The Theatres of San Antonio (Mission, Fredericksburg: neighborhood, closing, to live)

[gy2020]

You can go to website anytime, but trainwreck doesn't like pointing people so I won't. But I can tell a tale or two on theatres of San Antonio.
Let's start with drive-ins. Everybody like drive-ins. The first drive-in in San Antonio was the Drive-In Theatre. It was located on Fredericksburg Rd. and it was owned by Hoblitzelle and the Interstate Theatre circuit. It opened in 1940 but after WW2, other drive-pins opened so it was renamed Fred. Rd. Drive-in. I remember going to it one night and my girlfriend and I both fell asleep. The drive-in was closing and they came over and woke us up. Just like in the song, "Little Suzy", where we both fell a sleep and your mothers going to be mad.
I grew up on the southside and went to such drive-ins as the Rigsby, Parkair, the Trail, the Mission. Later I made it a hobby to try to go to as many as I could and so I went to Circle 81, the lackland, kelly Drive-in, south loop drive-in, and I went to Bandera Drive-in and the Varsity when we moved to the northside.

Lots more drive-ins but I'm going to let others talk about them and the neighborhood theatres, downtown, multiplexes, twin screens. Have at everybody. Moderator cut: website ref

[gy2020]

I might sound like I am preching but the Hi-Ho was always my favorite movie theatre. It was a quonson hut with an apt built on the side for the owner and his family to live. It was located at 5610 S. Presa. It was opened in 1947 by Gidney Talley of Pleasanton , TX who also operated a neighborhood theatre in Pleasanton.
I could get in for 10 cents or on occasion I could bring in so many bottle caps and get in free. I spent every Saturday during the summer of 1952 in this theatre with two neighbor friends. we would see newsreels, cartons, serials and a double bill of b movies, usually westerns, sci-fi, adventure films.

The other neighborhood theatre I attended was the Highland Park on S. Hackberry. This theatre has been torn down for a freeway. The Hi-Ho is still standing on the property of the Southern Steel company. At the Highland Park I saw a duncan yo-yo contest.

Now its your turn to make comments.

[49 Olds]

gy2020-I too fell into the "Little Suzie" curse, falling asleep at the Bandera drive-in. We did not drink back then, just nice and toasty in a warm car. We awoke when the lights came on. My date was late for her midnight curfew. I went to the Varsity once, but my girlfriend did not like the catcalls (hey Chula Baby) she received when she went to the restroom. She would not go back no matter what was showing. I liked the rainy or cold nights when the windows fogged up and you could get a little more serious and not worry about peering eyes from the cops or other patrons. Be still my heart.

[gy2020]

Here are some drive-in pics

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http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/g...Varsity-2b.jpg

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http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/g...82/trail-2.jpg
http://i251.photobucket.com/albums/g...-valley-hi.jpg

[gy2020]

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