The links to the 1947 pictures of the Tivoli in Windsor are no longer working, but the pictures can be seen by going to the Images database on the Ontario Archives website at:
Unfortunately that link to the picture of the Embassy is not working. You can see the picture by going to the Images database at the Ontario Archives site at:
This theatre had apparently had a number of other names during its lifetime. Its opening name may have been the Victoria (rather than the Victory); it became the Embassy in 1935, then the Astor in 1949.
Its first incarnation as the New Yorker started in 1962, may have been briefly an adult theatre called in the Tivoli in the early 70s.
It became the Festival in 1978, the Showcase in 1986, and gian give the name New Yorker in 1998.
In addition, both the Rivest list and the Ontario archives show a Parkdale Theatre that was operated by Famous Players at 1605 Queen Street West, whereas both the Lakeshore and the Odeon are listed at 1473 Queen Street West. Perhaps a search of old city directories of those Film Daily Yearbooks could resolve the matter, but I don’t have access to those.
After looking at the two pictures of the Tivoli’s beautiful auditorium in John Lindsay’s terrific book “Palaces of the Night: Canada’s Grand Theaters”, it is easy to see why it would be a great Todd-AO house; that very wide outer proscenium frame would accommodate a large, curved screen easily with both minimal side draping and probably no need to tear out or cover the side boxes. Was the original projection box used or was another one built to meet the need for as-near head-on projection as possible? It would be neat to see a picture of this theatre set up for Todd-AO.
Sorry; posted it based on a 1919 picture that looks very little, if at all, as the Bloor Cinema does today. It must have been radically altered. I have posted that photo to the Bloor site and ask the moderators to delete this entry.
According to the information there, the address was 1558 Queen Street West. (However the number above the door at the left of the photograph appears to be 158; perhaps street re-numbering later occurred).
However according to both Enright’s and Rivest’s listings for the Lakeshore/Odeon (which Rivest says opened in 1931) the address was 1473 Queen Street West which would put it probably at least ten blocks away and on the other side of the street.
Looking at the 1919 picture, the building looks rather small to me to have housed 752 seats which is what Enright and Rivest both state was the capacity of the Lakeshore/Odeon. I am guessing that this 1919 Odeon (which looks like a nickelodeon theatre) was gone by the time the Lakeshore/Odeon opened.
After some additional reserach, it turns out that the Queen Street Odeon eventually changed its name to the Lakeshore Theater in 1965 and remained as such until 1980 when it closed. One wonders if it was pressured to do so by the Odeon chain? Because of that fact, the entry for for the Queen Street Odeon would have to appear as the Lakeshore here on Cinema Treasures as it was its most recent name; the name Odeon will be listed as an aka.
The Odeon Theater shown in the 1919 picture was on Queen Street West whereas the Odeon Danforth was on Danforth. I doubt very much that the 1919 Odeon was ever operated by the Odeon (Canada) Corporation which did not even exist until the early 1940s, I believe. The name is is probably just a coincidence. The 1919 Odeon should have a separate entry.
Here are direct links to the pictures of this theatre on the Onario Archives site:
http://ao.minisisinc.com/Webimages/I0012833.jpg
http://ao.minisisinc.com/Webimages/I0012834.jpg
http://ao.minisisinc.com/Webimages/I0012845.jpg
Here are direct links to the pictures on the Ontario Archives website:
http://ao.minisisinc.com/Webimages/I0012838.jpg
http://ao.minisisinc.com/Webimages/I0012839.jpg
http://ao.minisisinc.com/Webimages/I0012840.jpg
http://ao.minisisinc.com/Webimages/I0012841.jpg
Here are direct links to the Ontario Archives photos:
http://ao.minisisinc.com/Webimages/I0011961.jpg
http://ao.minisisinc.com/Webimages/I0011962.jpg
http://ao.minisisinc.com/Webimages/I0011963.jpg
http://ao.minisisinc.com/Webimages/I0011964.jpg
Here’s a direct link to the picture of it as the Embassy:
http://ao.minisisinc.com/Webimages/I0012595.jpg
and here is is as the Astor:
http://ao.minisisinc.com/Webimages/I0012596.jpg
The links to the 1947 pictures of the Tivoli in Windsor are no longer working, but the pictures can be seen by going to the Images database on the Ontario Archives website at:
View link
and entering ‘Tivoli Windsor’ in the search window.
A picture of the Plaza in Nipigon from 1948 can be seen by going to the Images database of the Ontario Archives at:
View link
and entering ‘Plaza Theatre Nipigon’ in the search window.
Unfortunately that link to the picture of the Embassy is not working. You can see the picture by going to the Images database at the Ontario Archives site at:
View link
and entering ‘Embassy Theatre’ in the search window.
A picture of the Bay theatre in North Bay can be seen by gong to the Ontario Image Archives at:
View link
and entering ‘Bay Theater North Bay’ in the search window.
This theatre had apparently had a number of other names during its lifetime. Its opening name may have been the Victoria (rather than the Victory); it became the Embassy in 1935, then the Astor in 1949.
Its first incarnation as the New Yorker started in 1962, may have been briefly an adult theatre called in the Tivoli in the early 70s.
It became the Festival in 1978, the Showcase in 1986, and gian give the name New Yorker in 1998.
Here it is as the Embassy in 1937:
View link
Pictures of the Tivoli from 1947:
Auditorium:
View link
Foyer:
View link
Exterior:
View link
In addition, both the Rivest list and the Ontario archives show a Parkdale Theatre that was operated by Famous Players at 1605 Queen Street West, whereas both the Lakeshore and the Odeon are listed at 1473 Queen Street West. Perhaps a search of old city directories of those Film Daily Yearbooks could resolve the matter, but I don’t have access to those.
The information was found on Mike Rivest’s list for the Lakeshore Theatre and the matching of addresses.
After looking at the two pictures of the Tivoli’s beautiful auditorium in John Lindsay’s terrific book “Palaces of the Night: Canada’s Grand Theaters”, it is easy to see why it would be a great Todd-AO house; that very wide outer proscenium frame would accommodate a large, curved screen easily with both minimal side draping and probably no need to tear out or cover the side boxes. Was the original projection box used or was another one built to meet the need for as-near head-on projection as possible? It would be neat to see a picture of this theatre set up for Todd-AO.
A 1950 picture of the Rio Theatre in Toronto can be seen here:
View link
Here’s a picture from 1957:
View link
Sorry- wrong URL. This one is of the Madison in 1919:
View link
Here’s a picture fronm 1919; it’s hard to believe it’s now what is the Bloor Cinema today.
View link
Sorry; posted it based on a 1919 picture that looks very little, if at all, as the Bloor Cinema does today. It must have been radically altered. I have posted that photo to the Bloor site and ask the moderators to delete this entry.
Oops; sorry. This is the correct link to the 1929 photo:
View link
The marquee of Loew’s Yonge Street can be seen on he right in this 1929 photo:
View link
An early picture of the theatre, as Allen’s Danforth, probably taken not long after its opening in 1919:
View link
After doing some additional research, I am just about convinced that there were two Odeon Theatres on Queen Street West at different times.
This picture of an Odeon Theatre from 1919 is from the Toronto Archives:
View link
According to the information there, the address was 1558 Queen Street West. (However the number above the door at the left of the photograph appears to be 158; perhaps street re-numbering later occurred).
However according to both Enright’s and Rivest’s listings for the Lakeshore/Odeon (which Rivest says opened in 1931) the address was 1473 Queen Street West which would put it probably at least ten blocks away and on the other side of the street.
Looking at the 1919 picture, the building looks rather small to me to have housed 752 seats which is what Enright and Rivest both state was the capacity of the Lakeshore/Odeon. I am guessing that this 1919 Odeon (which looks like a nickelodeon theatre) was gone by the time the Lakeshore/Odeon opened.
After some additional reserach, it turns out that the Queen Street Odeon eventually changed its name to the Lakeshore Theater in 1965 and remained as such until 1980 when it closed. One wonders if it was pressured to do so by the Odeon chain? Because of that fact, the entry for for the Queen Street Odeon would have to appear as the Lakeshore here on Cinema Treasures as it was its most recent name; the name Odeon will be listed as an aka.
The Odeon Theater shown in the 1919 picture was on Queen Street West whereas the Odeon Danforth was on Danforth. I doubt very much that the 1919 Odeon was ever operated by the Odeon (Canada) Corporation which did not even exist until the early 1940s, I believe. The name is is probably just a coincidence. The 1919 Odeon should have a separate entry.
An artist’s impression of the Federal Theater is here:
View link
and an article about closed Denver theaters that mentions the Federal’s history after closing as a theater is here:
View link