Boxoffice-January.07.1950

At the left an aerial view of the new fourscreen
type drive-in theatre clearly shows the
arrangement of various elements. In the very
center of the area is the building shown at the
right. This unit, of ultra-modern design,
houses refreshment service facilities and restrooms
on the first floor and employe dressing
rooms and projection booth on the second
floor. On the third floor in a glassed-in space
resembling the control tower of a modern airport
is the manager's office. From this vantage
point he con see every car in the theatre
or holdout area.
Four-Screen Drive-In
Design
Affords Flexible Operation
JJaunched by the novelty of watching moving pictures
under the stars, drive-in theatres made their first great stride
with the advent of the in-car speaker. What is undoubtedly the
greatest milestone since that time is the creation of a four-screen
drive-in theatre arrangement recently put into operation by
Lewis Wilson, west coast drive-in architect and engineer who
has completed pilot installations on the coast and is preparing
to begin construction of thi'ee of his four-screen units in the
St. Louis. Mo., area in the spring.
Basically Wilson's design provides for four small drive-in theatres
with a screen for each in a corner of one large plot and a
common projection booth in the center of the area. By the use
of mirrors, two sets of projectors serve the four screens-
Among the decided advantages of the plan is the flexibility
of operation and the greater economy of construction and operation
it makes possible.
Patrons are closer to the screen where a unit providing for
1,200 autos is divided into separate theatres accommodating
only 300 cars apiece. Costly grading is minimized by the necessity
for no more than six or eight ramps to each theatre. Screen
towers are smaller and less costly to build. With a projection
booth in the center of the project it is possible to employ overhead
wiring instead of costly underground installation required
by the conventional drive-in.
Prom an operational standpoiBt, the fact that the projection
booth-snack bar building is behind all cars means it can be
fully illuminated without interfering with patron's view of the
screen. Located in an island area of approximately one acre,
this building of three stories houses snack bar and restrooms on
the first floor, projection booth and employe dressing rooms
on the second and manager's office on the third floor where he
has an unobstructed view of the entire theatre.
In the surrounding plot it is possible to place a children's
playground where patrons may keep an eye on their small
charges and also watch the picture while enjoying refreshment
from the snack bar.
One of the most important factors of the four-screen arrangement
is the complete control of traffic it affords. By means of
an eight-lane holdout area, provision is made for accommodating
the complete 1,200-car capacity of the theatre. As cars enter
the holdout area they are directed to Lane 1, 2. 3 or 4 and must
stay in that lane to reach their parking spot in the theatre to
which it leads. Once in a lane it is impossible for the patron to
change since they are separated by low fences.
By arranging the showing of films it is possible to have one
break for the entire house, two breaks, or four breaks. This
flexibility means that the traffic emptied into neighboring highways
can be completely controlled. It is estimated by the designers
that the entire theatre can be emptied in twelve minutes
and completely refilled in another fifteen. Not only is the movement
of cars staggered, but peaks of pedestrian traffic within
the area to and from snack bars and restrooms are leveled.
By virtue of construction economies it is estimated this type
of theatre, accommodating 1.200 cars, can be built at one-third
to one-half the cost of a conventional 1.200-car drive-in.
As further testimony to its flexibility, the four-screen type of
drive-in can- be adapted to tracts of many different shapes. It
is also possible to start with a two-screen operation and expand
to the four-screen size as increased business warrants.
BOXOmCE January 7, 1950 43