Rodeo Drive-In
5101 S. Nogales Highway,
Tucson,
AZ
85714
5101 S. Nogales Highway,
Tucson,
AZ
85714
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The Rodeo Drive-In opened on November 3, 1949 with Gary Cooper in “Task Force” & Yvonne De Carlo in “Black Bart”. Located in southern Tucson off S. Nogales Highway. The rear of the screen tower featured a painted mural 44 feet high, of a lasso-twirling cowgirl. A smaller ‘rodeo girl’ featured on the roadside attraction board.
It had a capacity for 600 cars, and in front of the concession/projection building there were 200 seats for walk-in patrons. It was operated by Cactus Theatres Operating Company. The Rodeo Drive-In was closed on November 8, 1981, and was demolished within a week of its closure. A community college was built on the site.
Contributed by
Ken Roe
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Recent comments (view all 6 comments)
PLEASE CHANGE ADDRESS TO:
5101 SOUTH NOGALES HIGHWAY
210 E. Pennsylvania Drive was the original posted address. When I looked it up on Google Map it is a good address, but seeded like a strange place for a Drive-In. Every place I looked gave the new address I added and old aerial photos matched this new address. Sorry Ken.
The site of the Drive-In is now Soccer Fields.
The original screen burned down in ~1953 approxamate?
Showed Spanish Movies ~1975-~1981 approximate?
Closed ~1981 approximate?
You all are welcome to verify and come up with exact dates.
Need more info and photos.
Ken and Bob, It was owned by Rodeo Drive-In Theatre Corp,in 1956.And parked 600 cars as Ken reported.
November 3rd, 1949 grand opening ad is at
View link
and View link
Aerial photo at View link
Opened with “Task force” and “Black Bart”.
The Rodeo Drive-In Theatre closed November 8, 1981 with Eric Lee in “Weapons of Death.” Demolition commenced in November of 1981 within a week of its closure as it became home to a community college.
(Flagstaff) Arizona Daily Sun, Dec. 3, 1954: “The Rodeo Drive-in movie was shaken but undamaged by an explosion yesterday. Similar explosions have damaged other Tucson theaters owned by Hugh Downe and Wes Becker, owners of the Rodeo.”