Various Sources
The history of movie theaters in Brownsville that showed Mexican films can be traced to the early 1900s, with two of its main downtown movie houses on occasions showing Mexican films.
In 1934, the Dittman Theater, later called the Grande/Río Theater, opened its doors followed in 1936, by the Queen Theater.
Then there was the old “El Tiro,” a theater owned by David J. Young , Sr., a member of a well-known and pioneer family of Old Brownsville which later on in the 1940s changed its name to the “Teatro México.” A fire destroyed much of the inside of the “Teatro México” the mid-1940s and it was completely renovated, reopening its doors in 1945.
In 1946, the Young family opened a new Mexican theater a few feet away on the same 11th and East Washington referred by its loyal Brownsville Mexican movie loyalists as simply “El Iris.”
In Nov. 25, 1946, another Mexican movie theater opened its doors in the city. This was the “Teatro Victoria,” located on 14th and East Harrison streets, and owned by the Ruenes family, who had established similar Mexican movie theaters in other parts of the Rio Grande Valley.It soon attracted its own loyal following, with such attractions as the “noche de los aficionados” or amateur night held once a week, and where local talent would thrill the audience with songs, and comical antics.
Heavily invested by the Ruenes to provide the best in entertainment to the Old Brownsville cinema lovers, it could accommodate 1,000 seats, and during its opening night the Mayor of Brownsville and the Mexican Consul were invited. Many times favorite Mexican actors like Pedro Infante and other famous singers would appear live to the delight of audiences.
El Victoria was one of the most important theaters of Texas running more than 45 years a Spanish language theater specializing in Mexican cinema. The theater was such a success that at the end of February the next year, owner Ramon Ruenes would remove the stage adding 200 seats. Ruenes spent many hours in a van with a megaphone announcing the double-features.
The 550 car Charro Drive-In opened in 1949 on Boca Chica Blvd. It closed for a short time between 1970 and 1972 and played adult movies to the delight of Villa Verde Housing Project teens on its southern edge between 1973 and 1975. It had gone back to feature films by 1979, but closed soon after.
The Ruenes family also owned a drive-in that showed Mexican classics.
The theater on 14th Street shuttered in 1993 – long after the other theaters downtown were gone – but the low-priced theater entertained generations of people in the area.
8 comments:
We were not allowed to go to the Iris because rumor had it that it was full of rats and that if you took a stick and killed a rat, you could turn it into the concession stand and your would get your entrance fee of 10 cents back. We loved to go to the Capitol Theater on Saturday afternoon and stay the whole afternoon for 3 movies and a cartoon and the previews for the next movies and the ten cent popcorn that Rene Rocha would keep refilling for us. That was good clean fun and we made sure to work all week in neighborhood odd jobs so we could have the entrance fee ready for Saturday. I wonder how many kids for this now? The fun has been taken out of all good things that we had when we
grew up in a safe and content area. Yes, the Good Ole Days will never been seen again.
WesMer Drive-In between mercedes and weslaco there about only 15 left here in Texas.
You forgot the star drive inn and a theater on 14 and near lincoln sst.
Mr. Montoya, I frequently resort to reading your Blog because once in a while you do have some very interesting historical articles related to our heritage and our involvement in the development of Brownsville. I enjoy and learn from most of the articles and many times affirm some of the research that I have done. However, I can not fail to recognize that it is your intent to put women down in many of your articles and, of course, that is your prerogative and right. I can not help but wonder if the by-line under the title is actually yours or if it belongs to someone who does not have the guts to write the article themselves and thus, pay a fee for you do do it for them. I can not dismiss the fact that maybe, just maybe, the articles that try to pull women down are written by a certain so-called lady that everyone in Brownsville knows for her hatred towards anyone who is more knowlegable than she thinks she is. It is obvious that her vindictiveness is shown often in her actions and so with this in mind, I can not help but wonder if I am correct regarding the original author of the article. But those of us who have been around for a long, long time can pin-point the real source. Instead of wishing women well in their new jobs, you tend to try to put them down. Fortunately, those same ladies will never respond to your blog or to your accusations for as we ladies were taught when we were young, "When they go low; we go high!" I stole that from Michelle Obama because she herself knows what it is all about. May I request more respect towards women, especially those that are there to serve our children. This is the first time I respond to any article for blogging is only chizme and that is not proper. Thank you for reading this and please try to honor the intent of those woman who are brave enough to stand for what they believe.
Cinemark theaters has Cameron county locked in. Notice there isn’t any other option aside from Cinemark. According to a recent study the amount of movie theaters per person in Brownsville is severely low. In a city with 200K + we have 36 movie theaters total, severely underserved once again. I’m surprised this topic isn’t further discussed considering it is one of the two possible things to do in this city for entertainment.
Oops, 222 blog was written under the wrong article. That goes under Dr.
z's article Juan wrote??????????
@September 28, 2019 at 7:33 PM
AND THEY WANT RESPECT GIVE ME A BREAK!!!!!!!!!!!
Can't even post to the correct article must be a teacher lol
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