I have memories of my Mom popping a big bag of popcorn, dumping lots of butter and salt on it, and packing the cooler full of our favorite soda pop. At one time they were charging by the car load, and then by each person per car. People would get clever and stuff a few live bodies in the trunk to save a buck or two. They would park in the back where it was dark and unload their buddies.
Once inside you drove around to find the perfect place to park, preferably somewhere in the center. After you find your spot, then it’s back and forth to make sure you are close to the speaker and at the right angle to see the screen. The speaker attached to your door’s window and if you were lucky, you got a speaker that worked. Most of the time the sound was bad and you could barely hear the movie. While the kiddies played in the playground near the screen, the parents would set up the seats and blankets. When the movie started, the kids would return and try to sit still and watch the movie. Most of the time we just wore our pajamas and fell asleep before the second movie ended. It was the perfect place for a family with kids to enjoy a movie. It was also perfect for those who steamed up their car’s windows and didn’t appear to care what was playing.
When my kids were little, they came up with multi screens drive-ins. We have one in Glendale with 6 screens that we often took the kids with us to see a movie or two. We usually went with other families, sat in the back of the chosen theater where you had a great view of the other movies playing in the next theaters . We still brought the popcorn and candy, but along with the soda pop we had beer and water. Once in awhile a friend would bring something a wee bit stronger than beer to put in the soda. We had lots of fun partying with our friends at the theater while the kiddies played games and watched the movies.
We did have a funny experience while trying to watch “Greystoke, the Legend of Tarzan”, a horrible movie in my opinion. We were sitting at the back of one of the Glendale Six theaters with a few good friends, drinking and talking and not really paying any attention to the movie. All of a sudden from the theater right behind us, we hear this loud moaning. We turned around and saw an old VW beetle just rocking back and forth. We decided to turn our chairs around to watch the action behind us, which was more entertaining than the movie. The moaning got louder and bug was a rockin’, so we cheered them on. A friend said, “I wonder how they were able to do it in such a small car?” Right after he said that, the male’s foot went through the windshield after a very loud moan (can you say orgasm). We heard him say, “Oh shit” as he tried to get up. We continued to cheer them on as they finally got out of the car. They were good sports and took a bow for us. That was so frickin’ funny!
In 1932, a Richard M. Hollingshead Jr., a chemical company giant, created the first drive-in theater in Camden, New Jersey. He first tested the outdoor theater in his driveway at his home, nailing a screen to trees in his backyard. He sat a 1928 Kodak projector on the hood of his car and put a radio behind the screen. He checked the different sound levels with the car’s windows up and down. He put blocks under his car to get an idea of the size and spacing of the ramps so every car will have a clear view of the screen. On May 16, 1933, he was given a U.S. Patent for his invention. Hollingshead’s drive-in opened in New Jersey on June 6, 1933, near the airport. The drive-in had 500 places for cars to park, and a 40 by 50 foot screen. He advertised the outdoor theater with the slogan, “The whole family is welcome, regardless of how noisy the children are”. His drive-in was only opened three years, but while it was in operation, other states started opening their own outdoor theaters. (Wikipedi)
Today Arizona only has three open drive-ins, with two of them being multi-screened. All that is left of the other theaters are empty lots, other buildings and memories of a time that has gone by. Speaking of memories, I found the Cheech and Chong drive-in skit they did in the 70’s, “Pedro and Man at the Drive-Inn”. For some it will bring back memories and for the youngin’s, enjoy… (I hope it works)
Pedro and Man at the Drive-Inn
