Paradise Theatre

In 1910 a one-story brick theatorium, the Bloor Palace, was built. It was part of the neighborhood’s wave of development around when this section of Bloor Street was paved. It was renamed Kitchener Theatre in 1918.

The Paradise Theatre was built and opened on October 1, 1937 with Jack Benny in “Love on the Run”. It was designed in an Art Deco/Streamline Moderne style by one of Toronto’s earliest practicing Jewish architects Benjamin Brown. It had 643-seats including a balcony where you ‘could smoke if you wished’.

In 1957 a decade of various ownerships began. There is evidence of German (Paradise Kino) and Italian (Nouvo Cinema Paradise). In 1966 it was part of the Italian community hub. A local family, the Giacomini’s purchased the Paradise and operated it as an Italian filmhouse. Every 3-months Francesco Giacomini brought un-subtitled 35mm film prints back from Italy to share with the local audience. In March 1986 it was renamed Eve’s Paradise and began screening adult movies. In the 1980’s the Giacomini’s leave the movie exhibition business, selling the building, but holding the mortgage.

On August 17, 1990 the Paradise Cinema was taken over by the Festival Cinemas chain, which showed repertory and arthouse fare in Toronto’s stalwart single screen venues, including the Bloor Theatre (now Hot Docs Ted Rogers Cinema), Revue Theatre, Kingsway Theatre and Fox Theatre. It was renamed Paradise Cinema.

The Paradise Cinema was closed in July 2006 when the Festival Cinemas chain ceased business.

In 2018 renovations began and is due to reopen later in 2019 as a multi-use venue which will include movies. However the Covid-19 pandemic which began in March 2020 put a halt to renovations and they recommenced in 2022. The Paradise Theatre was reopened in June 2022 with live performances and classic films on alternate nights.

Recent comments (view all 30 comments)

DavidDymond on May 22, 2013 at 6:26 pm

This theatre was built and owned for many years by the Giacomini family.

Buffer on June 9, 2018 at 2:42 pm

Apparently the cinema was bought by vintner Moray Tawse and is slowly being made ready fir re-opening, maybe at the end of this year Source: Facebook.

Joe Vogel on September 3, 2018 at 5:18 pm

If the name Paradise Theatre appears only in 1944, this house must have operated under a different name earlier. This real estate listing (the property has sold, so the listing is likely to vanish soon) says that it was built in 1937, and was designed by architect Benjamin Brown.

The project was noted in the July 3, 1937 issue of The Film Daily:

“$40,000 House for Toronto

“Toronto, Ont. — A new $40,000 Theater and stores are to be erected at 1006 Bloor St. W. United Bricklaying Co., Ltd., of 276 Palmerston Ave., are general contractors.”

Joe Vogel on September 3, 2018 at 5:41 pm

Even more information appears: This weblog post by Doug Taylor says that the house did open as the Paradise in 1937, but the structure as designed by Benjamin Brown included remains of a gutted earlier building that had housed the Kitchener Theatre, opened as a movie house in 1909.

This post from blogTO says that the Paradise, now under renovation, is slated to reopen later this year as an upscale multi-use event facility, with movies as part of the mix.

DavidZornig on April 22, 2019 at 10:18 pm

Scheduled to reopen in 2019 as “A state-of-the-art venue presenting a curated mix of newly released films, older classics and undiscovered gems, as well as live music, talk series and multi-arts events.” Updated full history from 1910-2019 under “Read More” in below link. Including built as “one-storey brick theatorium" Bloor Palace in 1910, renamed The Kitchener in 1918.

http://paradiseonbloor.com/

m00se1111 on June 12, 2022 at 9:39 am

This theatre is open.

https://paradiseonbloor.com/calendar

Live events and movies alternating nights.

rivest266 on October 7, 2023 at 12:49 pm

the Paradise theatre opened on October 1st, 1937 with “Love on the Run” with Jack Benny

rivest266 on October 7, 2023 at 12:50 pm

Grand opening ad posted.

rivest266 on October 7, 2023 at 12:53 pm

Reopened as Eve in September 1972 along with Eve theatres in Winnipeg, Montreal and Halifax as part of Famous Player’s Eve Pool. Ads posted.

It reopened as Paradise on August 17th, 1990.

Paradise reopening 17 Aug 1990, Fri The Toronto Star (Toronto, Ontario, Canada) Newspapers.com

rivest266 on October 9, 2023 at 1:53 pm

Correction: It was renamed Eve’s Paradise in March 1986 showing adult films as the owner moved from the old Eve theatre.