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Home » Theater Guide » Location » Canada » Quebec » Montreal » Capitol Theatre

Capitol Theatre

Montreal, Quebec
890 Rue Sainte Catherine O
, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
(map)
Status: Closed/Demolished
Screens: Single Screen
Style: French Renaissance
Function: Unknown
Seats: 2378
Chain: Unknown
Architect: Thomas W. Lamb
Firm: Unknown
Capitol Theatre
Circa-1971 postcard view of the Capitol Theatre (with the Loew's visible in the background)
Photo courtesy of the public domain
The Capitol opened on 2nd April 1921 for the Famous Players circuit. The opening programme had Cecil B. DeMilles motion picture "Forbidden Fruit" as the main attraction. It could originally seat over 2600 (seating was somewhat reduced a couple decades later) and was one of the most grandiose and luxurious theaters ever built in Montréal. It was called "Canada's Greatest Playhouse" in opening day newspaper ads.

A main feature of the auditorium was the elaborate coffered ceiling, together with giant Corinthian columns lining the walls. An unusual feature was the organ pipes set into the alcoves above the box seats on the side-walls.

By the 50s, it had become a roadshow house with long runs of blockbuster epics. For instance, "The Ten Commandments" ran for more than a year in 1956-57. Air conditioning was installed during this period of time.

The Capitol was closed and later razed in 1973, to make way for an office building.
Contributed by Bryan Krefft

YOUR COMMENTS

 
Designed by Thomas Lamb's Toronto office, built by Nathan Louis Nathanson (first general manager of Famous Players Canadian Corp.) and opened April 2, 1921 with the film "Forbidden Fruit". Although still in original condition and showing films, the theatre was demolished on October 1973 along with the Strand-built 1912 (renamed Pigalle and seen on the right of the photo above) just a few doors away.
posted by edward on Oct 17, 2003 at 12:49pm
Opening day advert:
http://movie-theatre.org/canada/qc/montreal/pics/capitol.jpg
A 1930's postcard view of Rue Sainte Catherine:
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y60/italiangerry/Cinemas/PalaceCapitolLoewsStrandMontrealQC.jpg
A similar view on this postcard from the 1960's:
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y60/italiangerry/Cinemas/RueSteCatherineMontreal1960s.jpg
posted by KenRoe on May 26, 2007 at 11:00am
The year given for this photo is circa 1925.

posted by Lost Memory on Sep 22, 2009 at 10:20am
From the early 1970s, a postcard view of the Capitol Theater in Montreal.

posted by Don Lewis on Nov 7, 2009 at 7:00am
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