Get in the trunk!!

On The Silly Side by Jimmy Del Ponte

(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries of The Somerville News belong solely to the authors of those commentaries and do not reflect the views or opinions of The Somerville News, its staff or publishers.)

A lot of us remember going to the drive-in to see a movie. I can even recall going there in my pajamas. I remember my Uncle Joe Galli taking us to the drive-in to see The Blob -  it's one of my fondest childhood memories and we often bring it up at family gatherings. As soon as one of us kids got their license to drive, it was an overstuffed junk-box, full of your buddies, heading to the drive-in.

The ones we went to the most were either The Meadow Glen or Medford Twin (Wellington?). Remember driving up over the bumps to get a good spot close to the screen? How many of you actually hid in the trunk to sneak in? Back then there was less space in the trunks of cars because most had full-sized spare tires.

I did some research (a call to my friend Charlie), and it went like this - at first they charged by the person and then in later years, by the carload. We stared hiding in the trunk when they started charging by the person - when they charged by the carload, I remember squeezing 4 people in the front and about 8 in the back. We even used to sit on the hood and roof at times. Remember the speaker - that faded and chipped silver monstrosity on the wire that crackled and squeaked - you had to move the car six times to maneuver it close enough to fit in the window, only to scratch the glass. I can't remember when the sound started being broadcast over your car radio - you were instructed to tune to AM 1520 or something like that to pick up the movie's audio.

When I was researching additional information for this article, I went to driveins.com. In 1972, there were 83 operating drive-ins in Massachusetts - the ones nearest to us here in Somerville were: Fresh Pond, Suffolk Downs, Saugus, Revere, Neponset and of course the two in Medford. Some of the movies we may have seen at the drive in were Superfly, Bruce Lee in Fists of Fury and The Godfather.

We stood in long lines after watching the dancing and singing food in the concession stand commercial, only to eat that cardboard pizza and those rubber hot dogs. I believe it was the Meadow Glen drive-in that had that a round, horse trough-like contraption in the men's room. The same guy who is responsible for the restrooms at the old Boston Garden, and Fenway Park probably designed it - thanks for the memories!

In the really early days, my brother and sister and I used to sit in the back of Dad's '53 Chevy and hit the drive-in. I can actually remember standing up in the back seat while Dad drove. There were no seat belt laws back then, but Dad's arm use to swing back to protect us if there was a sudden stop. An occasional cigarette ash also made it's way into the back seat. It's a miracle some us kids weren't blinded or burnt by our parents smoking in the car when we were kids.

I seem to have a hazy recollection of standing around Fourth Street in Medford and actually seeing Chesty Morgan starring in “Deadly Weapons.” It brought new meaning to the term “Medford Twin.” What were they thinking showing those kinds of trashy movies at a drive-in that was located in such a populated area?

Eventually beers replaced sodas, girlfriends replaced our buddies and the mall replaced the drive-in. One last thought before I close - be sure to replace the speaker before driving away.

Please e-mail your comments to Jimmy at: jimmydel@rcn.com

Comments

[rmd]

if you're willing to head out to the wilds beyond 495, the mendon twin drive in is a blast in season. two first-run double features to choose from.

http://www.mendondrivein.com/

$20 for a carload. PACK 'EM INTO THE MINIVAN!

[Ex GF]

Jimmy, I just moved here and I could not believe it when I saw this column. I'm one of those girlfriends you abandoned. Remember me? Perhaps the word "bocchino" would refresh your memory? Or perhaps you are too stoned to even remember that. You were a pig then. Are you still a pig? Are you married now? Or still fooling around? Still love 'ya!

[Jimmy]

Dear Ex GF. Yes, I am still a pig, raising two little piglets. I am not married ( anymore). It's nice to see that you have let go of the past !! All the best!! Jimmy

[Stan the Man]

Boy did that article bring back old memories, I was raised in Revere and went over the fence every week a new movie came to town. There was a big fat bully that worked there and would chase us down and throw us out. One night a bunch of us chased him down, after that he never bothered us again. Once a year they passed out Jimmy Fund cans, if you filled one you could pass it in and they would allow your car load in.

[Thanks for the memories!]

Jimmy great article! I remember drive-ins being a part of my childhood just as you described it! Man, that was pleasurable reading! Keep up the great work and thanks for bringing back the memories!

Your pal from the good old days!
Hint: I saw you at the party that you donated your time for a great cause at the Mason's hall a few months back!

[Kate]

The Concession Stand!! Everything tasted better at the concession stand, to me anyway; I wanted one of everything. I remember a kid running into the wire from our speaker -- it pulled down the speaker and shattered our window. The kid was OK, though; stunned but OK. Any of you remember how you could see one of the screens at the Medford Twin from the Big S sub shop?

[whyme]

How about at the Meadow Glen, the small train that circled the screen and play area in front of it that the kids could ride. When the movie started the engineer would park it in a room located behind the screen.

[whyme]

I remember my Mother taking me, my brother and a bunch of the neighborhood kids to the Meadow Glen to see the movies "Hard Day's Night" and then "Help" starring the Beatles when they were first released.......talk about packing them into the trunk.....we even managed to stuff a few behind the hub caps !!!!

[Ron Newman]

CinemaTreasures.com has a page about the Medford Twin Drive-In near Wellington, and another about the Meadow Glen Drive-In. I'll add links on those pages to your article here.

[Annmarie Class of 77]

AHH!!! the Big S submarine shop.
Best meatball subs. I remember my parents taking me there to see a cartoon called
" Fritz The Cat". LOL my first erotic cartoon at 12 years old .

[JJ]

Seemed like every weekend there was a double-feature at the Meadow Glen Drive-in with "Kentucky Fried Movie" and ?????

Can anybody remember the other half of that double feature?

[Big Jim Slade]

Kentucky Fried movie was a classic