1932 : Patent issued for pop-culture classic
Richard Hollingshead Jr. first registered his patent for the drive-in movie theater on this day. Tired of ordinary movie houses, Hollingshead wanted to create a theater where parents could bring the children in their pajamas, avoid baby-sitters, and relax in the comfort of their own car while watching a Friday night film. Hollingshead was awarded the patent in May of the following year, though it was declared invalid in 1950. After the patent was revoked, thousands of drive-ins appeared on the American landscape, reaching a high of 4,063 in 1958.