Pembroke Pines Cinema III

Maurice Fox and Saul Friedman of Mini-Theatres of Florida were believers in the fast-growing Jerry Lewis Cinema concept. They created automated franchises of the Jerry Lewis Cinemas opening their first of an announced seven in the Miami area in the Miller Shopping Center on June 17, 1971. They followed this with opening July 3, 1971 location in Pembroke Pines in the Pasadena Shopping Plaza. It was the city’s first movie theater.

The Pembroke Pines location promised family fare but late in 1972 and early in 1973, the Jerry Lewis nameplate was being removed from the new cinemas bearing his name. This location and the Miller Shopping Center were two such locations exiting as JLCs. The Miller Road closed and abandoned family films with that location re-emerged on March 28, 1973 playing X-rated fare as the Miller Road Plaza Cinema. The commonly-operated pair of cinemas would part ways with the Miller Road closing in February 1987.

The Pembroke Pines location stuck to mainstream Hollywood films rebranding as the Pembroke Pines Cinema 1 & 2 beginning on March 30, 1973. The theater had a dubious distinction in 1977. Owner Jack Cassuto of Norma Theatre Inc. became the first Broward County resident convicted of a new law against electricity theft. Cassuto admitted to stealing more than $6,000 in electricity to operate the theater.

The theatre closed on April 30, 1978 for renovations. It re-emerged as the renamed Pines Cinema with Dolby Stereo on February 16, 1979. On June 18, 1982, a twinned auditorium led to the name change as the Pines Triple Cinema. The theatre was downgraded to a popular discount, sub-run discount house as four and eight-screen multiplexes opened near the Pines. It was renamed the Pembroke Pines Cinema III.

Down to just one showtime per night on weeknights, the Pembroke Pines Cinema III closed for renovations after the March 11, 1993 showings of “Home Alone 2”, “Matinee” and “A River Runs Through It”. The operator of the property, Pines Group, checked into the situation after two months and found that the renovations weren’t taking place and, allegedly, no rent was paid either. That was the end of the operation which was retrofitted for other purposes.

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