Route 25 Drive-In

3405 Broadway Boulevard SE,
Albuquerque, NM 87105

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Additional Info

Previous Names: San Jose Drive-In, Tri-C Drive-In

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Route 25 Drive-In

The San Jose Drive-In was opened on February 23, 1954. Catering for Spanish-American patron, it opened with Pedro Armendariz in “Por Querer a Una Mujer” (For Loving a Woman) & Maria Montez in “Cobra Woman”. It was still named San Jose Drive-In until it was renamed Tri-C Drive-In on March 22, 1957, reopening with with Donna Martell in “Project Moon Base” & John Bromfield in “Frontier Gambler”. The Route 25 Drive-In was listed in the Film Daily Yearbook of 1968.

Contributed by A.L. Vazquez-Hernandez

Recent comments (view all 10 comments)

Kenmore
Kenmore on November 2, 2017 at 4:49 pm

Found It!

The address is 3405 Broadway Blvd SE, Albuquerque, NM 87105.

Today, the property is occupied by All Jeep Parts & Sales with no trace of the drive-in remaining.

http://tinyurl.com/ybj43zoo

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore on February 10, 2019 at 10:47 am

This clipping at Newspapers.com says that:

  • Its grand opening was March 22, 1957
  • when it was known as the Tri-C Drive-In
  • at the address of 3251 Broadway SE
  • and according to the clipper, it was later known as the Route 25 and the San Jose.
MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore on April 1, 2019 at 7:56 pm

Although that newspaper clipping said what it said, Kenmore is right. At the modern-day address of 3251 Broadway SE, Historic Aerials doesn’t show anything that looks like a drive-in, but a few blocks south, there it is. It was probably another victim of Albuquerque’s street renumbering, so Kenmore’s address is perfect.

I was reminded of this seeing a random June 1965 newspaper ad showing the Route 25 (by that point) showing all Spanish-language movies.

davidcoppock
davidcoppock on October 12, 2019 at 1:43 am

Opened with 2 cartoons(not named), “Project moonbase” and “Frontier gambler”.

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore on January 5, 2020 at 12:35 pm

Boxoffice, Sept. 19, 1953: “Construction has been started on the San Jose Drive-In, off Broadway, south of Woodward avenue. The new drive-in will have space for 600 cars, according to Robert E. Morley, owner.”

Boxoffice, Dec. 26, 1953: “A drive-in screen 70 feet high and 85 feet wide is being erected for the San Jose Drive-In, under construction off Broadway south of Woodward road SE. The theatre, which will have space for 600 cars, is owned by Robert. E. Morley, part owner of the Ernie Pyle Theatre and Sunset Drive-In.”

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore on January 6, 2020 at 7:24 am

Finally, the scaled-down version was complete. Boxoffice, March 13, 1954: “ALBUQUERQUE – The new San Jose Drive-In was opened here recently. It has a capacity for 400 automobiles and will feature pictures for Spanish-American citizens. The feature bill will usually include one Spanish-language picture and one American picture, according to Robert E. Morley, a partner, who also has interests in the Sunset Drive-In and the Ernie Pyle Theatre. The other partners in the San Jose Drive-In are Fidel Gonzales and Harvey Canaday.”

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore on January 16, 2020 at 11:06 am

Boxoffice, April 6, 1957: “Bob Morley has sold the San Jose Drive-In, Albuquerque, to Carl Halberg, who has renamed it the Tri-C”

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore on February 3, 2020 at 3:22 pm

Boxoffice, July 17, 1961: Sero Amusement Co. has purchased the Tri-C Drive-In at Albuquerque from Carl Halberg"

Boxoffice, June 24, 1963: “Carl Halberg, owner-operator of two drive-in theatres here, has rebuilt his old Tri-C Drive-In, which was destroyed by wind last spring, and renamed it the Route 25 Drive-In.”

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore on February 19, 2021 at 12:07 pm

The San Jose held its grand opening on Tuesday, Feb. 23, 1954. An earlier article in the Albuquerque Journal quoted co-owner Robert E. Morley that the drive-in’s nightly feature would be one Spanish-language movie and “one American picture”. Opening night matched that promise, with Pedro Armendáriz in “Por Querer a Una Mujer” (For Loving a Woman) and Maria Montez in “Cobra Woman”, plus a cartoon.

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore on June 9, 2021 at 12:40 pm

Boxoffice, June 28, 1965: “ALBUQUERQUE - Strong winds in central New Mexico damaged the screen of the Route 25 Drive-In here. Owner Carl Halberg reported the screen was pushed backward and ripped badly. Patrons were given refunds. No other outdoor theatre in Albuquerque reported damage.”

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