Sunset Drive-In
5728 SW 11th Avenue,
Amarillo,
TX
79106
5728 SW 11th Avenue,
Amarillo,
TX
79106
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Located in the west of the city, the Sunset Drive-In was opened on June 3, 1949. It was the second drive-in theatre in Amarillo to be operated by W.O. Beardon, who also operated the Trail Drive-In, and later operated the Tascosa Drive-In.
It was closed November 7, 1976.
Contributed by
Billy Smith / Don Lewis / Billy Holcomb
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5728 SW 11th Ave, Amarillo, TX 79106
This address will map to the location of the drive-in. The drive-in is visible using Google Earth up to 2002.
The Sunset Drive-in was located on W. 9th (historic Old Route 66). The backend of the theater was on 11th. In later years people living in the new residential area south of 11th could see the movies on the screen. The area is now the Winchester Apartment complex.
Amarillo’s third drive-in theater built in 1949 from the same folks who brought you the Trail (1948) and competing with the Palo Duro (1948). The theater got in trouble with locals in 1973 for playing an X-rated feature and an R-rated feature with objectionable content. The Sunset owners had to sign a promise along with a $2,000 letter of credit with the city that they would only show G or PG rated movies. The city had threatened to pass an ordinance that would have stated as such. The final showing at the Sunset appears to be November 7, 1976 with the 28-year old drive-in closing with the double feature of “Posse” and “Lifeguard.” No further advertisements or bookings are listed for the drive-in.
The July 2, 1949 issue of BoxOffice reported that the Sunset, owned by Johnnie Blocker, opened June 3. But the July 16 issue reported that he’d already disposed of it, “Johnnie Blocker has sold his Sunset Drive-In in Amarillo to W. O. Bearden, who also owns the Train Drive-In there; and the Arcadia and Chief theatres in Lubbock.”