Post Oak Drive-In

2900 Post Oak Boulevard,
Houston, TX 77056

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Showing 21 comments

Arriens
Arriens on July 4, 2023 at 11:48 am

I worked at the Movieland Golf Course the summer of 1963. rivest266 did you post the Boxoffice ad? Where can I find it?

rivest266
rivest266 on July 4, 2023 at 11:09 am

Grand opening ads posted.

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore on February 1, 2020 at 9:00 am

The June 4, 1962 issue of Boxoffice ran a two-page article, with plenty of photos, of the 36-hole movie-themed mini golf offered at the Post Oak. “How to bring the people back to the theatre … That was the question bothering movieman Carroll Lewis jr., Post Oak Drive-In Theatre in Houston in 1961. … He and Charlie Hillis, manager of Post Oak, chose movies to be represented which would give them the best chance for colorful replicas for exhibit.”

TomMc11
TomMc11 on March 27, 2018 at 9:17 am

Visible in the 1953 and 1957 Historic Aerials at it’s original location at 2900 Post Oak. Visible in the 1962 and 1964 Historic Aerials at the new N. Post Oak site as a single screen. 1966 and 1973 Historic Aerials has it as a twin. Gone by 1981.

VictorDelRio
VictorDelRio on February 24, 2018 at 6:06 pm

@Arriens Was the building on the middle right a wax museum?

Arriens
Arriens on February 8, 2018 at 4:19 am

KPRC Television Station.

davidcoppock
davidcoppock on February 7, 2018 at 5:57 pm

What was built at the original drive-in location?

Arriens
Arriens on February 7, 2018 at 8:18 am

Ken,

Sorry I don’t remember you. Can you tell me something about yourself or about anybody you worked with. Have you been able to stay in contact with anyone from that time frame. It had been 7 years since I posted so I was surprised to get a notification.

KenMarek
KenMarek on February 7, 2018 at 7:36 am

I worked there 62 til 64… at 1255 N Post Oak.. Was owned by Carrol Lewis and managed by Charlie Hillis… Lots of good times. a large apartment complex there now……………

Arriens
Arriens on February 16, 2012 at 4:55 am

Sorry, I do not have any photos.

Drive-In 54
Drive-In 54 on February 15, 2012 at 1:00 pm

Arriens…Have any pictures to share?

Arriens
Arriens on February 10, 2011 at 7:53 am

I worked at the Post Oak from 1961-1964. If you need any specfics will will be more that will to share. Would love to hear from my former co-workers.

LarryFM
LarryFM on May 8, 2010 at 9:18 pm

That’s OUTSTANDING, ennis! I REALLY appreciate your recollection!

I always thought that the character at the center of the screen was “Dinky Duck”. From what I’ve read and seen, sometimes yellow can photograph very dark, almost black. As for the screen tower itself, from what I can see, it’s architecture is unique. The only other view of it is from the book ‘Cinema Houston – From Nickelodeon to Megaplex’. Here’s a preview of the specific photo which can be found on page 212:

View link

Hopefully everyone can see it. If not, Google “Carroll Lewis Post Oak (Drive-In Theatre). The Google Books entry should show up.

EnnisCAdkins
EnnisCAdkins on May 8, 2010 at 12:06 pm

LarryFM, I’m going back some 60 years but this is what I remember about the screen tower. The “duck” was bright yellow. I always thought the owners copied the design from and old MGM cartoon character from the 40'& 50’s. I believe the outside border of the tower was red and the word POST OAK was black. There were 2 to 4 flood lights at the bottom of signature that lite it up at night. When Cinemascope came in 54, they added 6 to 8 feet of new tower on each side of the existing tower.
In 1951 when the Post Oak was built, there was no other drive in on that side of town so it did a lot of business.

LarryFM
LarryFM on May 7, 2010 at 7:56 pm

Ennis, if you click onto the earlier link I provided, it’ll take you to a pic of the first Post Oak’s screen tower, provided by the late Carroll Lewis. Would you happen to remember any details about it and it’s artwork? I sure would appreciate what you can recall. Thank you!

TLSLOEWS
TLSLOEWS on May 7, 2010 at 2:49 pm

Hard to believe that they would move a drive in guess it can be done though.

EnnisCAdkins
EnnisCAdkins on May 7, 2010 at 1:55 pm

I use to frequent the Post Oak Drive In many times during the 1950’s when it was at it’s original location on Post Oak at Westheimer. When looked at, during the daytime, you could see Hayes, Kansas on the other side as there was nothing built beyond it except wondering praire. As a matter of fact, there was nothing on Post Oak except the Post Oak Drive In. In 1951 when it was built, Post Oak was considered out in the middle of nowhere.

LarryFM
LarryFM on January 17, 2010 at 6:51 pm

That’s hard news. I’m sure most of us here would’ve loved to have had an opportunity to ask Mr. Lewis questions about the Post Oak Drive-In, or listened to any stories he may have had. It appears he led a full and adventurous life.

Thank you very much for the link, CWalczak.

CSWalczak
CSWalczak on January 17, 2010 at 11:01 am

According to this article, the colorful person who built this drive-in recently passed away: View link

LarryFM
LarryFM on December 5, 2009 at 6:29 pm

Here’s a smallish but excellent photograph of the first Post Oak Drive-In’s screen tower:

View link

The book ‘Cinema Houston’ has an oblique aerial shot of this particular theatre, circa 1952, and also a short biography of it. Has anyone here been to either the first or second Post Oak Drive-In?

Mike Rogers
Mike Rogers on November 27, 2009 at 6:28 pm

In 1956 it parked 526 cars and was owned by Jack Groves.