Vintage Movie Posters From The Drive-In Movie Theatres » The Poster Collector

Vintage Movie Posters From The Drive-In Movie Theatres

| Poster Collector | 3 Min Read

On 6th June 1933, the first-ever drive-in movie theater, located on Crescent Boulevard in Camden, New Jersey opened. The cost was 25 cents per car and 25 cents per person, with no group paying more than one dollar. A drive-in theater (or as more commonly known in the UK, drive-in cinema) were incredibly popular in the USA between the 1940s and the 1970s.

Drive-In Vintage Movie Posters

A Drive-In Sign Advertising River Of No Return in New York, 1954

Their peak popularity came in the late 1950s and early 1960s, particularly in rural areas, with some 5,000 theaters across the US. Drive-ins became an icon of American culture and a typical weekend destination not just for parents and children but also for teenage couples seeking some privacy.

Drive-In Vintage Movie Posters

First Drive-In Theater in Camden, New Jersey, 1933

The drive-in theater would consist of a large outdoor movie screen, a projection booth, a concession stand and a large parking area for cars. Within this enclosed area, customers can view movies from the privacy and comfort of their cars. Some drive-ins had small playgrounds for children and a few picnic tables or benches with the largest drive-ins having a full-service restaurant. One of the largest was the All-Weather Drive-In of Copiague, New York, which featured parking space for 2,500 cars.
Drive-In Vintage Movie Posters
The screen can be as simple as a wall that is painted white, or it can be a steel truss structure with a complex finish. Originally, a movie’s sound was provided by speakers on the screen and later by an individual speaker hung from the window of each car, which would be attached by a wire. This system was superseded by the more economical and less damage-prone method of broadcasting the soundtrack at a low output power on AM or FM radio to be picked up by a car radio. This method also allows the soundtrack to be picked up in stereo by the audience on an often high-fidelity stereo installed in the car instead of through a simple speaker.



On the 6th February 2015, an auctioned took place at HauteCampe.com where 200 rare movie posters used for various drive-in theaters campagins were sold. Here is some of the more intriguing posters from that collection.


Drive-In Vintage Movie Posters Goliath And The Vampires Poster

Goliath And The Vampires


Drive-In Vintage Movie Posters The Young Racers Poster

The Young Racers


Drive-In Vintage Movie Posters Night Of The Blood Beast Poster

Goliath And The Vampires


Drive-In Vintage Movie Posters Girls In Prison Poster

Girls In Prison


Drive-In Vintage Movie Posters She-Devils On Wheels Poster

She-Devils On Wheels


Drive-In Vintage Movie Posters On The Loose Poster

On The Loose


Drive-In Vintage Movie Posters Planet Of The Vampires Poster

Planet Of The Vampires


Drive-In Vintage Movie Posters Black Sabbath Poster

Black Sabbath


Drive-In Vintage Movie Posters Gun Girls Poster

Gun Girls


Drive-In Vintage Movie Posters Bikini Beach Poster

Bikini Beach


Drive-In Vintage Movie Posters Date Bait Poster

Date Bait


Drive-In Vintage Movie Posters Nashville Rebel Poster

Nashville Rebel


Drive-In Vintage Movie Posters Invasion of the Star Creatures Poster

Invasion of the Star Creatures


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