27 replies to this topic

[Giraffe]

Well, folks, there is now no trace left of the old Fort Worth Twin dive-in on the East Freeway. Even though the drive-in closed decades ago, the two screen towers remained standing until December 2007. The land between the two structures was totally overgrown with trees and grass and it was likely that today's kids had no idea it was once a place to watch movies. I drove past this area during Christmas and suddenly realized that all of that land has been completely cleaned off. The screen towers are gone.

This is most likely due to the fact that gas drilling is now taking place. You could see the drilling rig set up on the land during 2007 but it was in the middle of the property and they had left the screen towers alone. Until now.

No idea what all might be done with the property now, but it's sure ready for something!

Anybody ever see any movies at the old Fort Worth Twin? It was located on the south side of I-30 at Riverside, but I think the entrance for it was on Lancaster. It was still running in 1972, according to old newspaper ads.

[Buck]

The Meadowbrook Drive-In screen across I-30 was still there last time I looked.

It's an auto junkyard, but you can see the screen at the northeast corner.

[texastrill]

The FW Twin site also has new fencing and new trees and/or bushes planted.

[Willy1]

I went to movies at the FW Twin as a really small child. My parents would take me on their "date night" and would put me in my pj's at the movie's intermission. I'd always fall asleep in my sleeping bag in the back seat. It is one of my earliest memories. I don't remember any of the movies I saw there... I just remember going to the drive in with my mom and dad when I was really little. Later, the movies changed a bit and they stopped showing "family" movies there. I remember driving down I-30 in the late 70's or early 80's and seeing my first "Twins" on the screens at the FW Twin. LOL... It's just another little bit of FW history that is now history. I haven't been out that way in a while, but have they torn down Green Oaks yet?

Anyone else feel like FW's history is sort of slipping away? I'm half way waiting for the announcment that they're tearing down the White Elephant and replacing it with a CVS. I remember when Camp Bowie was the "drag" on the West Side and on weekends everyone would cruise the Bowie and party. For a long time Camp Bowie was THE shopping destination in FW and the "good" section of CB extended from the Cultural District all the way out to the Traffic Circle. In fact, Neimans used to be on CB in Ridglea, nearly to the traffic circle. Now it seems like CB's nice area ends at Ridlea BLVD. Everything past that is getting pretty scary. Is anything being done to revitalize CB?

[cajunmike]

The first movie I saw at the Fort Worth twin was the "The Good, Bad and Ugly" with Clint Eastwood in the late 60's. Date time at the old Fort Worth Twin also.
The entrance was off Bomar street which runs off of East Lancaster.

[Ghost Writer in Disguise]

There's an old city map at the library – I think from 1943 – that shows that site as a "colored golf course".

The same map shows the site of the apartments on Westridge now being demolished as "polo grounds."

[801hme]

The Twin opened in July of 1953 (according to advertising from the Star-Telegram archives available at the DTFW library). I've seen pictures of it from the earliest days when the screens were "slip-form" concrete, like the old Pike Drive-in was. Does anyone know when the newer screens ( the ones just demolished ) were built? I know when "Cinerama" and other new film formats were introduced that many drive-in owners built widening extensions for the screens: don't know if this was the case with the Twin rebuilding it's towers or not...The Twin was the only drive-in we ever went to except for a few times at the Meadowbrook. I remember how cool the entrance was...

[lonnzer]

I went to the Twin with my parents when I was a kid.... and then later when I was in high school, but not with the parents, of course. I seem to remember at one time the screens were built of a concrete material and the west screen had two spires at the top. I don't know why those were torn down and replaced with the steel screens but something in the back of my mind keeps telling me the reason had to do with a fire in the electrical system of the west screen that lit up the neon and the spires. Anyone know about that? That was back in the days when drive-ins were attractions in themselves... like the Pike on Lancaster with the neon and the cowboy and his lasso.

[801hme]

I went to the Twin with my parents when I was a kid.... and then later when I was in high school, but not with the parents, of course. I seem to remember at one time the screens were built of a concrete material and the west screen had two spires at the top. I don't know why those were torn down and replaced with the steel screens but something in the back of my mind keeps telling me the reason had to do with a fire in the electrical system of the west screen that lit up the neon and the spires. Anyone know about that? That was back in the days when drive-ins were attractions in themselves... like the Pike on Lancaster with the neon and the cowboy and his lasso.

The art work could get really extensive on those old screen towers. I remember the Belknap had a Wagon-train scene, and I've scene pictures of the Steer that was on the Cowtown Drive-in. I'd heard the original South Side (not the Southside Twin, but the one that was at 35/Felix) had a Texas shaped mural on it's tower. Does anyone remember the original South Side? I'd love to see a picture of it...

[Giraffe]

quote]
I'd heard the original South Side (not the Southside Twin, but the one that was at 35/Felix) had a Texas shaped mural on it's tower. Does anyone remember the original South Side? I'd love to see a picture of it...
[/quote]

I've never seen any pictures of it, and in fact I didn't even know of its existence until somewhat recently. My brother worked at the Kroger at that location during the early '70s and once found a drive-in movie speaker in the alley behind the store; he brought it home with the intention of putting a radio inside it, but he never got around to it. We assumed it came from the South Side Twin, about half a mile south... perhaps a driver had taken off with the speaker still attached to his car, and dumped it. Now it may be likely that it came from the original South Side. No idea where that speaker is now, so we'll probably never know for sure. I don't recall there being any labeling on it.

Research revealed that the original South Side was built in the late 1940s and lasted until the late 1960s. That means it existed before Interstate 35W was completed. My family shopped at that Kroger for many years during the 1970s but we never knew that the site had once held a drive-in. Recently I asked my brother about it (he's about 13 years older than I am) and he never knew about it, either. The Kroger/K-Mart building was built around 1970, perhaps a couple of years earlier. I'm going to take a guess that the original South Side screen tower was on the western side of the lot, facing I-35; I recall the huge parking lot of Kroger having quite a slope to it, and grocery carts were always rolling away from the store. "We're missing 10 shopping carts! They're out on the Loop!" my brother once joked. Many drive-in parking lots were built at a slope to make it easier for all the rows of cars to see the screen more easily. It also explains why that Kroger had such a whopping huge parking lot.

There were two buildings in this shopping center on the southwest corner of Felix and I-35; one held the Kroger and the K-Mart (both of which have since left... today the building houses a flea market) and the other held several businesses: a bar, an office supply store, and an indoor movie theater called Cineworld 4. I recall my mother and I watching the film "9 to 5" there, and my brother took me to see my first science-fiction double feature there: "War of the Worlds" and "When Worlds Collide." I think I may have seen the movie "A Boy Named Charlie Brown" there upon its initial release in the 1970s. Sadly, the Cineworld 4 is gone too, and a Dollar General has taken its place.

[cajunmike]

I do remember the I-35 & Felix shopping center in 1970. At that time I was a young Asst. Manager and opened the McDonald's that is still operating today at 4800 South Freeway (35 & Felix) just a note of trivia that is national store #1509 and now there are 30,000 world wide. By the way they have an employee who is still working there and she started in 1970.

Due south across the parking lot was the old bar "Mr. Magoos" I remember the K-Mart and your right the shopping carts use to roll out on I-35.

[Giraffe]

Due south across the parking lot was the old bar "Mr. Magoos" I remember the K-Mart and your right the shopping carts use to roll out on I-35.

Yeah, Mr. Magoo's! I never went in there but I remember they had a real Mr. Magoo cartoon for the logo. It was on the end of the building. Many years ago a convict broke out of jail and that's where the police found him. I guess he just wanted a drink... "A six-pack of martinis to go! I'm in a great big hurry!!!!"

[Giraffe]

quote]
I'd heard the original South Side (not the Southside Twin, but the one that was at 35/Felix) had a Texas shaped mural on it's tower. Does anyone remember the original South Side? I'd love to see a picture of it...

I looked at HistoricAerials.com recently and found an overhead photograph of it from 1963 or so. It shows that the screen tower was on the eastern side of the site, up against the highway service road, facing west. There was only one screen. The positioning makes sense, as folks in their cars didn't have to worry about the late-afternoon sun being in their eyes. This also prevented anybody driving past on the highway from getting any "freebie" viewings.

[OfficerWoody]

Anybody ever see any movies at the old Fort Worth Twin? It was located on the south side of I-30 at Riverside, but I think the entrance for it was on Lancaster. It was still running in 1972, according to old newspaper ads.

Unlike drive-ins that charged by the carload, the Twin charged per person, which encouraged youthful miscreants to cram as many people as possible in the trunk of their car to minimize the expense.

I spent many evenings at the Twin and I dimly remember The Green Berets was showing there one night, but I have to admit I never saw (or at least comprehended) an entire movie. There was always too much beer or in a few instances when I actually had a date, other activities, albeit quite tame by today's standards. Another malicious trick was to drive off with the speaker still connected. If the wire broke before your window, you had a souvenir of extremely dubious value. But we were young and stupid. Drive-ins were culturally important then even though you roasted in the summer and froze in the winter.

Speaking of drive-ins, does anyone remember the drive-in on the West Side that was just east of the railroad spur to Carswell where Neiman's was built and now I think there's a school of some sort? It was right across the road from Robert Hall's. I remember going there with my parents in the early 50's to see Man Without a Star with Kirk Douglas. I have no recollection of its name. Must have been demolished in the late 50s?

[muppetkiller]

I went to movies at the FW Twin as a really small child. My parents would take me on their "date night" and would put me in my pj's at the movie's intermission. I'd always fall asleep in my sleeping bag in the back seat. It is one of my earliest memories. I don't remember any of the movies I saw there... I just remember going to the drive in with my mom and dad when I was really little. Later, the movies changed a bit and they stopped showing "family" movies there. I remember driving down I-30 in the late 70's or early 80's and seeing my first "Twins" on the screens at the FW Twin. LOL... It's just another little bit of FW history that is now history. I haven't been out that way in a while, but have they torn down Green Oaks yet?

Anyone else feel like FW's history is sort of slipping away? I'm half way waiting for the announcment that they're tearing down the White Elephant and replacing it with a CVS. I remember when Camp Bowie was the "drag" on the West Side and on weekends everyone would cruise the Bowie and party. For a long time Camp Bowie was THE shopping destination in FW and the "good" section of CB extended from the Cultural District all the way out to the Traffic Circle. In fact, Neimans used to be on CB in Ridglea, nearly to the traffic circle. Now it seems like CB's nice area ends at Ridlea BLVD. Everything past that is getting pretty scary. Is anything being done to revitalize CB?

This drive-in showed soft-porno, visible from the highway, in the 80's. Driving to Dallas on I-30 could be a lesson in sex, in those days. The Southside-Twin and the Mansfield-Twin were still in business, as drive-ins.

The Green Oaks was gone, many years ago! Camp Bowie was the place to be, when I was 12. All the geeks went to the Ridglea. My girls and I went to Crystals, after we told the parents we waited in line! We grabbed a story-line from the geeks. I was 18 before I saw Star Wars. I went to Neimans, got followed and taught my friends about busses.

My daughter confuses my life with her own. I rode the bus and took my friends. I showed my daughter how to ride a bus. She thinks she knows how to get around town and says she did. She was scared to ride with me. She's never rode a bus alone in her life. She tells her friends stuff she did, from my life.

I know the circle, I know where the Hotel used to be. My mother's best friend lived in Carswell housing. My father's best friend lived in Lake Worth. I'm too young for the casinos, at Lake Worth, but I'm native. I even know the lookout, off of Robert's cut-off.
I went to the South-Side Twin, by myself. Who goes to a drive-in, alone? I did!

[muppetkiller]

Jeez, Officer Woody, did I grow up with you and Teresa?

[muppetkiller]

Anybody ever see any movies at the old Fort Worth Twin? It was located on the south side of I-30 at Riverside, but I think the entrance for it was on Lancaster. It was still running in 1972, according to old newspaper ads.

Unlike drive-ins that charged by the carload, the Twin charged per person, which encouraged youthful miscreants to cram as many people as possible in the trunk of their car to minimize the expense.

I spent many evenings at the Twin and I dimly remember The Green Berets was showing there one night, but I have to admit I never saw (or at least comprehended) an entire movie. There was always too much beer or in a few instances when I actually had a date, other activities, albeit quite tame by today's standards. Another malicious trick was to drive off with the speaker still connected. If the wire broke before your window, you had a souvenir of extremely dubious value. But we were young and stupid. Drive-ins were culturally important then even though you roasted in the summer and froze in the winter.

Speaking of drive-ins, does anyone remember the drive-in on the West Side that was just east of the railroad spur to Carswell where Neiman's was built and now I think there's a school of some sort? It was right across the road from Robert Hall's. I remember going there with my parents in the early 50's to see Man Without a Star with Kirk Douglas. I have no recollection of its name. Must have been demolished in the late 50s?

I thought Officer Woody would ask. I thought I would volunteer.

[muppetkiller]

Anybody ever see any movies at the old Fort Worth Twin? It was located on the south side of I-30 at Riverside, but I think the entrance for it was on Lancaster. It was still running in 1972, according to old newspaper ads.

Unlike drive-ins that charged by the carload, the Twin charged per person, which encouraged youthful miscreants to cram as many people as possible in the trunk of their car to minimize the expense.

I spent many evenings at the Twin and I dimly remember The Green Berets was showing there one night, but I have to admit I never saw (or at least comprehended) an entire movie. There was always too much beer or in a few instances when I actually had a date, other activities, albeit quite tame by today's standards. Another malicious trick was to drive off with the speaker still connected. If the wire broke before your window, you had a souvenir of extremely dubious value. But we were young and stupid. Drive-ins were culturally important then even though you roasted in the summer and froze in the winter.

Speaking of drive-ins, does anyone remember the drive-in on the West Side that was just east of the railroad spur to Carswell where Neiman's was built and now I think there's a school of some sort? It was right across the road from Robert Hall's. I remember going there with my parents in the early 50's to see Man Without a Star with Kirk Douglas. I have no recollection of its name. Must have been demolished in the late 50s?

I thought Officer Woody would ask. I thought I would volunteer. I was 8 in '72

[muppetkiller]

Anybody ever see any movies at the old Fort Worth Twin? It was located on the south side of I-30 at Riverside, but I think the entrance for it was on Lancaster. It was still running in 1972, according to old newspaper ads.

Unlike drive-ins that charged by the carload, the Twin charged per person, which encouraged youthful miscreants to cram as many people as possible in the trunk of their car to minimize the expense.

I spent many evenings at the Twin and I dimly remember The Green Berets was showing there one night, but I have to admit I never saw (or at least comprehended) an entire movie. There was always too much beer or in a few instances when I actually had a date, other activities, albeit quite tame by today's standards. Another malicious trick was to drive off with the speaker still connected. If the wire broke before your window, you had a souvenir of extremely dubious value. But we were young and stupid. Drive-ins were culturally important then even though you roasted in the summer and froze in the winter.

Speaking of drive-ins, does anyone remember the drive-in on the West Side that was just east of the railroad spur to Carswell where Neiman's was built and now I think there's a school of some sort? It was right across the road from Robert Hall's. I remember going there with my parents in the early 50's to see Man Without a Star with Kirk Douglas. I have no recollection of its name. Must have been demolished in the late 50s?

I thought Officer Woody would ask. I thought I would volunteer. I was 8 in '72

I remember Mr. Magoos. so what?

[Ghost Writer in Disguise]

Speaking of drive-ins, does anyone remember the drive-in on the West Side that was just east of the railroad spur to Carswell where Neiman's was built and now I think there's a school of some sort? It was right across the road from Robert Hall's. I remember going there with my parents in the early 50's to see Man Without a Star with Kirk Douglas. I have no recollection of its name. Must have been demolished in the late 50s?

See this thread: http://www.fortworth...forum...0&st=0
It was called the Bowie Boulevard drive-in and lasted until about 1962.

[Owen]

Speaking of drive-ins, does anyone remember the drive-in on the West Side that was just east of the railroad spur to Carswell where Neiman's was built and now I think there's a school of some sort? It was right across the road from Robert Hall's. I remember going there with my parents in the early 50's to see Man Without a Star with Kirk Douglas. I have no recollection of its name. Must have been demolished in the late 50s?

See this thread: http://www.fortworth...forum...0&st=0
It was called the Bowie Boulevard drive-in and lasted until about 1962.

This jibes with my memory. I lived on Floyd Drive at the time. I remember Robert Hall. When I was a junior at TCU, Neiman's put in its first Fort Worth store in the area behind where Buddies than was. Neimans abandoned that location for Ridgemar Mall long after I left Fort Worth in 1967.

[JOHNFINLEY]

What was the drive-in off of Univeristy, south of the RR tracks, but on the west side of University? I think it's the site of that large retail development.

[801hme]

What was the drive-in off of Univeristy, south of the RR tracks, but on the west side of University? I think it's the site of that large retail development.

The Parkaire...Remember the go-cart track south of it?

[JOHNFINLEY]

LOL! No offense, I don't. I'm almost 26 and I grew up in Lancaster. I just noticed the drive-in from historic-aerials.com.

[801hme]

LOL! No offense, I don't. I'm almost 26 and I grew up in Lancaster. I just noticed the drive-in from historic-aerials.com.

LOL!! None taken...I'm proud of my "Old Fart" status...

[JOHNFINLEY]

Ha! With my old movie fascination, old car fascination, and old house thing, my friends think I'm 90, so I guess I'm sort of half way there. Does anyone remember the drive-in off Sandy and Lancaster?

[801hme]

Ha! With my old movie fascination, old car fascination, and old house thing, my friends think I'm 90, so I guess I'm sort of half way there. Does anyone remember the drive-in off Sandy and Lancaster?

Yes, that was the Pike. Even I'm not old enough to remember it operating, but it stood there vacant for years after it closed. There's a great picture(s) of it in Don & Susan Sanders book "The American Drive-in Theatre". Some of the ramps are still visable today.

[BillyG]

My older sister and her husband took me and my brother to the Twin to see many movies. My biggest memory is when we saw all five Planet of the Apes back to back one night. We were there till dawn. When it was over, employees had to walk out to cars and wake people up and tell them to go home.
I remember seeing Texas Chainsaw Massacre in the back of their pickup.. then having to drive back home in the back of that same pickup.. if anyone remembers how that movie ended.. you"ll know why I was scared to death.

I remember the Meadowbrook that wasn't too far from the Twin. Coming back from Carter-Riverside's football games, we would pass by and see what was playing. I remember one night when we drove passed, there was a movie that had some scantily clad ladies cavorting across the screen. We suddenly saw a sea of brake lights ahead of us and my mom had to swerve to keep from giving some Ford an Oldsmobile enema.

One cold rainy night my running buddy, Kimberly, (who's still a running buddy after 30 years) and I went to go see "An American Werewolf in London" at the Belknap. The windshield was fogging a bit so I flipped on the defroster. Every window in my 81 Mercury Capri fogged up instantly and completely. We couldn't see a thing. We were laughing so hard, people around us were opening their windows and doors to see what we were doing.

I miss those drive-in's terribly. Kids today don't know how fun they were.