King Square Cinemas

25 King Square North,
Saint John, NB E2L1E6

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Additional Info

Previously operated by: Empire Theatres, Famous Players

Previous Names: Paramount Theatre

Nearby Theaters

King Square Cinemas

The Paramount Theatre was opened by New Brunswick’s Lieutenant Governor David MacLaren on September 21, 1948 as Atlantic Canada’s premiere movie theatre. When built, the theatre employed the latest film technology and is believed to be because Louis B. Mayer was born in Saint John, New Brunswick. As Famous Players most modern theatre in Atlantic Canada, the original single screen theatre with 1,040 seats had first rights to the latest Hollywood movies, which were shown daily from 1pm to 11pm.

In 1979, the theatre was twinned. Cinema 1 and Cinema 2 had seating for 586 and 454, respectively. The strategic location of the Paramount Theatre on centrally located Kings Square made it a key entertainment venue in Saint John for decades. However, the building became surplus to the Empire Movie Corporation following the opening of their new multi-plex on the East side of Saint John.

It was demolished in October 2013.

Contributed by Matt Alexander

Recent comments (view all 13 comments)

telliott
telliott on April 15, 2012 at 7:48 pm

This is the King Square cinemas which was formerly the Famous Players Paramount. When Empire bought all the Famous Players cinemas in Atlantic Canada, they renamed this one Empire King Square Cinemas. The other one is the former Odeon theatre which as it states was renamed King Square in 1984, closed in 1996 and is demolished.

ScreenClassic
ScreenClassic on May 8, 2014 at 9:45 am

The King Square/Paramount Theatre should now be listed as demolished. It was torn down in October 2013. The article on the theatre’s demolition is below:

Paramount Theatre Demolished – another Saint John landmark swept away

DavidDymond
DavidDymond on May 8, 2014 at 6:47 pm

I do NOT believe that this was the Paramount Theatre in Saint John, New Brunswick. I believe this was originally an Odeon Theatre!!!

telliott
telliott on May 8, 2014 at 6:56 pm

Well when you Google Paramount Saint John and it shows photos with the Famous Players logo and marquee, it looks identical to this one.

DavidDymond
DavidDymond on May 8, 2014 at 10:05 pm

OK — maybe I was wrong on that one!!

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on June 21, 2015 at 9:09 pm

DavidDymond is thinking of the King Square Cinema (singular) which was called the Odeon from 1966 to 1984. It was the King Square Cinema from 1984 until closing in 1996. The Paramount, renamed Cinema 1 and Cinema 2 in 1979, must have been renamed Kings Square Cinemas after the other house closed.

50sSNIPES
50sSNIPES on September 29, 2024 at 2:41 am

The Paramount Theatre opened with Jean Arthur in “A Foreign Affair” with no extras, and originally had a capacity of 1,392 seats (with 834 seats in the orchestra pit and 558 seats in the balcony). It was first managed by F. Harrison Howe, who also formerly managed the nearby Imperial/Capitol Theatre.

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