Yes the Cedarbrae 8 is listed under Toronto as most theatres in the old Metro Toronto are listed. Scarborough has been a borough and then a city under the old Metropolitan Toronto for years then all the boroughs and cities amalgamated under the one City of Toronto.
Sayvette wasn’t a grocery store, it was a dept store similar to a Towers or a K-mart. There was a large Sayvette near where I grew up in what is now Mississauga at Dixie Rd and QEW.
There is already a listing in Cinema Treasures for the Cedarbrae under Cedarbrae 8, telling the year it was built as a twin (1969) and all the subsequent additions until it became an 8 screen cinema.
I was in Memphis when this theatre was under construction. Thought it was exciting that a new modern multiplex was being built right downtown. It’s interesting that some downtown locations can’t even support a multiplex with stadium seating and all the bells and whistles.
I remember during the 60s the College was one of several “neighbourhood” theatres that together showed double-bills of recent movies that had finished their runs downtown, or sometimes had them “direct from downtown” for films that had been big hits. Other theatres on the list included the Alhambra, Beach, Palace, Parkdale, Runnymede, Vaughan, St Clair.
Actually the Hollywood was operated by Famous Players from about the mid 50s. It becamee one of their main theatres in the city. It actually wasn’t “twinned” in the normal sense, the first picture above showing the exterior is actually what would become the South Auditorium…the empty lot to the left of the theatre was added on to with a store at the front and the eventual North Auditorium behind it. Both cinemas would show the same film, the South all day and the North evenings only until 1966 when “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf” was showing for many weeks so they decided to open up “Alfie” in the other cinema and it showed 2 different movies from then until it closed in 1999. In 1964/65, it had the long 10 month run of “Mary Poppins” and all summer before it opened in October of ‘64 the Hollywood was advertised as “Home of Mary Poppins”
Right you are Jlangdon, the OLD Bloor theatre is now Lee’s Palace, NOT the Midtown…THAT is now the Bloor. I hate when people keep mixing up the old Bloor and the Midtown (the current Bloor)
The sad part is that as another plan bites the dust, the Esquire could have been still open and showing movies as one plan after another comes along. I still wish that Landmark or someone similar could come along and run the six screens, it just seems to fit in to the neighbourhood.
Yes, that’s the one LM. After the Odeon chain dropped it, it was a Greek cinema called the Rex Danforth…at 635 Danforth Ave at Pape. It’s in the heart of Toronto’s Greektown, so showed Greek movies for years. It’s still there although has been a gym for many years.
Yes the old Parkdale was indeed a Famous Players theatre, still there however has been an antique store for years and years. Went there several times as a child. Both the FP Parkdale and the old Odeon were both in a neighbourhood known as Parkdale in Toronto’s west end. Despite the fact that I love thre Rivest list, there are several errors in there regarding Toronto area theatres that I have written to him about but were never corrected. Not sure he’s updating his info anymore.
That’s news to me. I always remember it as the Odeon in Parkdale until it closed. Now there WAS a Biltmore on Lakeshore in New Toronto that changed it’s name to the Odeon Lakeshore when the Odeon chain acquired it and the Biltmore Weston (changed to the Odeon Weston) and the downtown Savoy (changed to the Odeon Coronet) in late 1963. Maybe that’s where you got the Odeon Lakeshore name. I visited the Odeon Lakeshore several times having grown up in nearby Port Credit.
Yes, I love that book too. Did you notice it mentions that the Tivoli was designed “stadium” style and not with the usual balcony overhanging the orchestra. Talk about early stadium seating! I know there is a Todd-ao section of “In 70MM” web site, but not sure if there are any pictures of the Tivoli.
The Tivoli was for many years the “Home of Todd-ao” as it was advertised. Beginning with “Oklahoma” and continuing with “Around the World in 80 Days” and “South Pacific” most of these films ran at the Tivoli a year or more as reserved seat, roadshow engagements. Others that ran in Todd-ao as roadshows were “Porgy and Bess”, “Can-Can”, “The Alamo”, “Exodus” and “West Side Story”.
Yes, the Odeon on Queen St had no connection to the Odeon Theatre chain…probably just named that. Always thought that was confusing to have a theatre the same name as a chain. Like I said above, the 5 original Odeons were all built in the late 40s. The only buildings still standing from those (but not as theatres anymore) is the Humber in the west end and the Danforth in the east end.
I remember the week before the “new” Imperial Six opened, they had an open house where the public could walk in and look around to see all the new theatres. I went twice that week and despite the garish colours (remember this was 1973) it was quite impressive to see how they were able to create all these cinemas in the old building. Through the years I was able to see films in all 6 cinemas several times. It was then downtown Toronto’s major “multiplex” theatre. It was done about 4 years after the old Loew’s Uptown had been divided into 5 screens.
Cinemas 5 & 6 in the old orchestra section of the original Imperial. Cinemas 3 & 4 were in the old backstage area of the theatre and were reached by a glass enclosed walkway on the side of the building from the main lobby.
Actually, Cinema 1 was the theatre they created in front of the former balcony. It was built between the front of the balcony and where the screen was. That’s why you only see part of the dome. The other part was in Cinema 2, which was the balcony and for a short time became the Pantages Cinema under Cineplex Odeon unitl they bought out the entire building and restored it.
Those are great pictures. The exterior one is of the Backstage twins that were on Balmuto St, the former backstage area of the Uptown. That is now the site of the new Uptown condominium that is under construction. The interior photo is of the magnificent Uptown 1, which was until it’s demolition one of the best places in Toronto to see a film with it’s wide screen and great sound system. That had been the former balcony of the wonderful old Uptown theatre. Such a shame that the city lost such a gem.
Exctly Im Not Famous, i think Cadillac Fairview wanted a more upscale, up to date cinema complex for the “new” Fairview Mall. The Victoria Terrace was also a very nice theatre complex especially that nice lobby with the big windows looking out over the parking lot. That became a gym I believe. It’s nice to know though that Fairview will not be without a theatre but will be getting a newer more modern one.
That will be nice to have a brand new theatre complex at Fairview. The Rainbow cinemas were perfectly fine, but of course they didn’t have the standard stadium seating and curved screens that all the latest have. When Fairview Mall first opened in 1970, it had one large cinema in what was then the NW corner of the mall, that was later twinned. Too bad though that along Sheppard Ave to the west that the Bayview Village 4 closed which were perfect for the kind of independent, art type films they showed. Thought for sure that someone else would have opened them up again. They were out of the way, in the basement of the mall, so can’t imagine what they’ll use the space for now.
Thanks, worked perfectly. I always wondered if the beautiful old building was still standing, glad to see it still looks good. Wondered what ever happened to it.
Ha ha ha ha ha ha
Yes the Cedarbrae 8 is listed under Toronto as most theatres in the old Metro Toronto are listed. Scarborough has been a borough and then a city under the old Metropolitan Toronto for years then all the boroughs and cities amalgamated under the one City of Toronto.
Sayvette wasn’t a grocery store, it was a dept store similar to a Towers or a K-mart. There was a large Sayvette near where I grew up in what is now Mississauga at Dixie Rd and QEW.
There is already a listing in Cinema Treasures for the Cedarbrae under Cedarbrae 8, telling the year it was built as a twin (1969) and all the subsequent additions until it became an 8 screen cinema.
I was in Memphis when this theatre was under construction. Thought it was exciting that a new modern multiplex was being built right downtown. It’s interesting that some downtown locations can’t even support a multiplex with stadium seating and all the bells and whistles.
I remember during the 60s the College was one of several “neighbourhood” theatres that together showed double-bills of recent movies that had finished their runs downtown, or sometimes had them “direct from downtown” for films that had been big hits. Other theatres on the list included the Alhambra, Beach, Palace, Parkdale, Runnymede, Vaughan, St Clair.
Actually the Hollywood was operated by Famous Players from about the mid 50s. It becamee one of their main theatres in the city. It actually wasn’t “twinned” in the normal sense, the first picture above showing the exterior is actually what would become the South Auditorium…the empty lot to the left of the theatre was added on to with a store at the front and the eventual North Auditorium behind it. Both cinemas would show the same film, the South all day and the North evenings only until 1966 when “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf” was showing for many weeks so they decided to open up “Alfie” in the other cinema and it showed 2 different movies from then until it closed in 1999. In 1964/65, it had the long 10 month run of “Mary Poppins” and all summer before it opened in October of ‘64 the Hollywood was advertised as “Home of Mary Poppins”
Right you are Jlangdon, the OLD Bloor theatre is now Lee’s Palace, NOT the Midtown…THAT is now the Bloor. I hate when people keep mixing up the old Bloor and the Midtown (the current Bloor)
The sad part is that as another plan bites the dust, the Esquire could have been still open and showing movies as one plan after another comes along. I still wish that Landmark or someone similar could come along and run the six screens, it just seems to fit in to the neighbourhood.
Yes, that’s the one LM. After the Odeon chain dropped it, it was a Greek cinema called the Rex Danforth…at 635 Danforth Ave at Pape. It’s in the heart of Toronto’s Greektown, so showed Greek movies for years. It’s still there although has been a gym for many years.
Yes the old Parkdale was indeed a Famous Players theatre, still there however has been an antique store for years and years. Went there several times as a child. Both the FP Parkdale and the old Odeon were both in a neighbourhood known as Parkdale in Toronto’s west end. Despite the fact that I love thre Rivest list, there are several errors in there regarding Toronto area theatres that I have written to him about but were never corrected. Not sure he’s updating his info anymore.
That’s news to me. I always remember it as the Odeon in Parkdale until it closed. Now there WAS a Biltmore on Lakeshore in New Toronto that changed it’s name to the Odeon Lakeshore when the Odeon chain acquired it and the Biltmore Weston (changed to the Odeon Weston) and the downtown Savoy (changed to the Odeon Coronet) in late 1963. Maybe that’s where you got the Odeon Lakeshore name. I visited the Odeon Lakeshore several times having grown up in nearby Port Credit.
Yes, I love that book too. Did you notice it mentions that the Tivoli was designed “stadium” style and not with the usual balcony overhanging the orchestra. Talk about early stadium seating! I know there is a Todd-ao section of “In 70MM” web site, but not sure if there are any pictures of the Tivoli.
The Tivoli was for many years the “Home of Todd-ao” as it was advertised. Beginning with “Oklahoma” and continuing with “Around the World in 80 Days” and “South Pacific” most of these films ran at the Tivoli a year or more as reserved seat, roadshow engagements. Others that ran in Todd-ao as roadshows were “Porgy and Bess”, “Can-Can”, “The Alamo”, “Exodus” and “West Side Story”.
Yes, the Odeon on Queen St had no connection to the Odeon Theatre chain…probably just named that. Always thought that was confusing to have a theatre the same name as a chain. Like I said above, the 5 original Odeons were all built in the late 40s. The only buildings still standing from those (but not as theatres anymore) is the Humber in the west end and the Danforth in the east end.
I remember the week before the “new” Imperial Six opened, they had an open house where the public could walk in and look around to see all the new theatres. I went twice that week and despite the garish colours (remember this was 1973) it was quite impressive to see how they were able to create all these cinemas in the old building. Through the years I was able to see films in all 6 cinemas several times. It was then downtown Toronto’s major “multiplex” theatre. It was done about 4 years after the old Loew’s Uptown had been divided into 5 screens.
Cinemas 5 & 6 in the old orchestra section of the original Imperial. Cinemas 3 & 4 were in the old backstage area of the theatre and were reached by a glass enclosed walkway on the side of the building from the main lobby.
Actually, Cinema 1 was the theatre they created in front of the former balcony. It was built between the front of the balcony and where the screen was. That’s why you only see part of the dome. The other part was in Cinema 2, which was the balcony and for a short time became the Pantages Cinema under Cineplex Odeon unitl they bought out the entire building and restored it.
Those are great pictures. The exterior one is of the Backstage twins that were on Balmuto St, the former backstage area of the Uptown. That is now the site of the new Uptown condominium that is under construction. The interior photo is of the magnificent Uptown 1, which was until it’s demolition one of the best places in Toronto to see a film with it’s wide screen and great sound system. That had been the former balcony of the wonderful old Uptown theatre. Such a shame that the city lost such a gem.
Yes it’s LOEWS…..not LOWES…that’s the home improvement store.
Yes LM, love marquee shots. Someday i would love to do a framed collage of just brightly lit marquees with all that beautiful neon!
Exctly Im Not Famous, i think Cadillac Fairview wanted a more upscale, up to date cinema complex for the “new” Fairview Mall. The Victoria Terrace was also a very nice theatre complex especially that nice lobby with the big windows looking out over the parking lot. That became a gym I believe. It’s nice to know though that Fairview will not be without a theatre but will be getting a newer more modern one.
That will be nice to have a brand new theatre complex at Fairview. The Rainbow cinemas were perfectly fine, but of course they didn’t have the standard stadium seating and curved screens that all the latest have. When Fairview Mall first opened in 1970, it had one large cinema in what was then the NW corner of the mall, that was later twinned. Too bad though that along Sheppard Ave to the west that the Bayview Village 4 closed which were perfect for the kind of independent, art type films they showed. Thought for sure that someone else would have opened them up again. They were out of the way, in the basement of the mall, so can’t imagine what they’ll use the space for now.
Thanks, worked perfectly. I always wondered if the beautiful old building was still standing, glad to see it still looks good. Wondered what ever happened to it.
Lost memory, couldn’t get the photos to open, would love to see them.