Bengies Drive-In is a drive-in theater in Middle River, Maryland, a suburb of Baltimore, with the largest movie screen remaining in the United States.
 Bengies Drive-In marquee | |
 | |
| Address | 3417 Eastern Boulevard Middle River, MD 21220 United States |
|---|---|
| Coordinates | 39°20′10″N 76°24′14″W / 39.3360°N 76.4038°W |
| Type | Drive-In |
| Opened | June 6, 1956 |
| Website | |
| bengies | |
History
editBengies was opened on June 6, 1956[1][2] by Frog Mortar Corporation.[3] It was designed by Jack K. Vogel as one of three drive-ins in the Vogel Theatre chain,[1] and is still owned by the Vogel family,[4][5] and as of 2009[update] showed entirely double features,[6] with triple features on weekends as of 2014[update].[7]
During the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic, it was one of many drive-ins in the US used for socially distanced movie viewing and other events, and kept open after the summer ended; the theater rented in-car heaters to patrons.[5]
Screen
editIts screen is the largest remaining in the United States,[1][3][5] measuring 52 feet (16 m) high and 120 feet (37 m) wide.[6][7]
References
edit- ^ a b c Vogal, D. Edward. "Bengies Drive-In". Cinema Treasures. Retrieved November 2, 2020.
- ^ Segrave, Kerry (2006). Drive-In Theaters: A History From Their Inception in 1933. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland. p. 160. ISBN 0786426306.
- ^ a b Headley, Robert (2006). Motion Picture Exhibition in Baltimore: An Illustrated History and Directory of Theaters, 1895–2004. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland. pp. 215, 482. ISBN 9780786422906.
- ^ Kaltenbach, Chris (June 29, 2012). "Bengies Drive-In awarded $838,000 in suit against Royal Farms". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved November 2, 2020.
- ^ a b c Coyle, Jake (November 2, 2020). "Sunset falls on a historic season for the drive-in". Associated Press.
- ^ a b Swain, Bethany (October 7, 2009). "Drive-in theater a throwback to the '50s". CNN.
- ^ a b "The Last of American Drive-In Theaters". Peter Greenberg.com. June 6, 2014. Retrieved November 2, 2020.
Further reading
edit- Loy, Randy and Debrean. Moonlight Magic: Celebrating 40 Years of Motion Picture Enchantment at Baltimore's Bengies Drive-In Theater. Rockville, Maryland: Rockville Printing and Graphics.
External links
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