Humber Cinema
2442 Bloor Street W.,
Toronto,
ON
M6S
2442 Bloor Street W.,
Toronto,
ON
M6S
6 people
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Cineplex Odeon, Odeon Theatres (Canada) Ltd.
Architects: Jay I. English
Styles: Streamline Moderne
Previous Names: Odeon Humber, Cineplex Odeon Humber
Nearby Theaters
Opened on January 27, 1949, this was one of the original five Odeon theatres in Toronto. Located in Bloor West Village, it was twinned in 1976 and was recently renovated in 1999. This was the last of the original five Odeon’s left showing movies in Toronto. The ex-balcony auditorium had about 300 seats and a screen about 35 feet wide. The downstairs auditorium screen was about 50 feet wide. It closed July 20, 2003 due to declining attendance, but was a great neighbourhood theatre.
Originally planned to reopen in late-2010, it re-opened on April 29, 2011 as the Humber Cinema, operated by the nearby Kingsway Theatre. It was closed again on September 21, 2011, but reopened on November 18, 2011. The former balcony is one screen, and the main level (orchestra level) is the second screen. The left and right rear sections of the main level (orchestra level) have been converted into small screening rooms. It was closed on 30th May 2019 to be demolished for condominiums. Demolition came in early-2022.
Contributed by
TimElliott
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Recent comments (view all 67 comments)
This is confusing. I help with this site in regard to changing Introductions, whether theaters open, closed, etc. From movie listings online, 2 movies are playing so both auditoriums are open? former balcony and former main floor? Does the main floor have the original size screen that seems to be in those BW photos? That main floor has a huge seating capacity?
The newspaper ads and web site now list 3 films showing daily, I wonder where the 3rd screen is? They did mention soon to be 4 screens but I haven’t heard how they further divided the cinemas.
Let me clear this up. I visited the Humber Cinemas last week and it is now under new management. They now have 4 screens up and running. The theatre was twinned creating two screens; the balcony is one and the main level (orchestra level) is the second. The left and right rear sections of the main level (orchestra level) have been converted into small screening rooms. To do this they removed the seats, built sound proof walls, and added doors to access these rooms from the outside lobby. The place has been completely renovated and looks great. Their website is www.humbercinemas.com
Thanks Jwright, sounds great!
Who actually manages (or owns) the place? Who paid for the recent renovations? Have they installed digital projection equipment? I hate to think of what it costs to run this place: heat, taxes, hydro, staff, upkeep, advertising, film or DCP rental, etc. It boggles the mind.
The above listing should be adjusted to reflect that there are now four screens operating at the Humber.
The theatre’s website is here: http://www.humbercinemas.com/
Then, presumably, the name is other than Humber Cinema.
When I was a schoolboy, we used to go to the Humber or the Runnymede for our Saturday afternoon entertainment—much to the relief of our mothers. The Humber was closest to us and it had an air of elegance fitting for the early ‘50s. The uniformed ushers and the air conditioning and the plush carpeting and air of dignity subtly hinted that we should be on our best behaviour.
Odeon had a Birthday Club and once a year, I’d receive a pass for 2(!) and free popcorn and soft drink. I believe I aged out at twelve.
As noted in the link above, the now-closed Humber is to be demolished to make way for yet another condominium project.
This theatre should now be set to Demolished. A recent Google street view from November 2021 shows only the steel framework of the Humber now left.