Carpo Teatro

804 E. Alice Avenue,
Kingsville, TX 78363

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Contributed by Lost Memory

Recent comments (view all 37 comments)

matt54
matt54 on October 17, 2010 at 7:45 am

Yakima, or any old Corpus hands out there:

Was there also a Texas Drive-In on Leopard Street near the Thunderbird Drive-In? I am told it was on or near “old Hwy 9 to San Antonio.” Is that present-day Leopard Street (State 407)?

Silicon Sam
Silicon Sam on October 17, 2010 at 2:30 pm

See my comment on the Thunderbird page.

Yakima1
Yakima1 on October 17, 2010 at 2:55 pm

The Texas, the first permanent drive-in in Texas and one of the earliest in the coountry, was opened by Nick and Pete Katsaris, Charles A Richter and Leon Newman just past Navigation on Leopard (SH 9). It opened on Nov 11, 1939 as opposed to the often published March 1939. Google Earth historical imagery in 1956 shows the “scars” at the location which is now the Greyhound Racetrack kennels. Richter and Newman aka Southwest Theaters opened the next drive-in for Corpus, the Boulevard Drive-in, on Lexington Ave where The Trade Center is today at SPID and Richter in Feb 1942, right after WWII started for us. The two drive-ins operated together until the Texas was old and falling apart and Richter and Newman built The Corpus Drive-in in Oct 1948. The Corpus would someday be renamed the Thunderbird. It was located a few blocks closer to town on Leopard where Baldwin and Leopard intersect. The three drive-ins operated together for about a month when The texas had it’s last advertisement int the Caller-Times on Nov 5, 1948.
My next post will contain links to photos.

Yakima1
Yakima1 on October 17, 2010 at 3:11 pm

Here is The Texas Drive-in from The Doc MacGregor photo collection

View link

View link

Here is an aerial from around 1971 barely showing The Texas “scars”

View link

Here is the next aerial in the series showing that the Corpus Drive-in, aka Thunderbird, was just a few blocks away….

View link

matt54
matt54 on October 17, 2010 at 3:44 pm

Outstanding, Yakima! Thanks! We need a Texas page linked from the Corpus Christi section now!

Yakima1
Yakima1 on October 18, 2010 at 9:43 am

Thanks Matt54. I need to figure out the rules for adding theaters properly. I have info for the following drive-ins that need a page:

In Corpus Christi – Texas, Boulevard, Cuddihy, Osage, Twin Palms, Surf, Bel-Aire (aka 62&Lexington, Capri, Lexington), Viking Twin.
In Alice – Coyote, Ranch
In Robstown – Starlite (aka Robstown), Airport, San Pedro
In Portland – Portland Drive-in
In Aransas Pass – Tarpon, Trail
In Rockport – Cove
In Refugio – Rancho
In Sinton – Sinton Drive-in
In Beeville – Beeville, Texas
In Victoria – Tejas / Aztec
In Pleasanton – Trail

I also have info for the existing theater pages:
In Corpus Christi – The Corpus (aka Thunderbird), Gulf, Buccaneer
In Kingsville – Hi-Way, King’s, Brahma, Rancho
In Alice – Buckhorn
In Mathis – Mathis Drive-in
In Beeville – Bronco (aka Broncho)
In Port Lavaca – Port Twin
In Victoria – Twin Ranch (aka Gemini), Lone Tree

Mike Rogers
Mike Rogers on October 18, 2010 at 1:29 pm

Great Research Guys!

Silicon Sam
Silicon Sam on January 8, 2011 at 6:05 am

In regards to the October 8th, 2010 comments:

I went through Kinsgsville 1/5/11, and the old King HS is in the process of getting a brand new roof, so it looks like the old building is being saved after all. The old roof was gone, and the new roof was being sheathed when I went by.

LarryFM
LarryFM on March 21, 2011 at 4:54 am

Yakima, I am VERY impressed with your research on drive-in theatres. I’m interested in your findings. Please contact me at your convenience. Thank you.

Yakima1
Yakima1 on May 24, 2011 at 7:31 pm

Thank you. I’m not sure how to contact you. I can be reached at

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