Shea's Hippodrome Theatre

Some pictures of Shea’s Hippodrome:
Under construction, around 1912:
http://gencat.eloquent-systems.com/webcat/systems/toronto.arch/resource/ser372%5Css0041%5Cs0372_ss0041_it0818.jpg
As it was in 1921:
http://gencat.eloquent-systems.com/webcat/systems/toronto.arch/resource/fo1231%5Cf1231_it0840a.jpg
In 1947:
http://ao.minisisinc.com/Webimages/I0004557.jpg

I'm always astounded to see theaters of this size (in the US and Canada) only now making it to Cinema Treasures. I wonder how many others are waiting to be discovered.

Hurray, Shea's is finally in here! If it hadn't been torn down for the new City Hall, I've always imagined that Shea's would have lasted in to the 60s, 70s and maybe beyond...maybe even multi-plexed like the Imperial Six, or the Uptown 5.

I too was surprised that it had not been entered previously; recently I was rereading "Palaces of the Night: Canada's Grand Theatres" by John Lindsay and thought I would see what CT had to say about it and discovered there was no entry.

There are some terrific interior shots of Shea's in that book, showing that it had, at least at one time, twelve opera boxes and elaborate ceiling lighting. I had noted the 1947 picture before during a previous hunt, but had not been able to match it up to a specific theatre as there is no vertical and the theatre's name is not visible anywhere else in the picture. I finally figured it out when I came across the 1921 picture and matched the designs in the facade's brickwork.

Fascinating info,was there a large water pool included in this Hippodrome, as the ones in London,Bristol,and Cleveland had?

The history of the Wurlitzer organ (Opus 558, 3/15) that was installed in Shea's Hippodrome in 1922 at a cost of 50,000is a fascinating story. It was rescued and purchased (for a mere $2,000) even as the theatre was being demolished. It was then installed at the Maple Leaf Gardens and expanded in size. It was later removed from the Gardens and stored at the Imperial Theatre on Yonge, and then installed at Casa Loma after again being modified. The complete story can be read here: http://www.theatreorgans.com/toronto/history.html

The Toronto Theatre Organ Society (TTOS), whose members over the years have worked so hard to see that the Shea's Wurlitzer would be preserved have posted a number of pictures of the theatre, including interior shots at these sites:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/27918731@N02/
http://www.flickr.com/photos/27918731@N02/page2/

Here are updated links to the pictures I posted on April 13, 2009:
Some pictures of Shea’s Hippodrome:
Under construction, around 1912:
http://gencat4.eloquent-systems.com/webcat/systems/toronto.arch/resource/ser372%5Css0041%5Cs0372_ss0041_it0818.jpg
As it was in 1921:
http://gencat4.eloquent-systems.com/webcat/systems/toronto.arch/resource/fo1231%5Cf1231_it0840a.jpg
In 1947:
http://ao.minisisinc.com/Webimages/I0004557.jpg