El Rancho Drive-In (site) (San Jose, California)

USA / California / San Jose / San Jose, California / duplicate, 1505
 drive-in/ drive-through, historical layer / disappeared object
1505 Almaden Road
San Jose, CA 95125

A classic 1950's drive-in theater, constructed by Paul Catalana, used to occupy this corner lot. A developer demolished it in the late 1980's and constructed condominums on the site. The back of the screen had a huge cowboy on a bucking bronco. It faced the intersection of Alma and Almaden. Whenever trains went by on the nearby tracks the light would sometimes sweep the screen. The theater showed Spanish language films in its final days of operation.

cinematreasures.org/theater/8258/
www.sanjoserocks.org/i_paul_catalana.htm
Nearby cities:
Coordinates:   37°18'40"N   121°52'49"W

Comments

  • The cowboy mural was by local artist Don Clever. (1919-2001)
This article was last modified 12 years ago