Yesterday was the 79th anniversary of the opening of the first drive-in theater, in 1933, which Google commemorated on its main page with one of its Google doodles (in the shape of a ticket, notice). Also to mark the occasion, Chicago's WGN Radio 720 conducted an interview with our friend Carl ("Odysseus") Weese from the road somewhere in the southern Great Plains. The interview's fun: the interviewer is intelligent, Carl articulate; both did a good job, methought.
Odysseus—er, Carl—had a hard couple of days: there's an oil boom in the panhandles, and the opportunistic labor force is sucking up all the available housing, including motel rooms, shutting him out. He had to drive hundreds of miles just to find a place to lay his head.
Mike
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Original contents copyright 2012 by Michael C. Johnston and/or the bylined author. All Rights Reserved.
I've spent many a night crashed out on my backseat at a rest stop. Hotel rooms are for sissies ha ha.
Posted by: Eric Rose | Thursday, 07 June 2012 at 05:32 PM
This reminds me that I should get to the local drive-in in Avon, NY, before it's gone. Both for watching and photographing.
http://www.vintagedrivein.com/
Posted by: Earl Dunbar | Thursday, 07 June 2012 at 08:15 PM
Being 31 I did not live through the most popular days of drive-in movie theaters. However we are lucky around these parts to have TWO popular drive-in theaters that have double features; much cheaper movie ticket than a Regal. The Glen Twin Drive-in, where I take my Tivoli Pal to replace the steel speaker for superior audio (plus I am always paranoid about draining my car battery). We also have the Malta Drive-in which is a little farther but satisfies those who live closer to Saratoga Springs and Albany.
Posted by: Pete | Thursday, 07 June 2012 at 08:25 PM
The oil boom effect caught my wife and I last summer when we drove from California to Minnesota to visit #1 daughter and s-i-l.
At least, driving straight through from Kalispell, MT almost to Minnesota before we found a place in Jamestown, ND.
I figure it's a good reason for a bit of inconvenience. (We camped out on the way back, being in no rush to get anywhere in particular.)
Posted by: steveH | Friday, 08 June 2012 at 01:49 AM
@eric I think Carl buys the hotel room for his cameras, which appear to fill the entire back of the car.
scott
Posted by: scott kirkpatrick | Friday, 08 June 2012 at 09:09 AM