San Pedro Drive-In
1941 N. Gaffey Street,
San Pedro,
CA
90731
1941 N. Gaffey Street,
San Pedro,
CA
90731
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Edwards experimented with the property as a self-storage facility in 1986 leaving the tower in place. However, in January of 1987, the land was sold, the drive-in demolished as it would become part of a business park incubator
Started to show movies in Spanish on June 11th, 1972. Another grand opening ad posted.
Article:
Found on Newspapers.com
This opened on May 27th, 1949. Grand opening ad in the photo section.
I have a lot of memories of this theater When I was a kid. My mom and dad would take me here to see a movie and I played on the playground then when the movie started we would go to our cars and watch the movie. we would pretty much always have dinner somewhere close to the movie theater then we would go and enjoy the movie as well as have a lot of fun. One movie I remember seeing here at San Pedro was and it was my moms favorite was “The Birds” By Alfred Hitchcock. I have plenty great memories of this wonderful movie theater.
Is there any drive-in screens remaining that still have the artwork on the back of the screen, or are they all gone?
Does anyone now what became of the ticket booths from the san pedro drive in? I seem to remember them being chrome and modern/ deco in design. A shame if they were destroyed.
on the way to the san pedro drive in usually in oct. the refinery that you would pass had a round tank that they would paint orange to look like a giant pumpkin. we knew we were close to the drive in
Too bad there are no photos.
The cost of the San Pedro Drive-In was $300,000.00.
Here is an aerial view circa 1972:
http://tinyurl.com/yc59xej
In back of the screen on the next property was the DeCarlo Bakery. I remember the smell of fresh bread late into the evening. When my dad had a Poker Night back in 1972 with his friends my mom took me and my 2 younger brothers to the San Pedro. She told us to pick out a movie. We choose “The Corpse Grinders”. My mom had some concerns but took us anyway. Needless to say we did not stay for the second feature. Good times!
I remember the San Pedro Drive-in. I use to have alot of fun there. I remember when I was younger my mom and dad use to take us (myself, sister. We’d stop by McDonald’s first and they would buy 10 hamburgers for $1.00. That’s right! 10 for just $1.00. Now you wouldn’t catch me eating that stuff. Anyway, we’d head off to the theatre and have fun.
I remember one time we went to see “Psycho” when it first came out there. I laughed so hard when my mom said we were going to watch peace-co. I couldn’t figure out what she said. I also remember when I use to work at the snack bar. Didn’t do that for long. I knew too many kids that wanted free stuff. Wouldn’t do it. However, I did use to sneak a bunch in my car trunk. It was funny at the time when I saw all the kids coming out of my trunk.
Gone are the days of 2 moves for the price of 1.
Here is an ad from the LA Times:
http://tinyurl.com/5jvsxt
Here is a 1947 architectural rendering from the LAPL:
http://jpg2.lapl.org/pics50/00059507.jpg
From socaldriveins.com:
View link
My grandfather was the manager of the theater sometime in the 60’s. Before they tore it down there were eucalyptus trees all around the perimeter fence that he had planted. It was also kinda cool that some of the people who lived in the houses on the west side had speakers on their patios overlooking the theater.
The coolest thing about the San Pedro Drive-In (other than the mural) was that there was a Di Carlo bakery right on the next lot. Popcorn suddenly became no big deal when the aroma of freshly baked Italian bread came wafting over the wall during the films! It still drives me nuts when I pass the Gaffey exit and no longer see the theater over to the left of the Harbor Fwy. It just doesn’t look right!