Gold Coast Drive-In
1021 S. Federal Highway,
Deerfield Beach,
FL
33441
1021 S. Federal Highway,
Deerfield Beach,
FL
33441
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Opened in the 1950’s, serving the then-new suburban communities in Northeast Broward, the Gold Coast reportedly accommodated 400 cars. The roadside marquee facing U.S. 1 featured an amusing cartoon gnome, pointing a star-topped neon wand toward the entrance.
Two indoor "mini theaters" were carved out in the base of the drive-in screen by the early-1970’s (when the Ultra-Vision Twin opened nearby). Closed Thanksgiving weekend 1978 to make way for the Rivertowne Square shopping center which was built in 1979.
Contributed by
Steve Menke (sporridge)
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Recent comments (view all 7 comments)
The little Mini-Cinemas were playing a wide range of film from “MYRA BRECKINRIDGE” to “BUTCH CASSIDY AND THE SUNDANCE KID” both playing the same week. “BULLITT” and “BONNIE and CLYDE” played as a double feature.
On occasion (probably more toward the end of their use — the drive-in screen outlasted them a few more years), the mini screens would play XXX features.
The two little screens opened in December 1969 and the theatre advertised as “Florida’s only triple theatre”
“Florida’s only triple theatre” — but not for too many years, nor possibly months.
Closing attraction Thanksgiving weekend 1978: “Jaws 2” in second run, with 99 cent admission and a very bumpy parking lot.
Street view: This is where the Gold Coast entrance was once located. Box office and screen were about halfway into what is now Rivertowne Square’s parking lot.
A great old drive-in. I remember the mosquito coils they used to sell in the snack bar. Also still remember opening night of Jaws in 1975 when Chief Brody first saw the shark – the scene startled a kid so much he fell off the top of his parents' car and jolted my vehicle – my date & I weren’t prepared for such a multisensory experience at the drive-in. So much for looking cool in front of your date…
I remembered the Gold Coast drive-in, used to see Cheech and Chong movies there. It closed down in the 70s and became a hangout for kids before they tore it down. We built tree forts in the Australian pines, and ransacked the old buildings, nothing but bags of paper cups and popcorn butter mix left behind. It used to be the spot local kids would go to hide from the Deerfield cops when we skipped school. Tore it down to build the Winn-Dixie shopping center, we were so mad that they were destroying our hangout, several of us would go into the construction site every night with sledge hammers and axes to destroy what the construction workers had built each day. We were so effective in demolishing cinderblocks and insulation panels that the Deerfield Police Department had to post an officer there through the night to prevent the deconstruction havoc we wreaked every evening. :) The only thing that survived of the Gold Coast was a line of those tall pine trees that were left untouched, which may still survive even today.