Drive-In Theaters... Fuck Yes!

[cherokeeprogressive]

I got my first car just after my 16th birthday in 1977. There were probably 10 Drive-In Theaters within a 10 mile radius from my house. Norwalk, La Mirada, Whittier, Paramount, Lakewood, Long Beach, Buena Park...

The La Mirada Drive-In was $3.50 per carload. My '67 Mustang could seat 4. My Dad's pickup could carry 8-10.

My Girlfriend, a six-pack, a nickel bag, and pizza from the Snack Bar; I'd get laid every time.

Damn, there was something about Drive-In pizza...

[Archae]

1. Here in Sheboygan we had one.

The Stardust.

They had hot dogs, burgers, popcorn, back row make outs, sorry to say it's long gone. :-(

[cherokeeprogressive]

2. My Dad cleaned the windshield, my Mom made popcorn...

and we stopped and bought sodas at the liquor store.

Bon-Bons: $1.25. Playing at the playground on the swingset during intermission: Free...

Growing up with Drive-Ins: PRICELESS.

[snailly]

37. Really?

That is so sweet!

[sakabatou]

3. There was one here in the Bay Area over 15 or so years ago.

Dunno what happened to it.

[NuttyFluffers]

39. they tore the East Bay Union City one down 15 years ago for a strip mall.

sad, but in a way it was for the best. that land was standing out as underdeveloped land right next to a freeway, and large nearby developing residential communities were needing more grocery and shopping options. they put a multiplex in as a compromise, and that's been doing pretty well.

but yes, what brief memories i have of life with a drive-in are pleasant, but all too short.

[HopeHoops]

4. There's still one around here (it is in Dillsburg, PA), but I don't know how long it will last.

The evil Giant (Ahold) bought the property and is leasing it back to the operator. They can close it down whenever they want to build an even BIGGER useless over-priced big-box store. They fucked over one of the last independent hardware stores that way several years ago. Subleased with option to the hardware owner. He relocated the store from another town and a year after that they told him to take a hike. The move put him so far in debt that he couldn't afford to move again. They didn't give a shit and all they wanted to do was put in a "deli counter"/"coffee house" addition. Turns out, it was in their original floor plan so they knew they were going to do it and just wanted someone to pay the rent on that part of the building for a year. They fucked him front, back, and sideways.

[JCMach1]

5. The turned the one in Palatka, FL into a cemetary... wonder how many people will end up conceived

AND buried there!

[zen_bohemian]

6. We had a double screen one, it has been gone for several years

It's a shame they are no longer.

[tigereye]

7. maybe they can start em up again in all the empty lots of businesses

that were over-built and went belly-up. You never know.

[Aristus]

8. I remember the Geronimo Drive-In in Sierra Vista, AZ.

Saw "The Life And Times Of Judge Roy Bean" there with my parents.

Too young to take a make-out prospect.

It's probably decades-gone, too...

[Courtesy Flush]

9. I saw one on Cape Cod last year

Didn't have time to work it into our plans. Besides, my wife didn't want to see either of the movies on the marquee. She totally doesn't get it.

Haven't been to one in years. They need to make a comeback.

[Iggo]

10. Ah, the good old days.

I went to all the same drive-ins you did. We'd pile as many kids as we could into the '71 Ford Van and park all the way in back.

Remember when the La Mirada Drive-In and the La Mirada Swap Meet turned into the Santa Fe Springs Drive-In and the Santa Fe Springs Swap Meet, even though it never moved? LOL.

[cherokeeprogressive]

22. I do remember that. Too funny. Do you remember what used to stand outside the Rosecrans Drive-in?

My butthead Dad would never let us go to it though...

[Iggo]

27. Was it an adult establishment?

[cherokeeprogressive]

36. LOL no it was a HUGE slide about 4 stories tall. It had something like 10 lanes.

Never got to ride that one though.

[Iggo]

42. Oh, man!

I loved those slides. Jump on a burlap sack and do the Butt Slide For Life. I'm guessing those don't exist anymore.

[guitar man]

11. Hell yeah

Loved the drive in. My favorite drive in car I ever had was a '73 Caddy, back seat was like a bed :D

[garybeck]

12. I am in the process of planning/designing the first solar powered drive-in theatre.

hope you can come to it someday. It'll be in Vermont.

[rurallib]

15. solar power for a business that is open after sundown?

[Iggo]

16. He ain't worked out all the kinks yet.

:P

[Doc_Technical]

31. Use solar power to make ice during the day.

Then use the ice and a heat source to power
a stirling engine which runs the generators.

[EOTE]

13. I still go to the Bengies (in Baltimore) a few times every summer.

It's far more relaxing going to drive ins than regular theaters. You can see a triple feature for $7 and get lots of good food to go with it. It's pretty hard to top getting stoned while watching a first run flick, too. I really don't care much for the owner, but I'll be really sad when that place closes down.

[Lars39]

14. I can easily get to 3 drive-ins from where I live.

They're great!

[mattvermont]

26. 5 miles away in Hoosick, ny nt

[murielm99]

17. We have one near us.

One of my friends had a son who worked in the concession stand as a summer job. I went there to support the business. It was a fun trip down memory lane.

Thanks for the reminder. I will go back a few times next summer.

[bikebloke]

18. Sunset Drive-In at Bailey's Crossroads

After they went porno, there were more people watching from behind the fence in the back than there were cars inside.

[Bertha Venation]

19. Surely you visited the Highway 39, and perhaps even the

Fountain Valley Drive-In. :)

Mrs. V. and I were driving in the far reaches of no. MD a couple of weekends ago and happened upon a drive-in theater. For real! Damn, I wish I could remember where exactly it is . . .

[cherokeeprogressive]

23. The Highway 39 was a good one. So was the one in Fountain Valley.

There was also one up the 605 freeway called Vineland. We were at one drive-in or another at least twice a week LOL.

[BuddhaGirl]

30. my friends and I used to go to the Hi-Way 39 drive-in

I forgot about the one in Fountain Valley! Was it near the miniature golf course/batting cages/arcade place on Warner & Magnolia? I can't remember! :-)

[Bertha Venation]

40. No, it was up on Brookhurst Ave., near Slater.

Gone now, of course.

But the "family fun center" is still there. :)

[TheMightyFavog]

20. We had one here in my neck of the woods.

It was out on State Hwy. 64. It closed up back in the late 80s. There was talk of refurbishing it as a tourist draw back in the 90s, but unfortunately, some 12-year old pyromaniacs torched the screen, and that was that. The old projection/concession building is now an equipment rental store.

[trof]

21. The Passion Pit. Fogged windows.

The rent-a-cop knocking on your window:
"SIT UP IN THERE!"

And forgetting to remove the speaker from your window and ripping it off as you drove away.
They finally wised up and attached them with steel cable so you ripped your window out.

Them wuz the days.
;-)

[tinymontgomery]

24. Shelby NC

still has one, very crowed during the summer months. Wife and I enjoyed going to it. Here you go for the memories:


http://www.archive.org/details/Drive-inOpening

http://www.archive.org/details/DriveInIntermission24

[Auggie]

25. I worked at a Drive-In, and yes, it was as much fun as it looked.

[MilesColtrane]

28. Mom and Dad would pile my brother and I into the back of the Country Squire.

They always brought along pillows and a blanket so that when started getting tired and whiny, they'd just let us crash in the back and watch the rest of the show.

[cherokeeprogressive]

46. ZOMG we HAD one of those. Ours was a dark green metallic with teh faux woody look.

In my mind I have a picture of the paper grocery sack my mom used to put the popcorn in and the way the popcorn made the paper all splotchy.

My little sister and I woke up in the back of that thing MANY times after coming home from the La Mirada, Norwalk, or Rosecrans drive-ins.

[BuddhaGirl]

29. I'm your age and I lived in South Gate until I was 11 so

we went to the drive-in in Lakewood fairly regularly! Paramount too, I believe.

As a teenager, my friends and I frequented the Hi-Way 39 drive-in in Westminster. My family was living in Huntington Beach at that time.

Good times...good times! :thumbsup:

[proteus_lives]

32. They were cool.

Last time I was at a Drive-In was 1993 I believe. Saw Death Becomes Her. Had an awesome time.

[era veteran]

33. Woke up at one in Florida in the 70's after a road trip

it was Sunday morning and I was in the middle of a drive-in church. Too weird. ......... I loved the dusk till dawn shows.

[hayu_lol]

34. Southern California was the mecca for drive in theaters...

back in the late 40s/early 50s. Must have been over 100 of them within easy driving range of Hollywood/Los Angeles. Great times...followed by a trip to an American Graffiti kind of drive in for food(Tiny Naylors/Bob's Big Boy and the like).

Great part of growing up.

Came up here to south central Oregon a bit over 20 years ago and the drive in movie was bulldozed to make room for a mobile home park. They didn't have the speakers...you used your car radio. Not open in the winter however.

[madrchsod]

35. we have a great drive-in here...

one of the few left in northern il

[jg10003]

38. whatever happened to bench seats.

When I went to the drive-in in the 70's I took my father's Ford LTD. That car had a huge bench style front seat, which me and my girlfriend found to be highly advantageous. Now all cars have bucket seats with a console between them. I'm glad I was teenager back then.

[47of74]

41. There's one here in Iowa

The 61 Drive In, located a few miles south of Maquoketa is still up and running. They just closed for the season and won't be open again until April. I go past it on my way to and from work. Lots of times during the weekends the theater would be packed full, especially during the weekends. One of these years I'll go to a show there myself.

[theNotoriousP.I.G.]

43. Sound like good memories

I saw two movies at a drive in when I was a kid and another one as a teenager.

[Name removed]

44. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[SeattleGirl]

45. We still have one about 15 miles from my house.

Sound is broadcast over the car radio now, instead of those speakers you hooked on your window.

We go once in awhile. Stop and load up on goodies at the store, push the front seats back as far as they would go, recline the seat backs, and enjoy!