By 1964, the Town and Country had opened on Plano Road just south of its intersection with Forest Lane. This new drive-in may have siphoned business away from the Stadium, or it may have been owned by the same business partners. There is no entry on Cinema Treasures for the Town and Country. It’s past time for someone with more knowledge than I to create one.
Thanks for posting that video, Randy! That brief pan of the theatre might be all we have besides the architect rendering already posted - unless someone comes up with a photo from ‘that old footlocker in the attic’ someday! I took the liberty of posting a screencap from that video in Photos.
The ad for the theatre’s opening in 1922 states that it seats “more than 2500 people.” Yet the seating capacity on the header states 1845. Certainly, installation of the Cinerama screen in the early ‘50s didn’t account for the elimination of 655 seats?
The character actor Nehemiah Persoff, who passed away last year at 102 years of age, related in an interview with Rob Word (‘A Word on Westerns’ on YouTube) that he grew up attending westerns at this theatre. His favorite western hero was series star Bob Steele. Years later, when he was working on John Wayne’s “The Comancheros,” an old man whom he vaguely recognized came shuffling up to him between takes, and said, “Mr. Persoff, I just wanted to tell you how much I have admired your work on TV, my name’s Bob Steele.” Then Persoff told him that he had been his boyhood hero. Small world. Persoff mentions the Echo at about the 2:44 mark on the linked video.
@dallasmovietheaters: The Apollo was never a triple screen drive-in; there wasn’t enough room for a third screen, though that would’ve made the name more meaningful. Ironically, it was the Gemini at Forest and Central that, though built as a twin, ultimately became a triple-screener.
Does anyone have any info on the Town & Country Drive-In? I believe it was located in the vicinity of the intersection of Plano Rd and Buckingham, and that this was the second location of that theatre (the first was on farmland nearby).
Re: dallasmovietheatres comment, the UA Ciné 150 opened with that name; “Ciné” was not added later. After the theatre was split into two auditoriums - and was no longer capable of exhibiting films in Dimension 150 (new name for Todd-AO), the theatre’s name changed to the UA Ciné I&II.
Because it was on the road to Kaufman. Later, that road was expanded into a US Hwy, US 175. When the road was widened to a four lane divided highway, the screen tower was too close to the widened right roadway so it had to be moved back a bit. I don’t know if/how that affected car capacity.
I’m betting this photo is not of the Capitol, but of the Rialto next door. Overhanging marquee and bottom of what appears to be a vertical blade sign, the last letter of which could be an “O.”
Is anyone certain of the official name of this drive-in, whether it was “Arapaho Drive-In Theatre” or “Arapaho Road Drive-In Theatre”? I’ve seen both in print (see 1963 Dallas News Ad I just posted), but noticed no “Rd” or “Road” on the photo of the screen tower.
jamestv, the intro for the Melba/Capri, if that’s where your info comes from, contains an error: it incorrectly states that Interstate took over this theatre and renamed it Melba; Loew’s was the second owner, taking over in 1922 from First National Pictures and their financial backer from Houston, Jesse Jones, whose mistress – First National Pictures star Hope Hampton – Jones named the theatre for. Loew’s renamed it Melba upon assuming the lease on the property from First National. Interstate assumed the lease in about 1939 or ‘40. McLendon took control under the Trans-Texas banner in 1960 and renamed it Capri. Loew’s takeover of the Delman from its original developer/owner (also from Houston, where he had originally built and operated another Delman) post-dated McLendon’s takeover of the Melba by a decade or more.
Bryan’s intro on this theatre contains an error: it incorrectly states that Interstate took over this theatre and renamed it Melba; Loew’s was the second owner, taking over in 1922 from First National Pictures and their financial backer from Houston, Jesse Jones, whose mistress – First National Pictures star Hope Hampton, Jones named the theatre for. Loew’s renamed it Melba. Interstate assumed the lease in about 1939 or ‘40.
Ha-ha, no, of course not, hdtv267!
Seriously, the person posting as dallasmovietheaters has done a tremendous job of documentation on theatres throughout the Dallas area, and also with photos. As far as I can tell he (I guess, maybe she) is usually spot-on with facts. That’s why this one snagged me. I thought I knew everything about the Casa Linda…still think so!
I question dallasmovietheaters' assertion that Bart McLendon sold the Casa Linda to Interstate; if that were so, there would be some evidence such as, among the more easily verified, the C-L’s name grouped with those of other Interstate theatres' in the entertainment section of the DMN and the DTH. I don’t believe that was ever the case. A quick check of the DMN archives by anyone who has a NewsBank subscription should clear this up.
jamestv, I’m glad you posted this comment about the projection booth and its angle to the screen, because I remembered that from the one and only time I was ever in the Coronet (as I believe it was still called at that time) – which was to see a revival of “Ben-Hur” in a perfect print (I’m guessing it was a 35mm anamorphic job). There were parts of the picture that were slightly out of focus, I believe over on the far right-hand side, but it did not seem to detract from our enjoyment of the film. As I recall, the place was packed – this was in the summer of 1977.
jamestv, do you know anything about the Auto-Vista Drive-In owned by Mr. Rodriguez and referred to in the Boxoffice article posted by Tinseltoes? I had never heard of this theatre before reading this article. I don’t think it ever advertised in the Dallas papers, at least not consistently.
Oct 16, 1948 issue of Boxoffice states that the “new” Plaza, to be opened on McKinney near Haskell, has a target opening of December, 1948. Owner is listed as M.S. White, “well-known showman and businessman…”
By 1964, the Town and Country had opened on Plano Road just south of its intersection with Forest Lane. This new drive-in may have siphoned business away from the Stadium, or it may have been owned by the same business partners. There is no entry on Cinema Treasures for the Town and Country. It’s past time for someone with more knowledge than I to create one.
Thanks for posting that video, Randy! That brief pan of the theatre might be all we have besides the architect rendering already posted - unless someone comes up with a photo from ‘that old footlocker in the attic’ someday! I took the liberty of posting a screencap from that video in Photos.
The ad for the theatre’s opening in 1922 states that it seats “more than 2500 people.” Yet the seating capacity on the header states 1845. Certainly, installation of the Cinerama screen in the early ‘50s didn’t account for the elimination of 655 seats?
The star’s name is William Elliott, not Ellion.
Was this where “Back to the Future” opened?
The character actor Nehemiah Persoff, who passed away last year at 102 years of age, related in an interview with Rob Word (‘A Word on Westerns’ on YouTube) that he grew up attending westerns at this theatre. His favorite western hero was series star Bob Steele. Years later, when he was working on John Wayne’s “The Comancheros,” an old man whom he vaguely recognized came shuffling up to him between takes, and said, “Mr. Persoff, I just wanted to tell you how much I have admired your work on TV, my name’s Bob Steele.” Then Persoff told him that he had been his boyhood hero. Small world. Persoff mentions the Echo at about the 2:44 mark on the linked video.
https://youtu.be/mLaT2UzNocc
This is the front of the Rialto, next door to (or just east of) the Capitol.
@dallasmovietheaters: The Apollo was never a triple screen drive-in; there wasn’t enough room for a third screen, though that would’ve made the name more meaningful. Ironically, it was the Gemini at Forest and Central that, though built as a twin, ultimately became a triple-screener.
Does anyone have any info on the Town & Country Drive-In? I believe it was located in the vicinity of the intersection of Plano Rd and Buckingham, and that this was the second location of that theatre (the first was on farmland nearby).
truprecht: what specifically are you trying to link to?
Re: dallasmovietheatres comment, the UA Ciné 150 opened with that name; “Ciné” was not added later. After the theatre was split into two auditoriums - and was no longer capable of exhibiting films in Dimension 150 (new name for Todd-AO), the theatre’s name changed to the UA Ciné I&II.
Posted new photo, early 1950s night shot
This is the San Antonio Majestic, not the Dallas Majestic.
This is the San Antonio Majestic, not the Dallas Majestic.
Because it was on the road to Kaufman. Later, that road was expanded into a US Hwy, US 175. When the road was widened to a four lane divided highway, the screen tower was too close to the widened right roadway so it had to be moved back a bit. I don’t know if/how that affected car capacity.
I’m betting this photo is not of the Capitol, but of the Rialto next door. Overhanging marquee and bottom of what appears to be a vertical blade sign, the last letter of which could be an “O.”
Is anyone certain of the official name of this drive-in, whether it was “Arapaho Drive-In Theatre” or “Arapaho Road Drive-In Theatre”? I’ve seen both in print (see 1963 Dallas News Ad I just posted), but noticed no “Rd” or “Road” on the photo of the screen tower.
jamestv, the intro for the Melba/Capri, if that’s where your info comes from, contains an error: it incorrectly states that Interstate took over this theatre and renamed it Melba; Loew’s was the second owner, taking over in 1922 from First National Pictures and their financial backer from Houston, Jesse Jones, whose mistress – First National Pictures star Hope Hampton – Jones named the theatre for. Loew’s renamed it Melba upon assuming the lease on the property from First National. Interstate assumed the lease in about 1939 or ‘40. McLendon took control under the Trans-Texas banner in 1960 and renamed it Capri. Loew’s takeover of the Delman from its original developer/owner (also from Houston, where he had originally built and operated another Delman) post-dated McLendon’s takeover of the Melba by a decade or more.
Bryan’s intro on this theatre contains an error: it incorrectly states that Interstate took over this theatre and renamed it Melba; Loew’s was the second owner, taking over in 1922 from First National Pictures and their financial backer from Houston, Jesse Jones, whose mistress – First National Pictures star Hope Hampton, Jones named the theatre for. Loew’s renamed it Melba. Interstate assumed the lease in about 1939 or ‘40.
Ha-ha, no, of course not, hdtv267! Seriously, the person posting as dallasmovietheaters has done a tremendous job of documentation on theatres throughout the Dallas area, and also with photos. As far as I can tell he (I guess, maybe she) is usually spot-on with facts. That’s why this one snagged me. I thought I knew everything about the Casa Linda…still think so!
I question dallasmovietheaters' assertion that Bart McLendon sold the Casa Linda to Interstate; if that were so, there would be some evidence such as, among the more easily verified, the C-L’s name grouped with those of other Interstate theatres' in the entertainment section of the DMN and the DTH. I don’t believe that was ever the case. A quick check of the DMN archives by anyone who has a NewsBank subscription should clear this up.
jamestv, I’m glad you posted this comment about the projection booth and its angle to the screen, because I remembered that from the one and only time I was ever in the Coronet (as I believe it was still called at that time) – which was to see a revival of “Ben-Hur” in a perfect print (I’m guessing it was a 35mm anamorphic job). There were parts of the picture that were slightly out of focus, I believe over on the far right-hand side, but it did not seem to detract from our enjoyment of the film. As I recall, the place was packed – this was in the summer of 1977.
jamestv, do you know anything about the Auto-Vista Drive-In owned by Mr. Rodriguez and referred to in the Boxoffice article posted by Tinseltoes? I had never heard of this theatre before reading this article. I don’t think it ever advertised in the Dallas papers, at least not consistently.
Oct 16, 1948 issue of Boxoffice states that the “new” Plaza, to be opened on McKinney near Haskell, has a target opening of December, 1948. Owner is listed as M.S. White, “well-known showman and businessman…”
http://www.boxoffice.com/the_vault/issue_page?issue_id=1948-10-16&page_no=89#page_start
Very interesting, Joe – thanks for reposting!