National Twin
3512 S. Staples Street,
Corpus Christi,
TX
78411
3512 S. Staples Street,
Corpus Christi,
TX
78411
No one has favorited this theater yet
Showing 15 comments
An article in the March 24, 1992 edition of the Corpus Christi Caller-Times detailed this theatre’s closing, noting that it was closed in 1987 so that the HVAC, projectors, and concessions stand could be updated.
The Mann National Twin closed on May 7, 1987 with “Police Academy 4: Citizens on Patrol,” “My Demon Lover,” and “Campus Man.” Its neighbor - three blocks away - the Movies 1 & 2 would survive just seven months longer closing in January of 1988.
Opened on June 10th, 1970 with Chill Wills in person. Grand opening ads posted.
Google 3D model now has a “for lease” sign on the building, which had seen better days.
Saw Earthquake, Superman and Star Wars here as a child. Whilst I recall Superman and Star Wars being mono, Earthquake was in full-on Sensurround. I remember being given a Kryptonite rock leaving the Superman showing. Might have been the premiere? An excellent neighborhood theater, wish it were still around.
National General built at least one other single-screener after Cypress Village: the National in Los Angeles, which opened in March of 1970.
I managed the National Twin in 1971/72. It was built as a twin and was beautiful with good presentation. I opened the Cypress Village in 1969 which was the last single screen theatre built by National General. I also worked at National General theatres in Lansing, Ann Arbor, Tucson and Lubbock. Of those only the Spartin was built as a twin. This was a very impressive theatre in it’s day.
From what I am reading is that National General originally built this theatre as a twin. If that is what I am reading there were very very few theatres that NGC specifically built as a twin, because Mann did a lot of twinning. This theatre does look very similar to the Fox VIllage in Tuscon,
Any photos?
It’s funny how questions get (mis)interpreted. In my question from yesterday, I was asking about theaters specifically with the name “National,” not any theaters built by National General Corporation. But it’s all good info just the same, guys!
Also, Fox Eastern, later NGC, opened the single screen Fox Village (later just the Village) in Ann Arbor, MI. in 1967.
Though never having been inside, I imagine the Fox Buena Vista (in Tucson) and the Fox Twin (in Lubbock) were similar to the National Theatres since NGC was Fox Theatres prior to becoming NGC.
The Spartan Twin (later Spartan 3) in Lansing, Michigan opened as a NGC theater during this period; it is now demolished, after having been operated by Mann and finally UA.
They were built and initially operated by the same company (NGC). The difference was that the Nationals in New York and Los Angeles were built as large, single screeners whereas the National in Corpus Christi was built as a twin.
Anyone know of any other Nationals built circa 1968-1972?
There was a Mann’s National twin In NYC Times Square