There was a period when Houston was dotted with nearly two dozen drive-in movie theatres. They ranged from the first one constructed in 1940, to the deluxe Loew’s Sharpstown (1958), and the massive I-45, the last one to be built (1982) from the original wave of outdoor theatres, and the last to be torn down.
Then came the Showboat in Tomball, constructed in 2006 like a dinosaur, well after the rest of its kind were extinct. Now, a new one may arise, this time in the Alvin/Pearland area. Naturally, I am thrilled at the prospect, being a native Alvinite, who grew up with two Alvin drive-ins. The first one was located at the corner of South and Gordon Street, and the second, the Cinema Park, was built in the early seventies on Highway 6, just outside of town. Then there was the Telephone Road Drive-in on the other side of Pearland, where I spent many an evening, including the night when I heard over the radio that John Lennon had been shot.
According to an article that ran on February 19 in The Pearland Journal , plans are underway for a new one to open in the Pearland/Alvin area, although the exact site has yet to be determined. The endeavor is spearheaded by Andrew Thomas, who restored the 1968 Alvin Towne Plaza Theatre, and reopened it as the Welborne Cinema Four. The work included a restoration of the original auditorium, which had once been twinned, back to its original single-screen size.
So here’s to enjoying a double feature under the Texas stars, with fold-out chairs, and sound piped in over the radio. I can’t wait! For a full account of the new drive-in, here is a link to the Journal article. If not working, here is a post of the story.
Cinema Houston Blog 