Up here in Canada, AMC is the much nicer, more civilized chain. Much less noisy and flashy than those former Famous Players SilverCity and Coliseums and the one in downtown Toronto, the Yonge-Dundas 24, is waaay classier than the loud Scotiabank (formerly Paramount)
Did the Panorama close under another name? Otherwise there is no listing for it here at Cinema Treasures and you would think if it had Roadshow engagements, it would be in here.
It’s interesting that the Cumberland Four does not have a listing on Cinema Treasures. Even though it’s been around almost 30 years. I still think it has one of the best locations in Toronto. Remember when the Bloor/Yonge/Bay/Avenue rd area had the most screens of anywhere in Toronto? Those WERE the days!
I once wrote to Famous Players and asked them if they had any plans to re-decorate the auditoriums. I always found the carpeting and especially the seats to be hidious colours and designs. Especially for that location within their head office. Remember when it opened, Cinema 1 was called La Reserve? I don’t think that lasted too long though. Wasn’t that screen capable for 70MM? It never looked wide enough to me to show that format. I remember that it opened around Christmas 1980 as well as the newly renovated Runnymede twin and the 3rd screen at the Westwood.
I agree Jon. I’ve never really liked that theatre except for it’s lobby and it’s great location. Other then that, I’ve never really liked any of the 4 cinemas themselves. Considering it was built in to what was then Famous Players head office building, I would have expected so much more.
Yes, it was renovated in 1988 and the screens were re-designed so that you entered each cinema from the rear instead of the original layout from the front beside each screen. It was most distracting because every time someone entered during the movie or went out to the lobby, you tended to look at them coming and going. They also re-designed the layout of the individual theatres to enlarge the lobby to include a larger cafe area. So on May 6 1988 it re-opened with 9 screens instead of 10. The ads said “Return of the Elegant Theatre” and “North America’s Premiere Arthouse”
Yes, that’s the one. The entrance for the cinema was at the east end of the building on Charles St. and the screen would have been on the west side facing Yonge St.
The first dealership on that site after demolishing that lovely theatre was called Glendale Ford. As far as I know, the Glendale still did good business back then so why Famous Players wanted to sell to a car dearler is beyond me. The nearby Odeon Fairlawn lasted to 1985 so I’m sure the Glendale could have lasted at least until the end of the 70s if not longer.
The Glendale was actually demolished in 1975, not 1973. The last film I saw there was “The Godfather Part 2” which was a Christmas release in 1974 and stayed at the Glendale until spring 1975.
A sad day indeed. The Century should have been restored years ago. Hamilton has lost the Tivoli, Capitol, Palace and now the Century and any one of them could have been and should have been fully restored like so many other old movie palaces and used for concerts, plays, Broadway shows etc. Such a shame.
Maybe Cineplex Entertainment should seriously consider building a brand new state of the art “art” house to replace the Carlton. After all, Toronto is supposed to be one of the most serious film going cities in the country. Otherwise we need something similar to the Angelika Film centre in the states or similar to a Landmark theatre which shows the same kinds of films that the Carlton did. I remember many years ago Alliance cinemas was looking for a replacement site for the Cumberland with more screens but that never happened. And if that one closes, well then we’re really in trouble in terms of the type of cinema that would show these kinds of films. Unless they turn the Canada Square in to an exclusive art/foreign/indie type of theatre. I haven’t seen as many articles about a theatre closing since the Uptown and Eglinton closing years ago
With all the press this place has gotten since announcing it’s closing….every major amd minor newspaper practically, maybe someone should come along and fix it up and re-open it. Obviously there IS a market out there for this type of cinema and seems like it’s going to be sorely missed by alot of people. I do think that Toronto needs a place like this to play the offbeat and obscure films that build by word of mouth and play for weeks and months. Maybe the outcry for this place will make Cineplex Entertainment realize that the Cumberland Four IS worth keeping open after all.
Up here in Canada, AMC is the much nicer, more civilized chain. Much less noisy and flashy than those former Famous Players SilverCity and Coliseums and the one in downtown Toronto, the Yonge-Dundas 24, is waaay classier than the loud Scotiabank (formerly Paramount)
Thanks Michael.
Did the Panorama close under another name? Otherwise there is no listing for it here at Cinema Treasures and you would think if it had Roadshow engagements, it would be in here.
Nope, they’re all there. Wasn’t that glorious!
It’s interesting that the Cumberland Four does not have a listing on Cinema Treasures. Even though it’s been around almost 30 years. I still think it has one of the best locations in Toronto. Remember when the Bloor/Yonge/Bay/Avenue rd area had the most screens of anywhere in Toronto? Those WERE the days!
I once wrote to Famous Players and asked them if they had any plans to re-decorate the auditoriums. I always found the carpeting and especially the seats to be hidious colours and designs. Especially for that location within their head office. Remember when it opened, Cinema 1 was called La Reserve? I don’t think that lasted too long though. Wasn’t that screen capable for 70MM? It never looked wide enough to me to show that format. I remember that it opened around Christmas 1980 as well as the newly renovated Runnymede twin and the 3rd screen at the Westwood.
Yup, that’s the one. The cinema entrance was where the yellow awning is on Charles St.
The Victory theatre on Spadina already HAS a page here on Cinema Treasures.
I agree Jon. I’ve never really liked that theatre except for it’s lobby and it’s great location. Other then that, I’ve never really liked any of the 4 cinemas themselves. Considering it was built in to what was then Famous Players head office building, I would have expected so much more.
Yes, it was renovated in 1988 and the screens were re-designed so that you entered each cinema from the rear instead of the original layout from the front beside each screen. It was most distracting because every time someone entered during the movie or went out to the lobby, you tended to look at them coming and going. They also re-designed the layout of the individual theatres to enlarge the lobby to include a larger cafe area. So on May 6 1988 it re-opened with 9 screens instead of 10. The ads said “Return of the Elegant Theatre” and “North America’s Premiere Arthouse”
What a shame!!!!!
This theatre is already listed in here under AMC Loews Orpheum 7.
Yes the proper name for this theatre was the Odeon.
Yes, that’s the one. The entrance for the cinema was at the east end of the building on Charles St. and the screen would have been on the west side facing Yonge St.
Well from the Google satellite shot at the NE corner, it looks like the old building is still there. I’ll have to drive by one of these days and see.
Nope. Not Cinecity. It was a former Post Office, right on the NE corner of Yonge & Charles.
The first dealership on that site after demolishing that lovely theatre was called Glendale Ford. As far as I know, the Glendale still did good business back then so why Famous Players wanted to sell to a car dearler is beyond me. The nearby Odeon Fairlawn lasted to 1985 so I’m sure the Glendale could have lasted at least until the end of the 70s if not longer.
The Glendale was actually demolished in 1975, not 1973. The last film I saw there was “The Godfather Part 2” which was a Christmas release in 1974 and stayed at the Glendale until spring 1975.
That was my first thought when I heard about this. What’s going to happen in Chicago. Especially with the Webster Place 11 and the City North 14.
What a fabulous photo CW. So nice to see it with “2001” showing!
The theatre on the north side of Danforth, just east of Pape was this one, the Palace. An office building now occupies the site.
A sad day indeed. The Century should have been restored years ago. Hamilton has lost the Tivoli, Capitol, Palace and now the Century and any one of them could have been and should have been fully restored like so many other old movie palaces and used for concerts, plays, Broadway shows etc. Such a shame.
Happy New Year! My very favourite place to visit, several times daily! All the Best…
Maybe Cineplex Entertainment should seriously consider building a brand new state of the art “art” house to replace the Carlton. After all, Toronto is supposed to be one of the most serious film going cities in the country. Otherwise we need something similar to the Angelika Film centre in the states or similar to a Landmark theatre which shows the same kinds of films that the Carlton did. I remember many years ago Alliance cinemas was looking for a replacement site for the Cumberland with more screens but that never happened. And if that one closes, well then we’re really in trouble in terms of the type of cinema that would show these kinds of films. Unless they turn the Canada Square in to an exclusive art/foreign/indie type of theatre. I haven’t seen as many articles about a theatre closing since the Uptown and Eglinton closing years ago
With all the press this place has gotten since announcing it’s closing….every major amd minor newspaper practically, maybe someone should come along and fix it up and re-open it. Obviously there IS a market out there for this type of cinema and seems like it’s going to be sorely missed by alot of people. I do think that Toronto needs a place like this to play the offbeat and obscure films that build by word of mouth and play for weeks and months. Maybe the outcry for this place will make Cineplex Entertainment realize that the Cumberland Four IS worth keeping open after all.