Lee Theatre
101 Main Street,
Lee,
MA
01238
101 Main Street,
Lee,
MA
01238
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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.
The Lee Theatre was opened in April 1940 and was still open in 1964.
Contributed by
Gerald A. DeLuca
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Recent comments (view all 12 comments)
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.
The theatre was across from the library. It was demolished. It was wider than the apartment building that is now there,
I lived in Lee during the 50’s. Went there just about every week. One screen only. Capacity was about 500 people. For a small movie house we had a lot of first run movies. I remember they put in a wide screen. Wide is nothing compared to today. My Buddie and I were walking by and the owner ask us if we would like to come in and review the new screen. Which we did. The Movie was The War Of The Worlds with Gene Barry. We thought it was the greatest thing since slice bread. I was like 13 or 14 at the time. I think the owners last name was Sierra, not sure but close.
Anyone know what year the Lee was demolished? I used to go by there every year on the way to Tanglewood Music Center beginning in 1962.
A photo of the rather restrained auditorium of the Lee Theatre illustrates an ad for the Celotex Corporation on this page of the May 31, 1941, issue of Motion Picture Herald The caption says that the Lee Theatre was designed by a Pittsfield, Massachusetts, architectural firm, the J. P. Hampson Co.
Boxoffice, July 27, 1964: “Ned Cristiano has relighted Lee Theatre at Lee, Mass., which is owned by his aunt Elizabeth Sarra. He operated the 400-seat house (with murals in the lobby, French provincial paintings and fine carpets) for a time before 1959.”
Boxoffice, May 4, 1940: “Elizabeth Formento, operator of the Park, has opened her new Lee Theatre.”