June 6 is the anniversary of the first drive-in theater, in 1933 in Camden, N.J. Drive-ins were invented by a fellow named Richard Hollingshead (whose patent was not simply for outdoor movies but for the little hillocks, or “ramps ” that raise the cars enough to see over the one in front of them).

In 1958, there were more drive-ins in America (over 5,000) than indoor theaters. The ’70s and ’80s were a grievous time for drive-in fans, as many ozoners were bulldozed to make we for subdivisions and discount stores. But there are still 400 left, including nearby ones in Belleville, Litchfield, Summer Hill, Newton and Springfield, Ill. and in Cuba, Potosi, Houston, Piedmont, Van Buren and Moberly, Mo. (The latter is an indoor complex wit a drive-in in the parking lot, a conept that ought to spread elsewhere.)

You can find a complete list of past and present drive-in theaters at the amazingly comprehensive drive-ins.com.

Several dozen new drive-ins have been built in the past 20 years, like the Route 66 in Springfield, which is connected to the Knight’s Action Park funplex. And outdoor screenings, like the series presented statewide by Frontyard Features, are an increasingly popular community event. There are even outdoor screenings on cruise ships and at film festivals like Cannes (where selected movies are shown on the beach).

People still yearn for that experience of collectively facing an illuminated object under a starry sky, like paganism with popcorn.

I once interviewed Steven Spielberg on a June 6 and I asked him what he thought of drive-ins, figuring he’d be as nostalgic for them as I am. “They were a great place for a date,” he said, “but a terrible place to watch a movie.”

I should have figured Spielberg was a snob for quality sound (although drive-ins now send the audio through your car radio, not speakers you hang from your side window). And I should have remembered that for him, June 6 means D-day, about which he made “Saving Private Ryan.”

June 6 is also the anniversary of the assassination of Robert Kennedy, which I revisited last night via a thorough new British documentary called “RFK Must Die,” which airs on the Documentary Channel on June 9 and 25 before coming out on home video. (Conclusion: It was a conspiracy. )

And it’s no coincidence that June 6 is my wedding anniversary. Rain or shine, the Loved One and I will be celebrating the occasion at the Salem Drive-In in Salem, Ill., watching “Kung Fu Panda” and “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.”

I hope to see you there.