Vermont Drive-In
W. 177th Street,
Gardena,
CA
90248
W. 177th Street,
Gardena,
CA
90248
7 people
favorited this theater
Opened in 1944 as a single screen drive-in, the Vermont Drive-In was triplexed in the 1970’s and was operated by Pacific Theatres, finally by Edwards Cinemas. It was demolished in 1999.
Contributed by
William Gabel
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Recent comments (view all 33 comments)
I read this in Boxoffice magazine, Jan. 1960. I never heard of an usher at a drive-in, though. What does he do, show you to your parking spot?
LOS ANGELES-Ed Cassas, former head usher at the Vermont Drive-In, was upped to manager trainee in the southwest area.
There are some interesting aerial views on this site. You can see that in 1972 there was one screen facing Vermont, but in the 1980 photo the screens have been moved as it was then a triplex. Also in the 1972 photo you can see the Ascot race track a few blocks to the south. Enter the theater address to see the photos.
View link
Listed in the 1980 IMPA with a capacity for 900 cars.
Here is a larger version of the photo at the top of the page:
http://jpg2.lapl.org/theater3/00015503.jpg
The Vermont was never an Edwards drive-in to my knowledge,it had always been an Aladdin/Pacific drive-in.
The Vermont was on the cover of Boxoffice magazine in October 1947:
http://tinyurl.com/ydepe8u
@ JustOldBob……dude, you remember the swings?! I remember playing on the swings and see-saw in my pj’s just as dusk was setting in…then we settled to see one of the scariest movies ever. “JAWS”…I saw Jaws @ the Vermont when I was about 8 years old…traumatized for life.
Good times.
The Vermont was my favorite Make-Out spot in the 60s. What I found that ushers usually did at Drive-Ins was butt-in on that activity.
My most vivid memory of the Vermont was being there with a Girl one night in my almost Brand-New 1965 Corvair Corsa. Two drunks pulled into the next spot and proceeded to bump me with their door as they got the speaker. When I asked the driver to be careful, he said “Sure, Pal” and whacked it again. A little later, when both went to the snackbar, I got a Ballpean hammer out of my trunk and whacked their front fender a few times. Then, I quickly left.
LOL on the makeout story! I had a hot and heavy incident at the Vermont once myself…only saw the closing credits of both movies of our double feature. GOOD TIMES!
Nobody busted me…or dinged the door of my car, either. :)
Above address does not map properly. Use S Vermont Ave & W 177th St (Although W 177th St. @ this intersection did not exist when the drive-in was up & running.
This intersection was where screen 3 was located.
W. 177th & Budlong was where screen 2 was located.
Screen 1 was diagonal and across from screen 3.
The entrance & original screen were located between what is now Amethyst & Ruby.