Gulf Drive-In
Corpus Christi, Texas1949-1978
Shop Gulf Drive-In tees, long sleeve tees and hoodies. The Gulf in Corpus Christi, Texas, opened in 1949 with A Date With Judy, and the back of its screen tower carried a seagull mural that was later replaced by a mermaid. The end came over who could see the screen, when neighbors with a clear view complained about its soft-core films. Pick a style below, then read the full Gulf history further down. We are an American small business bringing back the signs and logos of places and teams that are long gone but remembered fondly.
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Gulf Drive-In History
The Gulf Drive-In in Corpus Christi, Texas, opened on January 21, 1949, with A Date With Judy, at 4044 South Port Avenue, then on the edge of town. It was built for Underwood and Ezell, a Texas circuit, with Jack Corgan as architect, and it held 500 cars at first. The back of the screen tower carried a big mural of a seagull.
The theater was enlarged to 750 cars in the spring of 1952, and the seagull gave way to a mermaid. Claude Ezell sold in the mid-1950s to the circuit that became Rowley United. In 1968 that company leased the Gulf to T. Bob Cuellar, who ran it along with the Buccaneer Drive-In and the Tower Theatre for Spanish-language films.
The end came over who could see the screen. According to a Cinema Treasures contributor, residents of the La Armada II housing project, who had a clear view of it, complained about soft-core films in 1977, and a court stopped the season. The Gulf came back in 1978 with regular double features. Complaints continued, and the operators gave up after a last show on November 5, 1978.
An arsonist destroyed the vacant theater in 1981. A Home Depot now stands on the site.