Summer is a perfect time to visit the Drive-In Movie Theater and if your lucky enough, there maybe one nearby for your enjoyment (I know I have a couple in the Toronto area).
For today’s Vintage Photo Tuesday we are going to enter the heyday of Drive-In Movie Theaters from the 1930s-1950s. So grab your popcorn (or snack of choice) and let the movie begin.
Drive-In Movie Theaters Vintage Photos
1930s – 1950s
The drive-in theatre was invented by Richard Hollingshead, who opened the first one in Camden, New Jersey on June 6, 1933.
Comet Drive-In, Alabama 1949.
An usher on a motorbike escorts a car to their spot at a theater in San Francisco, 1948.
Hamilton Drive-In, Alabama featuring Silver River (1948) on the Big Screen.
Silve River Movie 1948 featuring Errol Flynn and Ann Sheridan.
May 1938, Cinemotor Theater in Los Angeles.
1940s vintage ad for In-Car Speakers being featuring at the Drive-In on Blue Mound Rd.
Sky.way Drive-In, Windsor Ontario Canada (2 hours from my hometown of Sarnia).
1950s Drive In Theatre.
Duke City Drive-In, Albuquerque.
Olympic Drive-In Theater, West Los Angeles, CA. Such a great sign!
1940s vintage photo of the Drive-In movie theatre snack bar. Snack time! Snack bar at Orange Drive-In.
Historic picture of the Marquee Mural on the Mission Drive-In.
Cars were not the only thing you could sit in to watch a movie, swings were also a popular choice. Seen here in the mini-playground at the Rancho Drive-In Theater, San Francisco, 1948.
Snuggle up close to the one you love. 1949, LA.
Question time! Do you have a drive-in theater near you? If so is it a vintage one, or more modern? Any good memories to share of your time at the Drive-In? Share in the comments below.
FURTHER READING: Vintage Photos 1920s -1960s (archived blog posts)
Liz
SO much fun when I was a kid. At my hometown driven in North Battleford, Saskatchewan, there was a playground beside the screen so the kids could play until the movie started. The PA system would give a five-minute warning so the kids could scramble back to their cars in time.
Oh how cool! Thanks for sharing that memory Elinor 🙂
Oh, I wish we had drive-in movie theatres over here. There was the odd one in the UK in the 1950s/60s but they didn’t last. I think the problem is the weather is so unpredictable here, so you could go to see a film at it would be lovely and warm and then half an hour later it would raining and freezing cold! Oh the joys of British weather! xx
Really??! Oh wow! I never knew that the UK did not have drive-in’s. I guess it does makes sense from what you describe 🙂
I love love love this post. I absolutely adore drive inns but havent been to one since i was a kid since the closest one to our current home is over an hour a way too far to travel for a movie they must bring these back
I totally agree on bringing more of them back!
I would love to go to a drive in but as Cate says we don’t have them here. They look such fun though.
I’m still super surprised by this! If you ever come over to North America make sure you try and get to one. You will need to rent a car though or know someone who does. I have a car! Come visit Toronto 🙂
Anyone of a certain age who lived east of Toronto will remember the Teepee Drive-in and the Bay Ridges Drive-in in the Pickering area. I remember playing on the swings before the show started while overhead on the big screen there were marching cartoon hot dogs twirling batons and extolling the delicious greasy goodness of the snack bar. Then a race back through the dark to the car where Dad would crank the window up after hooking on the metal speaker and- tah dah!- the movie would begin.
This is a great memory! Thank you so very much for sharing this with myself and my readers. Gosh the drive-in was truly magical, wasn’t it? 🙂
We have a Drive-In on Rte. 146 near Providence, Rhode Island. Last I checked, the structure/screen was still working and I think it still is showing movies…next time I drive north, I will check it out and drive/walk through and report back!
Oh I hope it is still working! We are lucky to have a couple of drive-in here in Toronto / surrounding areas. A couple of summer’s ago, I got to see Grease & Dirty Dancing at the drive-in. So perfect.
Thanks for commenting!
Liz