So, in summation, and after info has been found, there were two theatres in Mt Dennis. The Maple Leaf Cinema (with several names) and The Mt Dennis Theatre (with at least 2 affiliations (Major Theatre and Premier Chain). Other names to come.
The Maple leaf Theatre was also called ‘'The Bug Rush’. Pam Boyd’s mother (d.) who was born in 1914, provided this info through Wayne Cook. Given that the mother was born in 1914 and probably started going to the theatre in the mid 1920s, this name had been around for awhile.So it may have had a history because The Maple Leaf Theatres were mentioned in Toronto Directories before 1920.This building is still there. (29 Jan 2014.) Teddie.
A J Milton Bean was the proprietor of The Maple Leaf Cinema in Mount Dennis Ontario. He was probably connected to the one on Queen St West near Yonge. These are in the Toronto Directories of 1917. Excerpts are in this series.
Now we have the name of this Theatre. The Maple Leaf Theatre. This was 1006 Weston Rd. Mt Dennis. (Old number system) The other in the small chain was at 94-96 Queen West. The Proprietor lived at 97 Lambton. A J Milton Bean. His home is no longer there. It was where The Paramount Cleaners (now new row housing) was at the corner of Orla (now Guestville Ave) Shop. The Henry Brown film maker’s house at 33 Beechwood, Mt Dennis, is still there. Re-clad and foundation re-done, but you can tell its one of the early, probably turn of the century, wooden put-ups, so common in Toronto of the time, Mount Dennis homes. Film was so new that to have a Film Maker in the neighbourhood in 1921 must have been a big To-Do. He most likely had something or some connection to the theatre.
Incredible isn’t it. Moving Pictures were only invented a few years before and so many theatres existed. Mount Dennis has The Maple Leaf Theatre. The building was built years before 1918. Probably as a theatre. No early pictures yet. But we’ll find some somewhere.
The above comments do not refer to the grey/white side view building. They refer to a building which has Mount Dennis actually written on it. This is the former Maple Leaf Theatre in Mount Dennis. The Maple Leaf Theatre operated from approx 1918 to approx 1930s sometime. We have not found any period photos. Only period add or references in The Toronto Directory.
I have found a Toronto City Directory of 1918 with a reference to this theatre in the Theatre Ads. Both theatres (Mt Dennis 1006 Weston Rd and Queen St 94-96, are listed.).So this was around before The Mount Dennis Theatre. No if we could only find some actual photographs, it’d be grand.
Why doesn’t someone go to the building and see, politely of course, if they can go inside and take pictures of whatever theatre stuff is related. There might be architecture still remaining inside. Add the pics here.
Newly discovered research in The Toronto City Directory of 1921 gave the name to this theatre. It was called The Maple Leaf Theatre. The other was at 94-96 Queen St. West. A.J. Milton Bean was the proprietor and lived at 97 Lambton Avenue (No longer there – Viele Bros Garage formerly Mount Dennis Supertest Motors or Joe’s Fish and Chip Shop, destroyed by arson in the mid 60s. But great Fish and Chips. And five minutes stroll, up Guestville, right at Dennis Avenue, past the school, turn left at Weston Rd.and you’re there at his theatre, The Maple Leaf Theatre. (The Entertainment Hub of Mt Dennis in the late teens and 1920s, one would imagine. No TV, radio just starting, telephone lines barely being installed, great places to tie up the horse and buggy, the radial line went to Weston and Woodbridge. What more could you want in 1920 but a real live Moving Pictures Theatre. That was modernity.
Janet Millward Godber gave me the research knowledge that led to the rediscovery of its name, The Maple Leaf Theatre, 1006 Weston Rd, Mt Dennis. (The old numbering system).
Special thanks to Cinema Treasures.org for even existing. The people of Mount Dennis have just rediscovered a piece of their heritage that was essentially lost. Also a lost theatre was rediscovered.
Thanks Cinema treasures.
So there we have some round about proof that The Maple Leaf Theatre for Moving Pictures existed in Mt Dennis before The Mount Dennis Theatre 1929 at 1296 Weston Rd. Two Maple leaf Theatres existed in the Toronto area. Two people who worked in film on Beechwood and Lambton Avenues. Thanks to Janet, Mike, Wayne and Jim whose comments and own efforts and recollections rediscoverd a lost theatre that no one knew about or talked about except my father, E.C. Wright d.1991 and Robert Bud Nevin, both of Guestville Avenue.
Maple Leaf Theatre, 1006 Weston Rd. The First Mount Dennis Theatre. Found in The Toronto Directory of 1921. There were two Maple Leaf Theatres. One on 94-96 Queen St. West and the other in Mt. Dennis. It is right beside The Canadian Legion Mt. Dennis Branch 31.
Maple Leaf Theatre 1006 Weston Rd. Looking Through Toronto City Directory 1921, Mt Dennis Section for people who might have worked at a theatre, I found HENRY BROWN FILM MAKER. Most people worked close by in those days, so I figured I was onto something so I searched for others in the industry.
This picture is listed as 1975. But The Kentucky Fried Chicken outlet is there to the right. What type and year is the vehicle on the right side of the picture? This is how I remember it. The BIG Marquee. The big windows. Lots of lights. The box office inside on the right. Then up the stairs to the Candy Stand. Then on to the left, always the left for some reason. I sat on the left, just before the doors. Half way down. So I could stretch and no one was in front of me. Tell me. What was it like to sit on the right. You know I sit on the left in theatres, to this day. And half way down. Go figure.
This photo is listed as 1944 on another site and quoted in this file. I just found another reference a few minutes ago. To search, put Mount Dennis Theatre in Google.
Title: Marquee and exterior of Mount Dennis Theatre, Mount Dennis
Date: 1944
Place: Mount Dennis (York, Ont.)
Reference Code: RG 56-11
Item Reference Code: RG 56-11-0-154-5
The Brydon Family describes this picture as 1944. Picture is from Ontario Treasury Department, Motion Picture Censorship Theatre Inspection. Mount Dennis ont Treas dept. I0012827.jpg]Branch. http://brydondale.com/genealogy/tng/showmedia.php?&mediaID=195&page=207
Robert Bud Nevin is approximately 85 years old now. He told me that he went to this theatre when he was young. I have no proof because age does things to the memory. But if Bud Nevin’s story is true, it almost certainly would have been there in the 30s? Bud Nevin lived at 20 Guestville, his family’s home, until approximately 2000, with his sister.
We believe this is an early to mid 1940s picture because 1)Double street car tracks. 2)Electric street car lines still evident. (Line terminated and changed to trolley in late 1948. 3)No lights on marquee (Wartime rationing. 4) No great exspanse of front glass (it was added later). 5)Style of Buckingham Cigarette add on side of bldg. 6)No other buildings on left of theatre. 7)Bldg on right is built right to curb. Later (1950s) there was a gas station and later Kentucky Fried Chicken (1970s). Any other analysis would be helpful. (Mike Janet Wayne?).or anyone with other photos of visits to the theatre.
This is a screen capture from The Toronto Directory of 1922. Please note the address and description at 1006 Weston Road. Moving Picture Theatre. It is important that due to renumbering of Weston Rd that 1006 is between Dennis Avenue and York Avenue and The Mount Dennis Theatre, that is more known, is at 1296 Weston Rd at Bartonville Avenue.
So, in summation, and after info has been found, there were two theatres in Mt Dennis. The Maple Leaf Cinema (with several names) and The Mt Dennis Theatre (with at least 2 affiliations (Major Theatre and Premier Chain). Other names to come.
The Maple leaf Theatre was also called ‘'The Bug Rush’. Pam Boyd’s mother (d.) who was born in 1914, provided this info through Wayne Cook. Given that the mother was born in 1914 and probably started going to the theatre in the mid 1920s, this name had been around for awhile.So it may have had a history because The Maple Leaf Theatres were mentioned in Toronto Directories before 1920.This building is still there. (29 Jan 2014.) Teddie.
A J Milton Bean was the proprietor of The Maple Leaf Cinema in Mount Dennis Ontario. He was probably connected to the one on Queen St West near Yonge. These are in the Toronto Directories of 1917. Excerpts are in this series.
Old number system was 1006 Weston Rd. New number system is 1040 Weston Rd.
John Maniezza is the contributor. Sorry for the error John
He survived the WW1. These are his Attestation Papers . He was willing to join The Canadian Expeditionary Force. His tombstone is the next picture.
Now we have the name of this Theatre. The Maple Leaf Theatre. This was 1006 Weston Rd. Mt Dennis. (Old number system) The other in the small chain was at 94-96 Queen West. The Proprietor lived at 97 Lambton. A J Milton Bean. His home is no longer there. It was where The Paramount Cleaners (now new row housing) was at the corner of Orla (now Guestville Ave) Shop. The Henry Brown film maker’s house at 33 Beechwood, Mt Dennis, is still there. Re-clad and foundation re-done, but you can tell its one of the early, probably turn of the century, wooden put-ups, so common in Toronto of the time, Mount Dennis homes. Film was so new that to have a Film Maker in the neighbourhood in 1921 must have been a big To-Do. He most likely had something or some connection to the theatre.
Incredible isn’t it. Moving Pictures were only invented a few years before and so many theatres existed. Mount Dennis has The Maple Leaf Theatre. The building was built years before 1918. Probably as a theatre. No early pictures yet. But we’ll find some somewhere.
The above comments do not refer to the grey/white side view building. They refer to a building which has Mount Dennis actually written on it. This is the former Maple Leaf Theatre in Mount Dennis. The Maple Leaf Theatre operated from approx 1918 to approx 1930s sometime. We have not found any period photos. Only period add or references in The Toronto Directory.
I also discovered that before being theatre owner / operator?, A J Milton Bean worked in Real Estate.
I have found a Toronto City Directory of 1918 with a reference to this theatre in the Theatre Ads. Both theatres (Mt Dennis 1006 Weston Rd and Queen St 94-96, are listed.).So this was around before The Mount Dennis Theatre. No if we could only find some actual photographs, it’d be grand. Why doesn’t someone go to the building and see, politely of course, if they can go inside and take pictures of whatever theatre stuff is related. There might be architecture still remaining inside. Add the pics here.
Newly discovered research in The Toronto City Directory of 1921 gave the name to this theatre. It was called The Maple Leaf Theatre. The other was at 94-96 Queen St. West. A.J. Milton Bean was the proprietor and lived at 97 Lambton Avenue (No longer there – Viele Bros Garage formerly Mount Dennis Supertest Motors or Joe’s Fish and Chip Shop, destroyed by arson in the mid 60s. But great Fish and Chips. And five minutes stroll, up Guestville, right at Dennis Avenue, past the school, turn left at Weston Rd.and you’re there at his theatre, The Maple Leaf Theatre. (The Entertainment Hub of Mt Dennis in the late teens and 1920s, one would imagine. No TV, radio just starting, telephone lines barely being installed, great places to tie up the horse and buggy, the radial line went to Weston and Woodbridge. What more could you want in 1920 but a real live Moving Pictures Theatre. That was modernity.
Janet Millward Godber gave me the research knowledge that led to the rediscovery of its name, The Maple Leaf Theatre, 1006 Weston Rd, Mt Dennis. (The old numbering system).
Special thanks to Cinema Treasures.org for even existing. The people of Mount Dennis have just rediscovered a piece of their heritage that was essentially lost. Also a lost theatre was rediscovered. Thanks Cinema treasures.
So there we have some round about proof that The Maple Leaf Theatre for Moving Pictures existed in Mt Dennis before The Mount Dennis Theatre 1929 at 1296 Weston Rd. Two Maple leaf Theatres existed in the Toronto area. Two people who worked in film on Beechwood and Lambton Avenues. Thanks to Janet, Mike, Wayne and Jim whose comments and own efforts and recollections rediscoverd a lost theatre that no one knew about or talked about except my father, E.C. Wright d.1991 and Robert Bud Nevin, both of Guestville Avenue.
Maple Leaf Theatre, 1006 Weston Rd. The First Mount Dennis Theatre. Found in The Toronto Directory of 1921. There were two Maple Leaf Theatres. One on 94-96 Queen St. West and the other in Mt. Dennis. It is right beside The Canadian Legion Mt. Dennis Branch 31.
Maple Leaf Theatre 1006 Weston Rd. Looking Through Toronto City Directory 1921, Mt Dennis Section for people who might have worked at a theatre, I found HENRY BROWN FILM MAKER. Most people worked close by in those days, so I figured I was onto something so I searched for others in the industry.
This picture is listed as 1975. But The Kentucky Fried Chicken outlet is there to the right. What type and year is the vehicle on the right side of the picture? This is how I remember it. The BIG Marquee. The big windows. Lots of lights. The box office inside on the right. Then up the stairs to the Candy Stand. Then on to the left, always the left for some reason. I sat on the left, just before the doors. Half way down. So I could stretch and no one was in front of me. Tell me. What was it like to sit on the right. You know I sit on the left in theatres, to this day. And half way down. Go figure.
This photo is listed as 1944 on another site and quoted in this file. I just found another reference a few minutes ago. To search, put Mount Dennis Theatre in Google.
Mount Dennis, Ontario
Title: Marquee and exterior of Mount Dennis Theatre, Mount Dennis Date: 1944 Place: Mount Dennis (York, Ont.) Reference Code: RG 56-11 Item Reference Code: RG 56-11-0-154-5
The Brydon Family describes this picture as 1944. Picture is from Ontario Treasury Department, Motion Picture Censorship Theatre Inspection. Mount Dennis ont Treas dept. I0012827.jpg]Branch. http://brydondale.com/genealogy/tng/showmedia.php?&mediaID=195&page=207
Robert Bud Nevin is approximately 85 years old now. He told me that he went to this theatre when he was young. I have no proof because age does things to the memory. But if Bud Nevin’s story is true, it almost certainly would have been there in the 30s? Bud Nevin lived at 20 Guestville, his family’s home, until approximately 2000, with his sister.
We believe this is an early to mid 1940s picture because 1)Double street car tracks. 2)Electric street car lines still evident. (Line terminated and changed to trolley in late 1948. 3)No lights on marquee (Wartime rationing. 4) No great exspanse of front glass (it was added later). 5)Style of Buckingham Cigarette add on side of bldg. 6)No other buildings on left of theatre. 7)Bldg on right is built right to curb. Later (1950s) there was a gas station and later Kentucky Fried Chicken (1970s). Any other analysis would be helpful. (Mike Janet Wayne?).or anyone with other photos of visits to the theatre.
This is a screen capture from The Toronto Directory of 1922. Please note the address and description at 1006 Weston Road. Moving Picture Theatre. It is important that due to renumbering of Weston Rd that 1006 is between Dennis Avenue and York Avenue and The Mount Dennis Theatre, that is more known, is at 1296 Weston Rd at Bartonville Avenue.
This facade has obviously been re-done since original construction. The DeGroote family Business took over the building.