Los Altos Drive-In
2800 N. Bellflower Boulevard,
Long Beach,
CA
90815
2800 N. Bellflower Boulevard,
Long Beach,
CA
90815
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Contributed by
Ken
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Recent comments (view all 18 comments)
This drive-in was near the 405 freeway. Back in the 60’s we used to get off the Bellflower exit to get to the drive-in to see those beach party films. The last time I went there was to see a double bill, Bronco Billy and Under the Rainbow back in 1981.
If your wondering what is located on the site (or part of the site) of this former drive-in, here is the answer:
“Lowe’s Opens in Long Beach, Calif.
COPYRIGHT 2000 Press-Telegram
Oct. 17—LONG BEACH, Calif.—A Lowe’s Home Improvement warehouse has opened at the site of the former Los Altos Drive-In, joining several big-name retailers at the new Los Altos Gateway".
Listed as a Pacific Drive-In triplex in the L.A. Times Calendar section, Sunday August 24, 1986.
I was going by the opening date listed above when I said it tri-plexed soon after opening. After posting I remembered seeing “Godzilla’s Revenge” (1969) in pouring rain and “Twins of Evil” (1971) here so it was obviously open before 1972.
Scroll down for before and after photos:
http://www.cajaeir.com/portfolio/photos.html
I went to this drive-in frequently during the sixties, but only once after it was tri-plexed in the 70’s, where a friend and I took a Japanese visitor who wished to see an American drive-in to see “That’s Entertainment.”
Big problems started for the Los Altos when Cal Worthington Ford had bright lights to show off their cars, and it dimmed the picture quality.
I used to frequent the Drive-in (almost everynight, we used to sneak in the exit, covering the spikes using phone books or carpet from Carpeteria across the street. Now I work for Cal Worthington Ford
(when the drive-in was demolished in 1998 they built us a brand-new dealership, opened in 1999) right now on the property is; CAL WORTHINGTON FORD, CHAMPION CHEVROLET (formerly Beach City Chevrolet), LOWES, K-MART, KFC & DENNYS
among others
Here is a 1959 ad from the Press-Telegram:
http://tinyurl.com/2hhzgg
Was mentioned in the documentary “Drive-In Movie Memories” in 2001.
Went here once to see “Sleepless in Seattle” and “Jurassic Park” in the summer of 1993…and didn’t make it through the double feature due to a brisk and passionate makeout session. Aaaah…
:o)