Who in the world thought that watching movies through a windshield was a good idea? Richard M. Hollingshead, Jr., that's who.
On this date in 1933, he opened the first drive-in movie theatre; an idea so novel it was awarded a patent.
Hollingshead wanted to give parents a night at the movies without having to pay for a baby-sitter. For the kiddies, the drive-in was a wonderland, with playgrounds, petting zoos, snack bars with hideous (but delicious) foods, and spaces to run around and scream.
For older kids, there were other distractions, such as a back seat or the chance to sneak in a bunch of friends that had stowed away in the trunk.
Sadly, as real estate values
soared, drive-ins became obsolete
nostalgia pieces, better suited for swap meets than
Hollywood blockbusters, and most of them vanished. Oh, sure, a relative handful of them still exist, and guerilla drive-ins
pop up in vacant lots, but it's not quite the same as back in Hollingshead's
day -- especially without the rumble seats.
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