Rancho Drive-In
6501 W. Northern Avenue,
Glendale,
AZ
85301
6501 W. Northern Avenue,
Glendale,
AZ
85301
1 person
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Harry L. Nace Theatres opened the Rancho Drive-In on April 24, 1953 with Red Skelton in “The Clown”, Broderick Crawford in “Last of the Comanches” & Roy Rogers in “North of the Great Divide”. On July 20, 1959, the front page of the Arizona Republic headlined “Gang Fight At Theater - A 14-year-old Glendale girl was shot through the head and at least five other persons were injured last night in a shooting, stabbing, chain-swinging gang fight at the Rancho Drive-In Theater, Grand and Northern. Twelve sheriffs cars and available police from Glendale answered the riot call".
Fortunately, a few days later, the 14-year-old girl, an innocent bystander, was listed in satisfactory condition after having a bullet removed from her brain. 23 charges were later made against the teenagers involved in the riot, which turned out not to be spontaneous at all. The two rival gangs, from Glendale and Peoria, had come to the drive-in expecting a confrontation.
After July 27, 1959, the Rancho Drive-In, evidently with a tarnished reputation, was removed from the Nace Theatres listings and presumed closed. It had been demolished by 1964.
Contributed by
rpierce
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Recent comments (view all 5 comments)
April 24th, 1953 grand opening ad in photo section.
Gang fight of 1959
http://azcentral.newspapers.com/clip/3627869/rancho_drivein_gang_fight/
Gang Fight front page
Rancho Drive-In in Glendale gang fight 20 Jul 1959, Mon Arizona Republic (Phoenix, Arizona) Newspapers.com
Opened on 24th April 1953 with “The clown”, “Last of the Comanches” and “North of the great divide”.
The ticket booth was apparently on the SW corner of the property. It appears that the entrance was on Grand Avenue which is south of the drive-in.
The drive-in was still intact in 1962, though clearly closed. By 1964, it was demolished with only the ramps remaining. By 1972, all traces of the ramps were eliminated as well. Which is unusual given that no structure was built on the property. Looks like the area was plowed, but today it is just an open, empty field.
Wiped clean by the wrath of God for its sins apparently.