Maplewood Twin Theatre
3433 N. 90th Street,
Omaha,
NE
68134
3433 N. 90th Street,
Omaha,
NE
68134
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This venue was part of four planned and franchised Jerry Lewis twin screen operations by Midwest Theatres under Fred Corbino. Lewis and Network Cinemas had promised that one-button automation movie theaters could be run by anyone and they sold franchises to aspiring movie theater operators all over the country. The Maplewood Square shopping center that would house the operation had launched in 1970. But by the time the first and only Omaha Jerry Lewis location had opened here at 90th Street in 1972, the Lewis / Network Cinema was in free fall collapse.
The Jerry Lewis Twin opened in Maplewood Square on November 10, 1972 with “The Cowboys” and “Bedknobs and Broomsticks.” But Lewis ankled the chain and Network Cinemas disconnected its phones in bankruptcy in 1973. Corbino was so distraught at the Network Cinema’s empty promises that he removed the Lewis signage and nameplate on May 9, 1973 and renamed the venue as the Maplewood Twin Theatre. Douglas Theatres took on the venue later in 1973. (Dubinski Bros. would take on the failed Jerry Lewis Twin project in Southtown completing it as the Gemini Twin in 1974. It has its own Cinema Treasure page.)
In October of 1988, the circuit repositioned the Maplewood 2 on a discount, sub-run house policy beginning with “Die Hard” and “Coming to America.” Douglas dropped the venue on November 13, 1994 with “Corinna, Corinna” and “In the Army Now.” The venue was demolished in favor of an Aldi store.
2011 article about the Jerry Lewis Cinema chain.
http://archives.sfweekly.com/exhibitionist/2011/08/25/bad-ideas-from-the-1970s-jerry-lewis-cinema-franchises-were-a-nutty-disaster
Torsten is right. If you look on Google earth in 1993. You can see the theatre building still there in front of what would become Aldi.
Theater Houses ‘Round Town Omaha World-Herald (NE) – Sunday, June 16, 1985
“Maplewood Twin
3433 N. 90th St., 571 – 8040. Two screens. Tickets are $2 for showings that start before 6 p.m., otherwise $3.75 except $2 for those younger than 13 or older than 64. Matinees on weekends and major holidays, and during summer and winter school vacations."
It was on the east side of 90th Street, next to the Papio Creek. The address in the ad above is now an Aldi market. All of the businesses on that side of 90th were free standing buildings. Because of the Papio, that side of 90th was never as successful as other parts.
In later years, rather shop-worn, it became a 99-cent movie theater.
Wikipedia has more information about “Jerry Lewis Cinemas” on his page.
This opened as Jerry Lewis on November 9th, 1972 and renamed Maplewood in 1973. Grand opening ad with picture posted here.