North Texans looking to enjoy a movie on the big screen alfresco will have to look outside of Dallas’ city limits. Big D is home to many movie theaters, but the city has been without a single drive-in theater for 21 years.

The Astro Drive-In, the city’s last outdoor theater, closed in 1998 after a devastating fire. But the golden era of drive-ins had vanished long before then.

Russell Woodall wanted to know why the number of drive-ins had declined, so he asked Curious Texas: "What happened to the drive in theaters in the D-FW area, such as the Astro and the one at 75 and 635 on the east side? I remember $5 car nights."

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Texas was home to 475 drive-in theaters in the 1950s. The Dallas-Fort Worth area had 43, but only Fort Worth’s Coyote Drive-In and Ennis’ Galaxy Drive In Theater operate in North Texas today.

As stars light the sky, Ken Bartlette and his wife, Tammie Bartlette, from Dallas, watched the movie Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen from the back of their truck at the Galaxy Drive-In in Ennis, Texas on June 26, 2009. (Staff / The Dallas Morning News)

Statewide, 15 drive-in theaters survive, which makes Texas one of top states for drive-ins, said D. Edward Vogel, the administrative secretary for the United Drive-In Theater Owners Association.

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In addition to his role with the United Drive-In Theater Owners Association, Vogel runs his own drive-in theater, Bengies Drive-In, near Baltimore, Md. He said there are a number of reasons drive-in theaters across the country have closed in recent years.

The movie Inferno starring Tom Hanks was shown at the Coyote Drive-In in Lewisville on Oct. 29, 2016. The Lewisville location closed last fall "until further notice." (File Photo / Staff Photographer)

Some say the options introduced by VHS, DVDs and streaming services are to blame for the decline in drive-in theaters, but Vogel said that’s not it. Others say corporate buyouts of drive-in theater land is the culprit, but, again, he said that’s not necessarily the case.

“The real reason they disappeared is mom and pop would buy land outside the city and build a drive-in, but then the cities grew,” Vogel said. “Suddenly, they were in the city. The land prices increased, and other problems escalated like the amount of lights around and the owners got older.

“The children — even though they were brought up in the business — didn’t want to take on the drive-in.”

Danny Kinnard sleeps as his wife, Katy Kinnard, and daughter Gracie Kinnard, 3, from Waxahachie, waited for the sun to go down to watch a double feature at the Galaxy Drive-In in Ennis in 2009. (Staff / The Dallas Morning News)

Drive-in theaters always had to cope with inclement weather, but increased competition from multiplex indoor theaters with dozens of screens largely left single-screen, independently owned drive-in theaters in the dust.

Some drive-in theater owners in the late 1960s and early 1970s saw opportunity in this challenge and transformed their venue into “adult drive-in theaters” to bolster attendance and revenue. Indoor theaters tended to have first pick of new releases, which left drive-in theater owners to show less popular films.

“It wasn’t like that for very many years, but in order to survive, that’s what some of them had to do,” Vogel said. “But it didn’t make money. Nobody sold any concessions because people wouldn’t get out of their car. What does that tell you? That they weren’t really watching the movie.”

Tina and Art Lira of Lewisville settle in to watch the "Coming Attractions" reel at the Coyote Drive-In in Lewisville in 2016. (Louis DeLuca / Staff Photographer)

In Dallas, the Lone Star Drive In followed this model in the 1960s. However, in 1987, the City of Dallas filed a lawsuit to close the drive-in theater after its sexually oriented business license expired. The theater did not reopen after the lawsuit.

Other X-rated drive-in businesses didn’t last long, and most eventually transformed into family-friendly venues.

In the 1980s, many drive-in theaters were forced to close as the cost of maintaining the aging equipment became too expensive, Vogel said.

“Drive-in theaters are risky,” he said. “Everything is a threat to theaters. People have often said, ‘This is going to kill us,’ or, ‘That is going to kill us.’ But theaters are still around.”

Rachel Leigh Marek and Andrew Shepherd wait for their movie to start at the Galaxy Drive-In in Ennis on Aug. 6, 2014. (Brad Loper / Staff Photographer)

The modern Texas drive-in theater experience

Dallas-native Ryan Smith also believes drive-ins have a fighting chance in the future. Smith is the owner of Stars & Stripes Drive-In theaters in Lubbock and New Braunfels. In 2002, while he was a law student at Southern Methodist University, Smith was inspired to open his own outdoor theater. He'd enjoyed a viewing of M. Night Shyamalan's Signs at a drive-in near Lubbock and knew it was an experience he wanted to share with more Texans.

A year later, he opened his first drive-in theater in Lubbock; Smith added a location in New Braunfels in 2015.

Stars & Stripes Drive-In Theater in New Braunfels, Texas. This is the theater's second location. The first Stars & Stripes Drive-In opened in Lubbock in 2003. (Ryan Smith / Courtesy)

Smith’s drive-in theaters feature three screens and offer double features every night they are open. He recently invested in new digital projectors for both locations to improve the quality. Now, his employees play the movies from a computer rather than reels of film.

“Three screens are important because we can play big hits,” he said. “We play the popular movies and we can pair those with other popular movies.”

Smith said his theaters also have playgrounds and concession stands that sells burgers and hot dogs. They will offer free face painting to children before the movie in the summer. Smith’s theaters also permit movie-goers to bring in food and drink to eat in their cars.

“It's a slice of Americana that you can't get anywhere else,” Smith said. “If you get an opportunity to go to a drive-in, load up the car and go. You never know how long it will be around."

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Dallas’ long-gone drive-in theaters

Northwest Highway Drive-In, 6729 W. Northwest Hwy.

FILE-- Northwest Highway Drive-In Theater, undated. (Staff / The Dallas Morning News)

W.G. Underwood and Claude Ezell, owners of drive-in theaters in Houston and San Antonio, opened Dallas' first drive-in theater on June 20, 1941. The Northwest Highway Drive-In had a capacity for more than 450 vehicles, The News reported at the time.

There were 204 loudspeakers on the property, one between every two cars.

The drive-in theater received a facelift seven years after its grand opening, which included new pavement and a playground with swings, seesaws and sandboxes for children to play in while their parents watched the movie, The News reported at the time.

The outdoor theater closed in 1963. The location is now a shopping center and apartments.

Chalk Hill Drive-In, 4501 W. Davis St.

Northwest Highway and Chalk Hill Drive-In Theaters' newspaper advertisement. (The Dallas Morning News)

Dallas' second drive-in theater, Chalk Hill Drive-In, was also owned by Underwood and Ezell. Chalk Hill opened two weeks after the Northwest location on July 4, 1941. The theater could accommodate up to 408 vehicles and also had 204 loudspeakers. Chalk Hill's opening night attraction was The Invisible Woman with Virginia Bruce, John Barrymore — Drew Barrymore's grandfather — and John Howard, The News reported at the time.

The outdoor theater unveiled a new 80-foot fiberglass curved screen in 1954 that featured King of the Khyber Rifles.

The Chalk Hill Drive-In closed in 1973 and was demolished a year later. Several warehouses currently sit in the outdoor theater’s former location.

Buckner Boulevard Drive-In, 3333 N. Buckner Blvd.

Buckner Boulevard Drive-In Theater's newspaper ad. (The Dallas Morning News)

The Buckner Boulevard Drive-In, formerly located between Samuell Boulevard and East Grand Avenue, first opened on June 4, 1948, with the screening of the film Tycoon with John Wayne and Laraine Day. The theater could accommodate up to 664 vehicles, and had a loud speaker for each of them, The News reported at the time.

The theater claimed to have the “World’s Largest Fiberglass Screen” when it first opened.

Buckner Boulevard Drive-In's outdoor speaker system. (The Dallas Morning News)

Buckner Boulevard had a play area with two elephant slides, sand boxes and other playground equipment. The outdoor theater also provided bottle warmers for infant feeding, and a concession stand for adults.

The theater was demolished in the late 1970s, and is now a storage facility.

Jefferson Drive-In, 4506 W. Jefferson Blvd.

The Jefferson Drive-In Theatre at dusk in 1989. (DAVID WOO / The Dallas Morning News)

This Oak Cliff drive-in theater first opened its doors in 1949. The outdoor theater could accommodate up to 600 vehicles.

The Jefferson drew steady crowds for decades, despite not always screening the hottest films, but Dallas' growth eventually caught up to the theater. The city lights dimmed the shows on the screen and the re-introduction of daylight saving time in the early 1970s were two contributing factors to its first closure in 1987, The News reported at the time. The theater reopened in 1981, but closed for good in 1990. It was demolished in 2004 to make room for Celestino Mauricio Soto Jr. Elementary School.

Kaufman Pike Drive-In, 7041 Hawn Freeway

The Dallas Morning News

The Kaufman Pike Drive-In opened at the intersection of Highway 175 and Jim Miller Road on July 1, 1949. The theater was owned and operated by Charles Weisenberg, who also owned the Paloduro Drive-In in Amarillo and the Buena Vista Drive-In in Borger, Texas.

The theater had space for 600 cars, and was equipped with RCA individual in-car speakers with adjustable volume control. The outdoor theater had a playground and a concession stand, The News reported at the time.

Kaufman Pike featured Montana Mike with Robert Cumming and Brian Donlevy on its opening day. The drive-in theater closed in the summer of 1983 and was demolished soon after. The officers of the Southeast Division of the Dallas Police Department now sit on the property.

Hi-Vue Drive-In, 5525 South Beckley Ave., Dallas

The Hi-Vue Drive-in, owned and operated by W.P. Moran, M.J Konemann, opened the same day as the Kaufman Pike Drive-In on July 1, 1949. The drive-in theater was demolished around 1978. The drive-in’s former address leads to a dead end, which is currently sandwiched between an apartment complex and Interstate 35.

Big D Drive-In, 6327 Harry Hines Blvd.

The Big D Drive-In opened around 1950 as the Hines Boulevard Drive-In. It changed its name the following year. The theater eventually added a heated indoor auditorium for moviegoers who did not want to sit in their cars.

The outdoor theater made the news two years later after two armed suspects who had robbed a man of $8 at a nearby gas station hid at the drive-in for hours.

"As 722 patrons in parked cars still sat in the darkened open-air Big D Drive-In Theater, six policemen with shotguns suddenly swooped down on the suspects' car at 10:30 p.m," The News reported at the time. "Not a shot was fired. Three officers descended on each side of the car and two frightened young men were taken in a flash of steel and handcuffs."

The drive in closed in 1970, and UT Southwestern Medical Center now sits on the property.

Samuell Boulevard Drive-In, 4617 Samuell Blvd.

Samuel Boulevard Drive-In opened Dec. 12, 1950, with the film Copper Canyon, which featured Hedy Lamarr and Ray Milland. The venue was decorated with wrought iron and included a snack bar with a patio and a playground for children, The News reported at the time.

The drive-in theater added a pool to its amenities in 1954. It closed in March 1959.

South Loop Drive-In, 3142 E. Ledbetter Drive

The South Loop Drive-in, located along East Ledbetter Drive close to Interstate 45, opened in 1950. The original screen, destroyed by a windstorm in 1956, featured a mural of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The theater was lost by 1968. (L. "Bub" Thompson Photography / Courtesy)

South Loop Drive-In opened on March 30, 1950, with the film On the Town, starring Gene Kelly and Frank Sinatra. The theater's construction cost $150,000 and included indirectly lighted walkways, a patio with a lounge and chairs and a playground for children. Children under 12 could also get into the drive-ins for free, The News reported at the time.

South Loop closed in 1975, and has since been demolished. Part of the land remains empty, and is surrounded by small commercial shopping centers.

Hampton Road Drive-In, 2833 S. Hampton Road

Hampton Road Drive-In opened on May 12, 1950. The drive-in theater screened Colorado Territory, starring Robert Taylor and John Hodiak, during its grand opening. The theater had a children's playground, a snack bar, restrooms and infant's bottle warmers, The News reported at the time.

The theater was demolished around 1979. It is now an optometrist's office.

Denton Road Drive-In, 11325 Harry Hines Blvd.

The Denton Road Drive-In had its grand opening on June 23, 1950 with Montana, starring Errol Flynn and Alexis Smith. Commercial businesses now sit on the property.

King Drive-In, 4601 S. Lamar St.

The King Drive-In was originally named the Cinderella Drive-In when it opened on Dec. 16, 1950. It screened Return of the Frontiersman, starring Gordon McRae. The opening also included a fireworks show and free coffee and donuts for all moviegoers. The outdoor theater changed its name to King Drive-In in the early 1970s and later became an adult drive-in theater.

Lone Star Drive-In, 4600 Lawnview Ave.

Lone Star Drive-In first opened on Feb. 3, 1951, with the screening of Broken Arrow, starring James Stewart. The grand opening also included fireworks and free souvenirs. The outdoor theater had a concession stand, and outdoor patio and a children's playground. Lone Star turned into an adult theater in the mid-1960s, and began showing X-rated content. In 1987, the city of Dallas filed a lawsuit to close the drive-in theater after its sexually oriented business license expired. The theater did not open after the lawsuit.

Starlite Drive-In, 5101 S. Lamar St.

Not much was documented on the Starlite Drive-In, which was sometimes referred as Starlight. The theater opened around 1953, and had a capacity for approximately 500 cars. The drive-in was frequented by Dallas' African American community, The News reported in the '90s. The date of its closure was not found.

Kiest Boulevard Drive-In, 3100 E. Kiest Blvd.

The Kiest Boulevard Drive-In opened on May 23, 1953, with the film Navy Wife, starring Joan Bennett. The theater claimed to have the biggest screen in Dallas at the time. The theater could accommodate up to 1,000 vehicles and had electronic speakers for each car, The News reported at the time.

Like other drive-in, Kiest had a playground with swings and rides for children. It also had a picnic area, a nursery and a swimming pool with beach equipment and bath houses.

The theater closed in 1982. The property remains empty.

Casa View Drive-In, 5299 Gus Thomasson Road

The Casa View Drive-In opened was first named the White Rock Drive-In when it opened its doors in 1954. The venue shut down two years later and reopened in 1958 as the Casa View Drive-In. The outdoor theater was demolished in the early 1970s, and Larry G. Smith Elementary School now occupies the site.

Linda Kay Drive-In, 11949 U.S. Frontage Road

Owner Frank Gillepsie opened the Linda Kay Drive-In in June 29, 1956. The drive-in opened in the town of Kleberg, which had been newly incorporated. The town is now part of southeast Dallas, near Pleasant Grove. The theater had a full cafeteria, The News reported at the time. Linda Kay eventually became an adult theater.

Gemini Drive-In, 11990 N. Central Expressway

Westmount Realty Capital LLC purchased these 27 acres formerly the site of the Gemini Drive-in Theater in 2006. (Westmount Realty Capital)

The Gemini Drive-In became Dallas' first multiscreen drive-in theater when it opened in 1965. The $1.5 million outdoor theater opened with a cocktail party and celebrity appearances. Frankie Avalon and Deborah Waley hosted an autograph party at Gemini before the screening of their film Beach Blanket Bingo during the theater's grand opening. The drive-in could accommodate 2,000 cars. It later added a third screen. The owners tried unsuccessfully to sell the land in the late-'80s, but it the land was not sold until the mid-2000s.

Astro Drive-In, 3141 S. Walton Walker Blvd.

The Astro Drive-In sign towers over rubble after the old drive-in movie theater was torn down in 1999. (Staff / The Dallas Morning News)

When the Asto Drive-In opened on Aug. 2, 1969, it became known as the first fully automated drive-in with the largest screen — 140 feet tall — in the world.

An electrical fire in late-1998 destroyed the theater's roof and nearly all of the uninsured equipment inside its concrete building, The News reported at the time. The Astro Drive-In had been the last remaining drive-in theater in Dallas. The outdoor venue was demolished in 1999.

Staff researcher Meredyth Grange contributed to this report.

Dallas' last drive-in, the Astro, shown here in 1994, boasted it had the nation's largest movie screen. (Staff / The Dallas Morning News)

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