Van Nuys Drive-In
15040 Roscoe Boulevard,
Van Nuys,
CA
91343
15040 Roscoe Boulevard,
Van Nuys,
CA
91343
14 people
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Pacific Theatres
Architects: William Glenn Balch, Louis L. Bryan
Firms: Balch & Bryan
Nearby Theaters
The Van Nuys Drive-In was one of many Pacific drive-ins that had murals on their screen towers. The Van Nuys Drive-In opened on July 30, 1948 with Joel McCrea in “Buffalo Bill” & Annabella in “Wings of the Morning”. It parked 891 cars. It lost its mural and original screen tower when it became a tri-plex drive-in on June 24, 1983.
During its last year, it was the last drive-In located in the valley area of Los Angeles. As Pacific Theatres closed the theater on September 2, 1996, its marquee said “closed for the season”. That next season never came.
The Van Nuys Drive-In sat empty for a few years and was being used to store cars from a nearby dealership. It was demolished in the late-1990’s.
As of October 2002, the Vineland Drive-In, Pacific’s last drive-in theater, is the closest ozoner to the valley and Los Angeles proper following the closures of the Azusa Drive-In and 101 Drive-In.
Contributed by
William Gabel
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Recent comments (view all 30 comments)
1963 photo added courtesy of the Y-Block Guy Facebook page.
Same photo is located on the Cinema Retro Blog.
Featured in “Once upon a time in Hollywood” must be a computer model.
Opened July 30th, 1948. Grand opening ad posted
Opened with “Buffalo Bill” and “Wings of the morning”.
This theater was featured in the film Once Upon a time in Hollywood
The school that was built on the site, Vista Middle School appears to have a tribute to the drive-in with its logo of a cowboy on a horse.
Reopened as a triplex drive-in on June 24th, 1983. Grand opening ad posted.
Last day of operation: September 2nd, 1996
Vintage Los Angeles Facebook link with photos of the miniature replica built for “Once Upon A Time In Hollywood”. Click through for 4 photos total.
https://www.facebook.com/VintageLosAngeles/photos/pcb.2810690812320953/2810689342321100/?type=3&theater