Richard M. Hollingshead, a sales manager from Camdem, New Jersey, designed the first drive-in theater in his backyard using a sheet, a radio and a projector. Arranging these items into a makeshift outdoor theater, Hollingshead set up a variety of scenarios to help predict problems that could arise from the design. He replicated situations that ranged from bad weather to sound interference to car position. Once Hollingshead concluded his tests, he went to work on realizing his dream. The first drive-in theater officially opened Tuesday June 6, 1933, showing the movie, "Wife Beware."
The drive-in theater enjoyed exponential growth during the 1940s and 1950s. In 1942 95 drive-in theaters dotted the country, and by 1958 the number had risen to almost 5,000. Theater owners did their best to market to potential consumers by hosting open houses. These popular events gave guests information on parking cars on the ramps, working the sound system and ordering from the concessions stands.
The drive-in theater included much more than just movies. As attendance continued to rise, owners thought of ways to attract first-time customers and keep old ones happy. According to Antique Automobile Club of America, these new entertainment options included playgrounds, talent shows, pony rides, boat rides and animal shows. A few theaters even offered indoor seating. Also, in a bid to maximize profits, theaters added intermissions between movies with the hopes of giving the concession stands more business.
In the 1960s, the drive-in theater industry began a steady decline that continued well into the '80s. While new theaters opened, more closed at an alarming rate. Desperate to revive business, drive-ins tried to target niche audiences by showing movies that catered only to teens, adults or families. This did little to slow the increasing number of theaters closing their doors. Home entertainment options such as cable tv and video rentals battled for, and won, consumer attention. Other negative effects included urban sprawl, rising land values and limited availability of first-run film product. During the 1980s, an estimated 1,000 abandoned drive-ins sat overgrown with vegetation on empty lots.
As of 2010, fewer than 500 drive-in theaters operate in the U.S. However, the industry has shown surprising resilience as new generations of movie goers discover its appeal. Affordable admission prices and the convenience of watching movies from a car are both big draws. Although drive-ins are unlikely to experience the popularity of their prime, hope for the industry remains. The website Drive-In Theater reports increased demand beginning in the 1990s prompted new drive-ins to open and old ones to return.