Sorry for my typos; I am still getting used to my new glasses. I should have said “right up to the time time of the fairly recent renovation” and “these cutouts were filled in…”
I can answer your first question; yes, when the Palace (then Eitel’s Palace) became Chicago’s first Cinerama theater, the booths were suspended from the balcony overhang in front of some of the loge boxes; later, in the late 1960s, when 70mm was installed, the Able and Charlie booths were removed and the Baker booth was enlarged to accommodate two DP70 projectors; that booth remained in place right up to the time of fairly recent the renovation that transformed the theatre into the Cadillac Palace, although the projectors were gone when I attended a few events when the theatre was called the Bismarck Pavilion. There were cutouts that had to made in the balcony overhang so that the projector beams would not be blocked; these cutouts was filled in during the restoration and there is no trace of them now.
As far as “Citizen Kane” is concerned, I do know that it played at the Woods as I have seen black and white pictures of the marquee during its run there. I do not know if it played at the Palace, but it may very well have as “Kane” was an RKO picture and the Palace was under RKO management for a time.
Yes, it was; see the entry for the Cadillac Palace which is its current name; many of us also recall it as the Bismarck. RKO Palace is listed as one of its previous names.
The problem is that the entry for the Cedarbrae 8 has a misspelling; it is listed as the “Cedarbre 8” which is why your search indicated that the theatre was not listed. The entry also indicates that theatre was in Toronto. Is Scarborough now a part of Toronto?
The article on the Hollywood Canada website (see above) suggests that the theatre did not become the Bayview Playhouse until they took the building over and renovated it. Actually, it began operating as the Bayview Playhouse not long after its closing as a movie house and several productions were staged there well prior to 1989, including a notable production of “Godspell” around 1973 that starred the then little- known actors Victor Garber, Gilda Radner, Martin Short, Andrea Martin, and Eugene Levy.
Apparently this theatre had one final name change – to the Variety – in 1945. Status should be changed to “Demolished” as a McDonald’s restaurant occupies the site.
This theatre opened in 1943 as the Rex (a name that has been on a couple of other Toronto marquees. Prior to becoming Stratenger’s, it was an Indian restaurant called the Maharaja.
Comment on Harold’s entry above: Technically speaking, Cinerama screens were louvered not to reflect the the picture onto the audience, but to reduce cross-reflection from one side of the deeply curved screen to the other. The louvers allowed some light to escape, preventing a washed out appearance of the image.
I think I am a bit confused. Is the current eight-screen house a new building? If it is, even if it is a “replacement” of a previous operation, I think it should have its own separate entry with perhaps a note that it replaced a theater of the same name in a different location.
I am convinced that this theatre’s entry should not have been listed as the Lakeshore and should be changed to Odeon Theatre.
Mr. Tim Elliott, who often posts on this site and is either a Toronto native or some one who is very familiar with Toronto and its theatres, says he has no recollection of the Odeon Theatre on Queen Street West ever being renamed the Lakeshore. He has suggested that this information, (which came from the Rivest List), is in error, quite possibly a mangling of the information surrounding the fact that around 1963, the Odeon circuit acquired the former Biltmore Theatre on Lakeshore in New Toronto and renamed it the Odeon Lakeshore. I know think this is more than just a possibility.
A few weeks ago, I had a conversation with a gentleman from Toronto who also seemed quite well-informed about Toronto’s theatres; he recalls that the reason that famous Carlton Theatre was renamed that from its original name of the Odeon Toronto was that people confused the Odeon Toronto with the Odeon on Queen Street West (the QSW Odeon never was a part of the Odeon chain â€" its opening well pre-dates the formation of the Odeon Theatres circuit in Canada). Now I see that basically the same information is also on the Rivest entry for the Carlton Theatre and that the renaming occurred in 1956 or thereabouts. It is well-known that the renaming did occur.
If the Odeon Toronto became the Carlton (or Odeon Carlton) in 1956, the Odeon on QSW would seem to have little need to change its name to something like the Lakeshore in 1968 which seems an somewhat unlikely name given its location (though I suppose any theatre in Toronto could have been called the Lakeshore), unless perhaps there was real or threatened litigation over use of the Odeon name.
I am urging that the entry for this theatre be changed to ‘Odeon Theatre’ and that the introductory information read: This theatre opened in 1931 and closed in 1980. It was not a part of the Canadian Odeon circuit; it opened well-prior to the formation of that chain.
Just a thought: You might consider contacting the Theatre Historical Association in Elmhurst, IL. They have a vast archive of movie theatre materials (architect’s drawings, photos and other memorabilia). Perhaps they might also have copies of theatrical equipment catalogues from different eras as well. Also, since they are in a suburb of Chicago, they might know something about the device’s manufacturer. They do charge for research services.
Contact information:
Theatre Historical Society of America
York Theatre Building
152 N. York Street, 2nd floor
Elmhurst, IL 60126-2806
Ph. (630) 782-1800
Fax (630) 782-1802
e-mail:
No one could be happier about the news about the Fox Oakland than I; I used to walk by it when was rather derelict, then saw it’s gradual rebirth, first with the restoration of its marquee and vertical sign to now.
I do worry though about its successs, especially in the short term; the Paramount just a few blocks away has sure had its ups and downs over last few years and is frequently dark. It used to have a regular program of classic films, but I haven’t seen any listings over the last year or so. The problem for me is that there is so little open in terms restaurants or shopping when the theatre is open. Now, with two grand old palaces open so close together, is there a chance that they will compete over the same kind of attractions and make it hard for both to survive? I sure hope not.
I know some people sill think of downtown Oakland as dangerous, but I have never had any problems there. As LuisV said about Market Street around the Warfield and the Golden Gate, that area is far seedier and intimidating.
A 1917 picture of an artist working on the mural that once occupied the space over the proscenium at the theatre when it was the Princess from he Ontario Archives: http://ao.minisisinc.com/Webimages/I0010651.jpg
Sorry for my typos; I am still getting used to my new glasses. I should have said “right up to the time time of the fairly recent renovation” and “these cutouts were filled in…”
I can answer your first question; yes, when the Palace (then Eitel’s Palace) became Chicago’s first Cinerama theater, the booths were suspended from the balcony overhang in front of some of the loge boxes; later, in the late 1960s, when 70mm was installed, the Able and Charlie booths were removed and the Baker booth was enlarged to accommodate two DP70 projectors; that booth remained in place right up to the time of fairly recent the renovation that transformed the theatre into the Cadillac Palace, although the projectors were gone when I attended a few events when the theatre was called the Bismarck Pavilion. There were cutouts that had to made in the balcony overhang so that the projector beams would not be blocked; these cutouts was filled in during the restoration and there is no trace of them now.
As far as “Citizen Kane” is concerned, I do know that it played at the Woods as I have seen black and white pictures of the marquee during its run there. I do not know if it played at the Palace, but it may very well have as “Kane” was an RKO picture and the Palace was under RKO management for a time.
Yes, it was; see the entry for the Cadillac Palace which is its current name; many of us also recall it as the Bismarck. RKO Palace is listed as one of its previous names.
The problem is that the entry for the Cedarbrae 8 has a misspelling; it is listed as the “Cedarbre 8” which is why your search indicated that the theatre was not listed. The entry also indicates that theatre was in Toronto. Is Scarborough now a part of Toronto?
The article on the Hollywood Canada website (see above) suggests that the theatre did not become the Bayview Playhouse until they took the building over and renovated it. Actually, it began operating as the Bayview Playhouse not long after its closing as a movie house and several productions were staged there well prior to 1989, including a notable production of “Godspell” around 1973 that starred the then little- known actors Victor Garber, Gilda Radner, Martin Short, Andrea Martin, and Eugene Levy.
Various Toronto online directories indicate that there is a cafe/performance space or a hair salon at this address.
No, it is the a theatre by the same name in Owen Sound, many miles to the north near the base of the Bruce Penninsula.
This theatre apparently opened in 1937 and closed in 1955. The seat count cited above may be too low; one source I found says it was 944.
Apparently this theatre had one final name change – to the Variety – in 1945. Status should be changed to “Demolished” as a McDonald’s restaurant occupies the site.
This theatre appears to have also been known as the Queen.
Additional information and recent pictures of the bulding that housed the theater can be found here:
View link
This theatre opened in 1943 as the Rex (a name that has been on a couple of other Toronto marquees. Prior to becoming Stratenger’s, it was an Indian restaurant called the Maharaja.
Foundations were put in place, but the theater, to be called the Ambassador or the Cadick was never built. Details here:
View link
This theater has re-opened; here’s an article from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
View link
Then and now pictures pictures of the Broadway Theatre can be seen here:
http://morazefamily.piczo.com/timmins,on?cr=6#
Then and now pictures of this theatre can be seen aton this webpage (scroll down to see them):
http://morazefamily.piczo.com/timmins,on?cr=6#
Comment on Harold’s entry above: Technically speaking, Cinerama screens were louvered not to reflect the the picture onto the audience, but to reduce cross-reflection from one side of the deeply curved screen to the other. The louvers allowed some light to escape, preventing a washed out appearance of the image.
I think I am a bit confused. Is the current eight-screen house a new building? If it is, even if it is a “replacement” of a previous operation, I think it should have its own separate entry with perhaps a note that it replaced a theater of the same name in a different location.
I am convinced that this theatre’s entry should not have been listed as the Lakeshore and should be changed to Odeon Theatre.
Mr. Tim Elliott, who often posts on this site and is either a Toronto native or some one who is very familiar with Toronto and its theatres, says he has no recollection of the Odeon Theatre on Queen Street West ever being renamed the Lakeshore. He has suggested that this information, (which came from the Rivest List), is in error, quite possibly a mangling of the information surrounding the fact that around 1963, the Odeon circuit acquired the former Biltmore Theatre on Lakeshore in New Toronto and renamed it the Odeon Lakeshore. I know think this is more than just a possibility.
A few weeks ago, I had a conversation with a gentleman from Toronto who also seemed quite well-informed about Toronto’s theatres; he recalls that the reason that famous Carlton Theatre was renamed that from its original name of the Odeon Toronto was that people confused the Odeon Toronto with the Odeon on Queen Street West (the QSW Odeon never was a part of the Odeon chain â€" its opening well pre-dates the formation of the Odeon Theatres circuit in Canada). Now I see that basically the same information is also on the Rivest entry for the Carlton Theatre and that the renaming occurred in 1956 or thereabouts. It is well-known that the renaming did occur.
If the Odeon Toronto became the Carlton (or Odeon Carlton) in 1956, the Odeon on QSW would seem to have little need to change its name to something like the Lakeshore in 1968 which seems an somewhat unlikely name given its location (though I suppose any theatre in Toronto could have been called the Lakeshore), unless perhaps there was real or threatened litigation over use of the Odeon name.
I am urging that the entry for this theatre be changed to ‘Odeon Theatre’ and that the introductory information read: This theatre opened in 1931 and closed in 1980. It was not a part of the Canadian Odeon circuit; it opened well-prior to the formation of that chain.
Here are direct links to the 1946 pictures of the Odeon Danforth:
http://ao.minisisinc.com/Webimages/I0012598.jpg
http://ao.minisisinc.com/Webimages/I0012597.jpg
Two 1946 pictures of the theatre as the Roxy from the Ontario Archives:
http://ao.minisisinc.com/Webimages/I0011992.jpg
http://ao.minisisinc.com/Webimages/I0011991.jpg
Just a thought: You might consider contacting the Theatre Historical Association in Elmhurst, IL. They have a vast archive of movie theatre materials (architect’s drawings, photos and other memorabilia). Perhaps they might also have copies of theatrical equipment catalogues from different eras as well. Also, since they are in a suburb of Chicago, they might know something about the device’s manufacturer. They do charge for research services.
Contact information:
Theatre Historical Society of America
York Theatre Building
152 N. York Street, 2nd floor
Elmhurst, IL 60126-2806
Ph. (630) 782-1800
Fax (630) 782-1802
e-mail:
Two 1955 pictures from the Ontario Archives:
http://ao.minisisinc.com/Webimages/I0011942.jpg
http://ao.minisisinc.com/Webimages/I0011941.jpg
No one could be happier about the news about the Fox Oakland than I; I used to walk by it when was rather derelict, then saw it’s gradual rebirth, first with the restoration of its marquee and vertical sign to now.
I do worry though about its successs, especially in the short term; the Paramount just a few blocks away has sure had its ups and downs over last few years and is frequently dark. It used to have a regular program of classic films, but I haven’t seen any listings over the last year or so. The problem for me is that there is so little open in terms restaurants or shopping when the theatre is open. Now, with two grand old palaces open so close together, is there a chance that they will compete over the same kind of attractions and make it hard for both to survive? I sure hope not.
I know some people sill think of downtown Oakland as dangerous, but I have never had any problems there. As LuisV said about Market Street around the Warfield and the Golden Gate, that area is far seedier and intimidating.
A 1917 picture of an artist working on the mural that once occupied the space over the proscenium at the theatre when it was the Princess from he Ontario Archives:
http://ao.minisisinc.com/Webimages/I0010651.jpg