The Leon Theatre launched April 3, 1947 by A.R.Parsons and H.L. Millington in a converted retail spot at 123 North Texas Street. In its planning stages, the pair had considered the name, the Atomic Theatre. A year later, H&H Theatre Circuit of Abilene run by Howard T. Hodge and Homer Hodge took over both the Leon and the Texas Theatre.
Hodge passed away and the theaters were sold to Leonard Scales. Scales launched the Weeping Oak Drive In in 1951 soon closing the Texas Theatre. The Leon closed in 1960. It reopened on March 13, 1963 with Jerry Lewis in “It’s Only Money.” It does not appear to have made it to the end of its 20-year lease. It then became an auto parts store under the Western Auto chain in 1971. The Weeping Oak Drive-In continued to 1983.
The Liberty Theatre was located at 112 North Texas opening at the end of World War I. Patrons entered by the screen and walked up the aisle because of fire codes. The Liberty was equipped with Vitaphone for sound rebranding as the New Liberty on June 14, 1929. Its first talkie played in July of 1929 playing the film, “The Valiant.” The Liberty closed after showings on August 19, 1939 after just about 20 years of operation for an extensive remodeling which included turning the interior around with the screen now at the rear of the building and sound proofing on the ceiling and walls to improve sound reproduction.
It relaunched as the Texas Theatre in 1939. Stewart sold the Texas to J.R. Miller and H. L. Millington. In 1948, Parsons sold it and the one-year old Leon Theatre to Abilene-based H&H Theatre Circuit. Leonard Scales bought both the Leon Theatre and Scales would close the Texas in 1951 just after opening the Weeping Oak Drive-In. The venue became home to Ronald’s Variety Store.
The small town of De Leon could boast of having three open movie theaters in 1951, albeit briefly. That’s not bad for a town off just 2,241 people.
Believe it or not, one of De Leon, Texas' claims to fame was its great oak tree that was purportedly featured in a 1937 column of “Ripley’s Believe It or Not.” Oddly, so the story goes, it was the only Weeping Oak variety in the area and its majesty was well known to residents with the tree living more than 150 years. The tree dated back prior to the town being laid out by a surveying effort by the Texas Central Railway in 1881.
The De Leon Weeping Oak tree was just a mile south of town on Highway 16 which right across the street from where the drive-in was built. For in-town patrons, it was an entertainment two-fer – a movie and the tree. The Drive-In screen was situated so patrons could see both before dusk. The Drive-In was damaged by two storms – both in 1983 – but the tree stood its ground. The theatre was razed in 1985 but the tree lived on. That is until May 4, 2016 when the tree succumbed to a storm and the townspeople were the ones weeping.
And the “Believe it or Not” storyline with the tree is likely more “not” as there appears to be no “Ripley’s Believe It Or Not” that featured this tree in 1937 — or ever — while locals have said that there are many such oak trees in their county. But that doesn’t take away the fact that the drive-in was, believe it, named after the legendary and mighty Weeping Oak just across the street. (BTW: my post above was just to correct the synopsis which had the wrong opening date, the wrong closing date, imprecise demolition date, and actually still has the wrong original owner’s name. Other than that, you could believe it, too.)
The Weeping Oak Drive-In was opened with the film, “Stage to Tucson” with Rod Cameron and a fireworks show on March 1, 1951. The local paper says the operator was Leonard Scales. It also says Scales operated the two downtown theaters, the Leon and the Texas. Scales sold the ozoner to Edgar Brinson. In the summer of 1955, Brinson converted the Weeping Oak to widescreen. It was still in operation in 1983 with Hollywood films Thursday-Sunday and Spanish Language films on Wednesdays. Wind damage from two storms on April 1 and – a more severe storm – on June 28, 1983 closed the theatre for repairs. It The theatre was demolished in July of 1985.
Woody Campbell left his job at Warner Theatres in the booking department to start the Trail Drive-In Theatre in 1950. In 1953, he then purchased the Majestic Theatre in downtown Bowie running both.
When R.D. Carver announced the Lafayette Theatre in April of 1918, the town put up a united front to stop the large-capacity project which seated nearly 1,500 in development stage. The venue was likely from an architectural plan by Humphreys and Faw of Winston-Salem and was built to house live African American vaudeville and live acts in addition to motion pictures. The same management team from the Rex Theatre would program the new Lafayette. Carver finally got approval to break ground and appears to have launched in 1919.
The Star Theatre appears to have completed its run on August, 3, 1968. Later in 1968, it was converted to a business called the Supper Club. In 1970, it became a nightclub called the Afro American Scene with go-go dancers until 1976. It then was the Mr. Big Stuff Club from 1977 to 1978. The building was vacant and offered for sale for many years at just $30,000. It appears to have been razed early in the 21st Century.
This opened as the Embry Theatre – a movie theater with live events exclusively for African American patrons. It appears to have changed names to the Avenue in 1933.
M.S. White was the original owner and named the theatre after himself launching on April 3, 1940. White had created the White Theatre and ran the Dal-Sec Theatre in Dallas beginning in 1934 before selling both to Interstate Theatre Corporation in 1936. The veteran film salesman’s career dated to the early 1910s and the Ft. Worth White Theatre was his return to exhibition in a new-build location which once housed an apartment complex. White retired from the exhibition business in 1951 selling off his two theaters.
On May 25, 1961, the theatre became the Berry Theatre and initially kept a policy of second-run Hollywood films and selected short subjects. The Berry would simultaneously be known as Teatro Berry in 1962 when it changed to a policy of showing Hispanic films. The Berry appears to have gone out of business in the home video era on February 21, 1988.
The theatre launched on January 6, 1912 as a movie and live play and vaudeville venue for African American audiences by Piedmont Amusement. It added an airdome for warm month operation that year. became a hardtop theater in an existing retail locationlate in 1912.
The Tower Drive-In Theatre closed permanently on September 2, 1974 screening “Thunderbolt & Lightfoot” and “Bandolaro!” at the end of a 25-year lease. It was replaced by the Tower Shopping Center and ABC’s Tower Twin hardtop theatre.
Should be listed as open with website – https://waltontheaterselma.org/home
Was a new build venue launching August 10, 1914. The reference to the Moving Picture World article above is incorrect – the issue is dated November 14, 1914, p. 1917. The local newspaper articles confirm the date.
After “Selma” screened in earl 2015, a decision was made to reopen the historic venue beginning regularly on March 20, 2015 with the film, “Insurgent” and continuing to the 2020s.
The Roxy Theatre closed at end of lease on May 31, 1952 and the final two feature films were Sack Amusements African American film, “Juke Joint,” and the Tim Holt western, “Saddle Legion” supported by a comedy short, a cartoon and two episodes of a serial likely to complete the serial’s run. It had launched July 20, 1939 with Claire Trevor in “One Mile from Heaven” supported by the Columbia cartoon, “The Gorilla Hunt” and the Buster West comedy short, “Jitterbugs.”
As noted, the venue opened as the Sel-Mont Drive-In Theatre on June 24, 1949 with “Two Guys from Texas.” It was bought by the operator of the 80 Drive-In from ABC Theatres Circuit. The renamed Selmont Drive-In Theatre programmed X and “XX” films closing on November 20, 1976 with John Holmes in “Liquid Lips.” It was used as a drive-in church from 1977 to 1979 before the property was augmented with a more conventional hard-top church structure.
The 80 Drive-In Theatre was located at the confluence of highway U.S. 80 and State 14, it launched June 22, 1967 with Elvis Presley in “Tickle Me” and Jay North in “Maya.” Hurting for Sunday thru Thursday business, the 80 booked “Paris Secrets” for “adults only” in January of 1969. The theatre had sell outs with adult films which changed the theater’s fate.
On a Wednesday, July 9, 1969 showing of “Starlet,” police raided the theater forcing the stoppage of the film and asking for the names and addresses of the 900 patrons. The local police harassment would continue until a new operator,Jack Jones, came in promising family fare in 1970. Jones would buy the Sel-Mont from ABC Theatres in 1975, Jones programmed after-midnight adult films at the 80:finding big audiences and more police intrusions.
On March 15, 1985, police raided the 80 once again. This time it was while the double feature of “She Devil” and “Beauty Parade” we’re featured. The city and police harassment worked this time as the operator finally gave up and closed the operation. The theatre was razed though the lot is still visible.
The New Forest Road Drive-In Theatre launched just north of its predecessor on August 1, 1963 with Sandra Dee and Peter Fonda in “Tammy and the Doctor” and Jeff Morrow in “Harbor Lights” supported by two cartoon shorts. The original Forest Drive-In Theatre closed on June 4, 1963 with Elvis in “It Happened at the World’s Fair” and “Up Front” as construction on the bypass ate into the property. The 950-car lot was almost double the size of the previous location.
The New Forest Drive-In Theatre was opened by Consolidated Thetres on a 20-acre tract of land and had a spectacular 122' by 72' steel widescreen reportedly three times brighter than the old Forest screen and largest in the Carolinas. Prizes on opening night included a color television and an air conditioner. The pre-show featured WRAL’s Jimmy Simpson and Tom Tucker as emcees and Miss Wake County, herself, Carolyn Byrd. The double-line cafeteria style concession area claimed that 2,000 customers could be handled briskly. Architect Robert Hall of Leif Valand & Associates firm was responsible for the striking o-zoner.
The family friendly spot was renamed, simply, the Forest Drive-In Theatre. In its final years, it turned to R-Rated and adult films in 1982 until 1984. It returned to more family-friendly fare in 1985 – its final season. The Forest Drive-In closed on 29, 1985 with a double feature of “Brewster’s Millions” and “All of Me.” However, until 1986, it remained home of the Forest Drive-In Flea Market. The theatre was demolished in August of 1987 for a proposed Bradlee’s Department store as part of the Tarrymore Square Shopping Center. The flea market found a new home and Tarrymore Square opened in 1988 without the Bradlees store.
On May 17, 1956, it was time for the grand opening of the Bruton Road Drive-In with first film, “Marty.” It became a Cinemark Theatre in 1979. The Bruton Rd. D-I closed for the season on September 9, 1984:with “Oxford Blues” and “Class.” At 9:52 a.m. on December 13, 1984, a tornado touched down in a field adjacent to the drive-in carrying away the screen and doing too much damage to continue operations in the Spring.
The Sky Cinema was closed following the order of Hays County on March 17, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The operator could not come to an agreement during the closure period on renegotiated rent payments and the lease was terminated. Sky Cinemas left the venue after an announcement on May 18, 2020 – one of many theaters which was closed permanently due to leasing issues occurring during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Cinemark closed it virtually all of the then-open Cinemark theatres beginning on March 17, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The circuit opted to permanently shutter the cinema in May with a clean-out in June. It was one of many theatres which were not re-opened by theater circuits during the COVID-19 pandemic making its final day of operation March 17, 2020.
The Kukui Grove Cinema was designed in 1983 by Grove Farm Land Corporation. In addition to Hollywood fare, it would book Filipino films and Japanese titles. It opened as a twin cinema in August of 1985 in the Kukui Grove with a module for two more theaters if the venue proved successful. The Kukui Grove did expand to four theaters three auditoriums seating 266 seats and one had 280 for 1,078 total seats. The theatre closed permanently during the COVID-19 pandemic and its last day was to sell off the concessions on March 31, 2020. It closed with “Sonic, The Hedgehog,” “The Call of the Wild,” “The Invisible Man” and “Onward.”
The Mountain Cinema 4 located in the Mountain Mall closed on March 16, 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Polson Theatre Circuit announced that it would shutter the location permanently. Its final showings were “Onward,” “The Invisible Man,” “I Still Believe” and “The Call of the Wild.”
Indeed. Closed March 16, 2020 due to the COVID-19 and STL Cinemas decided to carry on with just the Chase Park Plaza and the Central West End locations.
The Leon Theatre launched April 3, 1947 by A.R.Parsons and H.L. Millington in a converted retail spot at 123 North Texas Street. In its planning stages, the pair had considered the name, the Atomic Theatre. A year later, H&H Theatre Circuit of Abilene run by Howard T. Hodge and Homer Hodge took over both the Leon and the Texas Theatre.
Hodge passed away and the theaters were sold to Leonard Scales. Scales launched the Weeping Oak Drive In in 1951 soon closing the Texas Theatre. The Leon closed in 1960. It reopened on March 13, 1963 with Jerry Lewis in “It’s Only Money.” It does not appear to have made it to the end of its 20-year lease. It then became an auto parts store under the Western Auto chain in 1971. The Weeping Oak Drive-In continued to 1983.
The Liberty Theatre was located at 112 North Texas opening at the end of World War I. Patrons entered by the screen and walked up the aisle because of fire codes. The Liberty was equipped with Vitaphone for sound rebranding as the New Liberty on June 14, 1929. Its first talkie played in July of 1929 playing the film, “The Valiant.” The Liberty closed after showings on August 19, 1939 after just about 20 years of operation for an extensive remodeling which included turning the interior around with the screen now at the rear of the building and sound proofing on the ceiling and walls to improve sound reproduction.
It relaunched as the Texas Theatre in 1939. Stewart sold the Texas to J.R. Miller and H. L. Millington. In 1948, Parsons sold it and the one-year old Leon Theatre to Abilene-based H&H Theatre Circuit. Leonard Scales bought both the Leon Theatre and Scales would close the Texas in 1951 just after opening the Weeping Oak Drive-In. The venue became home to Ronald’s Variety Store.
The small town of De Leon could boast of having three open movie theaters in 1951, albeit briefly. That’s not bad for a town off just 2,241 people.
Believe it or not, one of De Leon, Texas' claims to fame was its great oak tree that was purportedly featured in a 1937 column of “Ripley’s Believe It or Not.” Oddly, so the story goes, it was the only Weeping Oak variety in the area and its majesty was well known to residents with the tree living more than 150 years. The tree dated back prior to the town being laid out by a surveying effort by the Texas Central Railway in 1881.
The De Leon Weeping Oak tree was just a mile south of town on Highway 16 which right across the street from where the drive-in was built. For in-town patrons, it was an entertainment two-fer – a movie and the tree. The Drive-In screen was situated so patrons could see both before dusk. The Drive-In was damaged by two storms – both in 1983 – but the tree stood its ground. The theatre was razed in 1985 but the tree lived on. That is until May 4, 2016 when the tree succumbed to a storm and the townspeople were the ones weeping.
And the “Believe it or Not” storyline with the tree is likely more “not” as there appears to be no “Ripley’s Believe It Or Not” that featured this tree in 1937 — or ever — while locals have said that there are many such oak trees in their county. But that doesn’t take away the fact that the drive-in was, believe it, named after the legendary and mighty Weeping Oak just across the street. (BTW: my post above was just to correct the synopsis which had the wrong opening date, the wrong closing date, imprecise demolition date, and actually still has the wrong original owner’s name. Other than that, you could believe it, too.)
The Weeping Oak Drive-In was opened with the film, “Stage to Tucson” with Rod Cameron and a fireworks show on March 1, 1951. The local paper says the operator was Leonard Scales. It also says Scales operated the two downtown theaters, the Leon and the Texas. Scales sold the ozoner to Edgar Brinson. In the summer of 1955, Brinson converted the Weeping Oak to widescreen. It was still in operation in 1983 with Hollywood films Thursday-Sunday and Spanish Language films on Wednesdays. Wind damage from two storms on April 1 and – a more severe storm – on June 28, 1983 closed the theatre for repairs. It The theatre was demolished in July of 1985.
Woody Campbell left his job at Warner Theatres in the booking department to start the Trail Drive-In Theatre in 1950. In 1953, he then purchased the Majestic Theatre in downtown Bowie running both.
When R.D. Carver announced the Lafayette Theatre in April of 1918, the town put up a united front to stop the large-capacity project which seated nearly 1,500 in development stage. The venue was likely from an architectural plan by Humphreys and Faw of Winston-Salem and was built to house live African American vaudeville and live acts in addition to motion pictures. The same management team from the Rex Theatre would program the new Lafayette. Carver finally got approval to break ground and appears to have launched in 1919.
The Star Theatre appears to have completed its run on August, 3, 1968. Later in 1968, it was converted to a business called the Supper Club. In 1970, it became a nightclub called the Afro American Scene with go-go dancers until 1976. It then was the Mr. Big Stuff Club from 1977 to 1978. The building was vacant and offered for sale for many years at just $30,000. It appears to have been razed early in the 21st Century.
This opened as the Embry Theatre – a movie theater with live events exclusively for African American patrons. It appears to have changed names to the Avenue in 1933.
M.S. White was the original owner and named the theatre after himself launching on April 3, 1940. White had created the White Theatre and ran the Dal-Sec Theatre in Dallas beginning in 1934 before selling both to Interstate Theatre Corporation in 1936. The veteran film salesman’s career dated to the early 1910s and the Ft. Worth White Theatre was his return to exhibition in a new-build location which once housed an apartment complex. White retired from the exhibition business in 1951 selling off his two theaters.
On May 25, 1961, the theatre became the Berry Theatre and initially kept a policy of second-run Hollywood films and selected short subjects. The Berry would simultaneously be known as Teatro Berry in 1962 when it changed to a policy of showing Hispanic films. The Berry appears to have gone out of business in the home video era on February 21, 1988.
The theatre launched on January 6, 1912 as a movie and live play and vaudeville venue for African American audiences by Piedmont Amusement. It added an airdome for warm month operation that year. became a hardtop theater in an existing retail locationlate in 1912.
Re-opened as the Grand River Drive-In July 3, 2019 and closed July 14, 2019 for improvements which apparently were never completed.
The Tower Drive-In Theatre closed permanently on September 2, 1974 screening “Thunderbolt & Lightfoot” and “Bandolaro!” at the end of a 25-year lease. It was replaced by the Tower Shopping Center and ABC’s Tower Twin hardtop theatre.
Should be listed as open with website – https://waltontheaterselma.org/home Was a new build venue launching August 10, 1914. The reference to the Moving Picture World article above is incorrect – the issue is dated November 14, 1914, p. 1917. The local newspaper articles confirm the date.
After “Selma” screened in earl 2015, a decision was made to reopen the historic venue beginning regularly on March 20, 2015 with the film, “Insurgent” and continuing to the 2020s.
The Roxy Theatre closed at end of lease on May 31, 1952 and the final two feature films were Sack Amusements African American film, “Juke Joint,” and the Tim Holt western, “Saddle Legion” supported by a comedy short, a cartoon and two episodes of a serial likely to complete the serial’s run. It had launched July 20, 1939 with Claire Trevor in “One Mile from Heaven” supported by the Columbia cartoon, “The Gorilla Hunt” and the Buster West comedy short, “Jitterbugs.”
As noted, the venue opened as the Sel-Mont Drive-In Theatre on June 24, 1949 with “Two Guys from Texas.” It was bought by the operator of the 80 Drive-In from ABC Theatres Circuit. The renamed Selmont Drive-In Theatre programmed X and “XX” films closing on November 20, 1976 with John Holmes in “Liquid Lips.” It was used as a drive-in church from 1977 to 1979 before the property was augmented with a more conventional hard-top church structure.
The 80 Drive-In Theatre was located at the confluence of highway U.S. 80 and State 14, it launched June 22, 1967 with Elvis Presley in “Tickle Me” and Jay North in “Maya.” Hurting for Sunday thru Thursday business, the 80 booked “Paris Secrets” for “adults only” in January of 1969. The theatre had sell outs with adult films which changed the theater’s fate.
On a Wednesday, July 9, 1969 showing of “Starlet,” police raided the theater forcing the stoppage of the film and asking for the names and addresses of the 900 patrons. The local police harassment would continue until a new operator,Jack Jones, came in promising family fare in 1970. Jones would buy the Sel-Mont from ABC Theatres in 1975, Jones programmed after-midnight adult films at the 80:finding big audiences and more police intrusions.
On March 15, 1985, police raided the 80 once again. This time it was while the double feature of “She Devil” and “Beauty Parade” we’re featured. The city and police harassment worked this time as the operator finally gave up and closed the operation. The theatre was razed though the lot is still visible.
The New Forest Road Drive-In Theatre launched just north of its predecessor on August 1, 1963 with Sandra Dee and Peter Fonda in “Tammy and the Doctor” and Jeff Morrow in “Harbor Lights” supported by two cartoon shorts. The original Forest Drive-In Theatre closed on June 4, 1963 with Elvis in “It Happened at the World’s Fair” and “Up Front” as construction on the bypass ate into the property. The 950-car lot was almost double the size of the previous location.
The New Forest Drive-In Theatre was opened by Consolidated Thetres on a 20-acre tract of land and had a spectacular 122' by 72' steel widescreen reportedly three times brighter than the old Forest screen and largest in the Carolinas. Prizes on opening night included a color television and an air conditioner. The pre-show featured WRAL’s Jimmy Simpson and Tom Tucker as emcees and Miss Wake County, herself, Carolyn Byrd. The double-line cafeteria style concession area claimed that 2,000 customers could be handled briskly. Architect Robert Hall of Leif Valand & Associates firm was responsible for the striking o-zoner.
The family friendly spot was renamed, simply, the Forest Drive-In Theatre. In its final years, it turned to R-Rated and adult films in 1982 until 1984. It returned to more family-friendly fare in 1985 – its final season. The Forest Drive-In closed on 29, 1985 with a double feature of “Brewster’s Millions” and “All of Me.” However, until 1986, it remained home of the Forest Drive-In Flea Market. The theatre was demolished in August of 1987 for a proposed Bradlee’s Department store as part of the Tarrymore Square Shopping Center. The flea market found a new home and Tarrymore Square opened in 1988 without the Bradlees store.
On May 17, 1956, it was time for the grand opening of the Bruton Road Drive-In with first film, “Marty.” It became a Cinemark Theatre in 1979. The Bruton Rd. D-I closed for the season on September 9, 1984:with “Oxford Blues” and “Class.” At 9:52 a.m. on December 13, 1984, a tornado touched down in a field adjacent to the drive-in carrying away the screen and doing too much damage to continue operations in the Spring.
The Sky Cinema was closed following the order of Hays County on March 17, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The operator could not come to an agreement during the closure period on renegotiated rent payments and the lease was terminated. Sky Cinemas left the venue after an announcement on May 18, 2020 – one of many theaters which was closed permanently due to leasing issues occurring during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Operated for a short period by Cinemark Theatres
Also operated by Cinemark Theatres
Cinemark closed it virtually all of the then-open Cinemark theatres beginning on March 17, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The circuit opted to permanently shutter the cinema in May with a clean-out in June. It was one of many theatres which were not re-opened by theater circuits during the COVID-19 pandemic making its final day of operation March 17, 2020.
The Kukui Grove Cinema was designed in 1983 by Grove Farm Land Corporation. In addition to Hollywood fare, it would book Filipino films and Japanese titles. It opened as a twin cinema in August of 1985 in the Kukui Grove with a module for two more theaters if the venue proved successful. The Kukui Grove did expand to four theaters three auditoriums seating 266 seats and one had 280 for 1,078 total seats. The theatre closed permanently during the COVID-19 pandemic and its last day was to sell off the concessions on March 31, 2020. It closed with “Sonic, The Hedgehog,” “The Call of the Wild,” “The Invisible Man” and “Onward.”
The Mountain Cinema 4 located in the Mountain Mall closed on March 16, 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Polson Theatre Circuit announced that it would shutter the location permanently. Its final showings were “Onward,” “The Invisible Man,” “I Still Believe” and “The Call of the Wild.”
Indeed. Closed March 16, 2020 due to the COVID-19 and STL Cinemas decided to carry on with just the Chase Park Plaza and the Central West End locations.