Kingsway Theatre
3030 Bloor Street West,
Toronto,
ON
M8X 1C4
3030 Bloor Street West,
Toronto,
ON
M8X 1C4
6 people
favorited this theater
The Kingsway Theatre opened in 1939 with a seating capacity for 700. It was closed in 2006. After renovations were carried out, the Kingsway Theatre reopened on January 2, 2009, with “The Boy in the Striped Pajamas” and “Rachel Getting Married”.
Contributed by
Jason R
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Recent comments (view all 66 comments)
Here’s an updated link to the 1957 picture I posted on June 4, 2008:
View link
The Kingsway was my first-ever job as a projectionist. I worked there “on permit” from 1980 until 83, then after officially becoming a member of Local 173 I offically owned the job until I moved to the Showcase (ex-New Yorker) in 86. Wonderful booth. Stuff that lifelong memories are made of. It was running purely repertory at the time (two different films a night), running 2000 foot reels on Super Simplex heads and Peerless Magnarc Type G lamphouses. The optical stereo sound was home-brewed by the general manager from a Quadraphonic-QS decoder!
When I started off the booth ran with an insanely-loud Motor-Generator for arc power, but was later converted to rectifiers. The Super Simplex heads went out in favor of Century C’s and thanks to a resourceful sound technician, we put Motiograph 35mm Magnetic soundheads in, which I think I ran about 3 or 4 times. I later worked there in the mid-90s after the Showcase closed and I was a relief operator. This is where I saw many of the best movies ever made. There was a real gem in this theatre. A small 20 seat auditorium upstairs that ran 16mm movies, completely separate from the main Kingsway. I forgot what it was called at the time (the Festival?) or the name of the kindly older gentleman who ran it.
Lots of good memories int aht theatre, though. Glad to see it’s no longer dark.
Here it is in August 2010
Click Here
Please note that Cinema Treasures has once again removed comments, links, etc. that refer to an ongoing feud between one party and the operators of this theater. Cinema Treasures is not a place for this conversation and will not be a venue for this kind of debate. Any additional postings about this issue will also be deleted.
The Kingsway was an operation of Twenthieth Century Theatres (Twinex) who were partners of Famous Players Canadian Corp. Nice to see that it is operating again. Located in the West end of Toronto in what used to be a better class of area!!
Anyone know WHERE the second screen is for this theatre? They don’t mention a thing about it on their web site, but obviously with twice as many films playing there now, and overlapping start times they have more than one screen. Years ago, there was a small “screening room” on the upper level with a separate entrance, wondering if that is open again. You would think that something would be said on their web site about two screens.
This theatre was twinned by splitting the theatre down the middle with a wall!! The old screening room hasn’t been used for years — but in 1976 I saw a movie there!
No there is no wall down the middle of the theatre. The main auditorium is intact – as it was in 1939. The second floor screening room was reopened – used to be known as the Nostalgia Cinema – it now once again plays films. 30 theatre seats(same seats as the main theatre) with film and digital projection and full Digital Dolby sound.
You would think something would be mentioned on the web site of having a second screen now open.
All announcements are made on our Facebook page. If you join our group – all the news feeds and new films are there. You can link through our webpage to Facebook or the link below.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Kingsway-Movie-Theatre-Cafe/126875134016379?ref=ts&fref=ts