Teatro Lorraine
Ponce de Leon Avenue, Stop 15,
San Juan
Ponce de Leon Avenue, Stop 15,
San Juan
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Additional Info
Previous Names: Cine Liberty, Cine Lorraine
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Huge, beautiful old fashioned movie theater located in Stop 15, near Miramar. It was probably built in the 1940’s and featured first run movies.
During the 1960’s it changed to showing B movies and then Spanish language films. Unfortunately during the 1970’s the Teatro Lorraine became a sleazy hard core porno movie house featuring live shows between movies. It became a truly notorious place where only the brave dare go.
As hard core porno disappeared from movie houses, the Cine Lorraine closed down and it was later torn down to create parking space.
It’s sad to think that everyone associates the Cine Lorraine with its later, sleazier years. But hopefully a lucky few will always remember it when it was a grand place to see movies.
Contributed by
Jose Mendez
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Recent comments (view all 10 comments)
does any one know its exact location?
Ponce De Leon ave-stop 15..there is a huge parking lot there now,
Before the Lorraine became a porno house it played major releases and on Wednesdays they had a preview of the next attraction which you could see as a double bill with the current attraction. Its first wide screen was huge, wall to wall, later they had a smaller wide screen. Shane premiered there, The film was shot in the academy ratio but was cropped at the top and bottom for its releas as a wide screeen film at NY’s Radio City Music Hall. It looked beautiful on the big wide screen the Lorraine had at the time. It was operated at the time by Jack Odell and Victor Carrady, who later became partners with Cobian and formed Commonwealth Theaters. Carrady went on to form Regency Caribbean, now the biggest circuit in PR, when Wometco bought Commonwealth Andres.
An update of the Cobian – Commonwealth- Wometco -Regency Caribbean and now Caribbean Cinemas the largest Theater Chain working in Puerto Rico and Managed by the son of Mr. Carrady.
The Lorraine is now (2010) a luxury Condo. It was originally named the Liberty, according to parents. Didn’t ask why or when renamed. Rahola Photo Shop, slso demolished, lied across it. There’s a tasty and cheap criollo BBQ chicken place in front of the inexistent theatre, just waiting to be reappraised.
When the Liberty was remodeled and became a first run house it was renamed the Loraine after the daughter of either Victor Carrady or Jack Odell, who operated the theater. It was an independent theater until Carrady and Odell joined forces with Rafael Ramos Cobián and formed Commonwealth Theaters.
Renewing link.
During its hardcore porn days, the Lorraine would be the target of police raids.
I did some maintenance work there once while helping my uncle one summer. You could still see the old facade and the old dressing rooms and upstairs offices that were not in use. It was like a museum especially when we found old scenery…
My name is Betsy, I am looking for my father, he used to work in El cine lorraine, in the 70s, he’s name is Felix Santos Or (Rivera colon),I think he was one of the managers, during those years, where they had police raids.if any body know’s any family members of know of him l, please contact to