Sam: I’m sorry, I didn’t know there was a pipe organ in the theatre even though as a kid I used to go there regularly. Also, I don’t have much knowledge on the history of the Downtown (Rialto), except the following:
1) It was located on the north side of Portage Avenue btween Edmonton and Carleton streets
2) The building was owned by Alex Mitchell, who owned almost every building on Portage north at the time.
3) It was transferred to my father around 1972 from Western Theatres as part of the Famous Players dispute over the Northstar.
4) It ran soft porn films in the late 60’s and 70’s.
5) It was expropriated in the early 1980’s for the construction of Portage Place shopping center.
This theatre was owned and operated by Western Theatres Ltd., which was a 50-50 partnership between Famous Players and Richard Miles (originally his father Jack Miles), a Winnipeg business man at the time. Western also owned and operated the Airliner, Pembina and Eldorado drive-in theatres, the Downtown (formerly the Rialto) theatre, the Airliner Hotel and other businesses. It was Western that built the Northstar Inn (now the Radisson) on the site in 1968. That project suffered many setbacks which led to the breakup of the partnership, with Famous Players ending up with 100% ownership of the hotel.
No connection between the Lyceum Theatre and Lyceum Photo Studio.
Sam: I’m sorry, I didn’t know there was a pipe organ in the theatre even though as a kid I used to go there regularly. Also, I don’t have much knowledge on the history of the Downtown (Rialto), except the following:
1) It was located on the north side of Portage Avenue btween Edmonton and Carleton streets
2) The building was owned by Alex Mitchell, who owned almost every building on Portage north at the time.
3) It was transferred to my father around 1972 from Western Theatres as part of the Famous Players dispute over the Northstar.
4) It ran soft porn films in the late 60’s and 70’s.
5) It was expropriated in the early 1980’s for the construction of Portage Place shopping center.
I hope this helps.
GAR
This theatre was owned and operated by Western Theatres Ltd., which was a 50-50 partnership between Famous Players and Richard Miles (originally his father Jack Miles), a Winnipeg business man at the time. Western also owned and operated the Airliner, Pembina and Eldorado drive-in theatres, the Downtown (formerly the Rialto) theatre, the Airliner Hotel and other businesses. It was Western that built the Northstar Inn (now the Radisson) on the site in 1968. That project suffered many setbacks which led to the breakup of the partnership, with Famous Players ending up with 100% ownership of the hotel.
Gary Miles (son of Richard