The Park Theatre has a web site at: parkplayhouse.com.
There are photos of the lobby area and the auditorium. There is a brief history and listings of the latest performances.
I did a google search, and found the Capitol Theatre web site. Enter: chathamcapitoltheatre.com and this will take you to their home page. There is a great shot of the auditorium and brief text about the history.
Does anyone know anything about the Majestic Theatre, on Dundas Street (between Clarence and Wellington)? I have a vintage postcard showing the Majestic (Dundas, looking east from Clarence). The google view shows the facade still existing (and restored) at 231 Dundas Street and the building, to the right, still standing as well. Was this the entrance building to the theater? The google view shows the City Plaza, to the rear on King Street. Did it eventually show movies?
Another theater, called the Centre, was located on the next block of George Street. It has been demolished and replaced. The Centre was on the block between Charlotte and Simcoe Streets, the second building past the vintage structure with the tower (at George and Charlotte). It was the third building from the corner of Simcoe Street.
I have no other information about any of the four theaters.
Aside from the Capitol, there are two other theaters on the same block. Use the google image to see the Odeon (the Showplace Performance Centre) and the Paramount (the Vibe Nightclub). You can also see the rear of both buildings on the google image (King, then Water Street). I don’t know if either of the theaters are still in use.
I have a l958 photo postcard, which is an aerial view of Peterborough. The Capitol Theatre is the third building down from Charlotte Street. The address is 299 George Street North on the google view, and shows a new/recent building.
There has been talk, for years about restoring this theatre. I think this was the Opera House, way before the Palace and 1945 date. Take the google view, and see the awsome rear view of the building/auditorium (Carlise/look left and Head Street).
The former Hollywood Theatre was a Serbian Cultural Center for a number of years. I think it was recently for sale. The curved sign board of the marquee still exists, but it has been refaced. The address is 5956 Main Street (just down from Lundy’s Lane/Ferry St.).
The comment about the use as a nightclub, is incorrect.
There may be confusion with the Seneca Theatre, which is now (or recently) a nightclub.
A change to my May 2012 comment and an apology to “mortonbg”: Pizza Pizza DID operate a phone centre in the former lobby space. I was mis-informed. I talked to a landlord, or agent, and she confirmed that the call centre formerly occupied the space which is currently empty and for rent. She mentioned that they are trying to keep as much of the original facade restored and exposed, as possible (including the tiled entrances).
The building renovation is finished. The PSSQL occupies its new home. A note on the door at 746 Barton states: We Moved Locations 760 Barton St. E.
The former facade is totally changed. The terrazzo in the entrance is gone. Original terrazzo was exposed in the alternate exit (far left in google image) but has been covered with tiles.
TivFan
commented about
Zoeticon
Oct 15, 2012 at 10:57 pm
The internet venture, related in the April 29th comment, has failed. The theatre has been leased and will continue presenting live entertainment, etc. The Mountain Theatre name and web site remain the same.
Go to www.thespec.ca for a complete newspaper article about the new venture. Enter “Mountain Theatre” in “Search this site”, and see the October 13th article.
There are related articles about the former Movie Palace and its owner.
There is a vintage photo of the Mountain Theatre (c.1948) on the theatre web site (media/news/spec-July 11, 2012)
The 18th Street facade of the Lyric can be seen in the l976 Bob Rafelson film, “Stay Hungry”. It is the very last shot of the film. It is also the last shot in the trailer, as well. The shot shows a body builder posing on each of the horizonal levels of the fire escapes. The painted Lyric sign (on the upper wall) and some of the marquee and vertical sign are shown. The letter board on the marquee states: AL GOLDSTEIN FELICITY SPLIT IT HAPPENED IN HOLLYWOOD (a rating, I’m assuming, is unreadable to the right of the film title.)
According to previous posts, the Lyric showed adult films in the l970’s. It’s a great movie. “Stay Hungry”, that is…
The United can be seen, briefly, in “Lolita” (l962, directed by Stanley Kubrick). James Mason (as Humbert Humbert) narrates: “…I decided to spend a peaceful summer in the attractive resort town of Ramsdale, New Hampshire.” A shot of Westerly is used to represent Ramsdale. The camera shows a taxi driving down Railroad Avenue, then turning left onto Canal Street. The camera shot follows the taxi, and the United is seen on the left side of the picture. The scene is very brief, at the 12 minute-30 second mark.
I agree with shmadiran’s 2006 comment: this was a horrible theater. The worst in the city, along with the Hyland. But, we had no choice. This was a ‘rep’ theater, and this was the only place running art films, foreign films, revivals, etc. If you wanted to see something, you had to see it there (or go to Toronto).
The picture/screen was way too big for the size of the auditorium. You had to make sure you sat it the back rows. The seats were not very comfortable. The floor sloped down from the back, then ‘inclined’ up to the front rows. Heads were a problem in the few rows in front of yours.
Projection problems were common. More than a few times, I remember the screen going black. I think they used ‘arc’ lamps…the picture would turn rosey-red and get duller, until it went completely black, until the reel change…
I don’t attend these theaters anymore (and haven’t for five years, or so). Bad luck or bad theaters?
I’d say the picture was fine, but: I saw “The First Wives Club” there and Midler’s and Keaton’s voices are very distinct. The film/projection speed was a little fast, and their voices sounded…fast and higher. There was a vintage Dionne Warwicke song used in the film, and I thought it ‘sounded’ like her (like, maybe they used a ‘sound-alike’ or something). According the end credits, it WAS her. And on top of that, there was no heat. There was a portable space heater standing in the aisle (one left aisle in this aud) and an usher checked it, every-so-often. Not too distracting.
Another time, at the start of the show, the music was left on throughout the trailers and the first five minutes of the movie. A few patrons finally exited, and I assume they alerted somebody of the problem. And just small, in general. I haven’t been back since.
As for the Upper James Cinemas (which are not in the Hamilton listings), the building has been converted into a Marshall’s store. This happened in late 2011. The store is now open.
As of December 2011, the Showcase theater building has been demolished.
Near the end, the place was a little run-down. The last time I was there, the tiles in the washroom entrance were broken and loose, the auditorium door hinge was broken (so they left the door open while the film played) and they played a local radio station during the intermission and left the radio audio on while the film played…how professional…I thought I could faintly hear something, especially in the quiet, silent portions of the movie.
A bad end, but they were very good theaters. There was a lot of parking around the building, and I remember the mural in the lobby.
Again…I doubt if this drive-in theater existed. The Hamilton newspaper(s) listed or advertised theaters in the surrounding cities, like Burlington (Roxy/Odeon), Stoney Creek (Fox, Skyway D-In, Starlite D-In), Waterdown (Clappison D-In) and Dundas (Roxy) during the 1940’s and 1950’s.
I have never seen an ad for this drive-in, nor have I ever heard of it before…and I know everything…
StonEy Creek and Stony Creek are the same city.
It is Stoney Creek…with an “E”.
The listed theaters should be combined (plus one addition): 1)FOX / 2)SKYWAY DRIVE-IN / 3)STARLITE
DRIVE-IN / 4)FIESTA MALL CINEMAS /
5)SILVERCITY HAMILTON MOUNTAIN
795 Paramount Drive
Stoney Creek, Ontario
(905)560-0239
I looked at the Regent when it was for sale. This building is typical of the theater design. Two stores fronts were on either side of the theater entrance. There wasn’t much lobby space, and the entrance went directly to the auditorium. Above the stores, were two apartments and directly across the hall was the projection room. When looking out of the projection room wall openings, you could see the ceiling above the drop-ceiling. The auditorium was very plain, with no detailing or decoration. The stage area was only ten- to twenty feet deep, to the back wall.
The Park Theatre has a web site at: parkplayhouse.com. There are photos of the lobby area and the auditorium. There is a brief history and listings of the latest performances.
I did a google search, and found the Capitol Theatre web site. Enter: chathamcapitoltheatre.com and this will take you to their home page. There is a great shot of the auditorium and brief text about the history.
Also, was there an Avon Theatre in London? It had the same styled marquee as the Avon in Hamilton. I haven’t been in the London area in over 10 years…
Does anyone know anything about the Majestic Theatre, on Dundas Street (between Clarence and Wellington)? I have a vintage postcard showing the Majestic (Dundas, looking east from Clarence). The google view shows the facade still existing (and restored) at 231 Dundas Street and the building, to the right, still standing as well. Was this the entrance building to the theater? The google view shows the City Plaza, to the rear on King Street. Did it eventually show movies?
Another theater, called the Centre, was located on the next block of George Street. It has been demolished and replaced. The Centre was on the block between Charlotte and Simcoe Streets, the second building past the vintage structure with the tower (at George and Charlotte). It was the third building from the corner of Simcoe Street. I have no other information about any of the four theaters.
Aside from the Capitol, there are two other theaters on the same block. Use the google image to see the Odeon (the Showplace Performance Centre) and the Paramount (the Vibe Nightclub). You can also see the rear of both buildings on the google image (King, then Water Street). I don’t know if either of the theaters are still in use.
I have a l958 photo postcard, which is an aerial view of Peterborough. The Capitol Theatre is the third building down from Charlotte Street. The address is 299 George Street North on the google view, and shows a new/recent building.
There has been talk, for years about restoring this theatre. I think this was the Opera House, way before the Palace and 1945 date. Take the google view, and see the awsome rear view of the building/auditorium (Carlise/look left and Head Street).
The Seneca Theatre has been used a nightclub, for many years.
The google image view and the street map are wrong.
The former Hollywood Theatre was a Serbian Cultural Center for a number of years. I think it was recently for sale. The curved sign board of the marquee still exists, but it has been refaced. The address is 5956 Main Street (just down from Lundy’s Lane/Ferry St.). The comment about the use as a nightclub, is incorrect. There may be confusion with the Seneca Theatre, which is now (or recently) a nightclub.
A change to my May 2012 comment and an apology to “mortonbg”: Pizza Pizza DID operate a phone centre in the former lobby space. I was mis-informed. I talked to a landlord, or agent, and she confirmed that the call centre formerly occupied the space which is currently empty and for rent. She mentioned that they are trying to keep as much of the original facade restored and exposed, as possible (including the tiled entrances).
The building renovation is finished. The PSSQL occupies its new home. A note on the door at 746 Barton states: We Moved Locations 760 Barton St. E. The former facade is totally changed. The terrazzo in the entrance is gone. Original terrazzo was exposed in the alternate exit (far left in google image) but has been covered with tiles.
The internet venture, related in the April 29th comment, has failed. The theatre has been leased and will continue presenting live entertainment, etc. The Mountain Theatre name and web site remain the same.
Go to www.thespec.ca for a complete newspaper article about the new venture. Enter “Mountain Theatre” in “Search this site”, and see the October 13th article. There are related articles about the former Movie Palace and its owner.
There is a vintage photo of the Mountain Theatre (c.1948) on the theatre web site (media/news/spec-July 11, 2012)
The 18th Street facade of the Lyric can be seen in the l976 Bob Rafelson film, “Stay Hungry”. It is the very last shot of the film. It is also the last shot in the trailer, as well. The shot shows a body builder posing on each of the horizonal levels of the fire escapes. The painted Lyric sign (on the upper wall) and some of the marquee and vertical sign are shown. The letter board on the marquee states: AL GOLDSTEIN FELICITY SPLIT IT HAPPENED IN HOLLYWOOD (a rating, I’m assuming, is unreadable to the right of the film title.) According to previous posts, the Lyric showed adult films in the l970’s. It’s a great movie. “Stay Hungry”, that is…
The United can be seen, briefly, in “Lolita” (l962, directed by Stanley Kubrick). James Mason (as Humbert Humbert) narrates: “…I decided to spend a peaceful summer in the attractive resort town of Ramsdale, New Hampshire.” A shot of Westerly is used to represent Ramsdale. The camera shows a taxi driving down Railroad Avenue, then turning left onto Canal Street. The camera shot follows the taxi, and the United is seen on the left side of the picture. The scene is very brief, at the 12 minute-30 second mark.
I agree with shmadiran’s 2006 comment: this was a horrible theater. The worst in the city, along with the Hyland. But, we had no choice. This was a ‘rep’ theater, and this was the only place running art films, foreign films, revivals, etc. If you wanted to see something, you had to see it there (or go to Toronto).
The picture/screen was way too big for the size of the auditorium. You had to make sure you sat it the back rows. The seats were not very comfortable. The floor sloped down from the back, then ‘inclined’ up to the front rows. Heads were a problem in the few rows in front of yours. Projection problems were common. More than a few times, I remember the screen going black. I think they used ‘arc’ lamps…the picture would turn rosey-red and get duller, until it went completely black, until the reel change…
I saw many first-run movies here. They were both great theaters. Great picture and sound, and comfortable.
I don’t attend these theaters anymore (and haven’t for five years, or so). Bad luck or bad theaters? I’d say the picture was fine, but: I saw “The First Wives Club” there and Midler’s and Keaton’s voices are very distinct. The film/projection speed was a little fast, and their voices sounded…fast and higher. There was a vintage Dionne Warwicke song used in the film, and I thought it ‘sounded’ like her (like, maybe they used a ‘sound-alike’ or something). According the end credits, it WAS her. And on top of that, there was no heat. There was a portable space heater standing in the aisle (one left aisle in this aud) and an usher checked it, every-so-often. Not too distracting. Another time, at the start of the show, the music was left on throughout the trailers and the first five minutes of the movie. A few patrons finally exited, and I assume they alerted somebody of the problem. And just small, in general. I haven’t been back since.
As for the Upper James Cinemas (which are not in the Hamilton listings), the building has been converted into a Marshall’s store. This happened in late 2011. The store is now open.
As of December 2011, the Showcase theater building has been demolished.
Near the end, the place was a little run-down. The last time I was there, the tiles in the washroom entrance were broken and loose, the auditorium door hinge was broken (so they left the door open while the film played) and they played a local radio station during the intermission and left the radio audio on while the film played…how professional…I thought I could faintly hear something, especially in the quiet, silent portions of the movie. A bad end, but they were very good theaters. There was a lot of parking around the building, and I remember the mural in the lobby.
…and poor schmadrian…six years later and still searching!
Again…I doubt if this drive-in theater existed. The Hamilton newspaper(s) listed or advertised theaters in the surrounding cities, like Burlington (Roxy/Odeon), Stoney Creek (Fox, Skyway D-In, Starlite D-In), Waterdown (Clappison D-In) and Dundas (Roxy) during the 1940’s and 1950’s. I have never seen an ad for this drive-in, nor have I ever heard of it before…and I know everything…
StonEy Creek and Stony Creek are the same city.
It is Stoney Creek…with an “E”. The listed theaters should be combined (plus one addition): 1)FOX / 2)SKYWAY DRIVE-IN / 3)STARLITE
I looked at the Regent when it was for sale. This building is typical of the theater design. Two stores fronts were on either side of the theater entrance. There wasn’t much lobby space, and the entrance went directly to the auditorium. Above the stores, were two apartments and directly across the hall was the projection room. When looking out of the projection room wall openings, you could see the ceiling above the drop-ceiling. The auditorium was very plain, with no detailing or decoration. The stage area was only ten- to twenty feet deep, to the back wall.