Lone Tree Drive-In
5105 E. Lone Tree Road,
Victoria,
TX
77901
5105 E. Lone Tree Road,
Victoria,
TX
77901
2 people
favorited this theater
Opened in July 1957, it was the largest drive-in theater in Victoria, with one of the largest screens I have ever heard of. 120' x 70'. The screen tower has been torn down for safety reasons. The concession building and projection room are still intact, although in very bad shape.
Contributed by
Brad R. Richards
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Recent comments (view all 16 comments)
I work at a theater in Pryor, OK. My boss’s family has been in the movie business for 50 years, and his father designed this drive-in. I have found some aerial photographs of this theater, as well as concession stand pics from its opening. The photographs we have, according to my boss, are of the opening weekend, they were playing a Jimmy Stewart picture. I also have 2 pictures of the Uptown in Victoria, but with 2 different marquees (must have been changed at some point in time)
An article in the Victoria Advocate gave the opening date as March 8, 1957. Owner was Ruben Frels and general manager was Doyle Oliver. Theater plans and construction took over two years.
Architect and contractor was Harvey Jordan, according to the same article.
Why not post the article in one piece?
800 cars? It wasn’t that big as far as I can remember.
This drive-in finally opened: First ad at July 19th, 1957 at View link
All earlier dates has no ads. Ken MC, that was a pre-opening announcement.
A feature article, with photos, on the Lone Tree Drive-In appeared in Boxoffice magazine, May 4, 1957:
View link
Thanks Gerald.
From the Victoria Advocate, February 16, 1972 – Several changes in management were announced Tuesday by Rubin S. Frels, president and general manager of Frels Theatres, Inc. Frels…announced that Gary Dunnam has been named manager of the Lone Tree Theatre. Dunnam joined Frels in May of 1971. A native of West, Texas, he is a former school teacher in Dallas and served four years in military intelligence.
rgsimpson, I know your post was several years ago, but if you’re still around, my mother worked the Lone Tree and at the Uptown and I would love to see those photos!