Star-Lite Drive-In

4888 N. Fresno Street,
Fresno, CA 93726

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MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore on April 2, 2023 at 3:35 pm

Adding and consolidating Boxoffice notes…

Boxoffice, April 24, 1948: “FRESNO, CALIF.— Lloyd C. Miller of Bakersfield has applied for a permit to build a $100,000 drive-in theatre on a ten-acre site at Fresno and Gettysburg avenues. Miller represents a company, whose identity was not disclosed, which operates several large open air theatres in California, one of them at San Jose. If the Fresno county planning commission and the Fresno county board of supervisors approve the issuance of a permit. Miller proposes to start construction immediately and have the show ready for business in about 90 days. Construction of such a project in the area proposed is not now prohibited by zoning regulations, but it must be approved by the board of supervisors to insure public safety and welfare.”

Boxoffice, April 2, 1949: “FRESNO, CALIF. – The $110,000 Starlite Drive-In, being constructed on North Fresno street between Gettysburg and Shaw avenues here, is scheduled to open between May 1 and May 15. Built on an eight-acre site with space for approximately 600 cars, the Starlite is a Robert L. Lippert Co. project”

Possibly the second screen opener…

Boxoffice, July 4, 1953: “FRESNO, CALIF. – The new Starlite Drive-In Theatre was opened recently at Fresno and Shaw avenues, claiming to be the largest ozoner on the west coast. It has two screens visible from any location, has spaces for 1,500 cars, and features first run pictures. The Starlite twin-view airer is a Robert L. Lippert project. It has two boxoffices and two entrance roads.”

dansdriveintheater
dansdriveintheater on November 23, 2018 at 2:29 am

1972 aerial uploaded here. notice the new mall next to the drive-in!

dansdriveintheater
dansdriveintheater on November 21, 2018 at 1:11 pm

in the 1981 topo maps it still lists a drive-in theater where the starlite was. very very weird.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on March 10, 2014 at 11:38 pm

The Star-Lite Drive-In was closed in 1978 and demolished to make way for a shopping center. Prior to the closing, Boxoffice of January 2, 1978 published this article (upper right) about Pacific’s plans to build the four-screen Woodward Park Drive-In to replace the Star-Lite.

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on June 16, 2009 at 11:25 pm

Here is a June 1973 ad from the Fresno Bee:
http://tinyurl.com/m22eu4

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on September 27, 2008 at 1:36 pm

This was a Robert Lippert theater in the early 1960s. At that time it was called the Starlite Motor-In.

William
William on May 3, 2006 at 7:48 am

It was operated by Pacific Theatres.

William
William on May 3, 2006 at 7:47 am

The Starlite Drive-In was also known as the Starlite North & South Drive-In. It was located at 4888 North Fresno Street, Fresno, CA 93726. The car capacity was 586 cars.