Bluemound Drive-In
16125 Bluemound Road,
Brookfield,
WI
53005
16125 Bluemound Road,
Brookfield,
WI
53005
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Associated Press weird news note that got picked up by several newspapers: On Sunday, Sept. 7, 1952, thieves cracked the safe “of the Bluemound Drive-In Theater in Elm Grove” and stole 8650 pennies. Manager Roberg Gross said the pennies were around to make change but the weekend’s proceeds were already deposited.
Also opened with World news, a colour cartoon(not named), a short(Rnythm jamboree), a vodvil act and Novelty eternal flame.
The Drive-in was announced in December 1939 and built on the site of a former dog track on the south side of Blue Mound Road, west of Moorland Road, in what was then Brookfield. Originally scheduled to open June 4, 1940, the first screening took place June 18 with Convicted Woman starring Rochelle Hudson and Glenn Ford. Admission was 35 cents per person, with ads promising “Cars free.” It was apparently Milwaukee’s only outdoor screen until 1948, when the 41 Twin Outdoor opened in Franklin. The Bluemound’s final screening ($1.50 admission) was September 7, 1981 with The Great Muppet Caper and Smokey & the Bandit II.
Joe Vogel, MrDrivein I grew up a mile from the Victory, and unless there was a change somewhere in the late 60’s or early 70’s, it was always located in the village of MF. Butler currently (& when I was growing up in the 70’s) only extended to ~ 132nd st, & not all the way to Lily rd, where the Victory was. Also, as far I can tell, Butler was never a township, but a village, and resided in the old MF township borders. I don’t recall if MF ever was actually a town, but it is based in the 6 mi x 6 mi grid space laid out for towns when the state was developed.
I also fondly recall sitting on our roof & watching the movies at the victory (without sound) through binoculars, and not so fondly recall how seedy it had become by the early 80’s.
You can still see the partial remains of a few ramps in the SE part of the lot along with where the back fence was placed. https://goo.gl/maps/9FNgi
(Boxoffice Magazine, October 14, 1950) The Blue Mound Drive-In, first outdoor theatre to be opened in Wisconsin, before World War II. It has been modernized and is drawing crowds. It is Boston owned …
July 10th, 1959 ad for a new refreshment building is at
View link
June 18th opening ad ad Drive-In can be found at
View link
i think I read somewhere that Lost Memory is off CT.
Thanks Lost.
Hey Joe: Yes that Victory Drive-in listing they have under Menomonie Falls is the same one that should be listed as being in Butler, WI.
Charles: Thanks for the clarification. I see that Cinema Treasures has a Victory Drive-In listed as being in Menominee Falls. Is that the one that was actually in Butler? If so, I can place a comment there mentioning the Journal article’s attribution of the design to Urban Peacock.
In regards to KenRoe about the Bluemound Drive-in. For many years the Bluemound Drive-in was simply known as Drive-in Theater. Or Drive-in Theater – Bluemound Rd. So in the Film Daily Yearbook and other publications such as the Motion Picture Almanacs, listed the Bluemound Drive-in as Drive-in Theater – Milwaukee as it was located “fairly,” close to Milwaukee. And most people back then would have an idea where Milwaukee was but would have no clue as to where Brookfield was. The Bluemound Drive-in was also listed in the early years as Drive-in Theater – Elm Grove also. Same drive-in with both early listings as either Brookfield or Elm Grove. Hope this helps. BTW the last day the Bluemound drive-in showed movies was on September 7, 1981.
In regards to Joe Vogel and the Victory Drive-in. The Victory Drive-in opened on June 13, 1950. It is actually in the town of BUTLER, WI but always got credited to either Brookfield or Menomonie Falls, WI which are both incorrect. It was always called the Victory Drive-in from day one. Brookfield did not have another drive-in. The 59 Outdoor Theater which opened in 1967 was located on what was Hwy 59 and County A but was condsidered to be in Waukesha, WI. So yes, the Milwaukee Journal made a mistake which they tend to do from time to time when they don’t actually double check things. It is because of the Milwauke Journal that the Bluemound Drive-in was credited with having opened in 1939 which is totally incorrect. June 18, 1940 is the opening date which the Milwaukee Journal could have checked their own newspaper archives to find that date but didn’t. So thank you Joe for bringing the above opening date for the Bluemound to SOMEBODIES attention. And I hope I helped answer your questions regarding the Victory Drive-in. Check out more info on Wisconsin drive-in theaters at: www.drive-inthruwisconsin.com . Email Charles Bruss at:
The current introductory paragraph for this theater needs to be updated with the opening date of June 18, 1940, given by Charles Bruss above.
The ads on the page that he linked to (and Lost Memory re-linked to just above) don’t use the name “Blue Mound Drive-In” until 1949. Before that they usually say simply “Drive-In Theatre” with Blue Mound Road usually mentioned somewhere below. Drive-In Theatre should probably be an AKA.
Here’s another puzzle: A 1995 article from the Milwaukee Journal (about the Paradise Theatre in Milwaukee) mentions that architect Urban Peacock was the designer of the “Victory Drive-In” in Brookfield. Was this theater ever called the Victory? Did Brookfield have another drive-in, not yet listed at Cinema Treasures? Did the Milwaukee Journal make a mistake? Was the Victory Drive-In that Peacock designed in some other town? Charles? Anybody?
I worked as a projectionist here for part of a summer, back around 1977 or 78, by that time it was pretty run-down. Originally it was run by something called General Theatres or some similar name, in any event that company became General Cinema Corp. which ironically ran a new hardtop right next door at the Brookfield Mall. After GCC sold off the drive-in it was run by at least one and maybe several independent operators until they pulled the plug on it. They tried soft-core porn from time to time which usually got the Brookfield Police to show up, you could see the screen very niecly from the rear exits of Brookfield Mall, I can imagine the looks of horror on the faces of unsuspecting mall patrons as they came out! I don’t remember how many cars it could hold, but it was big, and was most notable for the fact that as far as I know it had the only curved outdoor screen in the area, and a really big one at that. Never had radio sound, only speakers, but this was a prime example of the real estate becoming more valuable than the business that sat on it, not an uncommon problem with drive-ins everywhere, which is of course why so many are gone. When this place opened, it was “out in the country”, when it closed it was hemmed in by all sorts of new shops offices, which is pretty much what happened to all the Milwaukee drive-ins, and drive-ins all over the country.
The Bluemound Drive-in theater was the first drive-in in the state of Wisconsin but did NOT open in 1939. It had its grand opening on June 18, 1940!!
Here’s a link to a picture of the drive-in.
View link
In 1982 I was the mall manager of Brookfield Square. The Drive-In was closed, but the screen and concession stand were still standing. The old light fixtures on the mall parking lot still had one side painted out to protect the drive-in from their glare. We once used the drive-in as a backdrop for some advertising.