Big Red Twin Drive-In
2600 Cantrell Road,
Little Rock,
AR
72202
2600 Cantrell Road,
Little Rock,
AR
72202
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Opened with a colour cartoon(not named), “Lost in Alaska”, and “the lawless breed”.
The May 7, 1962 issue of Boxoffice did its best to clear up the confusion:
Construction is under way of a new twin drive-in theatre in Little Rock, Ark., by the Arkansas Amusement Co. (Rowley United). The theatre is build on Cantrell Road at the site of the present Riverside Drive-In which was closed for the winter.
To be called the Twin-Razorback, the theatre will replace the Riverside and the present Razorback. Lease on the ground at the present Razorback in the east end of the city has been released to the school board for construction of a new junior high school.
The new theatre will have space for a total of 800 to 1,000 cars.
The site breaks the comment, so you’ll have to change the ‘Crest Theatre’ to an ‘@’ symbol, followed by 34.
Since this is the closest drive-in, could it have been the Riverside/Razorback that supplied the marquee currently located in the 500 block of S Chester? Streetview here: https://www.google.com/maps/Crest Theatre.7450915,-92.2819992,3a,75y,60.08h,75.14t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sAznxrg_GzD1Oi2KaG4l5pw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656
This opened on June 12th, 1953 by Robb and Rowley as the Riverside Drive-in and closed down at the end of the 1961 season. It reopened as the Razorback Twin Drive-In with the screens called Big Red (West) and Wild Hog (East) on June 17th, 1962. Both grand opening ads in the photo section.
The original Razorback Drive-In was on Barber Street, where Booker Magnet Elementary School is now. This one replaced it in the early 1960’s.
Frank, the theatre you saw “The Spy Who Loved Me” at was the Heights on Kavanaugh just north of Cantrell.
Spent most of 1977 in Little Rock while working as a radio personality at the Mighty 1090, KAAY, and at KLAZ-FM. Also worked at Tramps Restaurant and nightclub on Cantrell as a club DJ just after it opened when crowds were lining up to get in.
My stay in LR was fun and featured seeing the 1977 version of King Kong at the Razorback Drive-in. I remember the place being very large by drive-in standards, and packed to capacity. I also remember seeing that year’s James Bond movie, The Spy Who Loved Me, at a 1940’s style neighborhood theater just a few blocks North of Cantrell, but I cannot remember the name of the theater.
My time in Little Rock was all about the moments I was lucky to have enjoyed behind the mic at KAAY. Growing up in New Orleans, I often listened to the station and wanted to work there badly as it was only one of a handful of 50,000 watt AM clear channel stations that played Top 40; that was a big deal back then.
I remember my night at the Razorback like it was last weekend. Fortunately, we still have a few great drive-ins remaining here in Los Angeles. And yes, I still occasionally take my family to the drive-in.
Who was the artist that painted the Hog logo on the screens? I have an idea but I will hold off on making any comments.
When looking at the 1956 aerial the entrance was on Rebsaman Park Road.
The original Razorback Drive-In was on Roosevelt Rd. south of downtown Little Rock. It closed down in the early ‘60’s to be replaced by subsidized housing. Since Arkansas is the home of the Razorbacks (the University of Arkansas’ mascot), it wouldn’t do to not have a Razorback Drive-In so the Riverside inherited the name.
Please update address to: 2600 Cantrell Road Little Rock, AR 72202
My recollection is that the Riverside was indeed renamed the Razorback. But its twin screens had separate names. One was the Wild Hog screen. And the other was the Big Red. I do not recall its sign ever having said the Big Red Twin. But I was away in service in part of 1970s.