Opened: 1970’s
Location: Winnetka and South Plummer Chatsworth, California
Capacity: 1,500+
Screens: Four later six
Operator: Pacific drive-in theatres
Closed: 1997
Pacifics largest drive-in for most of its life, it was built to cater for the expanding suburbs west of the Simi Valley Fwy/Ventura Fwy corridor. The Winnetka 4 (as it was in the 1970’s) replaced the old Canoga Park drive-in on Canoga near Roscoe. By the 1980’s Winnetka had expanded to 6 screens and was the drive-in powerhouse in the San Fernando Valley. If not for Pacific moving to more indoor multiplexes, the drive-in would still be open. The Pacific Stadium 21 now draws the same audience and more to hotdogs every night……indoors!
The multi-coloured screen back of the Winnetka 6 main screen. Nothing too “Hollywood” about the Winnetka, but it was big and lots of cars came out to the movies here.
One of the fields with not a speaker in site, by this time Winnetka was all Cine-fi.
Elevated projection room with snack bar along side. Staff used golf carts to move around the site it was so large.
You guessed it, six screens so six ticket booths! Boom gates helped ensure “runners” did not get in without paying. When big films played here all six boxes were open.
Two of the other fields, separated by the the trademark Pacific picket fence!
All images by David Kilderyy, 1997.