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!
![](https://drive-insdownunder.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/winnetka6pic1.jpg)
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.
![](https://drive-insdownunder.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/winnetka6pic2.jpg)
One of the fields with not a speaker in site, by this time Winnetka was all Cine-fi.
![](https://drive-insdownunder.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/winnetka6pic3.jpg)
Elevated projection room with snack bar along side. Staff used golf carts to move around the site it was so large.
![](https://drive-insdownunder.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/winnetka6pic4.jpg)
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.
![](https://drive-insdownunder.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/winnetka6pic5.jpg)
Two of the other fields, separated by the the trademark Pacific picket fence!
All images by David Kilderyy, 1997.