Lakeside Cinema

136 Portion Road,
Lake Ronkonkoma, NY 11779

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Showing 1 - 25 of 35 comments

robboehm
robboehm on December 12, 2021 at 4:32 pm

Bloop. The two theatres in Ronkonkoma did show porn at some time but I don’t think simultaneously. The other one was operated by the same owner as the Coram when it was porn oriented.

Bloop
Bloop on December 12, 2021 at 9:18 am

Just posted an ad from 1976 when this was an XXX house (which makes sense) . There were 2 porn houses in Ronkonkoma ?

dallasmovietheaters
dallasmovietheaters on April 17, 2020 at 11:35 am

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.

balabankatz
balabankatz on October 24, 2009 at 2:09 am

What a crime, Rich Jerry Lewis stealing Mom and Pop’s money! They totally got away with it too. They where the worst theaters of their time.

robboehm
robboehm on May 14, 2009 at 3:03 pm

Never even noticed. Just happy to see the image.

robboehm
robboehm on May 14, 2009 at 10:56 am

You’ve got to be kidding Lost Memory. Lake Ronkonkoma and the village name for it go back to antiquity – Indian name you know. Glad you posted the picture. Despite the instructions you gave me previously I haven’t been successful. I actually looked at every theatre in New York at the image site and found this confirming my theory that the Lakeside was the former JL. There are a great number of other theatres whose images appear on this site which you frequently access. That’s why I devoted and hour plus listing them. Now all I have to do is move them over if they’re not already there. I was happy to see they had an image of the Floral with its new signage after they had to remove the old one because of the widening of Jericho Tpk. Unfortunately, it’s after the theatre closed and it is in disrepair. I also sent a letter to the webmaster at images about one image incorrectly labelled, the Playhouse, in what they show as Merrick but is actually Bellmore. When I last checked they had not made a correction. This could be a full time job just to get the LI theatres up to snuff. And there are at least a half dozen I’m working on. Love to chat and try to pool our efforts/interes/talents.

robboehm
robboehm on May 2, 2009 at 7:47 pm

The entrance to the OTB has been moved to the east side of the building but from Portion Road it is readily seen to have been a theatre.

robboehm
robboehm on May 2, 2009 at 7:44 pm

In order to be consistent with logic used in other postings this should be changed to the Lakeside Cinema (aka JL)since that was the name it bore when it closed. The address of the theatre (now OTB per an earlier posting is) 136 Portion Road. Interestingly, since this is a racing theatre site the front portion of the theatre actually has a screen and seats.

robboehm
robboehm on April 28, 2009 at 12:28 pm

Turn key is also used in standard real estate terminology.

AdoraKiaOra
AdoraKiaOra on April 28, 2009 at 9:03 am

Thank you both for your time.
You learn something new every day.

markp
markp on April 28, 2009 at 9:00 am

This is how a lot of the independants in the New York Northern New Jersey area got into the business in the first place. Put your money down, and Network Cinema Corporation, the company overseeing the franchises guided you along. The problem was Network took the money, expanded things too fast and poof!! by 1974 they were history. Then the mom and pops were free to rename the theatres whatever they wanted.

DonRosen
DonRosen on April 28, 2009 at 8:48 am

Turn Key means everything is all set up and ready to go…turn the key and you’re in business. This is how the Jerry Lewis Cinemas were prtomoted to moms and pops.

AdoraKiaOra
AdoraKiaOra on April 28, 2009 at 5:15 am

What was/is a turn key operation?

robboehm
robboehm on April 27, 2009 at 11:22 pm

I recently found the answer to my own question. There is a 1983 picture of the Lakeside Cinema on Americas Classic Images. It’s a little box, very Jerry Lewis. One day I’ll drive by the site and get the actual address. A posting on the Ronkonkoma Theatre site gives the approximate location and indicates it’s a bank. Should be easy to spot.

robboehm
robboehm on February 21, 2009 at 12:45 am

Where was the Lakeside Cinema listed in Newsday Movie times. Was it the Jerry Lewis retitled, the Ronkonkoma retitled or a separate entity?

NCMike
NCMike on October 12, 2007 at 9:02 am

I knew the man who, with Jerry, started and operated this project to create a theater chain of franchises. It seemed like a good idea. I’m not sure how successfuk they were with it.

jackwhittaker
jackwhittaker on October 11, 2007 at 11:47 pm

I remember when The Jerry Lewis opened in the ‘70’s, in Carmel, California, and being really disappointed. A real “no frills” operation. Just two black box auditoriums with small screens, lousy sound and freezing. I remember thinking, Jeeze, that Jerry Lewis must be a cheap bastard. As far as I know it’s still there today.

Bloop
Bloop on September 24, 2007 at 3:02 pm

Jerry Lewis; his prices are INSANE !
View link

VivaLaDriveIn
VivaLaDriveIn on September 20, 2007 at 5:16 pm

I remember going to this theater back in the early 80’s to see Brewster’s Millions. I was only 7 or so at the time, but I remember thinking it was a tiny theater. I also remember being weirded out by the Will Rodgers promo at the beginning of the film followed by an awkward collection of money by the ushers.

Bloop
Bloop on July 10, 2007 at 3:17 pm

Did Jerry actually approve of that ugly caricature that was used on the ads and marquees?

jackshaw
jackshaw on November 29, 2006 at 5:55 pm

There was a Jerry Lewis Theater in Portage, Indiana. It was later converted to a Concert-style Night club. The building is still there and being used for something, but I haven’t been passed there in quite a while.

bonbonn62
bonbonn62 on August 17, 2006 at 12:50 pm

There used to be a Jerry Lewis twin in Chicago Heights Illinois and Matteson Illinois. I think both buildings are gone now. I saw Jaws first run release there, a scary experience!

MikeyFortune
MikeyFortune on August 9, 2006 at 3:03 pm

I purchased and operated a former Jerry Lewis Twin in NW Ohio. The theatre originally opened in 1971 and was quite successful. After Network Cinema Corp. bailed and failed on the corporate end it left in-experienced operators at a loss. I purchased and re-opened the twin under a different name and operated it successfully for 15 years even when a major chain built the first 7-plex ¼ mile away from me. In defense of the JL Cinemas I will say the designs were far superior to many theatres at that time. They were the last theatres that I personally remember with automated curtains in front of the screens. I never ceased using them and refused to show ads/slides. Most JL’s had a 350 seating capacity in each auditorium. The previous owners were “Area Director’s” who sold additional franchises. There was a Jerry Lewis Twin in Findlay, Ohio later renamed Twin Palace. It has since been demolished and that’s a shame as it was the best in the area and one of the nicest Lewis’s. There was a twin in Monroe, Michigan which never opened under the JL name but opened as the River City Twin. It was also very nice but is now a restaurant. Again, the nicest theatre in that area. A JLC was opened in Taylor, Michigan and renamed The Pandora. There was a single screen JLC in Lambertville, Michigan later renamed Bedford Cinema, now closed and remodelled. I personally liked the Jerry Lewis concept. Most of the theatres were not built on the cheap and this is especially evident when compared to what we get today in the guise of a mulitplex. Contrary to popular belief, “R” rated films were not verboten in a JLC. It was customary in the twins and triples to exhibit a “G” or “PG” film alongside an “R”. In the case of a single screen, a “G” feature would be shown as a matinee attraction and the “R” shown at night. Typically most single screen operators rarely had a need to exhibit “R” rated fare. Many were flipped to XXX theatres as a way to get back at Network Cinema Corp. for abandoning the franchise owners and causing damage to the name. Most were in-experienced theatre owners as the original concept was a turn-key operation. Hey, we would all like to own a business that runs successfully by itself but any true showman knows that it takes some work and a vision. I think Jerry Lewis had a great concept, designed to boost theatre attendence, provide a clean environment and a relatively streamlined operation. With each new 20 plex that opens across the street from the 16 plex which last month closed the 10 plex one block over and shows multiple screens of the one “big” hit of the summer, I most definitely miss the Jerry Lewis Cinemas as well as any of the other lost single screens that truly built this industry and made movie going one of America’s favorite past times.

RobertR
RobertR on May 27, 2006 at 9:45 pm

Here is a newspaper story from 1969 about the franchise
View link

Vito
Vito on April 5, 2005 at 8:01 am

We had one in Hawaii in early 1973, it did not last long, partly due to the strict ban on R rated movies. It was eventually sold to one of the Royal theatre chain and then to an independant operator who along with regular releases in 35mm, showed classic films in 16mm. It ran for a few years before closing.