From the 1940s to the 1970s, Wacoans could enjoy the full spectrum of the cinematic experience from the comfort of their own cars at the Circle Drive-In Theatre. This theatre, named for Waco's nearby traffic circle, was one of hundreds of drive-in cinemas that popped up across the country during the 1940s. While movie houses featuring silent films had been around since the late nineteenth century, the first drive-in theater was patented in New Jersey in 1933—a full decade after sound technology debuted in short films.  When the invention of personal car speakers in the early 1940s led others to duplicate the new innovation, the number of drive-ins in the United States subsequently skyrocketed. Built in 1946, Waco's Circle Drive-In was part of this postwar boom. 

The theatre opened on Friday, June 21, 1946, with a showing of Columbia Picture's Technicolor production "The Bandit of Sherwood Forest."  Although the Circle Drive-In was not Waco's first theatre of the sort, it quickly became one of the city's most popular. The theatre, designed by Dallas architect Jack Corgan, promised "absolutely the latest developments in modern drive-in theatre engineering, supplemented with all of the beauty of modern architectural genius." Moviegoers were not likely to be disappointed. The drive-in featured  an extensive array of amenities that included in-car speakers with adjustable volume control, a well-stocked concession stand, and tiled restrooms.  Additionally, each car ramp had been engineered to guarantee every car a prime and clear view of the screen, and had been paved to eliminate any dust that might obscure the audience's view.  For patrons who experienced a flat tire, attendees waited nearby to fix the tire free of charge.

Outdoor cinemas became especially attractive to those looking for a family-friendly pastime, and the Circle Drive-In was no exception. The theatre provided a free bottle-warming service for mothers with infants so that the whole family could tag along. For children who had trouble sitting through a feature film, there was a full play park, complete with swings, a seesaw, and sandboxes. Between each film, the theatre also showed a selection of cartoons for youngsters in the audience. 

Furthermore, the ability to view a film from the comfort of one's own car appealed to a wide variety of viewers. Moviegoers could come dressed as they wanted and even smoke without fear of clouding up an indoor theatre. The drive-in was hailed as "the answer to the prayers of the invalid and aged," as those with limited mobility could enjoy a film more easily than ever.

The Circle Drive-In's program, which changed four times weekly, offered a diverse selection of the latest films, ranging from westerns to romances to kiddie flicks. As technology continued to develop in the following decades, so did the drive-in. In-car heaters were added in the early 1950s, ensuring maximum comfort for viewers even in the colder months. The theatre also installed an "electro-aire system" in snack bars and restrooms in 1953 to rid the air of germs and prevent the spread of sickness and disease. While the technology was later proven to be largely ineffective, the installation was seen as an important effort in the wake of various epidemics.

In the 1960s, however, drive-in theatres began losing customers—and, therefore, revenue—to indoor theatres that were not restricted to nighttime hours and could offer a more extensive selection of viewing times. Indoor theatres also offered consistent air-conditioning and operated even in inclement weather.  The development of the VCR in the 1970s took a further toll on drive-in theatres, as audiences could now view virtually any film of their choosing without leaving home.  Finally, gas prices in the 1970s forced many families to purchase smaller cars that were more fuel efficient, but decidedly less comfortable for movie viewing.  Given the massive decrease in family attendance, many outdoor cinemas—the Circle Drive-In included—began to feature slasher horrors and X-rated films almost exclusively.  The vast majority of these theatres ultimately succumbed to financial pressure, opting to sell their properties as land prices rose in the wake of expanding suburbs.  After years of steady decline, the Circle Drive-In closed its gates in 1980. 

Currently,  the theatre grounds are used to house a local flea market, which draws hundreds of visitors each week. Although the drive-in theatre is no longer in operation,  the screen tower still stands off of Waco's LaSalle Avenue, the reminder of a bygone era in both cinema and society.

For more (including 4 images & 3 audio files) view the original article

For over a century, the Hippodrome Theatre has stood as a downtown home for ever-changing forms of entertainment.

The venue emerged in the early twentieth century through advocates for a downtown theater banding together. A group of local businessmen, organized by Thomas Finnegan, hired architects to design a structure dedicated to live performances and cinema. In 1913, ground broke on what became an iconic piece of the city’s architecture, designed by Waco’s own Roy E. Lane and Dallas architects Otto Land and Frank Witchell. On February 7, 1914, Wacoans gathered at 724 Austin Avenue and paid ten cents a ticket to view the grand opening of the Hippodrome Theatre, featuring a live seal act, magic show, and five-piece orchestra.

For many years, the Hippodrome served as a hub of downtown entertainment. Locals came to know the theater managed by J. P. Harrison and well-known theater entrepreneur Earl Henry Hulsey as “Hulsey’s Hipp.” Vaudeville troupes and silent films filled the theater’s early bills. As the popularity of moving pictures steadily grew, the Hippodrome—an affiliate of Paramount Pictures—steadily began to replace live acts with silent films.

A production booth fire in 1928 destroyed much of the forward portion of the building and brought about serious changes. Louis Dent of Southern Enterprises reopened the theater in 1929 with a new name and a new face. A redesigned Spanish Colonial Revival-style façade and cool air-conditioned air greeted moviegoers at the Waco Theatre. A few years later, new equipment allowed the theater to catch up with local rivals, such as the Orpheum Theatre on Sixth Street, which were already playing talkies. In 1931, the Waco Theatre played its first movie with sound.

The Waco Theatre continued the Hippodrome’s tradition, serving as a prominent figure in the Texas entertainment industry. Visitors from small Texas towns filled downtown Waco on the weekends and caught a show at the Hippodrome in the evening. Big-name performers drew large crowds to the movie theater. Duke Ellington, Cab Calloway, and Fanny Brice each stopped at the theater in the 1930s, and Elvis Presley once caught a show at the Waco Theatre during his time stationed at Fort Hood.

In 1936, new construction added a second story to the grand theater, and two more renovations followed in the 1950s and early 1970s. However, more challenges loomed ahead. By the mid-twentieth century, attention had shifted to suburban areas, and many businesses headed out of the city. Although the theater survived the 1953 tornado unscathed, much of downtown did not. The Twenty Fifth Street Theater began to draw away the downtown audience, and the construction of Twin Cinema in the 1960s brought more customers to the suburbs. The last movie played at the Waco Theatre on December 15, 1974. The building sat vacant for over six years.

The Junior League, the Cooper Foundation, and local volunteers banded together in the 1980s to undertake a restoration project, leading to the reopening of the Waco Hippodrome Theatre on February 28, 1987. Listed on the National Register of Historic Places and operated by the Waco Performing Arts Company, the historic theater began to draw visitors back to Austin Avenue once again with live performances. However, the success was short-lived. The steady popularity of suburban theaters kept attendance low, and maintenance for the historic structure proved too costly for fundraisers to maintain. The theater closed again in 2010.

Local developers Shane and Cody Turner purchased the property in 2012 with a vision for adapting the structure. While retaining the building’s historic look, the brothers added a wall to the second story to allow two films to be shown at once and renovated the second floor lobby into a bar. A modern addition on the Eighth Street side of the theater features a restaurant and concession stand. The Hippodrome reopened in November of 2014.

In 2020, parts of the theatre were once again closed for renovations. Now used primarily as a concert hall and adaptive event space, the Hippodrome continues to bring people together and is a centerpiece of Waco’s entertainment scene.

For more (including 10 images, 4 audio files, & 1 video) view the original article