101 Drive-In
4826 E. Telephone Road,
Ventura,
CA
93003
4826 E. Telephone Road,
Ventura,
CA
93003
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The 1010 Drive-In opened is drive-in opened March 16, 1948 with Ronald Reagan in “Stallion Road” and Dennis O'Keefe in “Mr. District Attorney”. Later two more screens were added. It was closed in 1998 and demolished in 2001. In its later years, the grounds were used for a swap meet.
Contributed by
Ken McIntyre
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Recent comments (view all 11 comments)
In the late 1970s I lived in Newbury Park in Ventura County. We lived across the street from the Thousand Oaks Drive-in. Most weekends my family would see a film at the Thousand Oaks Drive-in but when we wanted to see something that was not playing there we would drive up Highway 101 and see a film at the 101 Drive-in which had multiple screens.
Here is a link with photos:
http://tinyurl.com/puaj8
The 101 Drive-In when it was a single screen drive-in had a car capacity of 800 cars. It was operated once by 101 Theatres Corp. and later by Pacific Theatres.
This classic film was playing at the 101 in September 1982, according to the LA Times:
http://tinyurl.com/3xqp56
Here is an October 1958 ad from the Oxnard Press-Courier:
http://tinyurl.com/nfe8br
Here is a 1980 aerial view:
http://tinyurl.com/yl5t7q3
It parked 800 cars and was owned by 101 Theatre Corp, Reeves Espy was the president of that company.
Thanks Mike.
MagicLantern, you are wrong about its opening date
It opened on March 16th, 1948. Proof is on this page at View link
I worked at the 101 Drive in from 1970 to 1972. I worked also on loan to the Skyview in Oxnard and the Santa Paula Drive In. In 1972 i worked for a few months at the Star Lite in Fresno.
All of these locations were owned by Pacific Theaters their office was in Hollywood. Richard Benjamin (not the actor) was the 101’s manager for many years- there was a swap meet these every Saturday & Sunday in the 70’s. It was in 1974/ 75 that the snack bar was rebuilt along with other changes that were made.
A number of photos I have seen online that are supposedly the 101 from the 60’s early 70’s are not.