El Rancho 4 Drive-In
555 El Rancho Drive,
Sparks,
NV
89431
555 El Rancho Drive,
Sparks,
NV
89431
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Opened as a 4 drive-in with on screen 1 with “Last summer” and “American graffiti”, screen 2 with “The thief who came to dinner” and “Jeremiah Johnson” and screen 3 with “The day of the Jackal” and “The Sugarland express” and screen 4 with “Rio Lobo” and “The golden voyage of Sinbad”.
Opened as a 3 screen drive-in on screen 1 with “The legend of hellhouse” and “Boston strangler” and screen 2 with “The student teachers” and “Class of 44” and on screen 3 with “The last American hero” and “Rio Lono”.
Also opened with two colour cartoons(not named).
Sparks wouldn’t approve the walk-in theatre on the property, so they worked hard to bring the Century 14 to Victorian Square. Were it not for that, I’m sure the El Rancho property would have been divided similarly to the Capitol Drive-In/16 had been in San Jose, CA
There was a long retrospective article in the Reno Gazette Journal this month. Some highlights:
“Tony Pecetti, a bigger-than-life accordionist and entertainment entrepreneur in town, opened the El Rancho Drive-In on Aug. 19, 1950.” He died in 1969. “In 1973, the Syufy Enterprises, now run by brothers Ray and Joe Syufy of San Rafael, Calif., purchased the drive-in.”
In 1993, it was “scheduled to be torn down and turned into a flea market and indoor theater complex.” No mention of how the El Rancho dodged that one.
“The screens, varying in size, are steel and wood, never replaced since first installment, though three were add-ons through the years.”
It’s currently run by General Manager Diego Maldonado, who lives on-site with his family.
July 3rd, 1974 grand opening ad as a 4-plex cinema
August 15th, 1973 grand opening ad as a 3-screen drive-in in photo section
August 19th, 1950 grand opening ad in photo section.
According to their website this drive-in is all digital projection.
After all these years, this is still a fun place to visit! I worried during the mid 80’s the place would close. Still a fun destination on hot summer nights.
The best “Drive-In fare” would play here in the ‘60’s and '70’s. Everything from the “Planet of the Apes” films, horror films, “Swinging Cheerleaders”-type T&A films to the latest blockbusters would play here side by side.
The first film I ever saw, “Jaws”, I saw here in 1975. I visit every summer when I’m in town.
Great place and the projection is good. Nothing but great memories of the El Rancho!