Miami Gardens 183rd Cinema
4548 NW 183rd Street,
Opa-locka,
FL
33055
4548 NW 183rd Street,
Opa-locka,
FL
33055
2 people
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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.
Miami News Listings started for the Jerry Lewis – Miami Gardens on October 6th, 1972
Wow! I could never remember the name of this theater! I saw The Fish That Saved Pittsburgh and The Warriors there.
I seem to remember it was called the Miami Gardens 183rd Street Theater after it lost the Jerry Lewis designation. Actually it probably should have been called the Carol City theater.
I don’t on the otherhand remember it as a first run theater even when it opened. Most often it showed second-rate fare: Policewoman, Twilight People, The House That Dripped Blood, Sinbad, Boxcar Bertha, and The Incredible Melting Man were the type fare I saw in the theater.
I don’t remember the movie but the last time I visited the theater n the early 80s it was in great disrepair with broken furniture in the corners, torn drapes, broken seats, and it stunk to high heaven as if rats had died somewhere. Not a pleasent experience and it was shortly before it closed. And no it wasn’t a porn movie…
Harvey, this theatre was in Miami Gardens when it was open but city boundaries have changed since it closed so it could possibly map in Opa-lock now.
Al,
Was this theater in Opalocka? If so, the zipcode may be wrong.
Eric
I don’t recall this ever being known just as the 183rd street. It did open as the Jerry Lewis Cinema in 1972.
Not to be confused with the 183rd Street Theater at 183rd and Collins Ave on Miami Beach.