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Drive-In Theater History
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The drive-in theater is a unique American institution.
To support a drive-in, a nation had to be wealthy; it had to have
a great deal of vacant, accessible, and relatively cheap land; and
the patrons had to be financially well off. They needed automobiles,
and they needed to enjoy an emotional relationship with their cars.
People who "regarded automobiles as simply a mode of conveyance
. . . would never develop a drive-in industry of any extent."
1 Drive-ins were a part of post-WWII suburbia development,
in which families were catered to at every turn. The drive-in was
a unique family outing; the family didn't have to get out of their
car, and the kids could be in their pajamas. However, many children
did leave the car, and visit the playground or insist on popcorn
from the concession stand. Nonetheless, the automobile was clearly
the "driving force" of this industry.
1 Kerry Segrave, Drive-In Theaters:
A History from Their Inception in 1933 (Jefferson, NC: McFarland
& Company, Inc., 1992) p. vii.
The inception of drive-in theaters can be traced
to the application of a patent in August 6, 1932 by Richard M. Hollingshead,
Jr. In his words:
"My invention relates to a new and useful outdoor theater and
it relates more particularly to a novel construction in outdoor
theaters whereby the transportation facilities to and from the theater
are made to constitute an element of the seating facilities of the
theater . . . wherein the performance, such as a motion picture
show or the like, may be seen and heard form a series of automobiles
so arranged in relation to the stage or screen, that the successive
cars behind each other will not obstruct the view."
Hollingshead opened the first drive-in in Camden,
New Jersey on June 6, 1933. In many respects, its design was like
the thousands of drive-ins that would eventually follow. Cars entered
past a ticket booth, then drove to a spot on ramps laid out in a
fan-shaped pattern. The opening of his theater received a lot of
coverage, but none of it was very enthusiastic. As the Motion Picture
Herald asked, "Why is it desirable to remain in your automobile
when you go to the movies? Only Mr. Average Man in his Chevrolet
can answer that one."
The concept of drive-in theaters, or "ozoners"
as some called them, got off to a slow start. There were only 18
theaters started by 1939, but by 1942, there were almost 100 drive-ins
in 27 states. Innovations during the 1940s including roaming food
attendants or "buffeterias," so that movie-goers could
stay in their cars and not miss any of the movie due to long lines
in the concession stands.
The greatest growth of drive-ins occurred after
World War II. Improved technology was part of the reason. In-car
speakers were introduced by RCA in 1941, but their widespread use
was delayed until after the war. The baby boom was another factor
because parents wanted a place to take the entire family. Playgrounds
were a standard feature at virtually all drive-ins. These were located
between the front row of cars and the screen, and encouraged families
to come before the movie started, often buying more concession food.
Throughout most of the history of drive-ins, film distributors refused
to release first-run features, so the ozoners had to rely on other
attractions to entice movie-goers.
The 1970s saw a large number of drive-in closings,
although some were still making money when they closed. These closings
were primarily due to urban sprawl and the increasing value of real
estate. During the '70s, drive-in movie features continued to be
2nd-run movies, although many turned to "sexploitation"
at this time. By the 1980s, movie studies began making double and
triple prints of first-run moves, and drive-ins were able to start
featuring first-run films. However, this was not enough to stem
the decline, and the number of drive-ins decreased by more than
two-thirds during this decade. VCRs and cable television help spur
the decline, but many industry leaders claim the biggest reason
for the decline was the adoption of daylight savings time in 1967.
This forced the main feature to start as late at 10 PM in some areas.
Parents were reluctant to take their children out during the week
this late, which was another factor that led to the change in the
types of movies shown at drive-ins during this period.
The number of drive-ins reached a low in the mid-1990s.
It is possible that these numbers may have stabilized, as this decade
also saw several new drive-ins being built, as well as expansion
of screens at existing drive-ins. The sound now provided at most
drive-ins is heard through the FM speakers within patrons' cars,
and many drive-ins are returning to family fare.
In Colorado, the number of drive-ins reached a
peak on 1958 with 61. By 1998, there were only 13 remaining in operation.
The names were often reflective of the view offered in the outdoors,
such as the Tru Vu and Big Sky Drive-Ins in Delta, the Kar-Vu in
Springfield, the Starlite in Sterling, the Ski Hi in Alamosa, North
Star in Denver, Sunset in Canon City, Vista Vu in Colorado Springs,
and Starlight in Rocky Ford. Other names reflected the location,
and yet another, the Romantic Motor-Vu Drive-In in Craig, showed
the trend towards the "passion pit" label!
From Landmarks Preservation Advisory Board memo
April 2002.
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