This location closed in style as a sub-run discount house playing an Eastwood/Bronson double feature of “Tightrope” and “The Evil That Men Do” on Screen 1 and a Halloween spectacular, “Friday the 13th” triple feature on Screen 2 with parts 2, 3 and 4 on November 1, 1984.
Opened June 21, 1972 with “Song of the South” and “Bongo” adhering to the circuit’s family fare pledge. After the Jerry Lewis Cinema circuit dissolved, this was renamed the Spanish Lake Cinema on July 17, 1973.
On August 23, 1974, “Deep Throat” was on the big screen at the Spanish Lake Adult Cinema and controversy hounded the operation which had strayed from its original policy. However, the theatre displeased both the community for showing adult films and patrons felt ripped off as the version was heavily edited. The city intervened by twice raiding the theater and arresting the employees.
The theatre closed and reopened on September 7, 1974 with an ad that said, “Reopening with a new and different show. Call for title.” The Spanish LakeImprovement Association protested the establishment the next day. Police raided the theater again for showing, “Prostitution USA” and “Prostitution in the Orient.” It closed and reopened on November 11, 1974. The city placed the operator in jail for a year (though he was let out after 94 days) and closed down the operation.
The Spanish Lake Cinema reopened under new management on January 17, 1975 showing Hollywood films. On February 23, 1975, the theatre was renamed the Belle-Park Cinema and closed soon thereafter. The theatre was listed in the for lease classifieds regularly from May 1, 1975 to July of 1987. After its 30-year lease expiration, the theater came back on May 29, 1992 as PFX Theatres' Spanish Lake Ciné closing on September 2, 1993 as a discount house showing “Aladdin” splitting with “Menace 2 Society.”
Hornell Cinema Corp. became the newest franchisee of the Jerry Lewis Cinema Circuit in 1972 at 191 Main Street. The Jerry Lewis Twin Cinema opened in downtown Hornell on October 25, 1972 with Richard Burton as “Bluebeard” and Robert Redford as “The Candidate.” The Circuit promised family fare and the JLC parent company provided automated equipment that promised one-button, turnkey operation.
One year later, Lewis parted ways with Network Cinema Corporation as the business operation was hurtling toward bankruptcy. Unshackled from the family fare self-regulation, this venue began showing porno chic, X-Rated films. The city could take no more dramatically seizing “The Cheerleaders” from the projection room in 1974. The theater owners sued the city for $150,000. That was enough to get the film back and the suit was dropped. The theater became the Hornell Twin Cinema 1 & 2 and reverted to mainstream Hollywood fare.
The theatre closed and reopened December 19, 2014 as the Spotlight Theater of Hornell where it was in business into the 2020s.
In 1975, Dolphin Corp. took over the Route 295 Cinema showing XXX films closing under much scrutiny in June of 1978. It was sold holding a re-re-grand opening (ad in photos) July 26, 1978 return to family fare for the former Jerry Lewis Cinema / Route 295 Cinema as the Woodcrest Cinema. The theatre failed to find its audience closing April 22, 1979 with “Midnight Express.”
This venue launched as a Jerry Lewis Cinema on October 4, 1972 with “The Godfather.” Long after the Jerry Lewis Cinema circuit had disbanded, it became the Lakeside Cinema on September 12, 1975. Florin Creative Film’s final showings are listed as “Deadly Friend” on October 30, 1986.
The Grant Plaza launched theatre-less at Christmas time in 1969. The theatre announced the addition of a theatre in September of 1971. Coram Cinema Associates would be the latest franchisee of a Jerry Lewis Cinema. Planned as a single-screen, 350-seat automated theater, the theater pledged only family-friendly fare for Coram. This was second Long Island Cinema along with the East Meadow location – the circuit’s first ever twin-screen location.
The Coram Jerry Lewis Cinema appears to have opened with with “Willy Wonka” on March 31, 1972. It appears that the parent company, Network Cinema may have stepped in to run it and one other early cinema in trouble. It was relaunched by Henry Goldman in 1972 who changed the theater’s name to the New Coram Cinema. It was the height of the porno chic exhibition era that Goldman raised eyebrows booking X-rated films. But it was “The Devil in Miss Jones” that landed the operator in major trouble. Goldman was found guilty on two counts of obscenity in 1973 and “Jones” was banned in Suffolk County. The neighboring Pines Cinema ran the X-rated in the Christmas season of 1973 with “Behind the Green Door” and its operator, Arthur Strollo Jr., was also charged with obscenity.
Though Goldman would briefly relaunch the New Coram with R-rated Hollywood film, it found a new operator in Creative Cinemas Circuit. Creative took on the location in 1974 running it as a mainstream location called the Coram Cinema and as Florin Creative Film’s Coram Cinema until the end of March 1984 at the theater’s 12th anniversary.
Although the nearby Pine continued and would transform to a long-running location, there are no further listings or bookings at this location. There are no listings as the Coram Theatre or Coram Theater – though its possible that it simply didn’t advertise. However, it’s just as likely that the one-screen theater was simply repurposed for other retail operations in March 31, 1984 after screenings of “Lassiter” and remains a retail operation into the 2020s.
Announced as a Jerry Lewis Cinema in 1972, this theatre demonstrates the woes of franchisees trying to launch a JLC in 1973 as the Circuit hurtled toward bankruptcy and dissolution. The Jerry Lewis Cinema had its signage and advertised its February 14, 1973, grand opening in the paper. It was even featured in one of the local coupon books. But it’s likely some items needed to finish the theater never arrived. The theater opened under the name of the Royal Theater two months later.
This location was announced as a Jerry Lewis Cinema in 1972 and was pictured as one of several new businesses in the Old Plaza Shopping Center. The forthcoming Jerry Lewis Twin Cinema had its signage in place, film projectors and had advertised its February 14, 1973, Grand Opening in the paper. It was featured in one of the local coupon books. Franchisee Charles Soupley was ready to launch but the Jerry Lewis Chain and its parent, Network Cinema Corp. were already in free-fall toward bankruptcy. Not all elements were likely provided by Network Cinema Corp. (e.g, curtains) as the 1973 franchisees received – at best – spotty delivery.
The operation finally opened at 1916 South Elizabeth Street called the Royal Cinemas owned by a Boston-company of the same name. It launched on April 6, 1973 with “1776” and “Save the Tiger.” It had two 250-seat auditoriums one called the “King” and the other called the “Queen.” According to reports, Hallmark Releasing took on the venue. But CInecom Theaters Circuit next took on the theater but went out of business. Midwest States of Chicago was next to own the venue.
Kerasotes was set to be the next owner but in August of 1976, the theatre was in court – not surprisingly – as it wasn’t clear who owned the projectors, the concession stand, or anything inside. This was critical as back taxes were owed on the building. The theater was relaunched as the Alpa Cinema and appears to have been independently operated from late 1976 until acquired in the Fall of 1977 by General Cinema Corporation (GCC) Circuit.
The GCC Alpha Cinema I & II had a grand re-opening on Friday, October 28, 1977. General Cinema operated the Alpha until September of 1982 likely opting out at a ten-year lease point. The former manager of the Alpha Cinema under General Cinema from 1977 to its closure in September of 1982, Richard Young, took on the cinema independently. Marketed as the locally owned and operated cinema showcase, Young changed the Alpha’s name to the Cinema Showcase from June 23, 1983 until closure on September 1983. The venue closed as the Cinema Showcase on September 29, 1983 with “Trading Places” and “Strange Invaders.”
(The theater should retain its Alpha Cinema as the signage was in place at the theater’s end and always referred to as the Alpha.) Owner Frank Gentry converted it to a nightclub called Gentry’s which featured the band Grand Funk Railroad as one of its first concerts in 1987.
The Jerry Lewis Cinema launched February 19, 1971 with “On a Clear Day You Can See Forever.” It became the Canton Village Cinema on March 23, 1978 after the local Sheriff stepped in to run the location after the previous owner hadn’t made rent. It appears to have closed May 27, 1979 with Coming Home.
This operated as a Jerry Lewis Cinema from October of 1972 to April 8, 1973. Franchisee Di-Mar Cinema Corp. parted ways with the imploding circuit, Di-Mar’s chief Nicholas Marchione said, “For $15,000 (franchise fee), I got a letterhead, a rubber stamp and no help at all.”
Di-Mar changed the JLC to the Miami Gardens Cinema. In December of 1975, new operators transformed it to the Teatro Nacional with Spanish-language family-oriented films and Hollywood films with subtitles through November 11, 1976. It was offered for sale and all seats were sold for 50 cents each getting a refresh.
It relaunched as a XXX house in December of 1976 as the Miami Gardens 183d Street Cinema. On March 11, 1977, it became a sub-run discount house. It continued as a sub-run house until new operators took it on in 1981. It showed first-run “exploitation” / independent films. The cinema switched to sub-run status later that year through March of 1982. It closed after returning for its last eight months as an adult XXX theatre at the end of a 15 year leasing agreement on October 28, 1982.
BTW: The address used in all ads is 4548 N.W. 183rd Street.
This opened as the Pembroke Pines Cinema 4 in University Mall on December 13, 1978. In July of 1980, Loews Circuit took on the cinema becoming Loews Pembroke Pines Cinema 4. In March of 1994 Loews dropped the theatre. Sun Vista picked it up calling it Sun Vista Cinema 4. It closed as the Sun Vista Cinema 4 on February 19, 1995. (There is no chance that the name was “Pembrook” anything and there are no references to it ever being referred to as the Pembrook or Pembroke Pines Quad, either.)
According to the local paper, this venue was built and briefly launched as a Jerry Lewis Cinema promising family films. A change of ownership as the Gala Twin and controversy with the showing of “Deep Throat” drove traffic to the Gala for years. As the neighborhood’s population shifted, the cinema became Teatros Cuba for a brief period in 1981/2. It then was rebranded as Teatro Miami Twin (advertised as the Miami Twin Cinema 1982-1984 in English-speaking newspapers) from 1982 until end of lease August 30, 1989. The space was retrofitted as a gym.
This theater opened as the Jerry Lewis Cinema on October 29, 1971 with “Big Jake” and was franchised by the creator of the Marchwood Shopping Center, Bernard Hankin. The theatre got new ownership and changed names to the Marchwood Cinema in May of 1974. The last shows advertised as the Marchwood Cinema were on December 12, 1985 with “Shauna” and “Pleasures of Innocence.”
This venue opened as Jerry Lewis Cinema with “Scrooge” on December 31st, 1970. Under new operators, Lewis was gone and the venue was renamed the Cinema 19 on August 4, 1972.
Launched July 3, 1972 with “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory,“ this Jerry Lewis Theatre had pledged to show family-oriented films but strayed in 1972 by showing the X-rated Deep Throat.” On March 15, 1973, it became the Cinema Theatre dropping the Lewis moniker.
Fred-Mark Associates was another of the odd theater owners who took an existing, old movie house in a town and converted it to a franchised and automated Jerry Lewis Cinema. This one may have made a bit more sense than the stand-alone in Monahans, Texas which was that owners only theater. Fred-Mark also established location in Seneca and two in Greenville. It relaunched as a JLC with Elvis Presley in “Clambake” on March 24, 1972.
This location closed in style as a sub-run discount house playing an Eastwood/Bronson double feature of “Tightrope” and “The Evil That Men Do” on Screen 1 and a Halloween spectacular, “Friday the 13th” triple feature on Screen 2 with parts 2, 3 and 4 on November 1, 1984.
Opened June 21, 1972 with “Song of the South” and “Bongo” adhering to the circuit’s family fare pledge. After the Jerry Lewis Cinema circuit dissolved, this was renamed the Spanish Lake Cinema on July 17, 1973.
On August 23, 1974, “Deep Throat” was on the big screen at the Spanish Lake Adult Cinema and controversy hounded the operation which had strayed from its original policy. However, the theatre displeased both the community for showing adult films and patrons felt ripped off as the version was heavily edited. The city intervened by twice raiding the theater and arresting the employees.
The theatre closed and reopened on September 7, 1974 with an ad that said, “Reopening with a new and different show. Call for title.” The Spanish LakeImprovement Association protested the establishment the next day. Police raided the theater again for showing, “Prostitution USA” and “Prostitution in the Orient.” It closed and reopened on November 11, 1974. The city placed the operator in jail for a year (though he was let out after 94 days) and closed down the operation.
The Spanish Lake Cinema reopened under new management on January 17, 1975 showing Hollywood films. On February 23, 1975, the theatre was renamed the Belle-Park Cinema and closed soon thereafter. The theatre was listed in the for lease classifieds regularly from May 1, 1975 to July of 1987. After its 30-year lease expiration, the theater came back on May 29, 1992 as PFX Theatres' Spanish Lake Ciné closing on September 2, 1993 as a discount house showing “Aladdin” splitting with “Menace 2 Society.”
Addition / fun fact: Jerry Lewis, himself, visited the work site of this theater on July 8, 1971.
Appears to have opened July 9, 1971 with “Gone with the Wind” on one screen and “They Might be Giants” with “Anne of a Thousand Days” on the other.
The phone directory lists the theatre at 916 Patricia Avenue.
Closed as the Jerry Lewis Cinema on February 14, 1984 with “Uncommon Valor”
Hornell Cinema Corp. became the newest franchisee of the Jerry Lewis Cinema Circuit in 1972 at 191 Main Street. The Jerry Lewis Twin Cinema opened in downtown Hornell on October 25, 1972 with Richard Burton as “Bluebeard” and Robert Redford as “The Candidate.” The Circuit promised family fare and the JLC parent company provided automated equipment that promised one-button, turnkey operation.
One year later, Lewis parted ways with Network Cinema Corporation as the business operation was hurtling toward bankruptcy. Unshackled from the family fare self-regulation, this venue began showing porno chic, X-Rated films. The city could take no more dramatically seizing “The Cheerleaders” from the projection room in 1974. The theater owners sued the city for $150,000. That was enough to get the film back and the suit was dropped. The theater became the Hornell Twin Cinema 1 & 2 and reverted to mainstream Hollywood fare.
The theatre closed and reopened December 19, 2014 as the Spotlight Theater of Hornell where it was in business into the 2020s.
In 1975, Dolphin Corp. took over the Route 295 Cinema showing XXX films closing under much scrutiny in June of 1978. It was sold holding a re-re-grand opening (ad in photos) July 26, 1978 return to family fare for the former Jerry Lewis Cinema / Route 295 Cinema as the Woodcrest Cinema. The theatre failed to find its audience closing April 22, 1979 with “Midnight Express.”
The Hillsboro Cinema closed by Bob Piechota at the end of a 20-year leasing agreement with “Suburban Commando” on October 17, 1991.
This venue launched as a Jerry Lewis Cinema on October 4, 1972 with “The Godfather.” Long after the Jerry Lewis Cinema circuit had disbanded, it became the Lakeside Cinema on September 12, 1975. Florin Creative Film’s final showings are listed as “Deadly Friend” on October 30, 1986.
The Grant Plaza launched theatre-less at Christmas time in 1969. The theatre announced the addition of a theatre in September of 1971. Coram Cinema Associates would be the latest franchisee of a Jerry Lewis Cinema. Planned as a single-screen, 350-seat automated theater, the theater pledged only family-friendly fare for Coram. This was second Long Island Cinema along with the East Meadow location – the circuit’s first ever twin-screen location.
The Coram Jerry Lewis Cinema appears to have opened with with “Willy Wonka” on March 31, 1972. It appears that the parent company, Network Cinema may have stepped in to run it and one other early cinema in trouble. It was relaunched by Henry Goldman in 1972 who changed the theater’s name to the New Coram Cinema. It was the height of the porno chic exhibition era that Goldman raised eyebrows booking X-rated films. But it was “The Devil in Miss Jones” that landed the operator in major trouble. Goldman was found guilty on two counts of obscenity in 1973 and “Jones” was banned in Suffolk County. The neighboring Pines Cinema ran the X-rated in the Christmas season of 1973 with “Behind the Green Door” and its operator, Arthur Strollo Jr., was also charged with obscenity.
Though Goldman would briefly relaunch the New Coram with R-rated Hollywood film, it found a new operator in Creative Cinemas Circuit. Creative took on the location in 1974 running it as a mainstream location called the Coram Cinema and as Florin Creative Film’s Coram Cinema until the end of March 1984 at the theater’s 12th anniversary.
Although the nearby Pine continued and would transform to a long-running location, there are no further listings or bookings at this location. There are no listings as the Coram Theatre or Coram Theater – though its possible that it simply didn’t advertise. However, it’s just as likely that the one-screen theater was simply repurposed for other retail operations in March 31, 1984 after screenings of “Lassiter” and remains a retail operation into the 2020s.
Announced as a Jerry Lewis Cinema in 1972, this theatre demonstrates the woes of franchisees trying to launch a JLC in 1973 as the Circuit hurtled toward bankruptcy and dissolution. The Jerry Lewis Cinema had its signage and advertised its February 14, 1973, grand opening in the paper. It was even featured in one of the local coupon books. But it’s likely some items needed to finish the theater never arrived. The theater opened under the name of the Royal Theater two months later.
This location was announced as a Jerry Lewis Cinema in 1972 and was pictured as one of several new businesses in the Old Plaza Shopping Center. The forthcoming Jerry Lewis Twin Cinema had its signage in place, film projectors and had advertised its February 14, 1973, Grand Opening in the paper. It was featured in one of the local coupon books. Franchisee Charles Soupley was ready to launch but the Jerry Lewis Chain and its parent, Network Cinema Corp. were already in free-fall toward bankruptcy. Not all elements were likely provided by Network Cinema Corp. (e.g, curtains) as the 1973 franchisees received – at best – spotty delivery.
The operation finally opened at 1916 South Elizabeth Street called the Royal Cinemas owned by a Boston-company of the same name. It launched on April 6, 1973 with “1776” and “Save the Tiger.” It had two 250-seat auditoriums one called the “King” and the other called the “Queen.” According to reports, Hallmark Releasing took on the venue. But CInecom Theaters Circuit next took on the theater but went out of business. Midwest States of Chicago was next to own the venue.
Kerasotes was set to be the next owner but in August of 1976, the theatre was in court – not surprisingly – as it wasn’t clear who owned the projectors, the concession stand, or anything inside. This was critical as back taxes were owed on the building. The theater was relaunched as the Alpa Cinema and appears to have been independently operated from late 1976 until acquired in the Fall of 1977 by General Cinema Corporation (GCC) Circuit.
The GCC Alpha Cinema I & II had a grand re-opening on Friday, October 28, 1977. General Cinema operated the Alpha until September of 1982 likely opting out at a ten-year lease point. The former manager of the Alpha Cinema under General Cinema from 1977 to its closure in September of 1982, Richard Young, took on the cinema independently. Marketed as the locally owned and operated cinema showcase, Young changed the Alpha’s name to the Cinema Showcase from June 23, 1983 until closure on September 1983. The venue closed as the Cinema Showcase on September 29, 1983 with “Trading Places” and “Strange Invaders.”
(The theater should retain its Alpha Cinema as the signage was in place at the theater’s end and always referred to as the Alpha.) Owner Frank Gentry converted it to a nightclub called Gentry’s which featured the band Grand Funk Railroad as one of its first concerts in 1987.
The Jerry Lewis Cinema launched February 19, 1971 with “On a Clear Day You Can See Forever.” It became the Canton Village Cinema on March 23, 1978 after the local Sheriff stepped in to run the location after the previous owner hadn’t made rent. It appears to have closed May 27, 1979 with Coming Home.
This operated as a Jerry Lewis Cinema from October of 1972 to April 8, 1973. Franchisee Di-Mar Cinema Corp. parted ways with the imploding circuit, Di-Mar’s chief Nicholas Marchione said, “For $15,000 (franchise fee), I got a letterhead, a rubber stamp and no help at all.”
Di-Mar changed the JLC to the Miami Gardens Cinema. In December of 1975, new operators transformed it to the Teatro Nacional with Spanish-language family-oriented films and Hollywood films with subtitles through November 11, 1976. It was offered for sale and all seats were sold for 50 cents each getting a refresh.
It relaunched as a XXX house in December of 1976 as the Miami Gardens 183d Street Cinema. On March 11, 1977, it became a sub-run discount house. It continued as a sub-run house until new operators took it on in 1981. It showed first-run “exploitation” / independent films. The cinema switched to sub-run status later that year through March of 1982. It closed after returning for its last eight months as an adult XXX theatre at the end of a 15 year leasing agreement on October 28, 1982.
BTW: The address used in all ads is 4548 N.W. 183rd Street.
This opened as the Pembroke Pines Cinema 4 in University Mall on December 13, 1978. In July of 1980, Loews Circuit took on the cinema becoming Loews Pembroke Pines Cinema 4. In March of 1994 Loews dropped the theatre. Sun Vista picked it up calling it Sun Vista Cinema 4. It closed as the Sun Vista Cinema 4 on February 19, 1995. (There is no chance that the name was “Pembrook” anything and there are no references to it ever being referred to as the Pembrook or Pembroke Pines Quad, either.)
According to the local paper, this venue was built and briefly launched as a Jerry Lewis Cinema promising family films. A change of ownership as the Gala Twin and controversy with the showing of “Deep Throat” drove traffic to the Gala for years. As the neighborhood’s population shifted, the cinema became Teatros Cuba for a brief period in 1981/2. It then was rebranded as Teatro Miami Twin (advertised as the Miami Twin Cinema 1982-1984 in English-speaking newspapers) from 1982 until end of lease August 30, 1989. The space was retrofitted as a gym.
Opened March 24, 1972.
The Jerry Lewis Cinema was opened June 4, 1971 with the Aristocats.
This theater opened as the Jerry Lewis Cinema on October 29, 1971 with “Big Jake” and was franchised by the creator of the Marchwood Shopping Center, Bernard Hankin. The theatre got new ownership and changed names to the Marchwood Cinema in May of 1974. The last shows advertised as the Marchwood Cinema were on December 12, 1985 with “Shauna” and “Pleasures of Innocence.”
Launched with “The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes” on February 18, 1970
This venue opened as Jerry Lewis Cinema with “Scrooge” on December 31st, 1970. Under new operators, Lewis was gone and the venue was renamed the Cinema 19 on August 4, 1972.
Launched July 3, 1972 with “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory,“ this Jerry Lewis Theatre had pledged to show family-oriented films but strayed in 1972 by showing the X-rated Deep Throat.” On March 15, 1973, it became the Cinema Theatre dropping the Lewis moniker.
Fred-Mark Associates was another of the odd theater owners who took an existing, old movie house in a town and converted it to a franchised and automated Jerry Lewis Cinema. This one may have made a bit more sense than the stand-alone in Monahans, Texas which was that owners only theater. Fred-Mark also established location in Seneca and two in Greenville. It relaunched as a JLC with Elvis Presley in “Clambake” on March 24, 1972.
Opened in 1973 as a Jerry Lewis Theatre as the Circuit was in bankruptcy and in the process of dissolving.