Presenting a car spotter’s dream from 1952: wonderful home movie footage, in beautiful color, of a drive-in hamburger stand in Long Beach, California. This is Americana on wheels, folks. Check it out.
This film-to-video comes to us via the awesome Prelinger Archives, and was apparently filmed by or for the owners of Beany’s Drive-In at Pacific Coast Highway and Ximeno Ave. in Long Beach, California in 1952. We haven’t edited or altered the silent footage in any way except to add some music.
Of the many fascinating things going on in this film, we must mention a few. First, note the drive-in’s name and mascot: That’s Beany of Beany and Cecil, created by Bob Clampett with help from Stan Freberg and Daws Butler. Originally an LA-based TV puppet show, Beany and Cecil eventually became an animated cartoon series that children of the ’50s and ’60s will all remember.
The drive-in appears to be quite prosperous with a steady string of customers, and since the folks are well-dressed, it’s possible the filming took place on a Sunday. But we’re here mainly to check out the cars, and there are plenty to see. One curious item for Southern California, perhaps: We don’t spot a single hot rod, though we do see a choice Buick woody station wagon, a new Mercury sedan, and a sweet ’52 Ford Club Coupe. See how many great period automobiles you can identify amid all the historical wonders here. Please enjoy.
Possibly the first drive-thru?
In popular lore, Kirbys Pig Stand in Dallas Texas, 1921, is usually credited as the first drive-in, while the first drive-through is said to be Red’s Giant Hamburg in Springfield, MO in 1947. Don’t know if these are accurate, simply the oft-quoted answers.
THANKS! This was a history lesson for me. all the ladies in their dresses and heels, including one in maternity wear, very dressy and demure. Also, all the restaurant workers are adults, not teenagers. Food service must have paid more than it does today. Truly a different world. Happy new year.
What a time capsule. Great to see these autos in action. I noticed that not all had wide whitewalls as we are sometimes led to believe. Another thing I noticed was the spotlight on the 47-48 Ford in the drive through line, I have never seen an original one on any of the old cars I’ve stumbled upon in the wild, only restored ones with it added later. And as to the clothing, yes, I’d say we were a more modest society back then. I even spotted a 46-48 Lincoln parked behind the menu sign, since I own a 47 coupe I’m always looking for old pics of them when they were newer. Wish I could have seen more of it!
Amazing video, but I’m puzzled why they chose to use a Mozart symphony as the soundtrack. Wouldn’t a Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, Pattie Page, or Doris Day tune been more appropriate?
Nat and Frank won’t work for our rates.
Looks like a direct competitor to In-n-Out, which started a few years earlier in the L.A. Area, and was laid out in exactly the same way in the early years. I suspect this is the grand opening of “Benny’s #2”, and there was an original Benny’s in another location. The freshly paved and striped parking lot, and the new kitchen appliances are clues.
A Sunday lunchtime crowd? One would probably get more hot rods after dark, and they were probably mostly parked on Sunday morning, as the drivers and passengers slept off the festivities at the drive-in theater across the street, the night before. Saturday nights were probably busy with the younger crowd, being located across the street from the drive-in.
The shot of the rear of the new black car entering the drive-thru shows the vintage temporary registrations used in California in the day. Bold black letter and numerals, printed on paper and taped to the rear bumper or the rear window. Removed and thrown out when the permanent plates arrived.
Beany’s, not Benny’s, my apologies. This place was located on the corner of Ximeno Ave. and Pacific Coast Highway in Long Beach, just south of the traffic circle. Long gone now, as is the drive-in.
Lots of old car history here. I spotted a ’41 Buick 46S Sedanette there that I wish I still owned along with old Fords I grew up with.
Fortunately, this was just before the dawn of hot rods, which is why all the cars are still clean and stock and properly cared for. Lots of dowdy Chrysler stuff, handsome 49-53 Pontiacs, convertibles rarely seen with the tops up, and hamburgers that look as luscious as In & Out’s – although probably not as healthy, being served out in the open air with all that traffic close by! Lots of magnificent early license plate dealer frames. Two great 1952 Ford Customlines, a 6-cylinder Sandpiper Tan Club Coupe and an Alpine Blue V8 Fordor, were undoubtedly built at the Long Beach plant on Henry Ford Ave., and sold at Mel Burns Ford on American Avenue, where I later worked. One blogger on another site said Beany’s was still there in 1966.
Wow! I have often thought of that drive-in. I lived on Ashbrook less than a mile from there when I was born. My Dad would take us there on special days for a treat. He bought me a Beany hat with the propeller and a great ceacil stuffed toy. I cherish the memories. I am looking forward to building these types of memories with my Grandchildren in my MG’s now.
Blessings,