1 00:00:00,280 --> 00:00:27,560 Speaker 1: Ridiculous History is a production of iHeartRadio. Welcome back to 2 00:00:27,600 --> 00:00:30,159 Speaker 1: the show, Ridiculous Historians. Thank you as old Ways so 3 00:00:30,320 --> 00:00:32,440 Speaker 1: much for tuning in. Let's hear it for the man, 4 00:00:32,479 --> 00:00:36,000 Speaker 1: the myth legend. Our super producer, mister Max Williams. 5 00:00:37,360 --> 00:00:41,760 Speaker 2: Loved I am back. Did you all miss me? You 6 00:00:41,800 --> 00:00:44,400 Speaker 2: guys got free of me from you get to hang on. 7 00:00:45,479 --> 00:00:49,480 Speaker 1: I can't not have a very charitable I can't miss 8 00:00:49,520 --> 00:00:53,120 Speaker 1: you because you're always You're always here in my head. 9 00:00:53,280 --> 00:00:54,360 Speaker 2: You're like Mufasa. 10 00:00:54,720 --> 00:00:57,160 Speaker 3: You're always watching over me in the form of a 11 00:00:57,160 --> 00:00:59,920 Speaker 3: weird anthropomorphic cloud that's shaped like your own head. 12 00:01:00,320 --> 00:01:04,880 Speaker 1: I've always suspected that you and Jonathan Strickland have cameras 13 00:01:05,000 --> 00:01:05,600 Speaker 1: following me. 14 00:01:06,280 --> 00:01:08,479 Speaker 2: Oh god, yeah, I mean we split. 15 00:01:08,520 --> 00:01:12,120 Speaker 3: We split the monthly subscription costs, by the way, extra 16 00:01:12,240 --> 00:01:14,959 Speaker 3: spe minute a subscription money that you get paid for 17 00:01:15,280 --> 00:01:18,520 Speaker 3: broadcasting our cam videos to the Internet. 18 00:01:19,520 --> 00:01:23,039 Speaker 2: Yes and no, okay, fair enough, But thank you for 19 00:01:23,319 --> 00:01:27,200 Speaker 2: the verbatim reading of my last meal. I very much 20 00:01:27,240 --> 00:01:28,040 Speaker 2: appreciated that. 21 00:01:28,080 --> 00:01:33,320 Speaker 1: Of course, gotcha, I am been bullying. This is Noel Brown. 22 00:01:34,800 --> 00:01:38,280 Speaker 1: We are we are coming to you from across the world. 23 00:01:38,360 --> 00:01:42,800 Speaker 1: Here two thirds of us are well let's say we're 24 00:01:42,840 --> 00:01:48,480 Speaker 1: all weathering something. I'm weathering some crazy meteorological phenomenon out 25 00:01:48,560 --> 00:01:52,640 Speaker 1: the wild, and Noel, U and Max are on the 26 00:01:52,680 --> 00:01:57,520 Speaker 1: other side of some of the late summer cools circulating around. 27 00:01:58,440 --> 00:01:59,880 Speaker 3: I was trying to think of like an Alison wonder 28 00:02:00,040 --> 00:02:02,880 Speaker 3: any weather or not your weathering the weather, but I. 29 00:02:03,000 --> 00:02:03,960 Speaker 2: That's all I could come up with. 30 00:02:04,200 --> 00:02:07,480 Speaker 1: It almost sounds like an Oasis lyric. Right, Oh god, 31 00:02:07,520 --> 00:02:08,919 Speaker 1: the lyrics are the worst by the. 32 00:02:10,639 --> 00:02:13,440 Speaker 3: You know what, it's supernova in the sky. 33 00:02:13,600 --> 00:02:16,400 Speaker 2: What even is that? How you walk down the hall 34 00:02:16,520 --> 00:02:19,040 Speaker 2: faster than a cannonball? I don't even that doesn't. 35 00:02:18,760 --> 00:02:20,560 Speaker 4: Make any sense to me. And then what was that 36 00:02:21,080 --> 00:02:25,160 Speaker 4: slowly walking faster than he's got dirty dishes on the brain. 37 00:02:25,280 --> 00:02:29,960 Speaker 4: There's a weird metaphor about washing dishes and romance. Anyway, nostalgia. 38 00:02:30,040 --> 00:02:31,919 Speaker 1: I love that's the way we get in here, because 39 00:02:31,919 --> 00:02:35,120 Speaker 1: as seen as we're back together and we're all feeling 40 00:02:35,200 --> 00:02:39,720 Speaker 1: hail and harty, we might do something that you can't 41 00:02:39,720 --> 00:02:44,360 Speaker 1: do everywhere in America today. We might go to Atlanta's 42 00:02:44,480 --> 00:02:45,680 Speaker 1: Drive in theater. 43 00:02:52,720 --> 00:02:55,760 Speaker 3: Ben I think I maybe mentioned this not on the show. 44 00:02:56,160 --> 00:02:59,520 Speaker 3: I have been to the Starlight Drive in for like 45 00:02:59,600 --> 00:03:04,440 Speaker 3: a I've never seen a drive in movie ever. I've 46 00:03:04,480 --> 00:03:07,919 Speaker 3: never been to a drive in movie. It fully occupies 47 00:03:08,040 --> 00:03:11,320 Speaker 3: the realm of nostalgia, well not even real nostalgia, the 48 00:03:11,360 --> 00:03:14,920 Speaker 3: idea of like nostalgia for things that you never actually experienced, 49 00:03:14,960 --> 00:03:19,120 Speaker 3: you know. I think of movies like American Graffiti, you know, 50 00:03:19,240 --> 00:03:22,040 Speaker 3: I just think of like the Golden Age of Hollywood, 51 00:03:22,160 --> 00:03:26,440 Speaker 3: and you know, like girls on roller skates bringing you 52 00:03:26,440 --> 00:03:28,440 Speaker 3: your burgers, things like that. 53 00:03:28,560 --> 00:03:28,760 Speaker 2: You know. 54 00:03:28,840 --> 00:03:31,800 Speaker 3: I just I love old Hollywood culture, and the drive 55 00:03:31,840 --> 00:03:34,360 Speaker 3: in is squarely a part of that. We're gonna get 56 00:03:34,400 --> 00:03:36,240 Speaker 3: to kind of when that actually came along, because it 57 00:03:36,240 --> 00:03:37,680 Speaker 3: didn't start out that way, didn't. 58 00:03:38,080 --> 00:03:38,680 Speaker 2: It did not. 59 00:03:39,120 --> 00:03:43,040 Speaker 1: And we also have a big special announcement for Ridiculous Historians. 60 00:03:43,040 --> 00:03:46,360 Speaker 1: We're excited about this. Join us in welcoming our new 61 00:03:46,800 --> 00:03:51,240 Speaker 1: research associate. Nickname still TBD, but it's our. 62 00:03:51,160 --> 00:03:52,040 Speaker 2: Pal, Andrea. 63 00:03:52,760 --> 00:03:56,680 Speaker 1: Andrea is still TBD, And no where would where would 64 00:03:57,160 --> 00:04:00,360 Speaker 1: where would our friends and listeners in the art audience 65 00:04:00,360 --> 00:04:02,560 Speaker 1: tonight maybe recognize Andrea. 66 00:04:02,200 --> 00:04:07,640 Speaker 3: From Andrea is the crack research associate for our sister podcast, 67 00:04:07,760 --> 00:04:11,640 Speaker 3: Ridiculous Crime, So doing excellent work over there and now 68 00:04:11,680 --> 00:04:15,320 Speaker 3: bringing her own patented brand of ridiculousness over here to 69 00:04:15,400 --> 00:04:17,680 Speaker 3: the OG podcast Ridiculous History. 70 00:04:17,839 --> 00:04:19,480 Speaker 1: Oh gosh, we are ogs. 71 00:04:20,000 --> 00:04:22,040 Speaker 2: You know. That got to me the og. 72 00:04:21,960 --> 00:04:25,440 Speaker 3: Ridiculous OG's of ridiculousness here on iHeart Radio. 73 00:04:26,200 --> 00:04:29,919 Speaker 1: I was hanging out somewhere I can't remember where last 74 00:04:30,000 --> 00:04:34,120 Speaker 1: year and got recognized and someone said, oh, you're an 75 00:04:34,160 --> 00:04:37,839 Speaker 1: OG of podcasting, And it is meant as a compliment, 76 00:04:38,560 --> 00:04:38,800 Speaker 1: but I. 77 00:04:39,200 --> 00:04:40,640 Speaker 2: I would have taken it as such. 78 00:04:41,880 --> 00:04:46,359 Speaker 3: I got voice clocked in line at the Metropolitan Museum 79 00:04:46,400 --> 00:04:49,320 Speaker 3: of Art in New York, our good friend Jordan. It 80 00:04:49,320 --> 00:04:52,960 Speaker 3: always feels weird and lovely that people are randomly out 81 00:04:52,960 --> 00:04:55,520 Speaker 3: there in the world listening to our silly podcast. 82 00:04:55,160 --> 00:04:56,320 Speaker 2: But it's true. Man, we've been doing this for a 83 00:04:56,360 --> 00:04:56,840 Speaker 2: long time. 84 00:04:57,400 --> 00:05:03,120 Speaker 3: To quote either the The Sopranos or Goodfellas, it's really 85 00:05:03,200 --> 00:05:05,240 Speaker 3: hard to get in on the ground floor of something, 86 00:05:06,279 --> 00:05:08,280 Speaker 3: and we were lucky enough to be able to do that. 87 00:05:08,400 --> 00:05:11,520 Speaker 3: So we thank the podcast gods for that opportunity. 88 00:05:12,200 --> 00:05:13,640 Speaker 2: And man, let's jump right into it. 89 00:05:13,680 --> 00:05:16,760 Speaker 3: Dude, I didn't know this, but the very first kind 90 00:05:16,800 --> 00:05:19,680 Speaker 3: of modern ish, well it's not really modern, just like again, 91 00:05:19,720 --> 00:05:22,839 Speaker 3: it's sort of vintage. But the notion of the design 92 00:05:22,920 --> 00:05:26,360 Speaker 3: of a drive in theater consisting of a screen, a projector, 93 00:05:26,440 --> 00:05:31,680 Speaker 3: and a space for cars, likely a concession stand of sorts, 94 00:05:32,080 --> 00:05:37,560 Speaker 3: was first scene at the Teatra di Guadalupe in New 95 00:05:37,600 --> 00:05:41,159 Speaker 3: Mexico in nineteen sixteen. So it is definitely still like 96 00:05:41,200 --> 00:05:44,960 Speaker 3: a Southwest originating thing. But this wasn't even considered like 97 00:05:45,000 --> 00:05:48,080 Speaker 3: a full drive in. It was a partial drive in. 98 00:05:48,360 --> 00:05:52,520 Speaker 3: It was erected in nineteen sixteen. The Rio Grand Republican 99 00:05:52,839 --> 00:05:55,840 Speaker 3: newspaper described it as having the ability to seat seven 100 00:05:55,880 --> 00:06:00,719 Speaker 3: hundred people in the auditorium, automobile entrances and places for 101 00:06:00,720 --> 00:06:04,040 Speaker 3: forty or more cars within the theater grounds, and inline 102 00:06:04,120 --> 00:06:07,960 Speaker 3: position to see the pictures and witness all the performances 103 00:06:07,960 --> 00:06:10,560 Speaker 3: on the stage. Is a feature of the place that 104 00:06:10,640 --> 00:06:12,680 Speaker 3: will please car owners. 105 00:06:13,160 --> 00:06:15,200 Speaker 2: It's a hybrid. It's a hybrid. 106 00:06:15,240 --> 00:06:18,000 Speaker 3: And one thing we also know about the Southwest car 107 00:06:18,040 --> 00:06:21,800 Speaker 3: culture baby big deal even to this day, car shows, 108 00:06:21,839 --> 00:06:25,080 Speaker 3: you know, muscle cars, all of these kind of things, 109 00:06:25,160 --> 00:06:28,279 Speaker 3: rims whatever. I'm not a supercar guy, but I know 110 00:06:28,320 --> 00:06:30,680 Speaker 3: you are. But it really is something that still is 111 00:06:30,680 --> 00:06:34,120 Speaker 3: a big deal in southern California and that part of 112 00:06:34,120 --> 00:06:34,520 Speaker 3: the world. 113 00:06:34,839 --> 00:06:38,120 Speaker 1: And this, you know, journey back with this folks in 114 00:06:38,400 --> 00:06:43,760 Speaker 1: nineteen sixteen cars are very different than the cars you 115 00:06:43,800 --> 00:06:46,640 Speaker 1: would see here in twenty twenty four. You know, this 116 00:06:46,760 --> 00:06:49,800 Speaker 1: is the days of the of the jeloppies as they 117 00:06:49,839 --> 00:06:53,840 Speaker 1: would be called, and the augas. Yeah, this is an 118 00:06:54,800 --> 00:06:57,200 Speaker 1: I would say this is seen at the time in 119 00:06:57,240 --> 00:07:01,840 Speaker 1: New Mexico as a kind of fall word facing, cutting edge, 120 00:07:02,000 --> 00:07:06,599 Speaker 1: early adopter technology thing exactly right, right, And not a 121 00:07:06,600 --> 00:07:09,280 Speaker 1: lot of people own cars at this point, so it's 122 00:07:09,320 --> 00:07:11,560 Speaker 1: definitely a flex If you own a car, you want 123 00:07:11,600 --> 00:07:14,200 Speaker 1: people to see it. And it's still you know, it 124 00:07:14,320 --> 00:07:16,720 Speaker 1: still speaks to and we'll get into this, it still 125 00:07:16,760 --> 00:07:20,560 Speaker 1: speaks to a fundamental human drive that's been around since 126 00:07:20,640 --> 00:07:24,200 Speaker 1: the days of theater in ancient Greece and ancient China, 127 00:07:24,640 --> 00:07:31,440 Speaker 1: the idea of experiencing a story with other people around, 128 00:07:31,600 --> 00:07:35,800 Speaker 1: as Andrew puts it, watching a movie al Fresco, which 129 00:07:35,840 --> 00:07:37,880 Speaker 1: I loved, and yeah. 130 00:07:37,840 --> 00:07:40,680 Speaker 3: Yeah, well yeah as an alfresco kind of like a picnic. 131 00:07:41,120 --> 00:07:42,560 Speaker 2: Isn't that what that means? I think? 132 00:07:42,600 --> 00:07:45,480 Speaker 3: So, yeah, yeah, I believe it's sort of just like, 133 00:07:45,600 --> 00:07:48,640 Speaker 3: you know the idea of doing something outside, yeah, in 134 00:07:48,680 --> 00:07:51,560 Speaker 3: the outdoors, in the out but it's but usually when 135 00:07:51,600 --> 00:07:54,600 Speaker 3: some people talk about taking a meal alfresco. It's sort 136 00:07:54,600 --> 00:07:57,040 Speaker 3: of referring to a picnic idea, and that is neat 137 00:07:57,480 --> 00:08:00,440 Speaker 3: about the drive in experience because it's you're able to 138 00:08:00,480 --> 00:08:02,360 Speaker 3: kind of you got your own kind of mobile tent. 139 00:08:02,840 --> 00:08:05,600 Speaker 3: You know, you're almost like camping in a weird way. 140 00:08:05,840 --> 00:08:08,080 Speaker 3: And we'll get into some of the other factors that 141 00:08:08,360 --> 00:08:12,440 Speaker 3: made it really, really popular, but it's a little bit 142 00:08:12,480 --> 00:08:15,760 Speaker 3: easier to kind of do what you want, if that 143 00:08:15,800 --> 00:08:16,360 Speaker 3: makes sense. 144 00:08:17,320 --> 00:08:19,840 Speaker 2: Yeah, we're a family show. Yeah, we'll get to it. Though. 145 00:08:19,840 --> 00:08:23,440 Speaker 1: There's a reason people love to drive in Atlanta, and 146 00:08:23,680 --> 00:08:27,000 Speaker 1: this is something that is fascinating that we learned in 147 00:08:27,040 --> 00:08:31,720 Speaker 1: the course of research for this episode. Showing movies outdoors 148 00:08:31,920 --> 00:08:35,640 Speaker 1: at this time, pre nineteen sixteen, it was not a 149 00:08:35,840 --> 00:08:39,960 Speaker 1: novel concept in and of itself because then is now, 150 00:08:40,120 --> 00:08:43,680 Speaker 1: people would set up projector screens maybe on beaches or 151 00:08:43,760 --> 00:08:48,520 Speaker 1: other wide open spaces to quote the Dixie Chicks, and 152 00:08:48,559 --> 00:08:52,119 Speaker 1: they would watch silent films. There would often be musicians 153 00:08:52,120 --> 00:08:54,520 Speaker 1: who would play the score. Right, So this is a 154 00:08:54,559 --> 00:08:56,440 Speaker 1: heck of an evening. It's still a kind of party 155 00:08:56,679 --> 00:08:59,520 Speaker 1: that we would want to go to, and it hearkens 156 00:08:59,600 --> 00:09:03,959 Speaker 1: back again into the idea of watching live theatrical performances, 157 00:09:04,000 --> 00:09:08,680 Speaker 1: maybe in an amphitheater out in the Mediterranean countryside. We 158 00:09:09,200 --> 00:09:14,080 Speaker 1: know that there are some heroic characters, the pioneers of 159 00:09:14,240 --> 00:09:17,600 Speaker 1: drive in films, and that's where we need to introduce 160 00:09:17,640 --> 00:09:21,480 Speaker 1: you to our first protagonist of the story, Max. If 161 00:09:21,520 --> 00:09:25,560 Speaker 1: we could get some like profound cinematic music. 162 00:09:25,320 --> 00:09:37,760 Speaker 2: Really do it up there. It is Robert Is who 163 00:09:37,840 --> 00:09:40,400 Speaker 2: is strolling to find out who. 164 00:09:40,200 --> 00:09:43,600 Speaker 1: Is strolling onto the stage here, Noel, that would be 165 00:09:44,080 --> 00:09:47,800 Speaker 1: mister Richard Milton hollings Head Junior. 166 00:09:48,559 --> 00:09:50,760 Speaker 3: Quite the name and quite the legacy of this man 167 00:09:50,880 --> 00:09:55,560 Speaker 3: left behind. He was a big gear head, you know. 168 00:09:55,720 --> 00:09:58,640 Speaker 3: He was a movie fan as well, and he was 169 00:09:58,640 --> 00:10:01,400 Speaker 3: a sales manager at his father's company called Whiz Auto 170 00:10:01,480 --> 00:10:04,960 Speaker 3: Products over there in Camden, New Jersey, and he wanted 171 00:10:04,960 --> 00:10:09,280 Speaker 3: to combine his two loves movie theaters and movies and 172 00:10:09,320 --> 00:10:10,000 Speaker 3: car culture. 173 00:10:10,400 --> 00:10:11,520 Speaker 2: Like we said, so. 174 00:10:11,679 --> 00:10:14,679 Speaker 3: He kind of, you know, brain birthed the idea of 175 00:10:14,760 --> 00:10:18,760 Speaker 3: the early park in theaters. Drive in is one of 176 00:10:18,840 --> 00:10:22,520 Speaker 3: those things that is maybe less coined by an individual 177 00:10:22,559 --> 00:10:25,440 Speaker 3: and maybe more just like a term that became what 178 00:10:25,559 --> 00:10:27,400 Speaker 3: people referred to him as, and then they sort of 179 00:10:27,400 --> 00:10:30,640 Speaker 3: got picked up widely I don't the concept, but not 180 00:10:30,760 --> 00:10:33,000 Speaker 3: the name. Well also, you know, I mean a drive 181 00:10:33,080 --> 00:10:36,439 Speaker 3: in is I guess you'd have that for like diners 182 00:10:36,440 --> 00:10:39,080 Speaker 3: and stuff too, like you have like a certain you know, 183 00:10:39,160 --> 00:10:42,040 Speaker 3: like Sonic, which is like the classic you know, drive 184 00:10:42,080 --> 00:10:45,679 Speaker 3: in food service situation. It all went kind of hand 185 00:10:45,760 --> 00:10:47,880 Speaker 3: in hand with that called car culture thing. But park 186 00:10:47,960 --> 00:10:52,520 Speaker 3: in it's not as sexy as it's not as active. 187 00:10:51,040 --> 00:10:54,079 Speaker 3: It's like we're. 188 00:10:53,920 --> 00:10:56,640 Speaker 1: Powering in with the power of automobiles. 189 00:10:56,840 --> 00:10:58,480 Speaker 2: There were automobiles compels us. 190 00:10:58,840 --> 00:11:03,800 Speaker 1: Yes, there were drive ins as early as the nineteen tens, 191 00:11:03,880 --> 00:11:08,400 Speaker 1: by which we mean there were people driving to watch 192 00:11:08,440 --> 00:11:14,800 Speaker 1: stuff outdoors. But the concept as a patented notion first 193 00:11:14,840 --> 00:11:18,920 Speaker 1: opened on June sixth, nineteen thirty three. Our buddy Hollingshead 194 00:11:19,000 --> 00:11:23,920 Speaker 1: Junior got a location a sweet spot on Crescent Boulevard 195 00:11:24,120 --> 00:11:28,760 Speaker 1: in New Jersey. There's a bit of confusion here because 196 00:11:28,800 --> 00:11:33,240 Speaker 1: it's often reported that this drive in opened on Admiral 197 00:11:33,320 --> 00:11:37,000 Speaker 1: Wilson Boulevard in Camden, but it's not. It opened on 198 00:11:37,160 --> 00:11:43,000 Speaker 1: Crescent Boulevard in Don't kill me here, folks, Pensaken Township. 199 00:11:43,040 --> 00:11:46,680 Speaker 3: I think that was a delightful attempt, if not nailed 200 00:11:46,679 --> 00:11:48,880 Speaker 3: its spot on That's what I would have said. Yeah, 201 00:11:48,880 --> 00:11:52,280 Speaker 3: And it's funny because I really do associate this the 202 00:11:52,360 --> 00:11:55,120 Speaker 3: drive in culture with the West Coast, and you know, 203 00:11:55,160 --> 00:11:57,920 Speaker 3: we do have that very very earliest one over there 204 00:11:57,920 --> 00:11:59,720 Speaker 3: in New Mexico. But this is kind of the more 205 00:12:00,120 --> 00:12:03,440 Speaker 3: the beginnings of the mainstreaming of drive in culture. And 206 00:12:03,480 --> 00:12:06,680 Speaker 3: then you mentioned the idea of patenting this. I find 207 00:12:06,720 --> 00:12:10,200 Speaker 3: that really interesting and I immediately was sort of like, huh, like, 208 00:12:10,320 --> 00:12:13,840 Speaker 3: how do you patent the idea of showing a movie outside? 209 00:12:14,040 --> 00:12:15,800 Speaker 1: You know, I thought you were going to say, how 210 00:12:15,840 --> 00:12:17,960 Speaker 1: do you patent the idea of showing up somewhere? 211 00:12:18,160 --> 00:12:21,320 Speaker 3: Wells that is part of it, though, Ben, isn't it 212 00:12:21,360 --> 00:12:25,559 Speaker 3: because you're not providing the cars. At this point, they 213 00:12:25,559 --> 00:12:27,959 Speaker 3: didn't even have like, you know, obviously there's going to 214 00:12:28,040 --> 00:12:30,800 Speaker 3: get to a point where they've got more innovative solutions 215 00:12:31,240 --> 00:12:34,920 Speaker 3: like the radio tunable speakers you know that you put 216 00:12:34,920 --> 00:12:38,200 Speaker 3: in your car directly personal speakers. But at this point 217 00:12:38,400 --> 00:12:42,000 Speaker 3: it's just a big old public address system outdoors and 218 00:12:42,080 --> 00:12:44,520 Speaker 3: a big screen and like cars that would pull up. 219 00:12:44,840 --> 00:12:47,240 Speaker 3: But he was granted a patent for this, and I 220 00:12:47,280 --> 00:12:50,200 Speaker 3: just find that interesting because it seems not particularly novel 221 00:12:50,559 --> 00:12:53,360 Speaker 3: because usually a patent requires something that's very very novel 222 00:12:53,400 --> 00:12:55,120 Speaker 3: and some sort of very specific design. 223 00:12:55,360 --> 00:12:57,800 Speaker 1: Right, Yeah, we should also do a weird history of 224 00:12:57,840 --> 00:13:01,040 Speaker 1: patents just so we can figure out how it works. 225 00:13:01,240 --> 00:13:04,520 Speaker 3: We can even get into like the modern development of 226 00:13:04,559 --> 00:13:05,920 Speaker 3: like things like Patent Control IV. 227 00:13:06,320 --> 00:13:09,640 Speaker 1: Yeah, you know, this would also be immensely helpful to 228 00:13:09,720 --> 00:13:13,559 Speaker 1: me because I have a bunch of weird ideas for inventions, 229 00:13:13,840 --> 00:13:17,960 Speaker 1: and I swear to god they always sound crazy and 230 00:13:18,200 --> 00:13:21,640 Speaker 1: eccentric in my head until I read a news story 231 00:13:21,679 --> 00:13:25,080 Speaker 1: about someone doing that very thing, like the like the 232 00:13:25,120 --> 00:13:27,360 Speaker 1: screw tops for plastic bottles in Europe. 233 00:13:27,880 --> 00:13:30,800 Speaker 2: They called me mad. They did call you mad, But 234 00:13:30,920 --> 00:13:31,559 Speaker 2: I think I told you. 235 00:13:31,600 --> 00:13:33,320 Speaker 3: I used to have a bit of a kooky boss 236 00:13:33,360 --> 00:13:35,680 Speaker 3: who was very much of more of like the Ricky 237 00:13:35,720 --> 00:13:38,800 Speaker 3: Gervais version of the Michael Scott character in the office, 238 00:13:38,840 --> 00:13:40,840 Speaker 3: so a little bit more mean spirited and kind of 239 00:13:40,880 --> 00:13:44,880 Speaker 3: like really unpleasant, let's just say. But he was one 240 00:13:44,880 --> 00:13:47,480 Speaker 3: of these cats that would just drop these like wild ideas, 241 00:13:47,480 --> 00:13:50,319 Speaker 3: and the funniest one that everyone laughed at him about 242 00:13:50,360 --> 00:13:52,199 Speaker 3: was what if we had this powder that you put 243 00:13:52,240 --> 00:13:54,640 Speaker 3: in your water and it man, it gives it a 244 00:13:54,679 --> 00:13:58,240 Speaker 3: flavor and vitamins and it's going to be called wait. 245 00:13:58,080 --> 00:14:04,199 Speaker 2: For it, H two woe. I love it. H two. 246 00:14:04,280 --> 00:14:07,320 Speaker 3: I would have also accepted H two Wow. That would 247 00:14:07,320 --> 00:14:09,480 Speaker 3: have also worked. But yeah, man like that, you know 248 00:14:09,920 --> 00:14:12,920 Speaker 3: a couple of years past. That's absolutely a thing. 249 00:14:13,320 --> 00:14:16,480 Speaker 1: Yeah, I love that, and that's prescient. So flowers where 250 00:14:16,480 --> 00:14:18,599 Speaker 1: they're due. I had another one, and I'll keep the 251 00:14:18,640 --> 00:14:20,720 Speaker 1: short says nothing to do with drive. Ince I had 252 00:14:20,720 --> 00:14:22,520 Speaker 1: another one. I was super into this idea. 253 00:14:22,800 --> 00:14:23,760 Speaker 2: It's like, hey, you. 254 00:14:23,760 --> 00:14:26,720 Speaker 1: Know how you you ever have that moment where you're 255 00:14:26,760 --> 00:14:30,640 Speaker 1: holding something expensive and fragile and you think, what if 256 00:14:30,640 --> 00:14:33,440 Speaker 1: I just broke this right just to sort of feel something? 257 00:14:34,120 --> 00:14:36,120 Speaker 1: And I said, we should make not a stark bend. 258 00:14:37,440 --> 00:14:40,680 Speaker 1: We should make not escape rooms, but break rooms where 259 00:14:40,720 --> 00:14:43,560 Speaker 1: you could pay money to go in, get an implement 260 00:14:43,600 --> 00:14:46,520 Speaker 1: of your choice, like a hammer, baseball bat, and we 261 00:14:46,560 --> 00:14:48,360 Speaker 1: could get a bunch of stuff from a thrift store, 262 00:14:48,560 --> 00:14:51,440 Speaker 1: and then you could just go nuts for a little 263 00:14:51,440 --> 00:14:54,200 Speaker 1: while breaking it. People said it was violet and crazy, 264 00:14:54,280 --> 00:14:56,480 Speaker 1: and now it's a successful thing that it was. 265 00:14:56,560 --> 00:15:01,240 Speaker 3: It's been a I remember Tamika, our long time colleague, 266 00:15:02,080 --> 00:15:04,640 Speaker 3: mentioned several years back that she went to one of 267 00:15:04,640 --> 00:15:07,000 Speaker 3: those and it's a very I think it's a cathartic 268 00:15:07,040 --> 00:15:10,320 Speaker 3: way of releasing your attentions on like old computer screens 269 00:15:10,360 --> 00:15:12,920 Speaker 3: and stuff instead of like, you know, punching. 270 00:15:12,960 --> 00:15:15,200 Speaker 2: Somebody do that full support. 271 00:15:15,480 --> 00:15:18,400 Speaker 1: Oh maybe that will be our next business now of. 272 00:15:18,480 --> 00:15:22,720 Speaker 3: A space you're talking about, right, They smashing the Facts machine. 273 00:15:22,520 --> 00:15:25,920 Speaker 1: And I loved watching that. That's iconic, that that's something 274 00:15:25,960 --> 00:15:28,960 Speaker 1: that I'm glad that I watched that for the first 275 00:15:28,960 --> 00:15:32,120 Speaker 1: time with other people. With that sublid track, we get 276 00:15:32,160 --> 00:15:34,520 Speaker 1: the appeal of the films and that's the way. 277 00:15:36,080 --> 00:15:36,480 Speaker 2: That's it. 278 00:15:36,720 --> 00:15:41,480 Speaker 1: And people also had that same impetus. In nineteen thirty three, 279 00:15:48,200 --> 00:15:52,360 Speaker 1: they paid twenty five cents per car as well as 280 00:15:52,520 --> 00:15:57,400 Speaker 1: per person to watch films like the British comedy Lives Beware, 281 00:15:57,480 --> 00:16:00,040 Speaker 1: which I don't think either of us have seen, and 282 00:16:00,680 --> 00:16:05,800 Speaker 1: the local paper called this the first automobile movie theota 283 00:16:05,800 --> 00:16:08,840 Speaker 1: in the world. I have to pause here and all 284 00:16:08,920 --> 00:16:13,720 Speaker 1: because nineteen thirty three a quarter per car and per person. 285 00:16:14,840 --> 00:16:17,400 Speaker 1: It's pricey, right, I think that's right, Ben, And I 286 00:16:17,440 --> 00:16:20,000 Speaker 1: think that was part of some of the growing pains 287 00:16:20,040 --> 00:16:23,280 Speaker 1: of the early days of drive in movie theaters because 288 00:16:23,840 --> 00:16:25,720 Speaker 1: it's kind of interesting if you think about it. You're 289 00:16:25,760 --> 00:16:29,000 Speaker 1: paying for the privilege of sitting in your own car. 290 00:16:29,120 --> 00:16:31,600 Speaker 1: They don't even have to provide you a seat or 291 00:16:31,640 --> 00:16:34,440 Speaker 1: air conditioning. It almost seems a little a little bit 292 00:16:34,480 --> 00:16:36,960 Speaker 1: like a grift when you really break it down, doesn't it. 293 00:16:37,120 --> 00:16:38,160 Speaker 2: Yeah, you know, it hit me. 294 00:16:38,840 --> 00:16:42,760 Speaker 1: I'm glad you're mentioning this. Not too long ago. It's 295 00:16:42,800 --> 00:16:45,520 Speaker 1: in a different city in Japan. We're reading at a 296 00:16:45,920 --> 00:16:48,200 Speaker 1: Yaqui Niku place, which is kind of like the Japanese 297 00:16:48,280 --> 00:16:51,760 Speaker 1: version koreem barbecue, and it hit me. I thought, hang on, 298 00:16:52,520 --> 00:16:57,040 Speaker 1: we're paying these folks to go to a restaurant where 299 00:16:57,080 --> 00:16:58,000 Speaker 1: we are the cooks. 300 00:16:58,040 --> 00:17:01,400 Speaker 3: Basically, that's right. It's brilliant, but it's also a feature, 301 00:17:01,480 --> 00:17:03,520 Speaker 3: not a bug in a lot of ways. It depends 302 00:17:03,520 --> 00:17:05,520 Speaker 3: on how you view it and what you're into. But 303 00:17:06,040 --> 00:17:09,040 Speaker 3: you know, some people are real particular about the dunness 304 00:17:09,080 --> 00:17:11,560 Speaker 3: of their meat, and you know, it's like barbecuing on 305 00:17:11,640 --> 00:17:12,119 Speaker 3: a table. 306 00:17:12,160 --> 00:17:13,000 Speaker 2: It's a lot of fun. 307 00:17:13,240 --> 00:17:16,480 Speaker 3: And again, this is worth a little bit extra price 308 00:17:16,480 --> 00:17:19,119 Speaker 3: of admission because it feels like an adventure. You know, 309 00:17:19,160 --> 00:17:21,520 Speaker 3: you're taking your car, you're in the great outdoors, you're 310 00:17:21,600 --> 00:17:24,840 Speaker 3: sort of glamping in a way, and watching the movie. 311 00:17:24,880 --> 00:17:26,320 Speaker 2: But there were problems though. 312 00:17:27,000 --> 00:17:29,280 Speaker 3: There were problems that needed to be solved in terms 313 00:17:29,320 --> 00:17:34,480 Speaker 3: of things like visibility, maintaining an unobstructed line of sight 314 00:17:34,560 --> 00:17:37,480 Speaker 3: to the screen. And also again, like I mentioned that 315 00:17:38,160 --> 00:17:42,000 Speaker 3: PA system, it was one single sound source that was 316 00:17:42,000 --> 00:17:46,240 Speaker 3: supposed to hit all of the attendees sitting in their cars. 317 00:17:46,640 --> 00:17:49,840 Speaker 3: And if anyone knows anything about sound traveling over distance 318 00:17:50,240 --> 00:17:53,720 Speaker 3: connected to a picture, you're gonna get some lag there. 319 00:17:53,920 --> 00:17:56,920 Speaker 3: And that problem doesn't get solved until a little bit later. 320 00:17:57,119 --> 00:17:59,040 Speaker 3: So Halling said to backtrack just a little bit. 321 00:18:00,000 --> 00:18:00,600 Speaker 2: He did get his. 322 00:18:00,560 --> 00:18:04,960 Speaker 3: Start working at an automotive parts company, Wiz Auto Parts Company, 323 00:18:05,000 --> 00:18:06,800 Speaker 3: founded by his father in the early years of the 324 00:18:06,840 --> 00:18:12,600 Speaker 3: twentieth century. They sold you know, lubrications, greases, oils, polishes, 325 00:18:12,720 --> 00:18:17,480 Speaker 3: turtle wax, things like that, and Hollings had considered he 326 00:18:17,760 --> 00:18:23,199 Speaker 3: looked at what his customers were buying and recognized that 327 00:18:23,240 --> 00:18:29,040 Speaker 3: people often would give up on food, clothing, automobiles. 328 00:18:28,200 --> 00:18:30,320 Speaker 2: And movies in that order. 329 00:18:30,560 --> 00:18:33,760 Speaker 3: Like that was the the hierarchy of needs in the 330 00:18:33,800 --> 00:18:35,800 Speaker 3: depression exactly, Ben, Yeah, tell us more. 331 00:18:36,200 --> 00:18:40,639 Speaker 1: Yeah, because and we see this pattern that haulings Head 332 00:18:41,000 --> 00:18:45,080 Speaker 1: astutely identifies. We see this in almost every time of 333 00:18:45,240 --> 00:18:50,680 Speaker 1: economic turmoil, people will give up the fancy meals, right, 334 00:18:50,720 --> 00:18:53,240 Speaker 1: you'll tighten your belt. Speaking of belts, you won't buy 335 00:18:53,240 --> 00:18:58,240 Speaker 1: as many name brand clothing items. You're probably not gonna 336 00:18:59,000 --> 00:19:01,720 Speaker 1: pony up the money for a new car. But you 337 00:19:01,960 --> 00:19:07,240 Speaker 1: will rationalize entertainment. You will rationalize things like you know, 338 00:19:07,400 --> 00:19:10,760 Speaker 1: vices too, honestly, alcoholics, bacco, movies. 339 00:19:10,880 --> 00:19:14,120 Speaker 3: Well, it's during the hardest of times that that kind 340 00:19:14,160 --> 00:19:18,000 Speaker 3: of escapism is the most crucial, you know, I mean, honestly, 341 00:19:18,040 --> 00:19:21,119 Speaker 3: if you think about it, movies and entertainment, it's just 342 00:19:21,200 --> 00:19:23,919 Speaker 3: our way of kind of biding our time until death. 343 00:19:24,400 --> 00:19:26,840 Speaker 2: I mean, not to be too. 344 00:19:26,440 --> 00:19:30,320 Speaker 3: Gallowsy about it, but like we need those distractions to 345 00:19:30,480 --> 00:19:33,120 Speaker 3: kind of distract us from our mortality and from all 346 00:19:33,160 --> 00:19:36,000 Speaker 3: of the kind of heavy stuff. And during the heaviest 347 00:19:36,000 --> 00:19:39,399 Speaker 3: of times, that's what entertainment is the most valuable and 348 00:19:39,480 --> 00:19:42,280 Speaker 3: the most like crucial kind of for keeping you from 349 00:19:42,320 --> 00:19:45,200 Speaker 3: burning out and just having like a crisis of the soul. 350 00:19:46,160 --> 00:19:49,280 Speaker 1: And Holly said, is really smart about his approach here. 351 00:19:49,920 --> 00:19:54,280 Speaker 1: Instead of immediately jumping into the real estate game, he 352 00:19:54,400 --> 00:19:57,280 Speaker 1: goes to his backyard. He sets up an outdoor theater. 353 00:19:57,440 --> 00:19:59,320 Speaker 1: It's a thing a lot of my friends in Atlanta 354 00:19:59,440 --> 00:20:02,600 Speaker 1: still do. It's very fun when the weather's dice. And 355 00:20:02,640 --> 00:20:06,680 Speaker 1: so his house is at two twelve Thomas Avenue in Riverton, 356 00:20:06,720 --> 00:20:10,439 Speaker 1: New Jersey. He gets a projection screen. He lets the 357 00:20:10,480 --> 00:20:13,200 Speaker 1: town know, and he says, all right, I'm gonna try 358 00:20:13,240 --> 00:20:15,760 Speaker 1: this thing out. It's going to be like a cool party. 359 00:20:16,040 --> 00:20:19,480 Speaker 1: He's I've got a nineteen twenty eight Kodak projector. I've 360 00:20:19,920 --> 00:20:23,440 Speaker 1: literally just nailed a screen to a tree in the back. 361 00:20:23,960 --> 00:20:29,359 Speaker 1: And he spends some time experimenting before he brings people 362 00:20:29,400 --> 00:20:33,280 Speaker 1: over and does a dry run. He is trying to 363 00:20:33,400 --> 00:20:38,119 Speaker 1: figure out the ideal home theater layout because as anybody 364 00:20:38,200 --> 00:20:40,800 Speaker 1: can tell you, anybody's been to a concert could tell you, 365 00:20:41,119 --> 00:20:43,479 Speaker 1: one of the worst things to happen is to go 366 00:20:43,520 --> 00:20:46,800 Speaker 1: to a place like this and to have your view blocked. 367 00:20:46,800 --> 00:20:49,520 Speaker 1: Have you ever been stuck behind like a pillar or 368 00:20:49,800 --> 00:20:51,600 Speaker 1: some kind of standing. 369 00:20:51,160 --> 00:20:54,760 Speaker 3: Pole, And God, you asked, it wasn't that egregious. But 370 00:20:55,359 --> 00:20:57,520 Speaker 3: I had never been to a place in year old 371 00:20:57,520 --> 00:21:00,879 Speaker 3: stomping grounds in Nashville, Tennessee into a show at the 372 00:21:00,880 --> 00:21:05,400 Speaker 3: Mother Church the Ryman Auditorium. Yeah, and I bought tickets 373 00:21:05,440 --> 00:21:08,879 Speaker 3: to go see the Flaming Lips there and I was 374 00:21:09,119 --> 00:21:11,320 Speaker 3: I thought they were seemed like really good seats in 375 00:21:11,400 --> 00:21:13,600 Speaker 3: terms of like the abe through z, you know, kind 376 00:21:13,640 --> 00:21:15,960 Speaker 3: of like how close you are to the stage. 377 00:21:16,359 --> 00:21:18,920 Speaker 2: It was like a nice middle kind of ground or whatever. 378 00:21:19,480 --> 00:21:21,159 Speaker 3: I got there only to realize they call it the 379 00:21:21,160 --> 00:21:23,880 Speaker 3: Mother Church because the place used to be an actual 380 00:21:23,960 --> 00:21:26,720 Speaker 3: church which has a balcony, and a whole bunch of 381 00:21:26,720 --> 00:21:30,160 Speaker 3: the seats are under the balcony. So while I wasn't 382 00:21:30,200 --> 00:21:34,320 Speaker 3: behind a pillar and most bands wouldn't use what you'd 383 00:21:34,359 --> 00:21:38,359 Speaker 3: call like the the entire you know, stretch of the prescenium, 384 00:21:39,200 --> 00:21:42,280 Speaker 3: Flaming Lips absolutely did. They had massive inflatables. They were 385 00:21:42,280 --> 00:21:44,800 Speaker 3: doing all kinds of crazy stuff way up in the sky, and. 386 00:21:44,760 --> 00:21:46,000 Speaker 2: I was like, what's going on there? 387 00:21:46,080 --> 00:21:47,720 Speaker 3: I mean, you'll totally left out, and like, yeah, I 388 00:21:47,720 --> 00:21:51,480 Speaker 3: couldn't see anything above that overhang of the balcony and 389 00:21:51,560 --> 00:21:52,960 Speaker 3: it was a little bit of a bummer, but I 390 00:21:52,960 --> 00:21:54,920 Speaker 3: still very much enjoyed it. But now I know pro 391 00:21:55,040 --> 00:21:57,920 Speaker 3: tip when you're going to the rhyman, make sure you're 392 00:21:57,920 --> 00:22:00,800 Speaker 3: not you know, you're you're shooting for either balcony seats 393 00:22:01,119 --> 00:22:04,640 Speaker 3: or something before the balcony cuts you off your view. 394 00:22:05,119 --> 00:22:08,200 Speaker 1: Yeah, I think the I've been to the Rhyman as well, 395 00:22:08,280 --> 00:22:13,600 Speaker 1: obviously being from Nashville, and the my favorite seats there, 396 00:22:13,640 --> 00:22:15,600 Speaker 1: as you said, like right on the lip of the 397 00:22:15,640 --> 00:22:19,200 Speaker 1: balcony on the second floor. They are very they are 398 00:22:19,200 --> 00:22:21,280 Speaker 1: still at least last time I was there. They're real 399 00:22:21,400 --> 00:22:22,919 Speaker 1: church views. It's weird. 400 00:22:23,840 --> 00:22:25,800 Speaker 3: Yeah, No, it was an incredible experience. It was a 401 00:22:25,800 --> 00:22:28,520 Speaker 3: wonderful place to see the show. Beautiful stained glass. But 402 00:22:28,720 --> 00:22:31,000 Speaker 3: just be mindful because if it hadn't been a band 403 00:22:31,119 --> 00:22:33,159 Speaker 3: that like was using all of that space, it wouldn't 404 00:22:33,200 --> 00:22:35,080 Speaker 3: have been a big deal. But like you know, Wayne Coyn, 405 00:22:35,119 --> 00:22:38,120 Speaker 3: He's like got this magical mechanical flying bird and it's 406 00:22:38,160 --> 00:22:39,720 Speaker 3: all zooming around. I'm like, I want to see the 407 00:22:39,720 --> 00:22:42,560 Speaker 3: flying bird, but I couldn't see it. But anyway, I digress. 408 00:22:42,600 --> 00:22:47,040 Speaker 3: So the logistics are a big part of this dude's thinking. 409 00:22:47,240 --> 00:22:50,240 Speaker 3: He's doing this test run in his backyard and he's 410 00:22:50,280 --> 00:22:54,600 Speaker 3: basically laying out how to best make sure that every 411 00:22:54,680 --> 00:22:56,560 Speaker 3: single seat in the house is the best seat in 412 00:22:56,600 --> 00:22:56,960 Speaker 3: the house. 413 00:22:57,400 --> 00:22:57,800 Speaker 2: Mm hmm. 414 00:22:57,960 --> 00:23:01,600 Speaker 1: And he's doing some real mcgui stuff. He says, Okay, 415 00:23:01,640 --> 00:23:05,600 Speaker 1: what if I park the cars in this layout? No, 416 00:23:06,320 --> 00:23:08,840 Speaker 1: because you know, twenty percent of the people can't see. 417 00:23:09,359 --> 00:23:12,360 Speaker 1: How do I ensure that people who are parked behind 418 00:23:12,640 --> 00:23:15,800 Speaker 1: the first row of cars can also see instead of 419 00:23:15,920 --> 00:23:18,159 Speaker 1: just trying to like look through the rear view and 420 00:23:18,200 --> 00:23:20,359 Speaker 1: the windshield or the car in front of him. And 421 00:23:20,440 --> 00:23:23,280 Speaker 1: so he says, all right, I need a series of 422 00:23:23,400 --> 00:23:28,760 Speaker 1: terraced rows. I need raised ramps so that everybody has 423 00:23:28,800 --> 00:23:32,200 Speaker 1: a good chance of seeing each other. Now, granted this 424 00:23:32,280 --> 00:23:35,720 Speaker 1: is before the days of very tall, lifted trucks, you 425 00:23:35,760 --> 00:23:38,520 Speaker 1: know what I mean, they can ruin the views. Still 426 00:23:38,560 --> 00:23:43,080 Speaker 1: at a drive in, so collings Head places blocks under 427 00:23:43,359 --> 00:23:47,680 Speaker 1: the front wheels of cars and this adjust their height 428 00:23:48,119 --> 00:23:51,520 Speaker 1: until the driver who is further back can see over 429 00:23:51,600 --> 00:23:53,960 Speaker 1: the car in front. And if you go to a 430 00:23:54,080 --> 00:23:58,320 Speaker 1: drive in theater today, you'll notice that same kind of 431 00:23:58,480 --> 00:24:02,399 Speaker 1: pattern in the pavement. Right, And if you're driving slow, 432 00:24:02,480 --> 00:24:04,240 Speaker 1: you might not notice it, but if you pick up 433 00:24:04,280 --> 00:24:07,960 Speaker 1: any speed, then you noticed you're going over a series 434 00:24:08,000 --> 00:24:08,919 Speaker 1: of tiny hills. 435 00:24:09,240 --> 00:24:09,640 Speaker 2: That's right. 436 00:24:09,720 --> 00:24:11,360 Speaker 3: I mean if even at the Starlight drive in here 437 00:24:11,359 --> 00:24:13,600 Speaker 3: in Atlanta, I believe the whole thing is paved kind 438 00:24:13,640 --> 00:24:16,040 Speaker 3: of on an incline, you know, And like I think 439 00:24:16,080 --> 00:24:20,119 Speaker 3: the most successful venues typically that follow the whole The 440 00:24:20,119 --> 00:24:22,840 Speaker 3: classic tale is oldest time design of like an amphitheater 441 00:24:23,200 --> 00:24:27,080 Speaker 3: in Greek times would be that raked perspective because you know, 442 00:24:27,119 --> 00:24:28,920 Speaker 3: at the farther back you get, you got a little 443 00:24:28,920 --> 00:24:30,760 Speaker 3: bit of a rise, so therefore you can kind of 444 00:24:30,760 --> 00:24:33,840 Speaker 3: see over the heads or tail lights of the person 445 00:24:33,880 --> 00:24:34,320 Speaker 3: in front of you. 446 00:24:34,600 --> 00:24:35,480 Speaker 2: Mm hmm. Yeah. 447 00:24:35,480 --> 00:24:39,159 Speaker 1: And he also he also tried to envision what it 448 00:24:39,200 --> 00:24:42,960 Speaker 1: would be like in inclement weather, so he hit sprinklers 449 00:24:43,119 --> 00:24:44,600 Speaker 1: and he said, Okay, this is what it looks like 450 00:24:44,640 --> 00:24:47,800 Speaker 1: if you're really like this guy. Yeah, that's fun. I 451 00:24:47,880 --> 00:24:50,520 Speaker 1: love that you pointed out the importance of sound. He 452 00:24:50,600 --> 00:24:53,880 Speaker 1: was trying to figure out the best place to locate 453 00:24:53,960 --> 00:24:56,760 Speaker 1: a radio. He ultimately decided that he will put it 454 00:24:56,840 --> 00:25:01,600 Speaker 1: behind the screen, and this becase These became the key 455 00:25:01,680 --> 00:25:04,920 Speaker 1: tenants of what we call a drive in theater. There 456 00:25:05,119 --> 00:25:08,959 Speaker 1: was a personal note that comes to us per Jim 457 00:25:09,119 --> 00:25:13,880 Speaker 1: Copp of the United Drive in Theaters Owners Association, and 458 00:25:13,960 --> 00:25:17,639 Speaker 1: he says that at least part of Hauling Hollingshead's motivation 459 00:25:19,600 --> 00:25:22,720 Speaker 1: was to make a theater that his mom could enjoy. 460 00:25:29,680 --> 00:25:32,600 Speaker 3: Yeah, I can relate to this. My mother was a 461 00:25:33,480 --> 00:25:37,159 Speaker 3: larger lady, let's say, and this is something that he 462 00:25:37,280 --> 00:25:39,520 Speaker 3: was thinking about. He wanted to make sure that his 463 00:25:39,600 --> 00:25:43,920 Speaker 3: mother and folks of her, you know, ilk would enjoy 464 00:25:43,960 --> 00:25:49,159 Speaker 3: themselves as well. So a typical indoor theater. I mean, gosh, man, 465 00:25:49,240 --> 00:25:51,280 Speaker 3: have you been to like an old theater, like in 466 00:25:51,400 --> 00:25:53,560 Speaker 3: like La, like a like a real old movie theater. 467 00:25:53,880 --> 00:25:57,240 Speaker 3: Even here in Atlanta, the Plaza Theater, the seats are tight, 468 00:25:57,600 --> 00:25:59,160 Speaker 3: They're very uncomfortable. 469 00:25:59,200 --> 00:26:02,200 Speaker 2: I'm a big enough and I could certainly still fit 470 00:26:02,240 --> 00:26:02,560 Speaker 2: in them. 471 00:26:02,600 --> 00:26:05,840 Speaker 3: But someone much larger than me, I mean, that would 472 00:26:05,880 --> 00:26:08,920 Speaker 3: be prohibitive and would really make you feel not welcome, 473 00:26:09,280 --> 00:26:11,600 Speaker 3: especially if he can't move the arm rest You can't 474 00:26:11,600 --> 00:26:14,200 Speaker 3: move the arm rests, you know. I mean, it's it's 475 00:26:14,200 --> 00:26:16,800 Speaker 3: definitely no fun because of that sense of just this 476 00:26:16,840 --> 00:26:19,960 Speaker 3: is not a place for me, and he having you know, 477 00:26:20,000 --> 00:26:23,280 Speaker 3: this person who he loved, his mother, fall into that set. 478 00:26:23,320 --> 00:26:25,200 Speaker 3: He was very concerned with people that were a little 479 00:26:25,200 --> 00:26:28,199 Speaker 3: bit larger being able to enjoy a movie with the 480 00:26:28,240 --> 00:26:31,239 Speaker 3: rest of them without being judged or being uncomfortable. So 481 00:26:31,320 --> 00:26:33,719 Speaker 3: he stuck her in a car before any of this stuff. 482 00:26:35,119 --> 00:26:37,760 Speaker 3: This is almost like the germ of the idea, right, 483 00:26:38,080 --> 00:26:39,800 Speaker 3: and he stuck her in a car and put a 484 00:26:39,880 --> 00:26:42,119 Speaker 3: nineteen twenty eight projector on the hood of the car 485 00:26:42,359 --> 00:26:45,960 Speaker 3: and tied two sheets to trees in his yard. I'm sorry, 486 00:26:45,960 --> 00:26:48,440 Speaker 3: I'm gonna say it again. I like this guy. It's 487 00:26:48,600 --> 00:26:49,199 Speaker 3: very sweet. 488 00:26:49,480 --> 00:26:51,720 Speaker 2: He's taking care of his mom. I think that's cool. Man. 489 00:26:52,680 --> 00:26:54,800 Speaker 3: So this is again, you know, like kind of like 490 00:26:54,880 --> 00:26:58,120 Speaker 3: just the very first spark of the idea. Now he's 491 00:26:58,160 --> 00:27:00,719 Speaker 3: tested things and he's kind of all to the races. 492 00:27:01,680 --> 00:27:02,520 Speaker 2: He sure is. 493 00:27:02,760 --> 00:27:07,520 Speaker 1: And this would also this would be a neat movie, right, 494 00:27:07,640 --> 00:27:09,520 Speaker 1: the creation of the drive in film. 495 00:27:09,800 --> 00:27:10,760 Speaker 2: I think it would. 496 00:27:11,119 --> 00:27:16,119 Speaker 1: Hollywood loves films about film. So anyway, he has made 497 00:27:16,119 --> 00:27:22,320 Speaker 1: these breakthroughs. His intentions are noble, his aspirations are pure, 498 00:27:22,920 --> 00:27:26,800 Speaker 1: and he says, look at all these things, I've figured out, 499 00:27:27,440 --> 00:27:32,119 Speaker 1: maybe this concept is specialized enough to be patented, because 500 00:27:32,160 --> 00:27:35,400 Speaker 1: something like this, with all these bells and conceptual whistles, 501 00:27:35,840 --> 00:27:39,359 Speaker 1: had not existed before he did successfully get a patent. 502 00:27:39,760 --> 00:27:43,720 Speaker 1: So every for like the next almost twenty years, for 503 00:27:43,720 --> 00:27:47,240 Speaker 1: the next seventeen years, all the other people who built 504 00:27:47,280 --> 00:27:51,760 Speaker 1: drive in theaters ended up paying him royalties. If you 505 00:27:51,840 --> 00:27:55,560 Speaker 1: look at his patent application from August sixth, nineteen thirty two. 506 00:27:56,040 --> 00:27:58,600 Speaker 1: He says, my invention relates to a new and useful 507 00:27:58,600 --> 00:28:01,800 Speaker 1: out to a theater, where by the transportation facilities to 508 00:28:02,000 --> 00:28:05,240 Speaker 1: and from the THEATO on me to constitute an element 509 00:28:05,320 --> 00:28:09,000 Speaker 1: of the CD facilities. Super sexy writing. He does get 510 00:28:09,000 --> 00:28:11,600 Speaker 1: the patent number one million, nine hundred and nine thousand, 511 00:28:11,760 --> 00:28:15,800 Speaker 1: five hundred and thirty seven. The day the patent paperwork 512 00:28:15,880 --> 00:28:19,000 Speaker 1: comes through, they start building the thing. 513 00:28:19,440 --> 00:28:20,960 Speaker 3: Well, you know, and earlier I was kind of poo 514 00:28:21,000 --> 00:28:23,639 Speaker 3: pooing the idea of like granting a patent for something 515 00:28:23,680 --> 00:28:25,440 Speaker 3: like this, because it really is even when you look 516 00:28:25,480 --> 00:28:27,800 Speaker 3: at there is a design, you know. And then I 517 00:28:27,920 --> 00:28:30,360 Speaker 3: certainly got to give the guy credit. He did some testing, 518 00:28:30,720 --> 00:28:32,679 Speaker 3: he figured out the best arrangement for cars. But if 519 00:28:32,720 --> 00:28:35,080 Speaker 3: you really look at it, it really is just kind 520 00:28:35,080 --> 00:28:37,040 Speaker 3: of like I guess the novel thing must have been 521 00:28:37,080 --> 00:28:40,720 Speaker 3: the series of ramps, right, because that's the only kind 522 00:28:40,720 --> 00:28:42,920 Speaker 3: of inventioning part of this, because when you look at it, 523 00:28:43,000 --> 00:28:44,719 Speaker 3: you know, and the graphic we have here is kind 524 00:28:44,720 --> 00:28:47,040 Speaker 3: of small, but it really does look like a sketch 525 00:28:47,080 --> 00:28:49,600 Speaker 3: of like you should Greek theater, like an outdoor amphitheater, 526 00:28:49,680 --> 00:28:52,480 Speaker 3: And the only difference is that it's cars, but he's 527 00:28:52,520 --> 00:28:55,600 Speaker 3: not providing the cars. It's just an open space, you know, 528 00:28:55,640 --> 00:28:58,960 Speaker 3: where a car can go. And I believe there'll become 529 00:28:59,240 --> 00:29:02,880 Speaker 3: later down the line. This patent gets called into question. 530 00:29:04,640 --> 00:29:08,840 Speaker 1: Yeah, nice foreshadowing there, man, Because of course it will. 531 00:29:09,080 --> 00:29:13,840 Speaker 1: That's how these things work. So him and his buddy 532 00:29:14,320 --> 00:29:18,520 Speaker 1: Willie Warren Smith have formed their theater, or that formed 533 00:29:18,520 --> 00:29:22,760 Speaker 1: their company, park In Theaters Incorporated. And they bring another 534 00:29:22,840 --> 00:29:26,400 Speaker 1: guy on, a contractor named Edward Ellis, and he is 535 00:29:26,440 --> 00:29:29,240 Speaker 1: our It's like if they're putting together a highst crew. 536 00:29:29,720 --> 00:29:33,040 Speaker 1: He's the pavement man. He's the paveman, and he's the 537 00:29:33,120 --> 00:29:38,120 Speaker 1: guy who grades up the lot for the first theater 538 00:29:38,440 --> 00:29:41,920 Speaker 1: to make it conform to Holling's head's designs. And he 539 00:29:42,040 --> 00:29:46,720 Speaker 1: does this work not for cash but for stock shares 540 00:29:46,760 --> 00:29:50,239 Speaker 1: in the company. And then there's another guy who, in 541 00:29:50,280 --> 00:29:53,560 Speaker 1: my opinion, comes out of left field. His name's Oliver Willitts. 542 00:29:54,200 --> 00:29:59,080 Speaker 1: He's a big mukety muckett Campbell's soup. He's a soupman. 543 00:30:00,160 --> 00:30:02,440 Speaker 1: I can only picture the conversation where he's like, there 544 00:30:02,440 --> 00:30:07,120 Speaker 1: are two things I like soup and the movies. 545 00:30:07,320 --> 00:30:08,720 Speaker 2: The pictures he what have called them? 546 00:30:08,880 --> 00:30:13,880 Speaker 1: So we've We've got a varied crew of specialists. We've 547 00:30:13,920 --> 00:30:17,840 Speaker 1: got the parking lot operator, Willie Warden Smith, he's kind 548 00:30:17,840 --> 00:30:21,640 Speaker 1: of the money. Hollins Head is the brains, Edward Ellis 549 00:30:21,720 --> 00:30:25,719 Speaker 1: is the pavement, and then the soup guy you know, 550 00:30:26,320 --> 00:30:27,480 Speaker 1: is also there. 551 00:30:27,960 --> 00:30:28,959 Speaker 2: Yeah, well, yeah, I've been. 552 00:30:29,000 --> 00:30:30,600 Speaker 3: I want to take a quick pause here just to 553 00:30:30,640 --> 00:30:33,160 Speaker 3: point something out that I noticed and really cool graphic 554 00:30:33,200 --> 00:30:38,320 Speaker 3: that Andrew included in the research document. It's an advertisement 555 00:30:38,400 --> 00:30:40,600 Speaker 3: on the side of a building, or maybe this is 556 00:30:40,640 --> 00:30:44,200 Speaker 3: actually the backside of the screen. I know, for example, 557 00:30:44,200 --> 00:30:47,240 Speaker 3: at the Starlight in Atlanta, the screen is this massive 558 00:30:47,240 --> 00:30:48,959 Speaker 3: thing and on the back of it they have like 559 00:30:49,360 --> 00:30:52,719 Speaker 3: text and advertising. But this is drive in theater, World's 560 00:30:52,760 --> 00:30:55,920 Speaker 3: first sit in your car, see and hear movies. It's 561 00:30:55,960 --> 00:31:00,400 Speaker 3: not only is it twenty five cents per person, it's 562 00:31:00,440 --> 00:31:02,360 Speaker 3: twenty five cents per car. 563 00:31:02,280 --> 00:31:05,120 Speaker 1: Right, yeah, so you pay as well a quarter for 564 00:31:05,200 --> 00:31:07,320 Speaker 1: the car, and then if you have let's say three 565 00:31:07,360 --> 00:31:09,840 Speaker 1: people in the car, then you're out a dollar. 566 00:31:10,320 --> 00:31:13,680 Speaker 2: I know that seems high, and we're gonna get to that. 567 00:31:13,720 --> 00:31:16,320 Speaker 3: It does seem high, and it actually causes a little 568 00:31:16,320 --> 00:31:19,960 Speaker 3: bit of a stir. And this monopoly that Hollingsworth has 569 00:31:20,040 --> 00:31:22,600 Speaker 3: over the industry, starts to kind of ease up a. 570 00:31:22,600 --> 00:31:26,920 Speaker 1: Little bit, and here will pause for a brief intermission, 571 00:31:27,200 --> 00:31:30,200 Speaker 1: just like a long film, because this is a two 572 00:31:30,280 --> 00:31:35,479 Speaker 1: part episode. The first time I saw a film that 573 00:31:35,600 --> 00:31:39,160 Speaker 1: had a long intermission, it was a Civil War film 574 00:31:39,560 --> 00:31:43,280 Speaker 1: called Gettysburg that my dad dragged me to, and I 575 00:31:43,360 --> 00:31:46,880 Speaker 1: was probably too young to watch an in depth four 576 00:31:46,960 --> 00:31:49,880 Speaker 1: hour film about the American Civil War? 577 00:31:50,480 --> 00:31:54,160 Speaker 2: Was that the one with Matthew Broderick in it? Or 578 00:31:54,160 --> 00:31:54,880 Speaker 2: what am I thinking of? 579 00:31:54,920 --> 00:31:57,880 Speaker 3: There was another one that was like with Matthew Broderick 580 00:31:57,960 --> 00:32:01,480 Speaker 3: and Denzel Washington that I thought day off. 581 00:32:01,560 --> 00:32:04,040 Speaker 2: Was it was it called matt X. Is that Glory? Yeah? 582 00:32:04,160 --> 00:32:06,160 Speaker 2: It was. It was Glory exactly. That was a big 583 00:32:06,200 --> 00:32:07,600 Speaker 2: one as well, you know. 584 00:32:07,920 --> 00:32:10,280 Speaker 3: I actually it's funny a lot of times when they 585 00:32:10,440 --> 00:32:14,000 Speaker 3: show old movies on TV, they little have an intermission 586 00:32:14,000 --> 00:32:16,400 Speaker 3: built in. They just like leave the little card on 587 00:32:16,480 --> 00:32:19,240 Speaker 3: there for a while. But I thought it was pretty cool. 588 00:32:19,280 --> 00:32:23,280 Speaker 3: When quin Tarantino released The Hateful Eight, they did a 589 00:32:23,400 --> 00:32:26,760 Speaker 3: road show of the like seventy millimeter print of it, 590 00:32:26,840 --> 00:32:29,840 Speaker 3: and it had a proper intermission, which I thought was 591 00:32:29,880 --> 00:32:31,480 Speaker 3: really nostalgic and fun. 592 00:32:31,480 --> 00:32:32,560 Speaker 2: So did Gettysburg. 593 00:32:32,640 --> 00:32:36,400 Speaker 1: I just realized as we're wrapping up this episode, Gettysburg 594 00:32:36,520 --> 00:32:39,720 Speaker 1: is four hours and fourteen minutes long, and to this day, 595 00:32:39,800 --> 00:32:43,840 Speaker 1: that makes it the longest film ever theatrically released by 596 00:32:44,280 --> 00:32:46,240 Speaker 1: a big time studio at the United States. 597 00:32:46,280 --> 00:32:48,240 Speaker 2: So, Dad, if you're hearing this, I'm. 598 00:32:48,080 --> 00:32:51,680 Speaker 1: Still sore about that man, because I thought that was 599 00:32:52,240 --> 00:32:55,280 Speaker 1: I thought that was the end of the movie. I 600 00:32:55,520 --> 00:32:58,200 Speaker 1: escaped to the bathroom and I got pulled back. I 601 00:32:58,280 --> 00:32:59,640 Speaker 1: know too much about Gettysburg. 602 00:33:00,000 --> 00:33:01,920 Speaker 3: Do you remember back in those days where when you 603 00:33:01,960 --> 00:33:04,440 Speaker 3: would rent movies like that from Blockbusters, they'd be like 604 00:33:04,640 --> 00:33:07,440 Speaker 3: six VHS tapes and they'd all be kind of rubber 605 00:33:07,480 --> 00:33:10,880 Speaker 3: banded together in this weird little hinged clamshell array. 606 00:33:11,040 --> 00:33:14,800 Speaker 1: Dude, did I tell you the first time I watched 607 00:33:14,840 --> 00:33:18,360 Speaker 1: the Godfather series dating myself here, I rented it from 608 00:33:18,400 --> 00:33:21,960 Speaker 1: Blockbuster and the tapes were out of order, so is 609 00:33:22,040 --> 00:33:25,440 Speaker 1: the set of The Godfather and Godfather Too. And because 610 00:33:25,480 --> 00:33:28,640 Speaker 1: the tapes were out of no I watched the first one, 611 00:33:29,040 --> 00:33:32,760 Speaker 1: the first tape of Godfather one, and I actually put in, 612 00:33:33,120 --> 00:33:35,880 Speaker 1: you know, like the first or second tape of Godfather too, 613 00:33:36,120 --> 00:33:37,880 Speaker 1: and I thought this is crazy. 614 00:33:38,120 --> 00:33:39,600 Speaker 2: The way they're jumping around in. 615 00:33:39,600 --> 00:33:43,160 Speaker 3: Time, but there already is some jumping around anyway, so 616 00:33:43,400 --> 00:33:45,840 Speaker 3: you could even be made to believe that you were 617 00:33:46,440 --> 00:33:47,480 Speaker 3: barking up the right tree. 618 00:33:47,520 --> 00:33:50,040 Speaker 2: But that's fascinating. But we'll tell you what else is fascinating. 619 00:33:50,080 --> 00:33:53,000 Speaker 3: The history of drive in movie theaters and old Hollywood 620 00:33:53,520 --> 00:33:58,440 Speaker 3: and the technological revolution that came along with the boom times. 621 00:33:58,120 --> 00:33:58,960 Speaker 2: Of drive in. 622 00:33:59,200 --> 00:34:03,360 Speaker 3: So don't we end this episode we're today part one 623 00:34:03,440 --> 00:34:06,400 Speaker 3: of you Auto go to the drive in the history 624 00:34:06,440 --> 00:34:08,920 Speaker 3: of drive in movie here, as named by our crack 625 00:34:09,040 --> 00:34:14,600 Speaker 3: research associate extraordinaire Andrea. Thanks again for this inaugural contribution 626 00:34:14,719 --> 00:34:16,000 Speaker 3: to ridiculous history. 627 00:34:16,360 --> 00:34:19,480 Speaker 1: Big big thanks to our super producer, mister Max Williams. 628 00:34:19,480 --> 00:34:23,520 Speaker 1: Big thanks to Alex Williams who composed this cinematic masterpiece 629 00:34:23,600 --> 00:34:27,440 Speaker 1: that is our theme song. Thanks also to ag Bahama's 630 00:34:27,600 --> 00:34:31,920 Speaker 1: Jacobs do check out his show The Puzzler, And thanks 631 00:34:31,960 --> 00:34:34,840 Speaker 1: to Jonathan Strickland aka the quizt. 632 00:34:35,360 --> 00:34:37,719 Speaker 3: Huge thanks to Christophrasiotis and he was Jeff Coats here 633 00:34:37,719 --> 00:34:40,680 Speaker 3: in spirit to Max Williams. If you've already thanked Max, 634 00:34:40,680 --> 00:34:41,880 Speaker 3: I'm thanking you again. 635 00:34:42,560 --> 00:34:43,560 Speaker 2: He's so nice, you got it. 636 00:34:43,600 --> 00:34:46,319 Speaker 3: Thank him twice and of course Ben, thanks to you 637 00:34:46,440 --> 00:34:49,560 Speaker 3: for taking this ride with us. 638 00:34:50,120 --> 00:34:51,640 Speaker 2: It's been a good one and they're looking forward to 639 00:34:51,760 --> 00:34:55,480 Speaker 2: part two. Oh yeah, Well, see you next time, folks. 640 00:35:02,160 --> 00:35:06,000 Speaker 3: For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, 641 00:35:06,040 --> 00:35:08,200 Speaker 3: or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.