Compton Drive-In

2001 Rosecrans Avenue,
Compton, CA 90221

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Additional Info

Previously operated by: Mann Theatres, Pacific Theatres

Architects: William Glenn Balch, Louis L. Bryan

Firms: Balch & Bryan

Nearby Theaters

Compton Drive-In

Opened by Ted Mann in 1949, on January 6, 1950 it was reopened by Pacific Theatres. The Compton Drive-In was one of the few lucky Pacific drive-ins that had a mural on its screen tower. The Compton Drive-In had a mural of Viking Ships and a car capacity of 1,196. The Compton Drive-In was closed on January 7, 1995 with Jean-Claude Van Damm “Streetfighter” & Arnold Schwarzenegger in “Junior”. It was then used as a church, but has since been razed.

Contributed by William Gabel

Recent comments (view all 34 comments)

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on October 19, 2015 at 1:11 pm

Circa 1951 photo added featuring Sam Barris' `49 Mercury custom next to the Compton sign.

VictorAtomic
VictorAtomic on July 21, 2016 at 9:05 am

Such a beautiful drive in…I was shocked when they razed the El Monte Fiesta Drive-in back in the late 90s.

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on July 21, 2016 at 11:21 am

The Fiesta Four Drive-In, opened in 1949 as the Whittier Drive-In, was actually in Pico Rivera, a few miles south of El Monte.

rivest266
rivest266 on January 17, 2017 at 12:46 pm

Ted Mann built this drive-in with a partner according to this Minneapolis newspaper article from 1952.

Found on Newspapers.com

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore on August 14, 2019 at 5:44 pm

“A temporary injunction against a used car lot and restaurant adjacent to the Compton Drive-In, a Pacific Drive-In operation, for using brilliant lights to the detriment of the ozoner customers was secured in Superior Court. The action state that the defendants installed the lights after the start of the drive-in to distract patrons of the latter.” — Boxoffice, July 4, 1960

rivest266
rivest266 on October 8, 2019 at 2:51 pm

The Compton Drive-In opened on January 6th, 1950 by Pacific Theatres. Grand opening ad posted.

rivest266
rivest266 on April 28, 2020 at 2:25 pm

This closed on January 7th, 1995, and reopened as a church called “The Vision” on January 15th, 1995. Compton Drive-In found God.Compton Drive-In found God. Sat, Jan 7, 1995 – Page 177 · The Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, California) · Newspapers.com

kennerado
kennerado on May 30, 2021 at 7:31 pm

Appears that it was a double bill of “Street Fighter” and “Junior”, what a way to go out…

dallasmovietheaters
dallasmovietheaters on September 8, 2021 at 4:48 am

The stars were out in Compton including Hoot Gibson, Andy Clyde, Tim McCoy, Andy Devine, Rex Allen, the Sons of the Pioneers and Frankenstein. On the big screen was a double feature of “Everybody Does It” and “Blue Lagoon” supported by a newsreel and two cartoons all on January 6, 1950. It closed at the end of a 25-year lease one day after its 25th Anniversary.

Jamey_monroe45
Jamey_monroe45 on July 27, 2023 at 8:19 am

Now a residential neighborhood.

Way off!

The actual address is 2001 Rosecrans Ave, Compton, CA 90221.

Please update.

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