Lehigh Cinema

The Jerry Lewis Cinema launched to the public on December 9, 1971 in Lehigh Acres with “Blue Water, White Death”. Franchisees Kjell Pederson and William Sharp had opened the location the night prior with an invitation only screening of the same film. It was the third JLC in the State of Florida. The venue was a single-screened, automated cinema promising family-friendly fare.

By 1973, the Jerry Lewis Circuit and its parent, National Cinema Corporation were heading toward bankruptcy and dissolution. The Jerry Lewis Cinema at Leigh Acres closed on July 5, 1973. But the venue was reopened by new operator Lehigh Cinema One on November 7, 1975 as the Leigh Cinema. The theatre became a two-screen operation.

The original Lehigh Cinema ceased operations on April 30, 1995 with “Tommy Boy” and “Bad Boys”. The theatre’s namesake was reused for a nearby and new-build, four-screen Lehigh Cinema as part of the $10 million Village at Lehigh project. This location was retrofitted for use by the Lee County sheriff’s office.

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