How Well Do You Remember Drive-In Culture?

The emergence of the automobile changed many things in American culture. This happened during the early parts of the 20th century.

The drive-in culture actually encompasses many establishments such as banks, restaurants, and even chapels. But the drive-in theater is the most recognizable establishment in this group.

The widely recognized beginnings of the first American drive-in are rooted in New Jersey, specifically in Camden. But other historians also point to earlier “partial prototypes” being established in other parts of North America.

Outdoor movie screenings were not a new concept when the drive-in theater was invented. But the drive-in narrowed it down to using a car as part of the outdoor screening experience.

Henry Ford’s revolutionary ford Model T made cars affordable to the general public. This meant that many Americans could now own one, or two, or three!

Due to the logistics of the set-up, the early drive-in theater could only show one movie in a few days or an entire week, depending on its movie rental contract with producers.

Due to the development of the Interstate Highway System, roads greatly improved in America. This coincided with the boom of the automobiles.

It was during the 1930s when the concept for the drive-in theater was patented. It was held by businessman-inventor Richard Hollingshead Jr.

Hollingshead used his own house to test several parts of the drive-in concept.

Kodak held the early monopoly of film technology in the early 20th century. Thus, a Kodak projector was used for this experimental project.

The early set-up had a huge speaker planted near the screen.

Since patrons would be sitting inside their cars to watch the film, Hollingston had to make sure all the cars had a good vantage point of the screen wherever they might be parked.

Several parts of the land where the drive-in was had to have ramps, for unobstructed viewing.

"Wives Beware!" was originally entitled "Two White Arms." This British comedy was released in 1932.

To watch a movie in the comfort of your car was a novelty for early drive-in theater patrons.

Drive-ins were initially designed to have something for the entire family. That was the intended demographic.

Ozoners was the term for drive-in movie patrons. Breathing fresh air while watching a film was unique indeed.

The movie musical, "Grease," was set in the ‘50s, so, of course, the drive-in theater had to be there.

It was reported that the drive-in inventor’s mother was an inspiration to have heavier-set people like her go watch a movie. Back then, theaters had smaller cramped rows and seats, not friendly to larger people.

Hollingston had tall trees planted all around the drive-in so as to block the screen. Smart and eco-friendly!

Residents complained of noise pollution, forcing drive-in owners to renovate this portion of their business.

Since it’s an outdoor screening, all film screenings were scheduled at night.

Babysitters reportedly complained that they no longer had work since parents could bring their children to the drive-in where they could sit or sleep in the backseat while they watched a movie.

Speakers mounted on poles were found beside the parking slots of cars. That way the sound was broken down into smaller units closer to the audience.

Drive-in theaters provided great date venues for teens back then.

The passion pit is what people termed drive-ins when teens started doing other things there during the 1950s.

A food concessionaire is also found inside a drive-in, where snacks could be bought.

Patrons could freely sit on their car hoods and smoke cigarettes while watching a film. Some even drank beers.

Baby Boomers

Carhops usually wore roller skates and went to the cars to take orders and deliver them.

Smaller speakers could be hung inside each car window, and patrons could even control the sound volume.

Food trays were later adopted to have them clamped on car windows. This innovation is said to have started in a Chicago drive-in.

Did you know all neon signs aren't made from neon gas? Only the color red is made from actual neon gas. The rest are various other gases that produce colors ranging from blue to green to purple and beyond.

Someone finally thought of broadcasting the film’s soundtrack over low radio frequencies that could be picked up by the cars’ built-in radios.

Australia also got the drive-in craze early on.