Lee Theatre
101 Main Street,
Lee,
MA
01238
101 Main Street,
Lee,
MA
01238
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More information about this movie theatre would be appreciated. Lee is a beautiful little town in the Berkshires that retains much of its classic charm. One must pass through it on the way to Tanglewood Music Center in Lenox, after leaving the Massachusetts Turnpike at exit 9 and following Route 20. References are made elsewhere to the existence of this village theatre at one time.
Contributed by
Gerald A. DeLuca
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Recent comments (view all 6 comments)
The building at the address now appears to be a subsidized housing unit. I could not tell whether the theatre building was gutted and converted or whether it was torn down and a new one put up. Some of the building’s features and the foundation suggest it could have been the Lee Theatre at one time. The site is located across from the beautiful old public library.
Is the library on the left heading north through town? Somehow, I remember the Lee Theater being on the right up a little from The Morgan House Inn and restaurant. This goes back to the 60’s.
The library is on the right heading north toward Lenox. I believe the theatre was on the left, judging by its street number. I never saw the actual theatre. So this is guesswork.
There is a MGM Theatre Photograph and Report form for the Lee Theatre in Lee, MA. It has a very poor quality facade photo taken in April 1941. There was a small triangular marquee with the theatre name on top and 2 lines for attractions. Movie playing is “Western Union”. The Report states that the Lee has been a MGM customer for “15 years”, but then says it was built in 1940. (This is typical of the careless info which sometimes appears in these reports.) The date built is 1940. The condition is “New – Good”. The seating is 520, all on one floor. The type of patronage is listed as “Rural & Summer trade”. There is a further note, “New theatre built from former Town Hall.” The address is simply “Main Street”. The 1940 population of Lee is given as 4,222.
On 1/16/56, the Lee was showing a double feature, “The Big Knife” and “The Whitetail Buck” (Thrills of the Deer Trails!).
There is one film venue listed under Lee MA in the 1927 Film Daily Yearbook, the Memorial Theatre (or Memorial Hall), with 300 seats.