tex., was sold by Howard Arthur and Bob Rogers to the S. G. Fry Theater Circuit.”
Billboard, May 23, 1953: “Theater Enterprises, Inc., has opened three new drive-ins in Texas. … Guy Moses, manager, opened the Trail Drive-In at Stockton.”
A note further down in the same column clarified what happened. “Remodeling of the Trail Drive-In Theater, Fort Stockton, Tex., has been completed, according to G. C. Moses, manager. Improvements included installations of more than 200 speakers, erection of a new screen, neon lighting on the front, a new box office, marquee, concession stand and general lighting of the drive-in.”
Billboard, May 23, 1953: “Theater Enterprises, Inc., has opened three new drive-ins in Texas. … Clifton Durham opened the Marfa Drive-In, Marfa.”
Billboard, May 23, 1953: “M. B. Miller, who recently purchased the Village Drive-In at Ennis, Tex., has re-opened the drive-in for the season.”
Billboard, May 23, 1953: “Mr. and Mrs. George Reed have opened the new 250-car capacity Antelope Drive-In Theater at Abernathy, Tex. They also operate the Nue-Vue Theater there.”
Billboard, May 16, 1953: “Paul W. Gay has taken over management of … the Rig Theater, Wink, Tex. He replaces Frank Love Jr., who is retiring.”
Billboard, May 16, 1953: “Paul W. Gay has taken over management of the Oasis, Kermit, Lariat and Tower Drive-In theaters in Kermit, Tex. … He replaces Frank Love Jr., who is retiring.”
Billboard, March 28, 1953: “C. C. Hamm, Quitaque, Tex., and Harry Barnhill, Turkey, Tex., have started construction of a new 200-car capacity drive-in between those two cities. Each operates a standard theater in those towns."
Billboard, March 28, 1953: “A new 200-car capacity drive-in is to be built by Bobby Hamm at Matador, Tex.”
Billboard, March 28, 1953: “Alton Parker last week announced the opening of the new Texas Drive-In Theater at Fairfield, Tex. Construction, started last November, has just been completed.”
Billboard, March 14, 1953: “The Surf Drive-In Theater has been opened at Corpus Christi, Tex.”
Billboard, March 7, 1953: “R. C. Sweeny, Fort Worth, has sold his Pelican Drive-In Theater at Jennings, La., to Joseph Marcantel.”
Billboard, March 7, 1953: “Sale of the East Sprague Drive-In Theater to Favorite Theaters Co., Inc., Salt Lake City, for $87,219 was announced last week by Joseph Rosenfield, owner. Rosenfield is president of Favorite Theaters, which owns the Post, Granada and Liberty theaters in Spokane. The outdoor theater opens its third (sic?) season March 4.”
Billboard, Feb. 28, 1953: “Simons Amusement Company plans extensive improvements to the Silver Star Drive-In at Polaris, Idaho, which it purchased recently from George Kelton, S. K. Garrett and B. J. Dickinson. The company, which operates theaters in Northern Idaho and Western Montana, has named Conrad Shelhamer general supervisor of its interests.”
Adding a name, Billboard, Jan. 24, 1953: “Bernie Swiney is building a new drive-in theater in El Paso, Tex., which will be named the Cactus Drive-In. It is expected to be opened soon.”
At the other end of the Cactus' life, the El Paso Times wrote on Jan. 25, 1966 that Commissioners Court had authorized buying the Cactus for $130,374 so the land could be used for the trans-mountain road. Some of that went to the landowners, “the Goodman Estate and others,” and some to El Paso Cactus Drive-In Theater, Inc.
Obviously, the Cactus filled a need, and that’s why the Rocket soon opened just a few blocks up Dyer Street.
The Nov. 7, 1953 Billboard wrote that the $25,000 Horn, the first drive-in in Waller County, was being built by Nelson F. Horner, “former Kerrville, Tex., theater operator.”
Billboard, Oct. 24, 1953: “The new Tex Drive-In with capacity of 500 cars has been opened at Port Arthur, Tex. It was built by Howard L. Arthur, Robert M. Rogers and Jack W. Wooldert Jr. Arthur will be manager.”
The Kilgore held its grand opening on Saturday, Aug. 12, 1950, based on extensive coverage in the Kilgore News Herald. The opening program was “It’s a Great Feeling” with Doris Day, plus a color cartoon and a fireworks display between showings. “After the fireworks show, (owner) Liggett was host to a number of press, radio and theater folks at a chicken barbecue at the Crim residence.”
Billboard, Oct. 10, 1953: “Mrs. C. W. Matson has opened the new Belle Drive-In, Caldwell, Tex.”