Gilmore Drive-In

6201 W. 3rd Street,
Los Angeles, CA 90036

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Additional Info

Previously operated by: Pacific Theatres, Sero Enterprises

Architects: William Glenn Balch, Louis L. Bryan

Firms: Balch & Bryan

Styles: Streamline Moderne

Nearby Theaters

Aerial photo courtesy of Doug Simmons.

The Gilmore Drive-In was located near the Farmers Market in the Fairfax area in Los Angeles. It had its entrance on W. 3rd Street at S. Fairfax Avenue. The Gilmore Drive-In opened by Sero Enterprises on July 18, 1948 with Errol Flynn in “Silver River”. It had a capacity for 650 cars. Later taken over by Pacific Theatres, it was still open in November 1977, but had closed by January 1978. It sat for the next 5 years, before being razed.

Near the Gilmore Drive-In was a few other walk-in theatres. The Fairfax Theatre at S. Fairfax Avenue and Beverly Boulevard, the Pan Pacific Theatre on Beverly Boulevard, the Esquire Theatre on S. Fairfax Avenue (now Canters Deli), and the Silent Movie 3 blocks up S. Fairfax Avenue near Melrose Avenue. Also in the area was the Pan Pacific Auditorium and one of Los Angeles early sports areas called Gilmore Field.

As the sun sets on the former Gilmore Drive-In, the people in the Park La Brea area are now treated with a brand new Pacific multi-plex called the Grove, now renamed AMC The Grove 14 which has its own page on Cinema Treasures.

Contributed by William Gabel

Recent comments (view all 21 comments)

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on September 14, 2007 at 7:04 am

Here is a June 1953 ad from the LA Times:
http://tinyurl.com/26k3n8

kencmcintyre
kencmcintyre on April 18, 2009 at 12:35 pm

Here is an ad in the LA Times in December 1958. Click on the ad to zoom in:
http://tinyurl.com/cmkgw7

TLSLOEWS
TLSLOEWS on June 8, 2010 at 6:10 pm

Very cool photos.

Mike Rogers
Mike Rogers on June 8, 2010 at 7:11 pm

Great ads Ken Mc,could look at them all night,I enjoy the work you do on CT and all the great pictures,only wish i had the equipment to add my collections.

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on November 23, 2015 at 10:26 am

Aerial photo added courtesy of Doug Simmons.

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore on February 12, 2019 at 1:05 pm

The Gilmore was still included in advertisements in the LA Times as late as Nov. 1, 1977. An article printed on Jan. 8, 1978 said that the Gilmore was closed.

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore on January 5, 2020 at 8:29 pm

Boxoffice, Feb. 13, 1954: “Pacific Drive-Ins is taking over operation of two local ozoners, the Victory and Gilmore, from Sero Amusement”

kennerado
kennerado on June 1, 2021 at 5:13 pm

Opened on July 18, 1948 with “Silver River”.

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore on December 27, 2021 at 10:09 am

Bringing William’s 2005 comment up to date, the poorly-received 1978 comedy “Loose Shoes” (sometimes called “Coming Attractions”) ends with a lengthy shot of the Gilmore. It starts with the final frame of the final skit projected on the Gilmore’s screen, then a helicopter view sweeps around the darkened drive-in, ending on the front sign lettered with “The End.”

The good news, if you can call it that, is that the movie is now available on YouTube. The closing credit sequence begins around 1:10:35.

jwmovies
jwmovies on September 26, 2022 at 5:22 am

FYI The Grove 14 (originally 15) is no longer Pacific. It is now AMC. Please update. The Grove is next to CBS Television City (home of Dr. Phil!)

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