El Rancho Drive-In
1505 Almaden Road,
San Jose,
CA
95125
1505 Almaden Road,
San Jose,
CA
95125
6 people
favorited this theater
The El Rancho Drive-In was located at the corner of W. Alma Avenue and what is now Almaden Expressway in San Jose. It was opened on May 26, 1950 with Dan Dailey in “A Ticket to Tomahawk” & Stanley Clements in “Military Academy”. The outstanding element of decor here was the back side of the screen, which faced the intersection of W. 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 Heywood-Wakefield chairs that were covered with Lumite upholstery fabric.
The El Rancho Drive-In was closed in 1985 replaced by condos in the 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 The Spartan Drive-In disappeared around the same time as the El Rancho Drive-In and has been replaced by an office complex.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 27 comments)
Thanks Rivest266! Love the aerial pdf!
There is also a photo of the El Rancho on the cover of BOXOFFICE 7/15/50,and the issue spotlights all the new drive in’s being built in 1950
Is there a link to BOXOFFICE 7/15/50; haven’t located it [yet]; thanks!
BOXOFFICE now has most of their back issues on line. Just go to their website, and look for archives.
Remember it well..Boxed Pop Corn and sold tickets for the owner at that time. Paul R Catalana Also booked the Beatles and other artists of the time.. Last movie I seen there was “Play Misty for Me”
I then went on to the Tropicaire Twin View Drive In in the early 1960’s
Ray
Lillokeno: where was the Tropicaire: on Alum Rock Ave?
I was born in the downtown SJ Hospital in 1963. I recall my parents taking me & my sister several times to the Tropicaire Drive-In back in the day. I recall I got to wear my pajamas (those that enclosed the legs are feet). The Tropicaire was located at the intersection of Alum Rock Ave & (what is now) Checkers Drive.
latitutde/longitude:
37.35537, -121.84999
We also visited the El Rancho Drive-In. I recall being overwhelmed by the immense depiction of the Cowboy on the bucking Bronco.
Best kids area of the big 4 (the others being The San Jose, The Spartan, and The Tropicaire). The El Rancho had real rides and the Southern Pacific Railroad mainline ran right alongside the property. Pre1959 SP ran steam locomotives and I would watch their white plumes blow skywards as they raced passed. That was better than the movie. As a teen – a cardboard snackbar pizza and a trunkload of friends or steaming up the windows with Cindy.. all like is was yesterday.
Closed in 1985.
Opened May 26th, 1950. Grand opening ad posted.