101 Drive-In
4826 E. Telephone Road,
Ventura,
CA
93003
4826 E. Telephone Road,
Ventura,
CA
93003
4 people
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Closed on September 17, 1998.
Now Ventura Gateway shopping center.
Please update.
two screens on December 21st, 1973. ad posted.
Boxofice, Dec. 1, 1951: “After 13 years as a United Artists salesman, Jack Drumm has resigned to take over the operation and management of the Big Sky Drive-In near Monrovia, in which he is a partner with Lou Berman. The latter is heading for Ventura to manage the 101 Drive-In, which he and Drumm have acquired from Reeves Espy.”
Boxofice, Dec. 22, 1951: “Lou Berman has disposed of his interests in the Big Sky Drive-In near Monrovia to Jack Drumm and a group of associates, and has purchased Reeves Espy’s interest in the 101 Drive-In in Ventura. Berman will have J. Arthur Drielsma, theatrical architect, and Job Sanderson as partners in the latter venture.”
Fanofcomedy - I wanna say Small Soldiers..maybe How Stella Got Her Groove Back..I’m not too sure. My mom, both my sons and I were at the 101 and they couldn’t finish the movie because out of nowhere, the film literally melted off the screen! We went to this theater almost every Friday or Saturday evening…..Memories..so bittersweet!
What was the last movie playing at 101?
Yeah I think now there is a Michaels arts and crafts, Barnes & Noble bookstore and a bunch of little food restaurants. But I still wish the driving was there instead.
Screen 3 opened in 1969. 2100 cars. The site is now Gateway Plaza Shopping Center
HELP Does anyone know if the pizzas made at these drive-ins were frozen or freshly made? And if you do know, where do the ingredients come from a private vendor or did they buy this at a grocery store? I am trying to duplicate a drive-in Pizza. I can’t seem to find that flavor anywhere else or at any pizza parlor.
I worked at the 101 Drive in from 1970 to 1972. I worked also on loan to the Skyview in Oxnard and the Santa Paula Drive In. In 1972 i worked for a few months at the Star Lite in Fresno.
All of these locations were owned by Pacific Theaters their office was in Hollywood. Richard Benjamin (not the actor) was the 101’s manager for many years- there was a swap meet these every Saturday & Sunday in the 70’s. It was in 1974/ 75 that the snack bar was rebuilt along with other changes that were made.
A number of photos I have seen online that are supposedly the 101 from the 60’s early 70’s are not.
MagicLantern, you are wrong about its opening date
It opened on March 16th, 1948. Proof is on this page at View link
Thanks Mike.
It parked 800 cars and was owned by 101 Theatre Corp, Reeves Espy was the president of that company.
Here is a 1980 aerial view:
http://tinyurl.com/yl5t7q3
Here is an October 1958 ad from the Oxnard Press-Courier:
http://tinyurl.com/nfe8br
This classic film was playing at the 101 in September 1982, according to the LA Times:
http://tinyurl.com/3xqp56
The 101 Drive-In when it was a single screen drive-in had a car capacity of 800 cars. It was operated once by 101 Theatres Corp. and later by Pacific Theatres.
Here is a link with photos:
http://tinyurl.com/puaj8
In the late 1970s I lived in Newbury Park in Ventura County. We lived across the street from the Thousand Oaks Drive-in. Most weekends my family would see a film at the Thousand Oaks Drive-in but when we wanted to see something that was not playing there we would drive up Highway 101 and see a film at the 101 Drive-in which had multiple screens.
Opened in 1956 as the One-O-One Drive-In Theatre, it operated under this name until 1967 or 1968, at which point it became the Pacific One-O-One Drive-In Theatre, from 1969 through its closing. A huge new clutch of shopping malls inhabits this space now.