VITO — I still play LET’S ALL GO TO THR LOBBY as a show starter — It’s real retro and our patrons also love it! I also use YUM YUM. The teenagers always thought the one where the hot dog slips into the bun was always suggestive!!
During the 50’s and 60’s the PLAZA THEATRE in SHAUNAVON got many many pictures ahead of theatres in larger markets like Swift Current because it was an associateof FAMOUS PLAYERS THEATRES!!
This theatre was built for Mr. Frederick Guest, a theatre operator from Ontario. After a few years of independent theatre operation, Famous Players Canadian Corporation acquired control of this theatre!!
This theatre’s first Manager was the late A. E. “Bert” Brown and they desired to get this theatre open in time for President John J.Fitzgibbon’s birthday. This theatre was one of the first theatres to have the modern hanging urinals and the Famous Players Head of Purchasing Jules Wolfe called down to Chicago and asked them when they were going “to have the hanging pisspots ready.” This theatre had NO right angles in it and was Famous Players most prestige theatre in downtown Toronto!!
Yes, Thorncliffe only lasted a few years. There was a theatre built in Forest Hill for the elite, called the Village Theatre and the candy bar business was operated on the honour system — and when the inventory was done it always came out OVER!!!! As to THE CINEMA AT THE TD Centre even the name was snobby and elitist and Famous Players spent a fortune on the lobby chairs, etc. Mr. Reuben Bolstad was President of Famous Players when the TD Cinema opened!
Maybe this is one of the theatres that were owned and operated by J.J. Fitzgibbons before he joined Paramount Publix as an executive in around 1927-1928.I know that he owned theatres in Babylon, Bayshore and maybe one or two other towns. His company was called Active Amusements Limited.
I don’t believe Cineplex would want this location. This location under-performed from day one and Famous Players was never happy with the results. When the decision was made to build there, it was a classic situation of the left hand not working with the right hand. Over its 80 year history, Famous Players Canadian Corporation did have a few failures (or theatres that underperformed). Thorncliffe Park Mall Cinemas couldn’t work under Famous Players, Twinex or Premier (Famous Players affiliates). The Cinema in the Toronto Dominion Centre failed because people wouldn’t go back there at night after working all day downtown — and there were a few others — but very few!!
The best logo of all time was the green maple leaf — the original Famous Players Theatres logo. That meant something to the public — all the other logos like Coliseum and Colossus and Silver City sucked. You wonder just how the hell they came up with the name SILVER CITY — it didn’t sound showy or attractive to me. And I do understand the concepts of branding and marketing
The best logo of all time was the green maple leaf — the original Famous Players Theatres logo. That meant something to the public — all the other logos like Coliseum and Colossus and Silver City sucked. You wonder just how the hell they came up with the name SILVER CITY — it didn’t sound showy or attractive to me. And I do understand the concepts of branding and marketing
WOW! That is news to me. I am very surprised that they are taking the Coliseum name down.That was the very first of the new type of theatres Famous Players opened about 15 years ago. I saw TITANIC there and it took me the whole movie to get used to the massive screen there!
I love the long escalator with the optical illusion that you are falling back or going up an elevator shaft. I see nothing wrong the Scotiabank Theatre except the damn name — I hate anything named after such a lousy institution like a bank!! I saw a movie just recently at the AVX auditorium. It was OK. Interesting to note that Cineplex actually retained the AMC management to run this theatre. I never expected that. Usually corporations like to employ their own people!
This theatre was a failure from the day it opened. This theatre should never have been located there. Famous Players were just so anxious to build locations that it got the best of them.
The Capitol and Palace Theatres were large single auditoriums designed by architect Thomas Lamb in the old-fashioned style.They were beautiful theatres, tastefully designed and appointed. These theatres were quite large and each sat approximately 2,000 people, approximately. During the twenties and thirties these theatres would feature live acts such as singers, dancers and comedians in addition to the big-time movies featured on their huge screens.
Susan If you want to talk to me, I would be glad to. I have a government report that the Federal Canadian government wrote on Famous Players in 1931 detailing how Famous Players obtained a virtual monopoly in Canadian movie exhibition. Your grandfather’s name I believe is mentioned as all the contracts with associates like your grandfather are explained in detail. My g-mail address is
Susan — I have lots of information about your grandfather. He owned and operated important theatres such as the Capitol and Palace and Savoy Theatres in Hamilton. He was an operating partner of Famous Players Canadian Corporation through a stock-holding company called Hamilton United Theatres Limited. He owned most of the shares. Famous Players would choose the movies and provide the advertising and the profits would be split between Mr. Stroud and Famous Players in EQUAL shares. That is how these agreements were written.One of my senior bosses actually worked for THE GEORGE STROUD ESTATE after his passing in the thirties. The Savoy Theatre was more of a legitimate theatre than a movie theatre and they hosted many big-time live stars of vaudeville. The famous comedy team of Olsen and Johnson appeared at the Savoy for a week — if you want to see them in action do a youtube search for Olsen and Johnson re their movie HELLZAPOPPIN. They were zany on and off the stage. The story I was given by old-timers at Famous Players is that about 1940 or 1941 these very important theatres were sold to the original Odeon chain and the only notification these theatres received was a letter in the mail telling them to mail their reports to a new address. The other people with more exact knowledge of this situation have all passed away many many years ago, so that is all the information I can give you. Mr. Stroud would have been an extremely wealthy man because these theatres were extremely busy first-rate situations in a major Canadian city!!
Ernest Moule listed as Manager of the Capitol Theatre was an operating partner of Famous Players Canadian Corp in Brantford, Ontario. The Capitol, Brant and maybe one other theatre were pooled together for profit. The operating company was called Paramount Brantford Theatres Limited!!
The Plaza Theatre in Shauvavon was a partnership situation between the Durham Family of Shaunavon and Famous Players Canadian Corporation. The Durham Family ALWAYS owned the theatre, but Famous Players split the profits in equal shares with the Durham family. The Durhams managed the theatre (under directions from Famous Players)! The best news EVER for this theatre is that the Durham family have installed DIGITAL projection. The Plaza Theatre is the longest continually family owned theatre in North America!!
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!
Hi Karen I worked at Capitol Square Cinemas for your uncle Bert Brown. He was the best and most professional Manager I ever knew and he told me lots about the original Capitol Theatre and we became great friends. Mr.Brown told me they had a pay phone back stage so the artists like Tammy Wynette could call him with no hassle in a pre-cell phone world!!!
VITO — I still play LET’S ALL GO TO THR LOBBY as a show starter — It’s real retro and our patrons also love it! I also use YUM YUM. The teenagers always thought the one where the hot dog slips into the bun was always suggestive!!
During the 50’s and 60’s the PLAZA THEATRE in SHAUNAVON got many many pictures ahead of theatres in larger markets like Swift Current because it was an associateof FAMOUS PLAYERS THEATRES!!
Hank Williams WON a talent contest back in the thirties at the Empire Theatre in BIRMINGHAM!!!
This theatre was built for Mr. Frederick Guest, a theatre operator from Ontario. After a few years of independent theatre operation, Famous Players Canadian Corporation acquired control of this theatre!!
This theatre’s first Manager was the late A. E. “Bert” Brown and they desired to get this theatre open in time for President John J.Fitzgibbon’s birthday. This theatre was one of the first theatres to have the modern hanging urinals and the Famous Players Head of Purchasing Jules Wolfe called down to Chicago and asked them when they were going “to have the hanging pisspots ready.” This theatre had NO right angles in it and was Famous Players most prestige theatre in downtown Toronto!!
Yes, Thorncliffe only lasted a few years. There was a theatre built in Forest Hill for the elite, called the Village Theatre and the candy bar business was operated on the honour system — and when the inventory was done it always came out OVER!!!! As to THE CINEMA AT THE TD Centre even the name was snobby and elitist and Famous Players spent a fortune on the lobby chairs, etc. Mr. Reuben Bolstad was President of Famous Players when the TD Cinema opened!
Maybe this is one of the theatres that were owned and operated by J.J. Fitzgibbons before he joined Paramount Publix as an executive in around 1927-1928.I know that he owned theatres in Babylon, Bayshore and maybe one or two other towns. His company was called Active Amusements Limited.
I don’t believe Cineplex would want this location. This location under-performed from day one and Famous Players was never happy with the results. When the decision was made to build there, it was a classic situation of the left hand not working with the right hand. Over its 80 year history, Famous Players Canadian Corporation did have a few failures (or theatres that underperformed). Thorncliffe Park Mall Cinemas couldn’t work under Famous Players, Twinex or Premier (Famous Players affiliates). The Cinema in the Toronto Dominion Centre failed because people wouldn’t go back there at night after working all day downtown — and there were a few others — but very few!!
The proud name of FAMOUS PLAYERS CANADIAN CORPORATION,LIMITED — We are still at heart FPCC!!!!
Jon — Remember Walter Senior he passed away a few years ago after being in a coma three years. That is an absolute fact.
The best logo of all time was the green maple leaf — the original Famous Players Theatres logo. That meant something to the public — all the other logos like Coliseum and Colossus and Silver City sucked. You wonder just how the hell they came up with the name SILVER CITY — it didn’t sound showy or attractive to me. And I do understand the concepts of branding and marketing
The best logo of all time was the green maple leaf — the original Famous Players Theatres logo. That meant something to the public — all the other logos like Coliseum and Colossus and Silver City sucked. You wonder just how the hell they came up with the name SILVER CITY — it didn’t sound showy or attractive to me. And I do understand the concepts of branding and marketing
WOW! That is news to me. I am very surprised that they are taking the Coliseum name down.That was the very first of the new type of theatres Famous Players opened about 15 years ago. I saw TITANIC there and it took me the whole movie to get used to the massive screen there!
I love the long escalator with the optical illusion that you are falling back or going up an elevator shaft. I see nothing wrong the Scotiabank Theatre except the damn name — I hate anything named after such a lousy institution like a bank!! I saw a movie just recently at the AVX auditorium. It was OK. Interesting to note that Cineplex actually retained the AMC management to run this theatre. I never expected that. Usually corporations like to employ their own people!
This theatre was a failure from the day it opened. This theatre should never have been located there. Famous Players were just so anxious to build locations that it got the best of them.
The Capitol and Palace Theatres were large single auditoriums designed by architect Thomas Lamb in the old-fashioned style.They were beautiful theatres, tastefully designed and appointed. These theatres were quite large and each sat approximately 2,000 people, approximately. During the twenties and thirties these theatres would feature live acts such as singers, dancers and comedians in addition to the big-time movies featured on their huge screens.
Susan If you want to talk to me, I would be glad to. I have a government report that the Federal Canadian government wrote on Famous Players in 1931 detailing how Famous Players obtained a virtual monopoly in Canadian movie exhibition. Your grandfather’s name I believe is mentioned as all the contracts with associates like your grandfather are explained in detail. My g-mail address is
Susan — I have lots of information about your grandfather. He owned and operated important theatres such as the Capitol and Palace and Savoy Theatres in Hamilton. He was an operating partner of Famous Players Canadian Corporation through a stock-holding company called Hamilton United Theatres Limited. He owned most of the shares. Famous Players would choose the movies and provide the advertising and the profits would be split between Mr. Stroud and Famous Players in EQUAL shares. That is how these agreements were written.One of my senior bosses actually worked for THE GEORGE STROUD ESTATE after his passing in the thirties. The Savoy Theatre was more of a legitimate theatre than a movie theatre and they hosted many big-time live stars of vaudeville. The famous comedy team of Olsen and Johnson appeared at the Savoy for a week — if you want to see them in action do a youtube search for Olsen and Johnson re their movie HELLZAPOPPIN. They were zany on and off the stage. The story I was given by old-timers at Famous Players is that about 1940 or 1941 these very important theatres were sold to the original Odeon chain and the only notification these theatres received was a letter in the mail telling them to mail their reports to a new address. The other people with more exact knowledge of this situation have all passed away many many years ago, so that is all the information I can give you. Mr. Stroud would have been an extremely wealthy man because these theatres were extremely busy first-rate situations in a major Canadian city!!
Ernest Moule listed as Manager of the Capitol Theatre was an operating partner of Famous Players Canadian Corp in Brantford, Ontario. The Capitol, Brant and maybe one other theatre were pooled together for profit. The operating company was called Paramount Brantford Theatres Limited!!
The Plaza Theatre in Shauvavon was a partnership situation between the Durham Family of Shaunavon and Famous Players Canadian Corporation. The Durham Family ALWAYS owned the theatre, but Famous Players split the profits in equal shares with the Durham family. The Durhams managed the theatre (under directions from Famous Players)! The best news EVER for this theatre is that the Durham family have installed DIGITAL projection. The Plaza Theatre is the longest continually family owned theatre in North America!!
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!
Bert Brown installed a pay phone backstage so the artists could call HOME!!!
Hi Karen I worked at Capitol Square Cinemas for your uncle Bert Brown. He was the best and most professional Manager I ever knew and he told me lots about the original Capitol Theatre and we became great friends. Mr.Brown told me they had a pay phone back stage so the artists like Tammy Wynette could call him with no hassle in a pre-cell phone world!!!
This was a unit of Twentieth Century Theatres, a Famous Players affiliate!!!
This theatre was built by Sam Bloom and Sam Fine B & F Theatres,Limited, a Famous Players affiliate,just after the war!!