Roadium Drive-In

2500 Redondo Beach Boulevard,
Torrance, CA 90504

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Related Websites

Roadium Drive-In & Market (Official)

Additional Info

Previously operated by: Pacific Theatres, Pioneer Theater Corp.

Functions: Movies, Swap Meet

Phone Numbers: Box Office: 310.532.5678

Nearby Theaters

1964 photo courtesy of Kenneth McIntyre.

This was a run-of-the-mill drive in located in the North Torrance area towards Gardena, and a couple of blocks from El Camino College. It was opened by Gale Gasteigen on May 19, 1950, 1950. By 1955 it was operated by Pioneer Theatres and later Pacific Theatres.

Contributed by manwithnoname

Recent comments (view all 23 comments)

dansdriveintheater
dansdriveintheater on October 23, 2018 at 6:09 pm

the marquee screen and ramps still remain.

davidcoppock
davidcoppock on October 24, 2018 at 2:59 am

Opened in 1950 and closed in(late 1980’s?). Is the missile(or rocket?) seen behind the screen in the above photo still there? Why the name Roadium?

dansdriveintheater
dansdriveintheater on November 9, 2018 at 11:15 am

i don’t know why it was called roadium but that is a very interesting question.

dansdriveintheater
dansdriveintheater on November 9, 2018 at 11:21 am

now roadium open air market!

davidcoppock
davidcoppock on November 10, 2018 at 2:30 am

Is it near a military or NASA base, hence the missle(or rocket?) seen behind the screen in the above photo?

Kris4077
Kris4077 on October 12, 2019 at 7:22 am

Responding to some older comments above about covered over projection ports on the back of the concession stand and the pre-opening matchbook cover. Going by the aerial shots on historicaerials this drive in was planned as a 2 screen. In the 1952 aerial the lot has only been half graded. But in the 1962 Aerial some ramps have been added to the back half of the lot pointing toward the front screen. It may have been that after the owners started the flea market that they realized that they could make more money with the flea market than they could ever make with a second screen that they decided to forgo it altogether and only have a single screen. I think that now that they are showing movies again they should add the second screen.

rivest266
rivest266 on October 22, 2019 at 3:42 pm

Correction: This opened on September 8th, 1950. The Roadium Drive-In in Paramount (now Paramount Drive-In opened on May 21st, 1948.)

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore on June 14, 2021 at 10:30 am

Boxoffice reported that this Roadium opened on May 19, 1950.

Boxoffice, May 27, 1950: “GARDENA, CALIF. – Added to the swelling list of ozoners in the southland territory was the Roadium No. 2, 480-car drive-in which opened here (19). Dale Gasteigen is the owner and managing operator of the new showcase and is a partner with Joe Bianca in the operation of the Roadium No. 1, located in the nearby township of Paramount.”

Boxoffice, July 15, 1950: (opened 1950 list) “Roadium, 480, Dale Gastigen”

davidcoppock
davidcoppock on June 15, 2021 at 8:52 am

This drive-in also a 18 hole miniture golf course(most unusual in The World), The 40 foot rocket seen in the above photo, is part of the miniture golf course.

Alan Bell
Alan Bell on October 26, 2023 at 12:35 pm

Several folks have asked about the origin of the name Roadium. I don’t know but I’d guess it’s a portmanteau of “road” and “auditorium.”

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