Starlite Drive-in Theatre (Demolished)
Rosemead, CA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

Just off the 10 Freeway, the star-topped marquee at the Starlite Drive-In Theatre gave motorists a roadside attraction worth noticing. Long after the screen disappeared, the sign continued marking the grounds, keeping a little of the old moviegoing atmosphere above the pavement.

Opened in 1950 and designed by theatre architect J. Arthur Drielsma, the Starlite originally accommodated about 860 cars. Pacific Theatres took over the following year, making the outdoor venue part of its growing Southern California circuit.

The screen came down in 1997, while the property carried on as a weekend swap meet. Customers could still pull in for an outing, although the coming attractions involved merchandise rather than movies.

Starlite Drive-in Theatre
Rosemead, CA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

The market closed in 2020, and the grounds were later purchased for housing. Fortunately, the marquee received a better ending than the screen. Its star and distinctive pylon design were rebuilt for the new development, retaining original steel supports and a familiar reminder of the theatre.

UPDATE: The former Starlite property in South El Monte was redeveloped for the Astaire at Starlite residential community. The screen is gone, but the historic marquee was restored and reconstructed as an entrance landmark. 10-26

Santa Fe Springs Drive-in
(Formerly La Mirada Drive-in) (Closed)
Santa Fe Springs, CA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

Near Interstate 5, the Santa Fe Springs Drive-In found a way to keep attracting crowds long after its regular movie schedule ended. The screen tower and roadside marquee recall the original entertainment, while covered vendor rows give visitors plenty to browse beneath them.

Opened as the La Mirada Drive-In on November 5, 1953, the theatre welcomed its first customers with Wings of the Hawkand The Golden Blade. With room for more than a thousand cars, it offered a sizable outdoor gathering place in surroundings that were considerably less developed than today.

Santa Fe Springs Drive-in
(Formerly La Mirada Drive-in) (Closed)
Santa Fe Springs, CA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

A swap meet began on the grounds in 1965, adding daytime shopping to the evening pictures. Regular movies ended in 1990, and the market became the property’s main attraction.

Live music, food vendors, and a permanent stage added another kind of show. These days, a visit can involve bargain hunting and a band, giving the old entertainment grounds a lively second career.

UPDATE: The property at 13963 Alondra Boulevard operates as the Santa Fe Springs Swap Meet. Its drive-in screen tower and roadside marquee survive, while regular movie exhibition has ended. 10-26

South Bay Six Drive-in Theatre (Demolished)
Carson, CA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

Six screens gave motorists plenty to choose from at the South Bay Six Drive-In Theatre in Carson. This was an outdoor multiplex, bringing the expanding movie-house format to a setting where customers supplied their own seats, dashboard, and occasionally a fogged-up windshield.

Opened by Syufy Theatres on January 30, 1981, the complex arrived much later than the South Bay’s first generation of drive-ins. Its multiple viewing fields offered a modern approach to outdoor moviegoing, with several programs sharing the same sprawling property.

The grounds had an unusual foundation: the theatre was built over a former landfill. Above it, customers carried on with the familiar drive-in routine of finding a space, visiting the snack bar, and waiting for the evening’s pictures to begin.

The South Bay Six opened to much fanfare in the 1970's. A self-proclaimed "state of art" drive-in with multi-screens, this open air rage is now permanently closed for remodeling. Perhaps the old snack bar will soon become a "Spires" restaurant?

South Bay Six Drive-in Theatre (Demolished)
Carson, CA
Photo by RoadsidePeek.com

Despite its newer layout, the South Bay Six faced the same pressures that were closing older outdoor theatres. Its final screenings took place on December 11, 1997. The screens, entrance structures, and snack bar were subsequently demolished.

The original roadside caption wondered whether a remodel might bring another use for the old concession building. Unfortunately, the theatre’s next chapter involved a complete teardown. Six screens had offered plenty of coming attractions, but none could change that ending.

UPDATE: South Bay Six closed in December 1997 and was subsequently demolished. Its screens and roadside signage are gone, and the former landfill property has required environmental review for redevelopment. 10-26