- In 1933, Richard Hollingshead invented, designed, and opened the first drive-in movie theater in New Jersey.
- By the '50s and '60s, drive-ins popped up all over the country.
- They were popular places to take the family or a date to enjoy a movie and snacks.
There are a few things that are quintessentially American, and drive-in movie theaters is one.
Invented in the US, drive-in theaters reached their peak popularity right after World War II during the '50s and '60s, allowing guests to enjoy B movies in a giant parking lot, under the stars and in the comfort of their cars.
Keep reading to take a look back at one of America's best moviegoing experiences and to learn how it reached its demise.
The first drive-in movie theater opened in 1933 in New Jersey.
Richard Hollingshead, a sales manager, set out to create a unique movie viewing experience after his mother complained about uncomfortable theater seats. His answer was to allow people to watch a movie in the comfort of their cars. In 1933, he opened the first drive-in called Park-In Theaters, Inc.
Hollingshead charged only 25 cents per car and per person to view a movie under the stars.
The first movie Hollingshead showed was a British comedy called "Wives Beware."
Not only did Hollingshead reinvent movie watching, but he also invented a multi-level ramping system so that each car could see the screen.
Hollingshead patented his idea and design in 1933 but it was overturned in 1949.
See the rest of the story at Business Insider