De Anza Drive-In
1401 S. Alvernon Way,
Tucson,
AZ
85711
1401 S. Alvernon Way,
Tucson,
AZ
85711
3 people
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Firms: Charles Cox & Associates
Previous Names: Cactus Drive-In
Phone Numbers:
Box Office:
520.745.2240
Nearby Theaters
News About This Theater
- Jun 19, 2011 — Fundraising event for new drive-in to be
- Jun 28, 2010 — Drive-in experience may return to Tucson
- Apr 13, 2010 — Need transportation help ASAP for salvaged historic screen
The Cactus Drive-In opened March 24, 1951 with Yvonne De Carlo in “The Gal Who Took the West” & Donald O'Connor in “Feudin', Fussin' and A-Fightin'”. It had a capacity for 600 cars. The single screen Cactus Drive-In closed October 27, 1976.
In 1977 the drive-in re-opened as the De Anza Drive-In with three screens. A year later a fourth screen was added. Car capacity is still listed as 600.
The De Anza Drive-In was closed on October 3, 2009, and was soon demolished.
Contributed by
Lost Memory
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Recent comments (view all 16 comments)
The three-screen De Anza Drive-In was designed by Charles Cox & Associates, according to an article in the February 14, 1977, issue of Boxoffice.
Status should be Closed/Demolished: http://www.kold.com/Global/story.asp?S=12675433
Two individuals in Tucson are attempting to build a sort of recreation of this theater, using screen parts salvaged from the site. The plan to give the new theater the De Anza’s original name, the Cactus. The project has a website and it has this page on it which relates some history of the Cactus/De Anza: http://www.cactusdriveintheater.com/history.html
Grand opening ad from February 1st, 1977 ad De Anza is at
View link
Old Drive in customer found, couldn’t find the exit:
http://azstarnet.com/news/local/crime/remains-found-at-old-tucson-drive-in-were-homicide-victim/article_3506dfb8-c574-11e1-a93a-0019bb2963f4.html
I’ve got the original grand opening ad here:http://cactusdriveintheater.org/cacopen.jpg
I remember when I went here to see Charlie & The Chocolate Factory with my family in 2004. My dad, & I had already seen it at the Century El Con 20 Theatres, but the rest of us hadn’t seen it at all. My younger brother was creeped out by the squirrels.
Stayed a few days in Tucson whilst traveling through the United States back in 1982. The “De Anza” was my first “Drive In”– Movie-Experience: absolutely fantastic – see a movie, watch the stars above. Brings back happy memories. Sorry to hear about the “De Anza’s” demolition. I am also sorry to read about the “Drive In’s” vanishing from the US landscapes. Keep my finger crossed for the remaining DI’s and the ones to be open in the future (hopefully). Love from Germany
Opened as Cactus Drive-in on 24/3/1951 with “Gal who took the west” and “ Feudin', Fussin', and a fightin'”.
Boxoffice, April 21, 1951: TUCSON - New drive-in here, the city’s fourth, is the Cactus, recently opened by Wes Becker and Hugh Downs. The open-airer has accommodations for 600 cars and features a “snackateria.”