La Grande Drive-In

404 20th Street,
La Grande, OR 97850

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Related Websites

Granada Theatre, La Grande (Official)

Additional Info

Operated by: La Grande Theaters

Previously operated by: Western Amusement Company Inc.

Functions: Movies (First Run)

Nearby Theaters

La Grande Drive-In

One of four drive-in theaters in Oregon that are active, the La Grande Drive-In was opened May 10, 1951 with Lex Barker in “Tarzan’s Challenge”. It was operated by Jones Entertainment and Western Amusements.

All the currently operating drive-ins are operated by those who run the Granada 3 Theater, and are open during the summer (or sometimes late-spring).

Contributed by John Book

Recent comments (view all 5 comments)

Chris1982
Chris1982 on October 2, 2014 at 2:44 am

The La Grande Drive-In has mad the conversion to digital projection. Their website has the drive-in at the bottom of the webpage. It is closed for the season.

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore on May 7, 2017 at 10:35 pm

The 1952 Theatre Catalog already listed the LaGrande, capacity 350, exec: W.J. Shell. (The 1949-50 edition doesn’t list it.)

The drive-in’s web site said it was purchased by its current owners in 1953, suggesting it was built earlier.

Drive-In 54
Drive-In 54 on May 8, 2017 at 7:55 am

The Grand Opening was May 10,1951

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore on December 13, 2019 at 7:50 pm

Boxoffice, March 31, 1951: “The Western Amusement Co., Los Angeles, plans to open a new 320-car drive-in in La Grande, Ore., early in May. … The company operates theatres in Coos Bay, La Grande, Baker, Hood River and some time ago bought out the Gamble interests here. A local contest will be conducted to name the new auto theatre.”

MichaelKilgore
MichaelKilgore on April 18, 2023 at 9:44 pm

Boxoffice, May 19, 1951: “LA GRANDE, ORE. - The community’s first airer, the La Grande Drive-In, opened May 1 under the partnership of W. J. Shell and A. V. Parker. The 400-car outdoorer cost an estimated $50,000.”

Boxoffice, Jan. 9, 1954: “LA GRANDE, ORE. – Parker and W. J. Shell, owners of the drive-in theatre, have sold it to Francis Greulich of La Grande and Ted Jones of Santa Monica, Calif. Greulich and Jones own the two La Grande theatres, the Liberty and the Granada.”

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