Canon Theatre
244 Victoria Street,
Toronto,
ON
M5B1V8
244 Victoria Street,
Toronto,
ON
M5B1V8
6 people
favorited this theater
The Pantages was Canada’s largest theater when it opened in 1920. This 3,626 seat palace remained a single screen theater in the Famous Players chain until 15th March 1930 when it was re-named Imperial Theatre. In June 1973 it was divided into six auditoriums and renamed the Imperial Six. Cinema 1 was between the front of the former balcony and the screen. Cinema 2 was the former balcony seating. Cinemas 3 & 4 were in the former backstage. Cinemas 5 & 6 were in the orchestra seating.
The Imperial Six was taken over Cineplex Odeon in May 1986 and was partially renovated, re-opening as the Pantages Cinema in December 1987. This closed in August 1988 and a full restoration project to return the building to a single auditorium was completed fully completed in September 1989.
The theater was re-named Pantages Theatre again and was home to “The Phantom of the Opera” for ten years. Now used mostly for Broadway touring companies, the theater was renamed the Canon Theatre in September of 2001.
Contributed by
Jason R
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Recent comments (view all 36 comments)
Here is a recent shot of the Yonge Street entrance.
When Cineplex Odeon ran it as a one-screen theatre, here were some of the theatre’s engagements:
Wall Street
The Unbearable Lightness Of Being
Colors
Die Hard in 70mm (the final movie played at the theatre)
As the Imperial, showing ‘The Godfather:’ View link
Nice photo CWalczak.
Since we re-branded to Silent Toronto last summer, here’s the new URLs to some of our features on the Pantages/Imperial/Imperial6:
A Zardoz lobby card from 1974
The Imperial Drabinsky
Extreme Usher: The Imperial Six — by Gerry Flahive
Always cool and comfortable at the Pantages(talking pictures arrive)
Wall St and Die Hard would have been amazing in this glorious space ;–)
I uploaded the 1973 grand opening ads as Imperial Six as well as the 1987 reopening ad as the Pantages. I also uploaded an plan of the 1986 Dubinsky-Cineplex coup over Famous Players.
Another name change …
Ed Mirvish Theatre
Is not the main entrance on Yonge Street, 263?
Actually, no. As previous comments indicate, the historical main entrance to the Pantages was on Victoria Street; the Yonge Street entrance was actually a later addition (although constructed a long time ago now and well-blended architecturally into the original design). The Yonge Street entry actually takes one over O'Keefe Lane and then into the the original main foyer. Because Yonge is such a main thoroughfare, it is easy to assume the Yonge Street entry always was the main entry, especially if you are among those who recall the theater in its days as the Imperial 6 cinema.