Marin Motor Movies
55 Bellam Boulevard,
San Rafael,
CA
94901
55 Bellam Boulevard,
San Rafael,
CA
94901
3 people
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Blumenfeld Theater Circuit
Previous Names: Rafael Motor Movies
Nearby Theaters
The Marin Motor Movies was opened by Blumenfeld Theater Circuit on May 21, 1948 with a 600-car capacity. It was closed on November 27, 1977 with Richard Harris in “Orca” & Jeff Bridges in “King Kong”. The site of this former drive-in is now the Marin Square shopping center.
Contributed by
Chris Ellinger
Want to be emailed when a new comment is posted about this theater?
Just login to your account and subscribe to this theater.
Recent comments (view all 7 comments)
We used to go there when I was kid. You could see the Screen as you rounded Redwood Highway. It was always really cool to be driving by at night and to catch a few glimpses of the Movie that was playing.
55 Bellam Boulevard is the correct address not 555. Please update. This drive in now shopping center is located between Hwys 101 & 580. 555 is further east in the Canal District.
From the Marin Independent Journal’s History Watch:
Marin County’s first drive-in theater, Marin Motor Movies opened in 1948 and featured a 41- by 52-foot screen and “hook-on” car speakers that could be tuned loud or soft “depending on the amount of attention the occupants wish to devote to the screen.” [Capacity was 600.] A sunken building (to avoid obstructing vision) housed the projection room, snack bar and rest rooms. The Marin Square shopping center now occupies the site.
The drive-in appeared to be intact in a 1982 aerial photo, but a 1983 aerial showed construction of the shopping center underway.
Boxoffice, May 22, 1948: “Blumenfeld Theatres opened the Marin County Motor Movies May 21.”
To my knowledge this was never the Marin County Motor Movies, but always Marin Motor Movies.
Closed on November 27, 1977 with “Orca” and “King Kong”.