Now you've done it, again. Drive ins. Dad would buy a stack of White Castle 12 cent burgers and a gallon of root beer. My sisters and I would run around collecting ring tabs to make into a chain. We would sit under the front bumper of the '67 Impala on a blanket and watch the flick. Usually a James Bond flick, knowing Dad. Fast forward to 70's when I got my DL. Great place to take a date and watch a silly movie on the cheap. There is still an operating drive-in in my area.
I remember the original owners and name. It was known as 31W drive in while I lived there and was doing well when I left TN in '92 after gradating Tenn Tech. I'm guessing Franklin, Mitchellville and Portland are all expanding in that direction. It used to be pretty quiet there.
The disappearance of Americana like Drive-ins is sad. The Sunset Drive-in in my county is packed when they are open. But they have greatly reduced the hours they show movies. Otherwise, they regularly host a swap meet.
All of the mid-29th Century Americana themes from pop culture are dead. They were great fun, but they were a massive distraction from the important things in everyday life that we allowed to whither, including the serious man's work of maintaining our Republic. I would have thought that the motorhead subculture would at least have had more of an impact resisting the green war on oil, but it looks like they will be content to keep the old hotrods in the garage as a museum piece and upgrade their Harleys to electric ( I'm waiting for HD to offer a built in sound card /speakers featuring legacy exhaust noise for the electric man scooters so the riders all still feel like real bikers). We have hard times in front of us and in a few years no one will even believe that the American Graffiti car and entertainment culture of the Golden Age even existed aside from those who lived through it.
Ain't it the truth. My younger brother has built more engines than the rest of us combined. He's owned more muscle cars, sportscars, and motorcycles than the rest of us combined. His everyday speech is peppered with automotive references. Ask him out of the blue the timing or firibg order of some obscure engine and he'll know. It may take a minute of thinking but he'll answer.
So imagine by surprise when I told him that Dodge has come out with an electric Charger and it has a sound chip to replicate the sound. And he was greatly enthusiastic about it.
We still have one on US 21 in Beaufort, SC near the Naval Air Station. During the scamdemic they showed "Jaws", Pink Panther movies, et al. The nearest indoor theatre is 45-50 minutes away in Bluffton.
I worked at two drive-ins in my teen years. At one I worked at the ticket booth and was the sole burger-flipper in the concession stand..We used to cook everything but pizzas in the deep fryer; huge planks of fish, frozen hamburgers, and of course french fries. It gave the drive-in's food a distinctive taste. I also worked with the owner during the day on weekends to rebuild fence and repair speakers. I recorded a custom-pre-show intermission audio tape and I wrote and produced the drive-in's Radio commercials. Best job of all though was catching those who thought wise to sneak in the exit. The deal was either pay double or leave. Never had anyone pay double, but some would circle back to buy a legit ticket. Oh, on Sunday nights I was the guy who changed the letters on the marquee for the upcoming movies. Now, that drive-in has returned to it's roots (no pun intended); last time I passed by it was a corn field. At the other drive in I worked the box office and cleaned the lot following the show.
You might be the guy who caught us trying to sneak a Chevy van of high school friends in. "One ticket, please" Haha, good times. At least we got the beer and Jack in the Box tacos in. We thought those days would never end.
ours is open may-oct. friday and saturday nights. same time frame saturday days the swap meet is running. probably makes more money renting stalls for the swap meet than they do for the movies.
Now you've done it, again.
ReplyDeleteDrive ins. Dad would buy a stack of White Castle 12 cent burgers and a gallon of root beer. My sisters and I would run around collecting ring tabs to make into a chain. We would sit under the front bumper of the '67 Impala on a blanket and watch the flick. Usually a James Bond flick, knowing Dad.
Fast forward to 70's when I got my DL. Great place to take a date and watch a silly movie on the cheap.
There is still an operating drive-in in my area.
I remember the original owners and name. It was known as 31W drive in while I lived there and was doing well when I left TN in '92 after gradating Tenn Tech. I'm guessing Franklin, Mitchellville and Portland are all expanding in that direction. It used to be pretty quiet there.
ReplyDeleteI knew a girl I used to call a drive ib.....
ReplyDeleteIn
ReplyDeleteThe disappearance of Americana like Drive-ins is sad.
ReplyDeleteThe Sunset Drive-in in my county is packed when they are open. But they have greatly reduced the hours they show movies. Otherwise, they regularly host a swap meet.
All of the mid-29th Century Americana themes from pop culture are dead. They were great fun, but they were a massive distraction from the important things in everyday life that we allowed to whither, including the serious man's work of maintaining our Republic. I would have thought that the motorhead subculture would at least have had more of an impact resisting the green war on oil, but it looks like they will be content to keep the old hotrods in the garage as a museum piece and upgrade their Harleys to electric ( I'm waiting for HD to offer a built in sound card /speakers featuring legacy exhaust noise for the electric man scooters so the riders all still feel like real bikers).
DeleteWe have hard times in front of us and in a few years no one will even believe that the American Graffiti car and entertainment culture of the Golden Age even existed aside from those who lived through it.
Ain't it the truth. My younger brother has built more engines than the rest of us combined. He's owned more muscle cars, sportscars, and motorcycles than the rest of us combined.
DeleteHis everyday speech is peppered with automotive references. Ask him out of the blue the timing or firibg order of some obscure engine and he'll know. It may take a minute of thinking but he'll answer.
So imagine by surprise when I told him that Dodge has come out with an electric Charger and it has a sound chip to replicate the sound. And he was greatly enthusiastic about it.
I wonder how many people born in the 50s, 60s & 70s were conceived in a car's back seat at a drive in.
ReplyDeleteWe still have one on US 21 in Beaufort, SC near the Naval Air Station. During the scamdemic they showed "Jaws", Pink Panther movies, et al. The nearest indoor theatre is 45-50 minutes away in Bluffton.
ReplyDeleteDon't forget about the Big Mo' in Monetta https://thebigmo.com/
Delete- WDS
We have an operating drive in located in McHenry County IL ..
ReplyDeleteI think Hull's Drive In in Lexington Va is still open at least in the summer.
ReplyDeleteI worked at two drive-ins in my teen years. At one I worked at the ticket booth and was the sole burger-flipper in the concession stand..We used to cook everything but pizzas in the deep fryer; huge planks of fish, frozen hamburgers, and of course french fries. It gave the drive-in's food a distinctive taste.
ReplyDeleteI also worked with the owner during the day on weekends to rebuild fence and repair speakers. I recorded a custom-pre-show intermission audio tape and I wrote and produced the drive-in's Radio commercials. Best job of all though was catching those who thought wise to sneak in the exit. The deal was either pay double or leave. Never had anyone pay double, but some would circle back to buy a legit ticket.
Oh, on Sunday nights I was the guy who changed the letters on the marquee for the upcoming movies.
Now, that drive-in has returned to it's roots (no pun intended); last time I passed by it was a corn field.
At the other drive in I worked the box office and cleaned the lot following the show.
You might be the guy who caught us trying to sneak a Chevy van of high school friends in. "One ticket, please" Haha, good times. At least we got the beer and Jack in the Box tacos in. We thought those days would never end.
DeleteAdmiral Twin in Tulsa is still going. Rebuilt after a fire burnt the wooden framed screens to the ground. Pre-fire was featured in The Outsiders
ReplyDeleteours is open may-oct. friday and saturday nights. same time frame saturday days the swap meet is running. probably makes more money renting stalls for the swap meet than they do for the movies.
ReplyDelete