Springfield Plaza Cinemas

1225 Liberty Street,
Springfield, MA 01104

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Additional Info

Previously operated by: Jerry Lewis Cinemas

Previous Names: Jerry Lewis Cinemas

Nearby Theaters

Some might remember, with much fanfare, the development of the Jerry Lewis theater chain during the late-1960’s. The intent was to exhibit family oriented films. Most were basically designed twins seating 300 in each auditorium. This one operated on Liberty Street in Springfield.

Part of the Springfield Plaza shopping center, the theater changed management and ran second run films by the late-1970’s. The auditoriums were draped in red and had track curtains, which were unusual for many twins. Prior to demolition in the late-1980’s for the construction of a Stop & Shop supermarket, a third theater was added.

Ironically, a Regal megaplex exists behind the shopping center where plans were to build a theater long before the Jerry Lewis Cinemas.

Contributed by Al Larkin

Recent comments (view all 9 comments)

michacavan
michacavan on June 14, 2004 at 6:52 pm

I drove my bike two miles from my house to this theater and back to see Star Wars when it first came out. Two miles my not seem like a long way but I remember til this day that my friend was on the handlebars and it was poring rain going both ways.

TheaterBoy
TheaterBoy on January 12, 2006 at 5:53 pm

Saddly the Regal cinemas Now the Marquee Theater is now closed.. anothe sad day in the theater world :(

AlLarkin
AlLarkin on January 23, 2006 at 3:37 pm

I guess with competition from Showcase Cinemas at Eastfield and West Springfield, plus dwindling movie attendance there’s not a piece of the pie for everyone.

venture413
venture413 on November 15, 2006 at 11:41 am

Regal/Marquee recently re-opened again. Hopefully this one will have more luck

spectrum
spectrum on September 7, 2007 at 9:24 pm

They didn’t actually add a third auditorium to the complex, they split one of the original auditoria down the middle. The original theatres seated approx. 300 each. They didn’t even bother to remodel the remaining “large” auditorium during the split; when I visited in the 1980s, the decor was noticably different in the larger one (older, but oddly, in better shape! – the original walls with minimal decoration were still there, the other two just had curtains down all the walls.

TheaterBoy
TheaterBoy on September 10, 2007 at 12:01 am

It is now doing very well as Entertainment Cinemas!!!1 ;–)

rivest266
rivest266 on September 10, 2011 at 5:13 pm

TheaterBoy, You must be talking about the Springfield Plaza 16 on Saint James.

SecondReel
SecondReel on December 18, 2011 at 11:55 am

On Google street view the actual plaza entrance shows at 1277 Liberty St. There is also signage for Entertainment Cinemas(Springfield Cinemas/Plaza 16) at this entrance, the lot feeder goes thru to St. James Ave.

Foxonian
Foxonian on December 20, 2016 at 5:35 pm

I noticed that the Kingsgate Plaza Jerry Lewis Twin Cinema from Northampton Ma. isn’t on this list.It closed back in the early 70’s,stayed vacant for most of the 70’s into the 80’s then was torn down for a local supermarket expansion.

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