"Grease"

The drive-in scene in Randall Kleiser's "Grease" (Paramount, 1978) was shot at the Pickwick Drive-In in Burbank.

John Travolta trying to get friendly with Olivia Newton-John as they watch a trailer for a Dean Martin / Jerry Lewis film. After he takes it too far she leaves as he says "You can't walk out of a drive-in!"

John on the swings singing "Sandy" with a Filmack hot dog trailer on the screen. "Stranded at the drive-in, branded a fool..." Also starring in the film are Stockard Channing, Eve Arden and Sid Caesar. 

Visit the page about the Pickwick Drive-In on the Los Angeles Theatres site for a history of the theatre.

On IMDb: "Grease"

"He's a Cockeyed Wonder"

The first appearance of Burbank's Pickwick Drive-In in the movies is Peter Godfrey's "He's a Cockeyed Wonder" (Columbia, 1950) starring Mickey Rooney and Terry Moore. Jack Tillmany comments:

"On the marquee is the Columbia feature 'Fuller Brush Girl' with Lucille Ball and Eddie Albert, and 'A Girl’s Best Friend,' a non-existent film, which is apparently the second feature, and the one in progress. A uniformed female usher greets the driver, takes his money, and gets his ticket from the nearby cashier, in a glass-enclosed booth; then a uniformed male usher, with flashlight, directs the car to an available parking spot, and places the speaker on the car window. We get to see a bit of 'A Girl’s Best Friend' with Richard Quine and Lola Albright as the uncredited couple, in the usual situation, in the front seat of a convertible, before trouble in the theatre breaks out."

Visit the page about the Pickwick Drive-In on the Los Angeles Theatres site for a history of the theatre.

On IMDb: "He's a Cockeyed Wonder"

"Blue Thunder"

We get a drug deal in front of the Fox Westwood Village Theatre spotted from a police helicopter by Daniel Stern and Roy Scheider in John Badham's "Blue Thunder" (Columbia, 1983). On the marquee it's "Mommie Dearest." The film also stars Malcolm McDowell, Warren Oates and Candy Clark in a tale of a new police helicopter being developed for sinister uses.

See the page about the Fox Westwood Village on the Los Angeles Theatres site for more about this historic venue.

Before Daniel Stern gets killed by guys working for the Feds he stashes an incriminating tape in a dumpster at the Pickwick Drive-In in Burbank. Scheider has sent his girl friend, Candy Clark, there to retrieve the tape. In this shot he's checking on her progress from the air.

A closer look at the screen tower. Note the side extensions for a CinemaScope expansion. 

Candy Clark rooting through the dumpster. The police will be arriving soon for a chase as she tries to get the tape to a TV station. Thanks to Ron Strong for noting the presence of the Pickwick in the film on his Bijou Memories page about the theatre.

Visit the page about the Pickwick Drive-In on the Los Angeles Theatres site for a history of the theatre.

On IMDb: "Blue Thunder"

"St. Ives"

 

A fine view across the parking lot at 6th and Hill from J. Lee Thompson's crime drama "St. Ives" (Warner Bros, 1976). The lot used to be the site of the Metropolitan/Paramount Theatre. Across the park it's the Biltmore Hotel and, a bit right of center at 5th and Olive, the Philharmonic Auditorium Building. 

 

The film stars Charles Bronson, Jacqueline Bisset, John Houseman, Harris Yulin, Harry Guardino, Maximilian Schell and Dana Elcar. The cinematography was by Lucien Ballard.  

 

Looking into Lindley Place, the alley north of the Los Angeles Theatre. 

 

 

Bronson at the newsstand with the Philharmonic Auditorium seen in the upper left. It would be demolished in 1985. The newsdealer is also Bronson's bookie.

See the pages on the Los Angeles Theatres site about the Metropolitan/Paramount Theatre, the Philharmonic Auditorium and the Los Angeles Theatre. 

 

 

 

The Pickwick Drive-In in Burbank makes an appearance late in the movie.

 

It's the site of a payoff operation that gets badly bungled. One party is driving in.

 

 

A look at some of that "Action Packed" western drama on the screen. 

 

 

 

Another shot from a bit farther back. 

 

Party number two arrives and we get a view of the projection building, decorated in the Pacific Theatres yellow and blue. Two more vehicles are involved with various individuals observing. Jacqueline turns out to be dangerous and two corrupt cops get killed. 

Visit the page about the Pickwick Drive-In on the Los Angeles Theatres site for a history of the theatre.

On IMDb: "St. Ives"

"Christine"

The Pickwick Drive-In in Burbank is seen in John Carpenter's "Christine" (Columbia, 1983). The film, based on a Stephen King novel about a malevolent car, features Keith Gordon, Alexandra Paul, John Stockwell, Harry Dean Stanton, Robert Prosky and Kelly Preston. The cinematography was by Donald M. Morgan. 

 

Another angle on the car. Keith is trying to make it with Alexandra.

 

At the snackbar. "I can't do it. Not in that car." She says he spends more time with the car than with her. 

 

 The car tries to do her in.

Visit the page about the Pickwick Drive-In on the Los Angeles Theatres site for a history of the theatre.

On IMDb: "Christine"

"The Kiss of the Tarantula"

Burbank's Pickwick Drive-In makes an appearance in Chris Munger's film "The Kiss of the Tarantula" (Cinema-Vu, 1976) starring Ernesto Macias and Suzanna Ling.

Visit the page about the Pickwick Drive-In on the Los Angeles Theatres site for a history of the theatre.

On IMDb: "The Kiss of the Tarantula"