Tom Cunningham fondly remembers the days of the drive-in theater. Cunningham, a 75-year-old Pittsville resident, often went to the theaters as a teenager. He also went after he was married to Jackie, now 74, while the couple lived in Ohio in the 1940s and '50s.

"Everyone who had a car would be there," he said.

And many children were there in their pajamas: Parents would dress them so they could fall asleep in the backseat of the car during the show, Cunningham said.

Those are the types of stories author Charles Bruss is collecting as he does research for a future book on drive-ins in Wisconsin. The 34-year-old Milwaukee resident recently was in Wisconsin Rapids trying to find information about the Highway 13 Drive-In Theater, which was open from 1953 to 1989 at the intersection of highways 13 and 73, the current location of Clancy's Pro Driving Range.

Bruss started researching Wisconsin drive-ins in 1999, and he said he has at least two more years of work before his book will come to fruition. His interest in drive-in movie theaters began after he went to the 41 Twin in Milwaukee. The theater has since closed, but Bruss went regularly and even worked there.

Bruss decided to do the research because it combined his love of history and his interest in the theaters.

His research has not been entirely easy, Bruss said, but it is a labor of love.

He's trying to document every drive-in theater, past and present, in Wisconsin. He said there are nine drive-in movie theaters still open in the state. He is looking for pictures - he makes copies of the originals - and memories. He said he usually begins at libraries and then goes to the community itself to find information.

His wife, Debbie Bruss, said visits to a community are the best way to research the topic. "A lot of times when we couldn't get information, we would just go to that city and get a room booked," she said.

Bruss said he often goes around a city and approaches people and asks them if they know anything about, or have any pictures of drive-ins in the area.

"I have not talked to anyone who said the drive-in was terrible," he said.

Also, as a result of the research, Bruss said he has met some interesting people.

"I have met some characters," he said.

For many people, the memories of the theaters remain strong.

Cunningham said movie attendees needed to take speakers from posts and attach them to their vehicles in order to hear the sound. One time he forgot to take the speaker out, and he was a little embarrassed when he had to take it back the next day.

The only disadvantage to drive-ins, Cunningham said, was the mosquitoes. Sometimes the weather was quite warm, said Cunningham's wife, Jackie.

"When it was really, really hot, we would get out on the hood and lay against the windshield," she said.

Lois Cantin of Port Edwards also has fond memories of drive-in movies. However, she was a young child, about 9 years old, when she went to a drive-in in Plover.

"There was always tremendous excitement about it," Cantin said.

Cantin is glad Bruss is documenting drive-ins because they are "a classic part of our history." As for Bruss, even though the research takes a lot of work and driving, he said, "It's kind of like the thrill of the hunt. I am having a ball."

Where to send information
Charles Bruss asks that anyone who has information about drive-ins in central Wisconsin, including old photos, ticket stubs, memorabilia, theater posters or stories call him at 414-327-0457. He will take copies of original pictures and will include photo credits if he uses them in his book.

For more information on Wisconsin's drive-in movie theaters, go to his Web site, http://www.drive-inthruwisconsin.com

Originally published online here: http://www.wisinfo.com/journal/spjlocal/287773570732879.shtml