Capitol Theatre
230 Queen Street,
Ottawa,
ON
K1P 5N2
230 Queen Street,
Ottawa,
ON
K1P 5N2
2 people
favorited this theater
The Capitol Theatre was located at 230 Queen Street at the corner of Bank Street. Opened on November 8, 1920 with D.W. Griffith’s “The Love Flower”, a minature musical comedy “Cheer Up” and four acts of vaudeville. The 2,580-seat Capitol Theatre was owned by Famous Players and was the largest movie theater ever built in Ottawa.
The Capitol Theatre closed in 1970 with a screening of M.A.S.H. The following day, a fundraiser for Canadian Save the Children Fund was the last event to be held in the theatre when Mary Pickford in “Pollyanna” was screened.
Contributed by
Chad Irish
Want to be emailed when a new comment is posted about this theater?
Just login to your account and subscribe to this theater
Recent comments (view all 12 comments)
In the book, Palaces of the Night by John Lindsay, two photo captions read:
1) The Ottawa Capitol likely had the most magnificent staircase of any theatre in Canada. This theatre was considered by some to be the best of Thomas Lamb’s Canadian designs. The auditorium closely resembled the Toronto Pantages (now Canon Theatre) which also opened in 1920.
2) Many felt the Ottawa Capitol was the most attractive of all of Lamb’s theatres.
Closed and demolished in 1970. The last show was a special screening of Mary Pickford’s POLLYANNA and a benefit stage show which played to a packed house.
Edward,
Was the special screening accompanied by an accomplished theatre organist? I own a new (through Film Presrevation Associates/David Shepard) 16 mm print and a Beta tape and a laser video disc of Mary’s great film with my late hero, Gaylord B. Carter, playing an especially appropriate score. I am wondering if there was indeed a song entitled THE GLAD SONG and if Gaylord used this in conjunction with his scoring of the film through the Matty Kemp Festival Series/The Mary Pickford Company(copyright,1972)?
Calvert Francis
Lawton, Oklahoma
USA
It was actaully on Bank Street, not Queen Street.
It was actually on Bank Street, not Queen Street.
By any chance does anyone know the early 1960s date of the ray charles concert at the capital theatre in ottawa.
Some photos of the former Capitol Theater can be seen here.
I’m trying to gather information concerning a manager of the Capitol Theatre, Mr. Hector Ladouceur. Any info would be appreciated.
Thanks
Hi Tom,
I am Hector Ladouceur’s grand daughter. I am also looking for information and photoes of Hector and the Caitol Theatre.
Perhaps we can share?
Thanks
This 1958 photo shows a Capitol Theatre in Ottawa. Is that a photo of this Capitol?
Yes, I believe that this is a photo of the old capitol Theatre in Ottawa. I have a piece of it… I bought one of the 8' decorative mirrors from its lobby whemn it was demolished in 1970.
The streetcars are also gone. Shortly after this picture was taken the local government took the streetcars out of service and tore up all the tracks because they thought that the overhear wires were “unsightly”. Now (2009) they want to build a $1.2 billion (!!)light rail system in Ottawa. Great planning!!