Waco Drive-In

2495 Iowa 92,
Washington, IA 52353

Unfavorite 1 person favorited this theater

Showing 1 comment

50sSNIPES
50sSNIPES on August 23, 2023 at 11:47 am

Edited from both January 22 and October 12, 2022 comments:

The Waco Drive-In opened its gates on May 1, 1953 with Edmond O'Brien in “Silver City” along with an unnamed Tom & Jerry cartoon and an unnamed Popeye cartoon, featuring an original capacity of 425 cars.

It was first operated by E.S. (Tommy) Tompkin who also operated the State and Fox Theatres nearby. Charles Doyle, Earl Hickford, and Jack Schneider are the original projectionists for the theater.

Tompkin operated the theater until he suffered a heart attack on September 16, 1964. Sadly he later died at a nearby hospital that same day.

The Waco Drive-In closed at the end of the 1978 season, and was demolished in the early-1980s.