Drive-In Theaters: A History from Their Inception in 1933 [Hardcover]

Kerry Segrave (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 2001 | ISBN-10: 0899507522 | ISBN-13: 978-0899507521

The history of this primarily American institution from its beginnings in the 1930s through its heyday in the 1940s and 1950s to its gradual demise in modern-day America is thoroughly documented here: the patent battles, community concerns with morality (on-screen and off), technological advances (audio systems, screens, etc.), audiences, and the drive-in's place in the motion picture industry.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Drive-in theaters, a uniquely American institution, prospered in the suburbs of the postwar 1950s, when the whole family could go to the movies in that newfound symbol of independence, the automobile. Subsequent decades saw the number of drive-ins decline, owing to the encroachment of home television and a number of other socioeconomic factors skillfully delineated in this well-researched study. The recollections of drive-in patrons as well as theater owners enrich the narrative, and there are valuable appendixes, including the text of the original patent for the drive-in theater, statistics covering the number of theaters (overall and by state) operating through the years, and revenues of indoor vs. outdoor theaters. Though this is an academic study, it is filled with the nostalgia of tinted windshields and free children's playgrounds. Highly recommended for serious film collections.
- Richard W. Grefrath, Univ. of Nevada Lib., Reno
Copyright 1993 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

"[a] very thorough and straightforward history of the 'ozoner' industry.... Recommended" -- Choice

"a well-researched study...filled with nostalgia of tinted windshields. Highly recommended" -- Library Journal

"everything I wanted to know about drive-in theaters" -- Big Reel

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Mcfarland & Co Inc Pub (October 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0899507522
• ISBN-13: 978-0899507521
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,111,967 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great, in-depth look at the history of drive-ins., April 4, 2005

By 

Drive-In Kid - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Drive-In Theaters: A History from Their Inception in 1933 (Hardcover)

If you are looking for a book with basic info and lots of pictures then you are better off buying "The American Drive-In Movie Theater" or "Drive-in Movie Memories" by Don and Susan Sanders. If you are looking for a well-detailed research book, then this is really the only choice. The author discusses the inception of the drive-in concept, the growth years, the difficulties that drive-in owners faced, and the eventual decline, backing it up with good data along the way. There is much more to the story than people realize and it is all in here. For example, the initiative to create a "daytime screen" to extend the hours in which a drive-in could remain open is covered in great detail, the legal issues, the battles with the studios and the distributors and on and on. Highly recommended!

5.0 out of 5 stars The authoritative book on drive-in theaters, February 17, 2012

By 

Lost in Twilight (Albany, OR) - See all my reviews

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This review is from: Drive-in Theaters: A History from Their Inception in 1933 (Paperback)

This book is an absolute must - have if you consider yourself a drive-in enthusiast. If you're looking for a book with big, colorful pictures I recommend "Drive-In Memories," "Cinema Under the Stars," and "The American Drive-In Movie Theater". All are equally wonderful books. But if you want to know more, if you want to dig deeper into the history of the drive-in theater, this is your book. It contains far, far more detailed information and background than any other book of its kind -- without ever becoming boring. True, it may seem to be too dated to give an accurate, historic account (the book was first published in 1992), but let's be realistic, is there really anything new to report on the nearly-dead industry, other than there are even fewer drive-ins?

Kerry Segrave has certainly done his homework in researching the drive-in theater. To quote him in his introduction: "Research for this book was conducted at the UCLA libraries. Much of it consisted of reading back files of such magazines as Variety and Motion Picture Herald. The latter was particularly useful in that its articles contained detail, such as construction costs and so on. Another helpful institution was the Los Angeles Public Library." He has done quite a remarkable job in researching. I commend him wholeheartedly. Had he not done the research and written this book, much of the drive-in's fascinating history would be forever lost and forgotten, because as I've said, no book of its depth has been published before or after.

Segrave sticks to the facts throughout the book, and points to natural conclusions from evidence (however, he does make a foolishly bold, personal statement in his closing paragraph regarding the drive-in post-1992: "New ones will never be built". There has in fact been at least one new drive-in built, that I'm aware of). This book contains more than 235 pages of his research findings. It is very, very thorough, leaving no stone unturned, shedding light on much of the drive-in's fascinating history that most people are probably unaware of (I've been to drive-ins, but I was unaware of about 95% of what Segrave presents here). And for those interested in numbers, Segrave has provided them. Oh boy, does he. For those interested in percentages, financial data, comparisons, admission and food prices (even down to the price owners paid for the cream for coffee), census data, etc., and how all these numbers changed throughout the years, it's all here.

But numbers only make up a fraction (no pun intended) of the book's content. Here is a break-down of the chapters:

1. A Backyard Invention
2. Patent Battles
3. A Very Slow Start, 1933-1944
4. Postwar surge, 1945-1948
5. Drive-ins Battle the Industry
6. Communities Battle Drive-ins
7. The Golden Years, 1950s
8. The Golden Years, Showmanship
9. The Golden Years, Selling Food
10. Strange Drive-ins
11. Foreign Drive-Ins
12. Drive-ins Battle the Elements
13. Drive-ins Pray For a Miracle
14. Drive-In Sound
15. The Audience
16. Sex In the Drive-in
17. Sex On the Drive-in
18. Decline and Stagnation, 1960s and 1970s
19. Rapid Descent, 1980s and Beyond
20. Conclusion

Again, the book is very comprehensive and it delivers. My personal favorite chapters are The Golden Years, but I love all of them. The only disappointment I had with this book -- and this is only me -- is that nothing was said about any of the drive-ins from my home state of Oregon. But this is only me, and it is only a minor flaw.

I've read this book cover to cover about 7 times now. I am so fascinated and intriuged with it, I just can't get enough of it! When I first heard about it, it was available in hardcover only, and to buy a copy would've cost close to $60 in 2005. I checked out a copy from a library in another town (not without some red tape) and loved it so much I painstakingly made copies of every single page and read it that way until a paperback edition became available. It's still a little expensive, but well worth it, especially if you consider yourself a drive-in enthusiast.

In conclusion, you don't know drive-ins until you've read this book.