El Rancho Drive-In
1505 Almaden Road,
San Jose,
CA
95125
1505 Almaden Road,
San Jose,
CA
95125
3 people
favorited this theater
The El Rancho Drive-In was located at the corner of Alma Avenue and what is now Almaden Expressway in San Jose. It was opened in 1950. The outstanding element of decor here was the back side of the screen, which faced the intersection of Alma Avenue and Vine Street. It had a huge depiction of a cowboy on a horse with a lasso on an earth-toned background, all outlined in glowing white neon to give a backlit effect. There was a covered ramp seating area which had 163 Heywaood-Wakefield chairs that were covered with Lumite upholstery fabric.
The El Rancho Drive-In was replaced by condos in the early-1980’s. This theatre thrived for years just a few blocks away from the Spartan Drive-In which was located at South 1st Street and Alma Avenue. The Spartan Drive-In disappeared around the same time as the El Rancho Drive-In and has been replaced by an office complex.
Contributed by
Ralph P
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Recent comments (view all 20 comments)
I remember the flag pole sitter his name was Ozzie. He did other promotional stunts around San Jose. The one I remember most was for the opening of a housing development possibly Tropicana Village, he was in a plexiglass coffin that was lowered below ground. He breathed through a tube and people were allowed to view him through the clear coffin top. It all went well until someone dropped a lit firecracker down the breathing tube. He immediately had to be dug up although I don’t remember him being hurt. This was the early 1960’s. Years later about 2000 I was recanting this story to a friend named Henry who in his younger years was a self described juvenile delinquent. He admitted to me he was the teenager who dropped the firecracker down the tube. Henry is no longer with us so I pass this story on to you.
I remember Ozzie myself, lived in Willow Glen for many years. I remember the play ground. Ozzie I guess was trying to set a record for days and months of sitting on top of the movie screen. I remember the cowboy and horse that was on the back of the screen. We had a Buick road master and I use to sleep in the back window…Wonder what ever happened to Ozzie??? But those were good memories…Does anyone know when the place was built, and demolished…Ty…
Opened 1950; Demolished 1980s
I now live in the condo complex and there is a bench where I can enjoy one of the old palm trees. A neighbor told me that this was the same area where the drive-ins snack bar was located. Does anyone have a photo of this spot or a link that I can go to so that I can share it with my grandchildren?
Go to the Historic Aerials site here and you can use the date bar on the right side to show a pretty precise area where the snack bar was, and what’s there now.
http://www.historicaerials.com/?poi=12516
Thank you Silicon Sam for the Historic Aerials link; can’t wait to get my hands on some actual photos; perhaps one will surface someday since my Grandma lived next door in the 50’s – 60’s
Found an old photo of the cowboy mural on the screen before it was demolished! Happy days…
Boxoffice 1950 08 05 page 154 has an good aerial of this drive-in theatre.
Thanks f18shack I live in Dunsmuir Ca and have found two people that lived in San Jose during it’s existance and they remember the cowboy mural as kids and were excited to see it again….have a good one
Thanks Rivest266! Love the aerial pdf!