The Brass Lamp
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September 2017 The Brass Lamp More than 80 years ago, America’s first drive -in movie theater opened in Camden, New Remembering Jersey, ushering in an era of pure Americana as millions gathered in their cars to watch the latest blockbusters, horror and sci-fi B- Two Great Things That Go Great Together Having essentially come of age together as the 19th century gave way to the 20th, movies and the automobile seemed pre- destined to go together. But it wasn’t until the early 1930s that the idea for the first drive-in movie theater began to take root in the den-based auto parts Depression then gripping mind of New Jersey’s company (Whiz Auto the nation. Richard Milton Hollings- Products), Hollingshead head, Jr. was quite familiar with the Movies provided an es- automobile and all the cape from reality and Working as a sales man- “freedom of possibilities” proved to be one of the ager for his father’s Cam- it afforded Americans. few luxuries Americans Pairing this love of the au- tomobile with the glitz and glamor of Hollywood filmmaking seemed a per- fectly natural fit and a wel- come distraction from the oppression of the Great The President’s Joseph F Yochim (314) 602-9498 President Column… Mark Goldfeder (314) 878-2786 1st Vice President/Programs Al Mercer (636) 928-8672 Greetings everyone! Time the machine that changed 2nd Vice President/Membership is flying by and here we the world. Jackie Allen are enjoying the Labor (314) 741-4158 Acting Treasurer Day holiday. The state of “Human inventiveness has Oregon was the first state still not found a mechani- Martin L. Hassel (314-232-5934) to recognize the Labor cal process to replace Recording Secretary Day holiday in 1887, but it horses as the propulsion Dr. Gerald Perschbacher was not until 1894 that it for vehicles” lamented Le (314) 849-5249 became a national holi- Corresponding Secretary day. Henry Ford was the Petit Journal, a French Directors very first employer to offer newspaper, in December John Clark (2017) Ron Nelson (2017) the working man a five- 1893. Its answer was to Vacant (2018) David Stephens (2018) dollar work day holiday. organize the Paris-Rouen Kevin Williams (2019) Unheard of for that time. Sharon Mercer (2019) race for the horseless car- Interestingly were talking Ron Nelson riages held the following 9826 Affton View Ct. about the model T Ford— St. Louis, MO 63123 the first mass produced July. The 102 entrants in- (314) 638-7131 Brass Lamp Editor vehicle with the internal cluded vehicles powered combustion engine. Kevin Williams (314) 481-9111 Webmaster Newsflash: the following Neal McIntyre information was taken (314) 494-0346 Special Events Coordinator from The Economist mag- azine August 12-18, 2017 issue. The internal combustion engine! Road kill? May it www.hccmo.com rest in peace? (314) 991-HONK The internal combustion Celebrating 73 Years engine had a good run. In But the end is in sight for St. Louis! 2 But its days are numbered. spite many countries with 2017. This is a non- Rapid gains in battery broken systems of regula- judged event. All mem- technology favor electric tion. bers are encouraged to motors instead. In Paris in participate. All proceeds 1894 not a single electric Driverless electric cars in go directly towards the car made it to the starting the 21st Century are likely National Children’s Cancer line, partly because they to improve the world in a Society. needed battery replace- profound and unexpected ment stations every 30km ways, just as vehicles pow- HCCM swap meet: this or so. Today’s electric ered by the internal com- annual event will take cars, powered by lithium bustion engines did in the place on Sunday, Septem- ion batteries, can do much 20th. But it will be a ber 17 at the Hollywood better. The Chevy volt has bumpy road. Better buck- casino parking lot in Mar- a range of 383 km; Tesla le up. yland Heights, Missouri. fans recently drove a Volunteers are needed for model S more than 1000 Will Tesla be the Henry this event. Those wishing km on a single charge. Ford of the 21st century? to help, please arrive be- That’s 621 miles on a sin- Only time will tell. fore 5 AM. Volunteers are gle charge battery car. also needed later in the Amazing. HCCM picnic: ladies and day for judging the car gentlemen August 20 pre- show that takes place in The article went on to talk sented us with a beautiful conjunction with this about various other day. Despite apprehen- event. Remember by things: The internal com- sion and anxiety with the working at the swap meet bustion engine has had a location being in St. you receive a credit to- good run and could still Charles, Missouri. We had wards admission for the dominate shipping and over 50 members in at- HCCM annual Christmas aviation for decades to tendance. Everyone loved party. come. But on land electric smoked brisket, pulled motors will soon offer pork and turkey breast. Oktoberfest on main freedom and convenience Unfortunately, I did go Street: this event will be more cheaply and cleanly. slightly over budget for held on Sunday, Septem- As the switch to electric this event. I will look for- ber 24, 2017, on historic cars reverses the trend in ward to my usual chastis- Main St., Saint Charles, the world towards falling ing from the Board of Di- Missouri. Although this is electricity consumption, rectors. not a club sponsored policymakers will need to event, many members of help by ensuring that Wheels in motion: This the club belong to the there is enough world annual event will be held First Capital Classics. With generating capacity de- on Sunday, September 10, that said, all proceeds go 3 <<< from front page directly towards a very place on Friday, October 20 worthy cause, The Nation- at Logan college. Remem- on the hood of his car); al Children’s Cancer Socie- ber we will meet on the op- two sheets nailed between ty. Members are strongly posite side of the campus in trees; and his own auto- encouraged to participate room 105G starting at 6:30 mobile. in this event. PM. My personal goal this year is to surpass $750 in Car cruise to the blue sales. In order to achieve Watching from the com- owl restaurant: Several that goal I need some great fort of his vehicle was members including myself items. Let’s bring in some- such a unique experience, participated in this event thing that someone else Hollingshead was sure earlier this year. After nu- would want to buy, not other people would enjoy merous requests I have set something you need to get the new date. Mark your rid of. I am looking forward it. On August 6, 1932, he calendar Sunday, October to seeing quite the cornuco- started the patent process 15, 2017. Our rendezvous pia of items to be auctioned for his drive-in movie the- location will be the Chick- off. ater idea. The following fil-A restaurant at South May, Hollingshead was County Mall at 12 o’clock awarded U.S. Patent No. noon. From there we will 1,909,537 and set about take a leisure car cruise down through the back construction of the first roads, eventually arriving theater along with three at historic Kimmswick, other investors. Missouri. If you have nev- er had the opportunity to visit the Blue Owl Restau- rant, it is renowned fa- mous for its desserts. The >>> last time we were there I chose the “death by choc- olate” cake. Since it did not kill me, I’ll have to or- der it again. White elephant auction: This annual event will take 4 Hollingshead’s theater was unlike anything else at the time. Over the next decade, more and more drive-ins began springing up all across the East Coast, the South, into the Midwest and Texas. Within 20 years, drive-ins would hit their peak popularity with more than 4,000 in opera- fakes amnesia in order to tion around the country Construction of that first pursue extramarital affairs. by 1958. theater cost roughly Featuring a 40’x50’ screen $30,000 (approximately and three 6’x6’ speakers Hollingshead’s patent was $564,000 in today’s dol- courtesy of RCA Victor, lars) and took a mere three weeks to complete. On June 6, 1933, the new site, called simply the “Drive-In Theater” on its marquee, opened to the public. With a maximum cost of $1 per person (and a minimum of $0.25), pa- trons were treated to Wives Beware, a 1932 comedy starring Adolphe Menjou as a man in an The Skyview still operates on a weekend schedule across the river in Illinois. unsatisfying marriage who 5 event. Our Bobby Darin car returned to The Mu- seum of Transportation August 25th. Every August, 200 of the most prized collec- tor cars in the world roll onto the famous 18th fairway of Pebble Beach Golf Links. The Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance has grown into the top-ranking John Hartmann poses with the DiDia 150 Bobby Darin Dream Car at the collector car competi- Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance show , held every August tion in the world. Pebble Beach invited The Concours is a con- The Museum of Trans- test of elegance, not portation to send our speed. To give you an Di Dia automobile to idea of the importance be a featured car in its of the Pebble Beach in- exclusive 2017 Con- vitation to the Concours cours d’Elegance — Mr.