Vanguard Drive-In
3645 US-1,
Cocoa,
FL
32926
3645 US-1,
Cocoa,
FL
32926
2 people
favorited this theater
Located at Highway 1 and Cross Road. The Vanguard Drive-In was opened on December 3, 1959 with Ernest Borgnine in “The Rabbit Trap” & Bob Hope in “Alias Jesse James”. It was closed in 1973 and stood abandoned until it was demolished on April 29, 1987. J and B Transmission took up residence at the theatre entrance for many years.
The theatre itself is now Vanguard Estates Mobile Park.
Contributed by
James Monroe
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Recent comments (view all 5 comments)
The Vanguard Drive-In However Had A Bit Of A Dangerous Life Than The Normal Happy Life For The Merritt Island Drive-In. The Vanguard Drive-In Opened On December 3rd, 1959 With Ernest Borgnine In “The Rabbit Trap” And Bob Hope In “Alias Jesse James” (Both United Artists Films).
Various Robberies Were Reported At The Vanguard Drive-In Throughout The Years, And The Theater Continued To Show A Mix Of First-Run And Variety Films Only For A Few Years Until Parts Of The Mid-1960’s Came Along When They Were Somehow Stuck With Drive-In Films, B-Films, Some X-Films, And Horrors. And Then Until The 1970’s Roll Along, In Which Later On The Vanguard Was Mainly Stuck With R-Rated Films Being Close To X (Even Some X Films Did Show At The Vanguard, But One Time Including Only 5% Of Family-Fare When The Vanguard Did Show The Planet Of The Apes Marathon Runnings In January Of 1972. I Do Think That The Theater Wanted To Be Nice Only For Once Until They Continue Show Random R And A Bit Of X Films Again) Throughout The End Of Its Life Until Closure A Year Later In 1973. It Was Left Abandoned Until April 29th, 1987 And The Vanguard Is Demolished.
Only the entrance and exit roads remain along with what might be the marquee.
article:
Vanguard Drive-In opening 03 Dec 1959, Thu Florida Today (Cocoa, Florida) Newspapers.com
As of March, 2021, the marquee is still standing. Over the past 15 years, it has been used to advertise a few of the businesses occupying the building.
It is now blank which may indicate that J&B Transmission is no longer operating since their sign was present on the marquee a few years ago.
The Vanguard actually closed in 1975.