Gilmore Drive-In
6201 W. 3rd Street,
Los Angeles,
CA
90036
6201 W. 3rd Street,
Los Angeles,
CA
90036
3 people
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Pacific Theatres, Sero Enterprises
Architects: William Glenn Balch, Louis L. Bryan
Firms: Balch & Bryan
Styles: Streamline Moderne
Nearby Theaters
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
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Recent comments (view all 21 comments)
Here is a June 1953 ad from the LA Times:
http://tinyurl.com/26k3n8
Here is an ad in the LA Times in December 1958. Click on the ad to zoom in:
http://tinyurl.com/cmkgw7
Very cool photos.
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.
Aerial photo added courtesy of Doug Simmons.
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.
Boxoffice, Feb. 13, 1954: “Pacific Drive-Ins is taking over operation of two local ozoners, the Victory and Gilmore, from Sero Amusement”
Opened on July 18, 1948 with “Silver River”.
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.
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!)