In 1944, our neighborhood had a drive-in movie theater and many people weren’t too happy about it. Rather than grumbling privately, they took legal action.
According to an article in The Dallas Morning News from Sept. 7 of that year, 15 Preston Hollow residents “filed suits in the office of District Clerk Pearl Smith claiming damages to their property as result of the noise from the drive-in show.”
The petition requested $3,000 for “damages” and $50 “for each night’s performance after the judgment.” Additionally, each plaintiff sought “$1,000 as a reasonable sum for himself and his wife.” That last quote really speaks to the gender dynamics of the time, don’t you think?
No word on the results of the suit, but Paula Bosse at Flashback : Dallas has more on the theater’s history. (Apparently it was the first of its kind in our city.)
Here’s the full article, from The Dallas Morning News’ archives:
