How Motor Vu became Idaho’s first drive-in — and one of its last

On June 6, 1933, Richard Hollingshead opened the first drive-in movie theater in New Jersey. Fourteen years later, on May 14, 1947, Hugo Jorgensen and Ed Moran opened Motor Vu Drive-in at 2095 North Yellowstone Highway in Idaho Falls, the first venue of its kind in Idaho.Weeks after Motor Vu began its 79th year, we’re doing a deep dive on its history and the industry itself.This week on “It’s Worth Mentioning,” Rett Nelson speaks with Motor Vu Drive-in co-director Jennifer Spalding about what’s ahead this season. They discuss the theater’s 79th anniversary, its beginnings and the first movie ever shown there.RELATED | One of Idaho’s last drive-in theaters is closing. Its beginnings and why one woman says there’s a local resurgenceThey also discuss the father of the drive-in industry and his motivations for opening the first theater. Then, they talk about the industry’s rise to popularity in the 1950s.Spalding shares her childhood memories of going to the drive-in and how she got involved when her aunt and uncle, Linda and Ryan Rumsey, bought it in 2019 — 11 years after it permanently closed.Nelson and Spalding examine the nationwide decline of the drive-in theater, which began in the 1970s. Since its peak in 1958, when there were around 4,000 drive-in theaters nationwide, the number has dwindled somewhere between 250 and 330, according to Fox Business.Today, Motor Vu is one of only four drive-in theaters left in Idaho and the only one remaining in eastern Idaho. Spalding gives her take on why it’s so beloved and its future in Idaho Falls.If you’re a fan of cinema, classic movies or nostalgia, this is an episode you don’t want to miss. For a look at upcoming movies and showtimes, or to learn more, visit the Motor Vu online.This video from 2024 gives viewers a behind-the-scenes look at the Motor Vu.Watch previous episodes of “It’s Worth Mentioning” here. Check out the show on Facebook. If you have a tip, guest idea or comment, email rett@eastidahonews.com.