Gone but not forgotten in San Antonio! (Houston, Austin: lawyers, warehouse)

[Steel Man]

Originally Posted by Memories Galore

Arizona - the Mission Drive In is on Roosevelt and was recently on the news for being vandalized. There is discussion on whether or not it will reopen. I was glad that it was operational for a while. Allowed my sister and sister in law and families to take their children for a drive in experience. The one you're thinking of was the TRAIL drive in. I remember being very young and passing it and being awed by that cowboy on the horse. I also remember one time coming home from a shopping trip at Sears on SE Military (we lived just past Brooks) and a movie was playing. I just remember there being images of partially clothed people and my Mom covering my eyes with her hand! (LOL!)

I used to take our family to the Mission Drive-In back in the early 80's. Interesting that I just received the AAA travel magazine and they had a feature on Texas Drive-in's...yep, Mission Drive-IN was one of the featured ones. I guess the author didn't know about the vandalism and that it may not re-open.

[Willsatx]

Anyone go to any of the other drive-ins in San Antonio?

[askinnybuddy]

Originally Posted by maxus40

There is an Art Deco building with the original deco sign located at 1511 Bandera road. It is nestled behind a Drivetrime auto dealership near Quill and Bandera. It has a palm tree in front of it and is no longer in use. The sign looks like it has not lost any of its original charm. I have a link to an aerial view. In the aerial you can see a bright yellow sign. That's it. If you or anyone knows the history to this lost treasure please share.

Following up on an earlier reply, my sister-in-law's husband who lived in the general vicinity, tells me this building is connected with Don Strange of Texas, Inc. The address is actually 1551 Bandera Road. Here's the history that you were seeking: http://www.donstrange.com/about_ch.htm

[Swingtime]

Originally Posted by Willsatx

Anyone go to any of the other drive-ins in San Antonio?

I've been to several, from the Mission and the Trail (in 1970/71) to the Fredericksburg Rd., the San Pedro and The Judson in later years. We had a family friend who was the general manager for Santikos Theatres for decades, and we toured the projection booth of the Judson before it opened. We were also there the night it opened in 1977 ('78?).

One interesting thing: the Judson was the first theatre in the area to use a platter projection system, as opposed to the old reel system, and Hardy Busby was the projectionist. I still own some platter reels from the Judson, and some antique reels from the Aztec downtown. (One still has about 10 minutes of a Rocky movie on it. :-)

On FM 78 in Schertz, between 1103 and Randolph AFB, the booth of the old Starlite drive-in is still in existence, clearly visible from the road. My mom says this is the drive-in I used to go to with her and my dad when I was a little kid in the early '60s.

[maxus40]

thanks askinnybuddy,

if any other info comes up or photos please share.

[maxus40]

Yes, the Varsity at the location of Bandera and Culebra (now a HEB Mercado).

Bruce Lee movies and Godzilla double features.

[Eily71]

Went to the Valley Hi Drive In two or three times a month ( at least) since I grew up in the Valley Hi area. I remember one night coming back from the Bandera Drive In during a major thunderstorm. It was raining so hard, the wipers had little effect and the only time we could see clearly was during the frequent lightening flashes. The lanes on Loop 410 were flooding so bad , we had drive in the center so we wouldnt flood out the car. I dont think we breathed until we got to the cloverleaf at Hwy 90 and Loop 410...almost home lol. Went to the Mission Drive In a few times....once we jammed six people in the front cab of a pickup truck. Good times!!

[Steel Man]

Nice web site about drive-ins. Click on Texas link, scroll down and you will see Mission Drive-in.

http://www.driveinmovie.com/mainmenu.htm

A blog on San Antonio Drive-ins (22 of them):

http://cinematreasures.org/news/11199_0_1_0_C/

[940]

I have memories of going to the Bandera Rd Drive In, the Fred Rd Drive In and the Valley Hi Drive In back in the 70s as a kid. The movies I mostly remember were from the Pink Panther films to the Dirty Harry and Billy Jack movies which were always appropriate for little boys then!

[Nix54]

Greetings from El Paso, but I'd rather be in SA... anywhere in SA. On my last trip to SA there was a small 2 story cinder block building on Zarzamora. I was told that this used to be the projection house for a drive in. The building cannot be torn down because of its historical value. Can anyone give some insight to this?

Would anyone have any photos of the Joy theatre on Houston street? I spent many a Saturday afternoon at the Joy watching 2nd run movies there in the late 1960's. Gracias.