June 6, 2012
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Drive-Ins
Today's Google Doodle is an animated tribute to the first drive-in movie theater,
which was opened in New Jersey on June 6, 1933,
this Google Doodle is fun to click on.
More about this Google Doodle HERE
Eight Things You May Not Know About the Drive-In Theater:
1. ACCORDING TO lore, Hollingshead wanted to create a space where parents could casually bring their brood, freed from needing a babysitter or more formal attire. His pitch slogan was: “The whole family is welcome, regardless of how noisy the children are.” (His maximum admission, no matter how many heads were in the car, was a dollar.)2. THE FIRST FILM ever screened at Hollingshead's drive-in was “Wives Beware” (alternate title: “Two White Arms”), a 1932 one-hour comedy starring dapper Adolphe Menjou as a married womanizer suffering from convenient amnesia. The film co-starred the acclaimed Jane Baxter, a Winston Churchill favorite who graced stage and screen for a half-century.
3. HOLLINGSHEAD'S THEATER reportedly lasted only several years, but his idea caught on, peaking at mid-century with nearly 5,000 drive-ins, according to Drive-Ins.com.
4. PERHAPS THE largest park-in was the All-Weather Drive-In in Copiague, N.Y. It held a full restaurant, play equipment and more than 2,000 parking spots on 28 acres.
5. HOLLINGSHEAD USED RCA Victor speakers, and sound quality at drive-ins was notoriously awful for years — until soundtracks could be tuned through your car radio.
6. THE DECLINE in drive-ins was partly due to rising real-estate prices. Revenue remained hindered, of course, since films (most of which were B-movies or delayed-run features) couldn't be screened until twilight.
7. THERE ARE fewer than 400 surviving drive-ins in operation, according to Drive-Ins.com. Many of those are now multi-use facilities.
8. DRIVE-INS HAVE MADE for great cinematic settings, naturally, being featured in such films as “Grease” and “Twister.” And — especially fitting in light of today’s Doodle — in the trilogy that goes “Back to the Future.”
Info SourceI remember going to see some western when I was 4, I think it was
The Sons of Katie Elder
but I went out to play on the swings
because the movie was not for little girls in jammies!
I remember seeing The Jungle Book when I was about 5.
Later on we went to see "Dusk til Dawn Shows" at the Drive-Ins
where they played all the movies in one series back to back.
Once a month in the summer they did that .
We saw Mad Max, Back to the Future, Star Trek,
Rambo, Rocky, James Bond and Lethal Weapon.
The last showing at the that theater was all the Star Wars movies,
then they closed forever and built a strip mall,
I miss those all nighters.
The funniest Drive-In memory was when Mildred went to the bathroom,
when she came back she walked right up to the car in front of us
and opened the door.
My dad said "Look, isn't that Mom?"
and we were all wondering what in the world she was doing
We all watched her get into the wrong car...
she soon got out and came stomping back to our car and got in, she said
"I know you all saw that and just let me get into some strangers car!"
We were laughing like hyenas, that was just too funny.Last year when @Saintvi and I were on our
Xanga Chicks on Route 66 road trip
We met up with @TexasTidbits (HERE is that post) in Amarillo, Texas
Wes took us to see "Cowboys and Aliens" at a Drive-in.
We had root beer floats, that was so much fun!
Have you been to a Drive-In Movie?
For all you old-timers,
what's the first Drive-In you remember going to?
Comments (79)
The first I remember going to was the Trail Drive-In here in Ashland. But the most fun, when I was older, was the Corral in Flatwoods, Ky. Dollar carload nights were a blast in my teens!
The first drive in movie I remember going to was "The Great Race" with Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis. Pyjama clad and excited beyond belief!
There are still two drive ins near me, very rare these days.
But the best time for drive ins is as a teenager. I made good use of them once I got my licence.
This really brings back memories! As kids, we would sit on the hood of the car to watch the show. As teens, we would pile each other into the trunk to save on the admission price. I got my first kiss at the drive-in. For some strange reason, I cannot recall the show.....
@Kellsbella - We sat on the hood and roofs of the cars too!
We had a drive in down the street so we used to have neighborhood trips once a month in the summer. It was great, we had a bazillion blankets and we would all spread out on the tops of our parents cars. When we were "older", the girls would go hang out at the snack shop and look for boys.
It's kind of interesting, my boyfriend used to go there quite a bit too so we were both sad when they tore it down about three years ago. I think every kid should go to drive in's! It's just an experience.
My dad would take all five of us kids to the drive-in when we lived in Denver. Sometimes he'd have my older sister hide under the jump seats that folded out in the back of the station wagon. There would be a kiddie feature followed by a grown-up movie. The first one I remember is Bambi. Poor Dad! Trapped in the car with five bawling kids when Bambi's mom got shot! That was followed by The Great Escape. I remember the very beginning of The Great Escape and then crawling to the pallet made up in the back of the station wagon and going to sleep. I think I was in my forties before I managed to watch The Great Escape all the way through without falling asleep.
When my husband was stationed at Pearl Harbor, we went to the Kamehameha Drive-In all the time. They showed first run movies and it was way cheaper than hiring a babysitter and paying for a regular theater. We put Krysten in her jammies, buckled her into her car seat, gave her a bottle and she'd fall asleep while we watched The Hunt for Red October, Batman, Back to the Future, and all those other mid-80s action/adventure movies.
I remember drive-ins when I was young. There was one really close to us. They still had the speakers you hooked on the window of your car.
I'm not old, but I've been to the drive-ins a fair few times. we'd all load up in my friends eclipse (with a hammock) and get front row parking and spread out all over the ground and hammock. Don't forget to sneak in food. I'll never forget the times we snuck in full pizza meal deals, 2 liters and all.
those dusk till dawn series sound amazing!!!
I went to a drive in for the first time ever when I was down in southern illinois about two years ago. it was so neat!
There are TWO operating drive in's within 100 miles of my home.
http://www.shankweilers.com/schedule.php
My current fave...and YES, that's a double feature!
@galadrial - Oh ,I would love to see The Avengers there!
Our Rockville Indiana Drive In was on US 41, North of the intersection with US 36 where now is located our IGA Foodliner and its parking lot. I remember Tex Terry, a retired Hollywood, black and white movies "bad guy" from nearby Mecca Indiana, doing bullwhip and lariat tricks and fast draw demonstrations on the stage atop the concession stand/projection building. I remember how good the hotdogs and popcorn tasted there, DESPITE how totally awful they looked on the commercials projected during intermission. And I remember going there every 4th of July for the Fireworks show. I clearly remember seeing the earlier James Bond films there in the early 1960's; but I'm sure I saw many other films there too when I was younger and when mom and dad still liked seeing them.
I also remember car dates at the drive ins at Hanner's Crossing (US 36 and Hiway 231 between Greencastle and Crawfordsville, which became an auto wrecking yard and then cleaned up as a sales lot for yard buildings) and on Hiway 63 between Clinton and Hillsdale, which is now a field of horse weeds and small trees.
In those days we Parke County "kids" listened to Dick Biandi on AM radio station WLS, way up North in Chicago, and watched Dick Clark's American Bandstand in Philadelphia to keep up with the latest popular songs.
We went to drive-ins ( in the station wagon) but I can't remember a single movie we saw ... I remember they had the best swings ever,swing high and jump. But when Mary Sue got her drivers license, she and I went to the Martin Drive-In in Marietta Georgia and saw Midnight Cowboy - it was rated X
now I'll be singing that song all day " ♫♪ I'm going where the sun keeps shinin thru pouring rain♫♪ going where the weather suits my clothes ♫♪ bankin off of the north east wind♫♪ sailing on a summer breeze♫♪ skippin over the ocean like a stone... ♫♪ it was a sad movie though 
We have a drive-in near by in Alabama - the 411 drive in, two screens showing a double feature every night except school nights - I love this drive-in blog!
My hometown is 2 hrs away from Amarillo! Unfortunately I haven't ever been to a drive in theater.
When I lived in South Carolina, one of the old drive-ins opened back up and I was able to go once about three years ago. Now I live north of Dallas (about fifteen or twenty miles from the Oklahoma state line) and the closest drive-in that I know of is in Ennis (approx. 2 hours away). My boyfriend and I have had every intention of going with another couple but haven't had a convenient day for everybody yet. Plus, even though drive-ins are great fun, it's almost hard to justify a two hour drive when there's a nice theater 25 minutes away and the air conditioner keeps the humidity at bay (I'm a wuss when it comes to heat).
In high school we went to a drive in every weekend. Best I can remember there were at least 6 3 of them twin screens,
I have, and I don't remember the first one.
The first drive-in movie I remember going to was to see the second Star Wars movie, The Empire Strikes Back. Now, I don't believe that was the first time I was at the drive-in, just the first one I remember. Heck back then we all only saw movies at the drive-in.
I am blessed to have three drive-ins close to me. In fact the closet place to see movies to me is a drive-in. I love them! Just saw two movies with my youngest son for a total of $8! We saw Men in Black 3 and Battleship.
@seedsower - I saw Avengers at the drive-in.
Paid $7 and also saw Dark Shadows after it.
scratches my braincase, I know I've been to a goodly many features - I remember the vehicle and being at 2 both long gone hard to think the convenience store there is of more social value. did you ever get the good candy on your outtings? cherry sours more so than my actual favorite milk duds then were for movings and rink time...surely you remember the rollerskating rink
I remember going to a Disney movie when I was 11, a movie with chimps called Monkey's Uncle or something like that. The short was about a bear who ran around on a unicycle... Bongo? True Grit (the original) was showing on another screen.
The last one I remember seeing at a drive-in was Rocky, in Lenexa, Kansas. The drive-in in south Dallas closed either 15 or 20 years ago. It's now part of the auto auction, or maybe the vacant lot next to it.
OMG! that was just the funniest drive in story!
When I was very young - three or four, my parents both worked at the drive in - my dad was the projectionist and my mom worked at the concession stand. My cousin would babysit my brother and I in the car. We got to play on the playground until it got dark, visit my mom and have a treat and then watch the cartoon (my dad would tell me that he picked out the cartoon especially for me! ) before we curled up, my brother on the back seat and me on the little "shelf" above the backseat, and went to sleep. I was always determined to stay awake, but never did. I still love the drive in and hope to take Miss T this summer.
Such a great idea. Now we're stuck taking our brood to PIXAR movies where they insert jokes for parents that the kids can't understand. Luckily there are several theaters in my area that serve wine.
While in high school groups of us would hit the drive-in movie and they charged by the number in your car. We tried to cheat and would hide in the trunk until the car was safely parked in a viewing spot. Of course we had only two people in the front seat. Shortly after that the theater management got smart and gave a card load discount.
I've been to many drive-in movies over the years, although it has been a while. We took the kids to see Ghost Busters in the 90's. There is still a theater about 30 minutes from here. The story of Mildred getting into the wrong cracked me up!
If they're showing Grease, I'd drive there in a sec.
We went to the Drive-in all the time! My parents would fold down the back seat in the station wagon and we would pile in with pillows in our pjs. My dad would make an enormous grocery bag of popcorn... I think the first movie I saw was Thomasina (The Three Lives of Thomasina) - I cried when she died...
We used to go to the Grays Harbor Family Drive In when my kids were little and they had the best popcorn and hot dogs. The showed two movies and a cartoon. We always popped a huge brown paper bag of popcorn and puddings and sodas for the kids. Every Saturday night was family night and it cost $1.50 a carload to get in.
I haven't been to a drive in yet, but one JUST opened up near me last month and I intend to take full advantage of it!!
yes i bend to the drive in and istill like going to them two move for the price of one ther are onyle a fer of them left
@saintvi - THAT'S why I can never stay awake through Hunt for Red October!
I think it was in Pennsylvania - maybe a Pink Panther Movie in the 60's.
It seems that the drive-ins are very interesting, but there is few drive-ins in my country China, that is a pity.
A weird love story, PDF splitter, PDF split
some of my favorite childhood memories are about the drive-in. A couple times a summer my parents would load us in the car in our pajamas and we would go to the A&W drive in for dinner. Then to the drive in theater for a movie and popcorn. It was something we looked forward to every summer. : )
I've been to 2 drive-ins. One in Seoul, South Korea and the other in North Carolina.
fwang@scienceus.org
Went to the drive in all the time until 1965 until I graduated from high school. Ate pop corn, drank soda and watched the movie with my girlfriend. Nothing else ever went on, being a Mennonite, going to the movies was exciting enough. We went to the theater to see The Sound of Music, the sound in drive in's was really crappy, wouldn't have done Julie Andrews jusice.
Hey lady... long time no see!
Growing up in Texas, there were Drive-in movies everywhere! I remember going several times with my family but the movie that stuck out in my mind the most was "The Dobermans"... a movie about Doberman Pinchers that attacked bad people... I think they were used by the FBI or something; I can't remember! lol! This was back in the early 70's; then by the late 80's, the drive-in near our home was torn down... it was so sad!
I have heard recently, that drive-ins are coming back... I hope so... I would love to take my kids to the drive-in!
Take care!!
There is no way I can remember what movie I did see, but I know there were major distractions in the car.
Of course we went to the drive in movies when we were young and dating...sometimes we even watched the movie! Years later we would take all of the kids to the drive in and they would all fall asleep in the back of the station wagon!
We still go to the drive-in! We've got one here in town and they do a family night once a year. We love the drive-in! We buy candy and make our own popcorn. We even take in a cooler of sodas and water. Our kids have been going to the drive-in since they were in diapers!
We still have an operating drivein, in a little town 20 minutes from our home. We used to try and go several times a year. Now they tend to try and appeal to the family crowd (versus the teenagers, that were hanging out there) so its more child type movies. We will still go at least once each summer.
Nifty!!!
I loaf Drive ins!
I cant remember where the first one was, but it was probably in Wisconsin. The last one was in Wisconsin too. Though there are a few in Illinois too
Good times, great fun! So much fun to sit all cozy inthe outdoors( if windy enough that Mosquitos were not a problem)
I recall my daughter sprawling out in our ford escort hatchback
with her feet in the trunk.
@Aloysius_son - The Mildred story reminds me of a time my erstwhile wife and I went camping with some friends. I was blind as a bat without my glasses (before my eye surgery). In the middle of the night I went out to take a leak with no clothes on, and then had trouble finding my way back to our tent. Fortunately I guessed right.
Oh! I remember they were around until my late teens, if longer than that i do not remember. As i got older i do recall telling my hubby i wish we could find one, and still do. Good memories...for sure.
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