I was just in Chicago last weekend…fabulous city!! Thanks to Cinema Treasures, i was able to figure out where all the old movie palaces in the Loop were and see what’s there now. Of course saw the Chicago, Oriental and Palace that are still there as well as the new Goodman site. Block 37 is finally under construction but I was able to see where the United Artists and Roosevelt were.
Sure seems to be taking an extraordinarily long time to get this new complex built, I wonder what the hold up is?? Thought it was supposed to ipen last spring?
I remember that 70MM releases were so exclusive that in 1981 when “Raiders of the Lost Ark” was released here in Toronto, the ads proclaimed “FOR THE FIRST TIME, 70MM AT FOUR THEATRES”. After that, there were so many films released in the 70MM format, that the theatre chains kept adding more and more with 70MM capabilities. By the time that “The Untouchables” and “Stakeout” came out in 87, they showed at about 10 or 12 theatres in 70MM.
How did they divide this theatre in to 7? Did the original have a balcony, that was divided as well as the main floor? Or did they add on to the building at the back or beside it. I love when they keep older theatres open, even if it means dividing them since ususally the lobby areas are kept as they originally were.
Well sorry to have to tell you this srcushing but I went to the Westwood many, many times during my childhood and it WAS only 1 theatre and yes it was very large. It was where at the end, cinema 2 and 3 were. I also have newspaper clippings of the NEW Westwood Cinema as it was called when it opened in 1968 and whas where Cinema 1 was at the end. Around Christmas 1980, the huge Westwood was divided and became cinemas 2 & 3 making the theatre a triplex. This is all documented in newspaper clippings as well as a feature cover page story in the Etobicoke Guardian when it closed in April of 1998.
The Eglinton showed a lot of Reserved seat Roadshows during the 60s including, Beckett, Doctor Dolittle,Finian’s Rainbow, Hello Dolly! and of course the record breaking 144 week run of “The Sound of Music” from March 10, 1965 to December of 1967.
It’s too bad that Famous Players didn’t get to build the University 9 that was proposed at the site of this wonderful theatre. It was to be part of a large condo complex that was built on the corner of Bloor & Belair but for some reason the developer backed out on the theatre part. If this had been built then there would still be a movie going presence on that part of Bloor st which is sorely lacking today considering the Bloor, Yonge, Bay, Avenue area was once the movie going centre of Toronto with the Cumberland, University, Varsity, Uptown, Plaza, Towne and New Yorker/Showcase. All that’s left is the Varsity 12 and the Cumberland 4. And Famous Players is no more.
This reminds me of the case up here in Toronto when a disabled group led to the Ontario Human Rights organization ruling that Famous Players who at the time operated the historic Uptown and Eglinton theatres ruled that the company needed to upgrade those theatres to make them fully wheelchair accessible. The company chose to close them instead, the Uptown being demolished and the Eglinton while saved from the wreckers ball, is now a banquet facility. The whole thing could have been avoided since as we know films nowadays never just play at one location and anyone with a disability could have gone to any number of theatres that are fully accessible. Too bad we lost 2 historic site to movies forever when it wasn’t necessary.
Fabulous pictures Brian Wolf! Always wondered what the inside of the Esquire looked like. Can’t believe they are going to tear down this lovely theater! What a waste…what a shame. It looks like it would have made a terrific specialty cinema showing independent, foreign and art films. Too damn bad someone couldn’t have saved this. Oh well…that’s progress, but what a loss. I know what it’s like, having lost many wonderful theaters here in Toronto. Sometimes I just wish progress would go away…
I would appreciate it if Lost Memory, Warren and anyone else who wants to use this wonderful site for personal vendettas would refrain from doing so. If you want to call each other names, threaten each other or anything else then kindly create a Blog for yourselves or e-mail each other but please…Keep it out of here! Thank you.
That is GREAT news about the Royal…now if we could only get somebody to re-open the Kingsway and the Revue. Maybe they could be independently run, like they were prior to being part of the Festival chain. I know there is a community group trying to re-open the Revue, so hopefully they are successful and the same can happen to the Kingsway. Those two parts of town just wouldn’t be the same without those theatres open and operating. I think they could have tried to show new films, just opened but at their Festival pricing. I know alot of people would rather see movies there then at any of the noisy multiplexes.
As far as I know, this theatre closed last year when the new Paramount opened nearby. I know that the Capitol 6 in Victoria is now an Empire theatre and is still open but the one in Vancouver was to be demolished after it closed. It’s never listed in any showtimes for Vancouver in Tribute, Empire Theatres website or anywhere.
I too am very saddened to hear this news. I can imagine one or two closing but NOT the whole chain. I’ve been a member since the early 80s and have seen many many films at all of these theatres which seemed to have “serious” movie going audiences as opposed to just a bunch of loud mouth kids that go to all the multiplexes with their loud, noisy lobbys. These theatres really were a throwback to another time and each one had updated their screens and sound systems over the last few years. I guess you think that they will always be around but alas all good things must come to an end. And jlangdon is sooo right when he says that the surrounding businesses will suffer, it was always so nice to leave the theatre and go have a coffee or a drink in one of the many surrounding cafes or restaurants especially in the areas of the Kingsway, Revue and Fox. And the Royal, right in little Italy, what a vibrant neighbourhood so I guess it won’t be as bad, but it won’t be the same for me going to these area without these wonderful old cinemas there. Too bad, what a damn shame. I’m hoping that someone, somehow can rescue a couple of these gems and keep them going, but maybe that’s holding on to a dream whose time is gone.
I can’t believe that in March of 2006, this poor old theatre still stands. It will be 8 years next month that this theatre closed after 47 years…think of all the films that could have played there in the past 8 years! I believe the city of Toronto owns the property but you would think they would do SOMETHING with it! Across Kipling Ave are 3 new condo towers next to the subway station and across Bloor St is a whole new village of condos and townhouses. Either they should tear this place down and build some spanking new condos or open it up again and let all these new home owners in the area see a movie on the big screen. But please, don’t let it sit there looking so derelict after all these years. What a sad way to end this theatre’s life eh?
I’m just glad that something new was built in downtown Toronto. A lot of theatres were lost over the years like the Imperial Six, Sheraton Centre twin, Eaton Centre 17, among many others. We are supposed to get an AMC Metropolis 24 but I’ll believe it when I see it…it’s been under construction for years. Famous Players was supposed to build a 10 screen multiplex at Yonge and Bloor so I don’t know if this will still go through now that Cineplex Entertainment owns FP. The Paramount may not be to everyone’s taste but at least it has BIG screens and stadium seating and is a great place to see many of the kind of movies coming out these days.
Sad commentary on downtown Hamilton. In other cities old theatres are either redevolped or turned in to book stores, fitness clubs, music clubs or restaurants. In Hamilton they are just boarded up and sit there for years. Too bad, they were once nice, vibrant theatres, showing the finest in entertainment…and now there they sit.
WOULD YOU TWO STOP THIS DAMN BICKERING AND GET IT OFF THIS SITE!! FIRST IT WAS ABOUT THE WHEATON GRAND AND NOW THE UPTOWN. The rest of us Cinemaphiles do NOT what to hear about your ongoing feud and namecalling. Take it somewhere else, but NOT here.
This is the same kind of conversion that happened to the former Runnymede theatre in Toronto. It is now a Chapters book store and the interior is very much the former theatre. The former balcony has been re-built and now there are escalators instead of the former 2 staircases on either side of the lobby. The children’s department is now located up there. There was a small Starbucks cafe up there as well with tables at the edge overlooking the rest of the store but that has now been removed. The sloping main floor is still there and there are a series of steps gradually down the middle of the store to take you to where the screen was. The screen is gone and now you can go up onto the stage area where the magazine section is located. It is interesting to look up to the ceiling of the backstage area and see where the curtains and screen would have been. An excellent restoration of a beautiful theatre. Too bad more theatres could have been converted this way to at least keep the interiors as they were as movie theatres.
I think life is too short…to short for all this bickering and mean spirited comments by “LTS”. Maybe he should stop commenting altogether on this particular theater site and give the rest of us…a break.
What about the Garrick, Metropolitan and Capitol? Are they still standing. Can’t believe that Cineplex Odeon only has Grant Park, I guess that will change now that they are taking over Famous Players.
Speaking of theatres in Winnipeg, what ever happened to the Odeon Kings and the Colony? I rembember them when I visited years ago and the Kings seemed to be a major release venue. Didn’t “The Sound of Music” play there for a long time?
All 4 new Paramount theatres in Canada, Toronto, Montreal, Calgary and Vancouver will have to be renamed after Cineplex Odeon takes over. The Paramount name is a trademark of Viacom and won’t allow the names to be used. I wonder what they will call them now?
I was just in Chicago last weekend…fabulous city!! Thanks to Cinema Treasures, i was able to figure out where all the old movie palaces in the Loop were and see what’s there now. Of course saw the Chicago, Oriental and Palace that are still there as well as the new Goodman site. Block 37 is finally under construction but I was able to see where the United Artists and Roosevelt were.
Sure seems to be taking an extraordinarily long time to get this new complex built, I wonder what the hold up is?? Thought it was supposed to ipen last spring?
I remember that 70MM releases were so exclusive that in 1981 when “Raiders of the Lost Ark” was released here in Toronto, the ads proclaimed “FOR THE FIRST TIME, 70MM AT FOUR THEATRES”. After that, there were so many films released in the 70MM format, that the theatre chains kept adding more and more with 70MM capabilities. By the time that “The Untouchables” and “Stakeout” came out in 87, they showed at about 10 or 12 theatres in 70MM.
How did they divide this theatre in to 7? Did the original have a balcony, that was divided as well as the main floor? Or did they add on to the building at the back or beside it. I love when they keep older theatres open, even if it means dividing them since ususally the lobby areas are kept as they originally were.
The Loews 20 North Versailles in Pennsylvania, near Pittsburgh closed a few years ago, not long after opening. It’s listed here on Cinema Treasures.
Well sorry to have to tell you this srcushing but I went to the Westwood many, many times during my childhood and it WAS only 1 theatre and yes it was very large. It was where at the end, cinema 2 and 3 were. I also have newspaper clippings of the NEW Westwood Cinema as it was called when it opened in 1968 and whas where Cinema 1 was at the end. Around Christmas 1980, the huge Westwood was divided and became cinemas 2 & 3 making the theatre a triplex. This is all documented in newspaper clippings as well as a feature cover page story in the Etobicoke Guardian when it closed in April of 1998.
The Eglinton showed a lot of Reserved seat Roadshows during the 60s including, Beckett, Doctor Dolittle,Finian’s Rainbow, Hello Dolly! and of course the record breaking 144 week run of “The Sound of Music” from March 10, 1965 to December of 1967.
It’s too bad that Famous Players didn’t get to build the University 9 that was proposed at the site of this wonderful theatre. It was to be part of a large condo complex that was built on the corner of Bloor & Belair but for some reason the developer backed out on the theatre part. If this had been built then there would still be a movie going presence on that part of Bloor st which is sorely lacking today considering the Bloor, Yonge, Bay, Avenue area was once the movie going centre of Toronto with the Cumberland, University, Varsity, Uptown, Plaza, Towne and New Yorker/Showcase. All that’s left is the Varsity 12 and the Cumberland 4. And Famous Players is no more.
Bway, still can’t log in to see the aerial view. It gives me a What and Where to type in, tried several different combinations but doesn’t work.
This reminds me of the case up here in Toronto when a disabled group led to the Ontario Human Rights organization ruling that Famous Players who at the time operated the historic Uptown and Eglinton theatres ruled that the company needed to upgrade those theatres to make them fully wheelchair accessible. The company chose to close them instead, the Uptown being demolished and the Eglinton while saved from the wreckers ball, is now a banquet facility. The whole thing could have been avoided since as we know films nowadays never just play at one location and anyone with a disability could have gone to any number of theatres that are fully accessible. Too bad we lost 2 historic site to movies forever when it wasn’t necessary.
Fabulous pictures Brian Wolf! Always wondered what the inside of the Esquire looked like. Can’t believe they are going to tear down this lovely theater! What a waste…what a shame. It looks like it would have made a terrific specialty cinema showing independent, foreign and art films. Too damn bad someone couldn’t have saved this. Oh well…that’s progress, but what a loss. I know what it’s like, having lost many wonderful theaters here in Toronto. Sometimes I just wish progress would go away…
I would appreciate it if Lost Memory, Warren and anyone else who wants to use this wonderful site for personal vendettas would refrain from doing so. If you want to call each other names, threaten each other or anything else then kindly create a Blog for yourselves or e-mail each other but please…Keep it out of here! Thank you.
That is GREAT news about the Royal…now if we could only get somebody to re-open the Kingsway and the Revue. Maybe they could be independently run, like they were prior to being part of the Festival chain. I know there is a community group trying to re-open the Revue, so hopefully they are successful and the same can happen to the Kingsway. Those two parts of town just wouldn’t be the same without those theatres open and operating. I think they could have tried to show new films, just opened but at their Festival pricing. I know alot of people would rather see movies there then at any of the noisy multiplexes.
As far as I know, this theatre closed last year when the new Paramount opened nearby. I know that the Capitol 6 in Victoria is now an Empire theatre and is still open but the one in Vancouver was to be demolished after it closed. It’s never listed in any showtimes for Vancouver in Tribute, Empire Theatres website or anywhere.
I too am very saddened to hear this news. I can imagine one or two closing but NOT the whole chain. I’ve been a member since the early 80s and have seen many many films at all of these theatres which seemed to have “serious” movie going audiences as opposed to just a bunch of loud mouth kids that go to all the multiplexes with their loud, noisy lobbys. These theatres really were a throwback to another time and each one had updated their screens and sound systems over the last few years. I guess you think that they will always be around but alas all good things must come to an end. And jlangdon is sooo right when he says that the surrounding businesses will suffer, it was always so nice to leave the theatre and go have a coffee or a drink in one of the many surrounding cafes or restaurants especially in the areas of the Kingsway, Revue and Fox. And the Royal, right in little Italy, what a vibrant neighbourhood so I guess it won’t be as bad, but it won’t be the same for me going to these area without these wonderful old cinemas there. Too bad, what a damn shame. I’m hoping that someone, somehow can rescue a couple of these gems and keep them going, but maybe that’s holding on to a dream whose time is gone.
I can’t believe that in March of 2006, this poor old theatre still stands. It will be 8 years next month that this theatre closed after 47 years…think of all the films that could have played there in the past 8 years! I believe the city of Toronto owns the property but you would think they would do SOMETHING with it! Across Kipling Ave are 3 new condo towers next to the subway station and across Bloor St is a whole new village of condos and townhouses. Either they should tear this place down and build some spanking new condos or open it up again and let all these new home owners in the area see a movie on the big screen. But please, don’t let it sit there looking so derelict after all these years. What a sad way to end this theatre’s life eh?
I’m just glad that something new was built in downtown Toronto. A lot of theatres were lost over the years like the Imperial Six, Sheraton Centre twin, Eaton Centre 17, among many others. We are supposed to get an AMC Metropolis 24 but I’ll believe it when I see it…it’s been under construction for years. Famous Players was supposed to build a 10 screen multiplex at Yonge and Bloor so I don’t know if this will still go through now that Cineplex Entertainment owns FP. The Paramount may not be to everyone’s taste but at least it has BIG screens and stadium seating and is a great place to see many of the kind of movies coming out these days.
Sad commentary on downtown Hamilton. In other cities old theatres are either redevolped or turned in to book stores, fitness clubs, music clubs or restaurants. In Hamilton they are just boarded up and sit there for years. Too bad, they were once nice, vibrant theatres, showing the finest in entertainment…and now there they sit.
WOULD YOU TWO STOP THIS DAMN BICKERING AND GET IT OFF THIS SITE!! FIRST IT WAS ABOUT THE WHEATON GRAND AND NOW THE UPTOWN. The rest of us Cinemaphiles do NOT what to hear about your ongoing feud and namecalling. Take it somewhere else, but NOT here.
Dennis, I would love to see those photos as well. Send to
Thanks very much.
This is the same kind of conversion that happened to the former Runnymede theatre in Toronto. It is now a Chapters book store and the interior is very much the former theatre. The former balcony has been re-built and now there are escalators instead of the former 2 staircases on either side of the lobby. The children’s department is now located up there. There was a small Starbucks cafe up there as well with tables at the edge overlooking the rest of the store but that has now been removed. The sloping main floor is still there and there are a series of steps gradually down the middle of the store to take you to where the screen was. The screen is gone and now you can go up onto the stage area where the magazine section is located. It is interesting to look up to the ceiling of the backstage area and see where the curtains and screen would have been. An excellent restoration of a beautiful theatre. Too bad more theatres could have been converted this way to at least keep the interiors as they were as movie theatres.
I think life is too short…to short for all this bickering and mean spirited comments by “LTS”. Maybe he should stop commenting altogether on this particular theater site and give the rest of us…a break.
What about the Garrick, Metropolitan and Capitol? Are they still standing. Can’t believe that Cineplex Odeon only has Grant Park, I guess that will change now that they are taking over Famous Players.
Speaking of theatres in Winnipeg, what ever happened to the Odeon Kings and the Colony? I rembember them when I visited years ago and the Kings seemed to be a major release venue. Didn’t “The Sound of Music” play there for a long time?
All 4 new Paramount theatres in Canada, Toronto, Montreal, Calgary and Vancouver will have to be renamed after Cineplex Odeon takes over. The Paramount name is a trademark of Viacom and won’t allow the names to be used. I wonder what they will call them now?