Halsted Twin Outdoor Theatre
745 W. 138th Street,
Riverdale,
IL
60627
745 W. 138th Street,
Riverdale,
IL
60627
4 people
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Cineplex Odeon, Essaness Theaters Corp.
Architects: Lewis Eugene Wilson
Previous Names: Four Screen Drive-In, Halsted Outdoor Theatre
Nearby Theaters
Opened in 1950 for the Essaness circuit as the Four Screen Drive-In and located on S. Halsted Street, at 138th Street in the southern Chicago suburb of Riverdale. Each screen could accommodate 300 cars and was the first quad screen drive-in to be built. It had a miniature train ride for the kids. This drive in was renamed the Halsted Outdoor Theatre by 1955, and it operated with only one screen.
By the early-1970’s, the drive-in was often playing blaxploitation films. In 1979, a second screen was added, and the name was changed to the Halsted Twin Drive-In. It was taken over by Cineplex Odeon in 1986. The drive-in closed in the late-1980’s, was briefly reopened for the 1991 season, and after that was closed permanently.
In 1994-95, the theater was demolished, and a post office was built on the site.
Contributed by
Bryan Krefft
Want to be emailed when a new comment is posted about this theater?
Just login to your account and subscribe to this theater.
Recent comments (view all 26 comments)
When the Halsted Drive In was a four screen operation, they used beam splitters so they were really only showing 2 movies. Their idea was to provide a closer image to each car. I worked on all of the drive in equipment in the greater Chicago area although at that time they were back to a twin operation. Jerry C. Local 110
When the Halsted Drive In was a four screen operation, they used beam splitters so they were really only showing 2 movies. Their idea was to provide a closer image to each car. I worked on all of the drive in equipment in the greater Chicago area although at that time they were back to a twin operation. Jerry C. Local 110
Summer 1986 was my best memory of the Halsted Twin.
Lethal Weapon, The Fly, Texas Chainsaw II,Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives, etc.
I had HELLA fun!
To pick up on Joe Vogel’s comment here from 2008, here’s a note from the Motion Picture Herald of June 19, 1954 about how and why the Halsted got renamed and reopened:
Four-Screen Drive-In, 138th and Halsted, $325,000 installation that ran into projectionists trouble and remained closed last season, reopened with a single huge screen measuring 50 by 90 feet. The outdoor theater has been renamed the Halsted drive-in.
Why the name Halsted?
Because it was located at the intersection of Halsted Street and 138th Street. It is in the first sentence of the description/Overview at the top of the page.
Opened with “Daughter of Rosie O'Grady”.
During the brief 1991 season, the Halsted Twin Outdoor Theatre became a victim of one of several movie theater related incidents involving “Boyz N The Hood”. On July 13 of that same year, an overnight showing of that movie turned violent after a 23-year-old Chicago man was fatally shot inside his vehicle.
Briefly reopened for the 1992 season as well.
Taken over by Cineplex Odeon in 1986.