Circle Drive-In

2112 LaSalle Avenue,
Waco, TX 76706

603 cars

Unfavorite 3 people favorited this theater

Additional Info

Previously operated by: Claude Ezell and Associates Inc.

Architects: Jack M. Corgan

Functions: Office Space, Swap Meet

Nearby Theaters

Year Unknown. Photo Courtesy Of Kenneth McIntyre

The Circle Drive-In was opened June 21, 1946 with Cornel Wilde in “The Bandit of Sherwood Forest”. It was operated by Claude Ezell and Associates Inc. It closed in 1980. It had a capacity for 603 cars. The tower has been converted into an insurance office and the parking area of this former drive-in is used by the Treasure City Flea Market.

Contributed by Lost Memory

Recent comments (view all 15 comments)

Don Lewis
Don Lewis on November 9, 2009 at 10:23 pm

A rare photo of Waco’s Circle Drive In Theater taken in 1948 by Dick Bogusch of Ft. Worth.

supermojeda
supermojeda on December 3, 2009 at 10:22 am

TELL ME WHERE DID YOU GET THAT PICTURE.

LarryFM
LarryFM on December 9, 2009 at 7:14 pm

FASCINATING pic, Don! I have to ask, too, where in the world did you find that photo? Also, is there a larger copy of this available?

ken mc, thanks for posting the second pic showing the Circle’s roadside marquee. Someone correct me if I’m wrong, but I’m slowly discovering that the drive-ins owned and operated by Stanley Warner Theaters, and later by Texas Southwest Theatres, displayed this unique marquee. I seem to remember the Fort Worth Twin had a similar marquee, and I’m suspecting that the Corral and, possibly, the Westside, all in Fort Worth, had the same, too.

Thanks, fellas!

Kris4077
Kris4077 on October 16, 2013 at 10:57 am

They should do some fundrasing and restore the back of that screen, it would be a big attraction to the area.

trailerjoh
trailerjoh on May 3, 2014 at 10:58 pm

Here is a set of photos I took of the drive in. Not sure of the year but I think it was approx 1981 or 1982. Was surprised to see (on google maps) that the tower is still standing. https://www.flickr.com/photos/12335678@N00/sets/72157644544234163/

Jay Harvey
Jay Harvey on January 9, 2015 at 7:10 pm

very nice pictures trailerjoh, would love to see the condition of the screen tower now!

davidcoppock
davidcoppock on February 4, 2017 at 12:37 pm

Interesting use for a screen tower!! Pity the picture of the bear and the words along the sides are gone!! At the word Circle is still there at the top!!

Mike Robertson
Mike Robertson on June 10, 2022 at 10:47 am

Posted a picture today taken yesterday, June 9, 2022. I have pleasant memories of me and some Baylor buddies going to see a lousy movie called Little Cigars in 1973 at the Circle. At least two of the guys were snuck in inside the trunk. The movie was bad, but we still quote it almost 50 years later, so maybe it was more effective than we thought.

50sSNIPES
50sSNIPES on March 12, 2023 at 11:42 am

The Circle Drive-In closed either in 1978 or 1979. A September 1980 article from the Waco Citizen says that the former Circle Drive-In was converted into a plumbing supply whole warehouse before it became an insurance office.

rivest266
rivest266 on June 16, 2023 at 5:14 pm

Last season: 1980 per newspaper listings.

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