Special to El Rrun-Rrun
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.
![2005 Victoria Theater]()
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.
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.