Comments about Wildwood Twin Drive-In in Middle Township, NJ

DavidZornig on June 2, 2025 at 6:50 pm

Additionally history credit Ralph Grassi via below website with multiple images.

The drive-in theatre was the brainstorm of Richard M. Hollingshead who opened the very first drive-in theatre in Camden NJ on June 6, 1933. It wouldn’t be until 1950 that Cape May County would have its own drive-in. Mel Fox of Fox theatres out of Philadelphia opened the Wildwood Drive-In theatre on a 13.5 acre lot on Wildwood Blvd., in Rio Grande. With room for 470 automobiles - a Simplex X-L projector and a sound system with Simplex in-car speakers - the Drive-In was ready for its grand opening Friday, July 28, 1950 with the showing of “I Wonder Who’s Kissing Her Now.” The Box Office opened at 7:30 P.M. with a 60 cent admission per car. Free popcorn was given to everyone on opening night. They ran two shows each night during the week and three shows nightly on weekends. The property was sprayed with DDT each week - or each night depending on who you talk to. That didn’t seem to stop the mosquitoes though. However, for the savvy moviegoer the (12 gauge) mosquito repellent would do a fair job of keeping the little critters in line!

http://funchase.com/Images/DriveIn/Drive-In.htm

Mikeoaklandpark on January 7, 2013 at 7:32 am

So was the theater demolished?

jwmovies on January 6, 2013 at 11:27 am

Approx. address for this drive-in was 1500 Route 47, Middle Township, NJ 08242.

Now Rio Grande Plaza.

TommyRio on March 4, 2010 at 12:47 pm

I grew up in Rio Grande and lived on 3rd. street, behind the drive in. From my back yard your could see the entire screen which was maybe 1/8 mile away. During the early 60’s my father and a neighbor ran wire from the one of the speaker terminals in the back row and into our backyard. We were living!!….we could sit in lawn chairs and watch the movies. A couple of years later they paved Maryland Ave., the road between us and the drive in, and ripped up the wire….the party was over. The drive in had a nice little playground right in front of the screen that we as kids hung out in along with the surrounding woods and fields. Those who have never rolled up to a speaker post, hung the speaker on the car window and walked over to the Snack Bar during intermission have never “lived.”

Crazy Bob Madara on January 7, 2010 at 12:29 pm

1987 arial.
View link

Crazy Bob Madara on September 28, 2009 at 12:53 pm

Around 1981 or 82 I was there with my family in our 55 chevy to see “The Swarm” with Henry Fonda. The manager “Ed”, from Millville offered me a P/T job as manager/operator for 40 bucks a night. I declined because I was already working @ the Atlantic Drive-in, & as a Rural Letter Carrier in the daytime.

kencmcintyre on May 10, 2008 at 11:27 am

I remember Rio Grande. There used to be a Starn’s supermarket there that my mother went to once in a while. I don’t remember the drive-in, though.

markp on March 12, 2008 at 1:41 pm

Hey Mikeoaklandpark, don’t go to Wildwood now or you’ll lose your lunch. The old Shore Twins was demolished, and is just a big dirt lot. Only theatre left is the Strand which looks like hell from the boardwalk.

Mikeoaklandpark on March 7, 2005 at 10:00 am

Thanks Lost memory. What a great site. I remember all the theaters in Wildwood. It’s a shame they all closed and were ruined when the Frank Family purchased them in 1986.They ruined everyhing they touched.

teecee on March 7, 2005 at 5:33 am

Drive-ins listing:
http://www.drive-ins.com/theater/njtwild

I had never heard of a Rio Grande in NJ!
Must have been settled by folks from the great Southwest.