York Theatre

Rue Sainte-Catherine Ouest and Rue MacKay,
Montreal, QC H3G 1Z1

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Showing 14 comments

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on April 17, 2021 at 9:29 am

Circa 1956 photo added via Swanand Natu.

rivest266
rivest266 on February 4, 2021 at 3:13 pm

Also saw Pink Floyd -The Wall at the same theatre.

Gerald A. DeLuca
Gerald A. DeLuca on February 4, 2021 at 2:38 am

On August 23, 1982 a friend and I, in town for the World Film Festival, took a break from it and came here to see “Pink Floyd -The Wall.” Among other things, we were overwhelmed by the quality of the sound in the theatre!

ellieps
ellieps on December 16, 2015 at 5:30 pm

Is the York Theatre considered a “picture palace”? or simply an “art deco theatre” or “streamline moderne”?

rivest266
rivest266 on January 4, 2012 at 10:38 am

I uploaded the grand opening ad here.

ohserase
ohserase on August 5, 2011 at 12:20 pm

It was not a “porno” cinema in the 1970s. That was the small cinema behind the York, The Guy cinema. I’ve gone through old Montreal Star newspapers on microfilm and regular films were shown. I have a clipping of the 1976 horror film “Burnt Offerings” when it played, and “Alien” premiered at the York in 1979.

Mike Rogers
Mike Rogers on March 7, 2011 at 5:48 pm

70mm at that on “Octopussy” never think of the Bond films in 70mm.

rivest266
rivest266 on March 7, 2011 at 3:28 pm

I seen Octopussy there.

Mike Rogers
Mike Rogers on March 7, 2011 at 1:34 pm

Love to have that “Octopussy” Banner.Great shot.

TLSLOEWS
TLSLOEWS on March 5, 2011 at 3:56 pm

Thanks for all the photos.

rivest266
rivest266 on May 9, 2009 at 9:46 am

beautiful color picture at View link

HowardBHaas
HowardBHaas on February 29, 2008 at 7:09 pm

actually demolished January 2002. A few months later, I saw the empty lot.

Brian Morton
Brian Morton on February 29, 2008 at 6:54 pm

I attended this cinema many times when I was a student in Montreal 1986-88

Here be some great period images

View link

edward
edward on November 3, 2003 at 12:36 pm

The York Theatre opened November 18, 1938 in a complex that included stores on street level and the Carlton apartments (later named Lancaster) on the northwest corner of Ste-Catherine and Mackay Streets.
The project was designed by the firm of Luke, Little and Perry and included the 900 seat theatre with decorative murals and a beige colored streamlined interior. Operated by the United chain, it first showed a double bill of Gateway with Don Ameche and Algiers with Charles Boyer and Hedy Lamarr. It eventually became a first run house when the downtown movie palaces disappeared.
The York turned to showing porno films in the 1970’s and was eventually acquired by a Swiss development firm. A Montreal real estate company announced in the 1980’s plans to restore the deteriorating complex with the addition of a new skyscraper on the same block. The plan was never realised after the company cleared the complex of tenants and closed the theatre in 1989. This beautiful and unique theatre was left to deteriorate until Spring 2003. After much debate, the entire complex was demolished for new state of the art buildings for Concordia University. After much pressure from the community and preservation groups, the university chose not to renovate the theater and make it part of its future master plan. (The complex was voted one of the worst eyesore’s of the city in 2000 although the theatre still survived in restorable condition within; the 8 nymph murals still framed by the original deco tubular lights.)