Bengies Drive-In Theatre

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
Bengies Drive-In marquee
Address3417 Eastern Boulevard
Middle River, MD 21220
United States
Coordinates39.3360°N 76.4038°W / 39.3360; -76.4038
TypeDrive-In
OpenedJune 6, 1956
Website
bengies.com

History

Bengies 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 showed entirely double features,[6] with triple features on weekends as of 2014.[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

Its 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
  1. Vogal, D. Edward. "Bengies Drive-In". Cinema Treasures. Retrieved November 2, 2020.
  2. Segrave, Kerry (2006). Drive-In Theaters: A History From Their Inception in 1933. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland. p. 160. ISBN 0786426306.
  3. 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.
  4. Kaltenbach, Chris (June 29, 2012). "Bengies Drive-In awarded $838,000 in suit against Royal Farms". Baltimore Sun. Retrieved November 2, 2020.
  5. Coyle, Jake (November 2, 2020). "Sunset falls on a historic season for the drive-in". Associated Press.
  6. Swain, Bethany (October 7, 2009). "Drive-in theater a throwback to the '50s". CNN.
  7. "The Last of American Drive-In Theaters". Peter Greenberg.com. June 6, 2014. Retrieved November 2, 2020.

Further reading
  • 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.


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