Drive-In Theater

Origins and History

Patent issued to Hollingshead for the first drive-in (freepatentsonline.com)

The concept of the drive-in is an invention of Richard Hollingshead Jr., a native of rural New Jersey. According to legend, Hollingshead’s mother was too heavy-set to comfortably fit in the seats at traditional movie theaters, and her well-meaning son wanted to find a way to accommodate her. Since Hollingshead had worked for his father’s autopart’s business, he knew a fair amount about automobiles, or at least enough to spark a novel idea. Hollingshead engineered a homemade exhibition set up comprised of a sheet nailed to his garage door, a Kodak projector on top of his car, and an FM transmitter. Although primitive, it worked, and he knew he had a million dollar idea. On May 16th of 1933, Hollingshead applied to receive a patent for his invention, and his request was quickly acquiesced.

http://www.liketelevision.com/liketelevision/tuner.php?channel=158&format=tv&theme=hollywood

Richard M. Hollingshead

A photo of one of the first drive-in's built by Richard M. Hollingshead

The Golden Age of the Passion Pit

More than just a movie

A vintage advertisement for a Drive-In located in California

Drive-In Theaters on Film

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The Avon Drive-In Theater in New York

Megaplexes and the Downfall of Drive-In's

A defunct theater in McCamey, Texas

Commodifying Nostaligia: Theaters Today

Sound quality improvements

==Guerilla Drive- In's