The Cinema 1 & 2 was opened by Westland Theatres as “The World’s Most Comfortable theatres” on December 22nd, 1971 with “Diamonds are Forever” and “Something Big”. It later became part of Commonwealth theatres and United Artists, who closed it shortly after the Tinseltown USA opened. Grand opening ad posted.
The Rialto theatre opened on October 14th, 1920 and renamed Columbia on October 18th, 1923. It became the Rialto again on March 22nd, 1929 and Paramount on November 17th, 1929. Grand opening ads posted.
La Presse reports that’s its up for sale. https://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/grand-montreal/2025-09-16/le-cinema-paradis-mis-en-vente-apres-16-ans-de-decrepitude.php
“Abandoned for sixteen years, the Cinéma Paradis is for sale. Its deterioration caused a public outcry four years ago.
The land is listed on the Centris platform for $1,679,000, excluding taxes. The City of Montreal estimates the building’s value at $913,900.
“This property offers strong potential for a mixed commercial and residential project with zoning […] allowing for retail, offices, clinics, and housing,” the ad states.
Since its closure in 2009, the former cinema has never seen a second life. Yet, it is located at the busy corner of Hochelaga and Liébert streets. The Maison de la culture de Mercier is located in the area.
The building belonged to the Guzzo family since 1974, until its sale to Denmar Investments last July. “We no longer wanted to develop the land ourselves, so we accepted an offer,” explained Vincent Guzzo in an interview with La Presse, without providing details of the agreement.
Under the protection of the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act, the Guzzo group was forced by the court, at the end of 2024, to cede control of most of its activities to an interim receiver. Its debts are said to total more than $100 million.
“We had a dispute with our main bank. We had a coordination problem with various other creditors, and we had to pass on certain opportunities that we could have had if we had had more time,” explained Mr. Guzzo.
Status quo
Over the years, Cinéma Paradis has been the subject of litigation between the Mercier–Hochelaga-Maisonneuve borough and the Guzzo family. In 2010, a project to build offices there was nixed.
In 2019, Vincent Guzzo attempted to build a five- to six-story rental building there. Zoning limits its height to only three stories.
“I would only have made my budget if I built six stories,” notes Mr. Guzzo. “Of all the cities I’ve had dealings with, the administration is the worst. It was truly unmanageable, converting this cinema into something profitable.”
At the time, Mr. Guzzo had repeatedly attacked the city in a media effort to complete his project. Mayor Pierre Lessard-Blais responded by publishing an open letter on social media.
“I’m not the type to settle my scores in public, but when faced with an individual who thinks he’s above all else, what do you do?” “ he wrote, condemning Mr. Guzzo’s "arrogance.”
“How can he believe that municipal bylaws apply to everyone except him?” he asked. “By not taking responsibility as a property owner and allowing his building to deteriorate for years, he is above all showing contempt for his neighbors. We are all fed up with this lack of civic-mindedness and consideration. The building’s lack of maintenance creates an ugliness that no one needs.”
A Piece of History
Although it is “undeniably in poor condition,” the Cinéma Paradis is an important witness to the history of Mercier, and even of Quebec, “since it was the cinema that launched the Guzzo empire,” considers Olivier Dufresne, historian and director of the Mercier–Hochelaga-Maisonneuve History Workshop.
The establishment opened in 1954 under the name Cinéma Capri. It was Tétreaultville’s first movie theater.
“We hope that the developers and the borough will be sensitive to this history and make the necessary efforts to assess whether certain elements have conservation value. I’m thinking in particular of the cinema sign,” he noted in a written exchange with La Presse.
The future of Cinéma Paradis was a hot topic in 2021. Two petitions collected a total of over 2,000 signatures. One demanded the preservation of the cinema, and the other its conversion into social housing.
Citizens criticized the presence of vermin on the premises and an accumulation of vandalism."
This appeared to open as the Alamo in 1910 and reopened as the Garden theatre on January 9th, 1918. Grand opening ad posted.
1948 Grand opening ad and AI enhanced images posted.
The Main theatre reopened as the Cooper theatre on July 1st, 1934. Grand opening ad posted.
The Cinema 1 & 2 was opened by Westland Theatres as “The World’s Most Comfortable theatres” on December 22nd, 1971 with “Diamonds are Forever” and “Something Big”. It later became part of Commonwealth theatres and United Artists, who closed it shortly after the Tinseltown USA opened. Grand opening ad posted.
Opened on August 26th, 1949. Grand opening ad and aerial posted.
The Rialto theatre opened on October 14th, 1920 and renamed Columbia on October 18th, 1923. It became the Rialto again on March 22nd, 1929 and Paramount on November 17th, 1929. Grand opening ads posted.
Grand opening ad posted.
Grand opening ad posted.
1941 grand opening ad and AI enhanced image posted. Was converted into retail in 1952.
The Dixie opened on March 17th, 1915. Article posted.
Opened April 16th, 1936. Grand opening ad posted.
Grand opening ad and AI enhanced images posted.
Grand opening ad and AI enhanced image posted.
Grand opening ad posted.
Criterion opening announced 05 Apr 1923, Thu The Tonkawa News (Tonkawa, Oklahoma) Newspapers.com
La Presse reports that’s its up for sale. https://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/grand-montreal/2025-09-16/le-cinema-paradis-mis-en-vente-apres-16-ans-de-decrepitude.php
“Abandoned for sixteen years, the Cinéma Paradis is for sale. Its deterioration caused a public outcry four years ago.
The land is listed on the Centris platform for $1,679,000, excluding taxes. The City of Montreal estimates the building’s value at $913,900.
“This property offers strong potential for a mixed commercial and residential project with zoning […] allowing for retail, offices, clinics, and housing,” the ad states.
Since its closure in 2009, the former cinema has never seen a second life. Yet, it is located at the busy corner of Hochelaga and Liébert streets. The Maison de la culture de Mercier is located in the area.
The building belonged to the Guzzo family since 1974, until its sale to Denmar Investments last July. “We no longer wanted to develop the land ourselves, so we accepted an offer,” explained Vincent Guzzo in an interview with La Presse, without providing details of the agreement.
Under the protection of the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act, the Guzzo group was forced by the court, at the end of 2024, to cede control of most of its activities to an interim receiver. Its debts are said to total more than $100 million.
“We had a dispute with our main bank. We had a coordination problem with various other creditors, and we had to pass on certain opportunities that we could have had if we had had more time,” explained Mr. Guzzo.
Status quo Over the years, Cinéma Paradis has been the subject of litigation between the Mercier–Hochelaga-Maisonneuve borough and the Guzzo family. In 2010, a project to build offices there was nixed.
In 2019, Vincent Guzzo attempted to build a five- to six-story rental building there. Zoning limits its height to only three stories.
“I would only have made my budget if I built six stories,” notes Mr. Guzzo. “Of all the cities I’ve had dealings with, the administration is the worst. It was truly unmanageable, converting this cinema into something profitable.”
At the time, Mr. Guzzo had repeatedly attacked the city in a media effort to complete his project. Mayor Pierre Lessard-Blais responded by publishing an open letter on social media.
“I’m not the type to settle my scores in public, but when faced with an individual who thinks he’s above all else, what do you do?” “ he wrote, condemning Mr. Guzzo’s "arrogance.”
“How can he believe that municipal bylaws apply to everyone except him?” he asked. “By not taking responsibility as a property owner and allowing his building to deteriorate for years, he is above all showing contempt for his neighbors. We are all fed up with this lack of civic-mindedness and consideration. The building’s lack of maintenance creates an ugliness that no one needs.”
A Piece of History Although it is “undeniably in poor condition,” the Cinéma Paradis is an important witness to the history of Mercier, and even of Quebec, “since it was the cinema that launched the Guzzo empire,” considers Olivier Dufresne, historian and director of the Mercier–Hochelaga-Maisonneuve History Workshop.
The establishment opened in 1954 under the name Cinéma Capri. It was Tétreaultville’s first movie theater.
“We hope that the developers and the borough will be sensitive to this history and make the necessary efforts to assess whether certain elements have conservation value. I’m thinking in particular of the cinema sign,” he noted in a written exchange with La Presse.
The future of Cinéma Paradis was a hot topic in 2021. Two petitions collected a total of over 2,000 signatures. One demanded the preservation of the cinema, and the other its conversion into social housing.
Citizens criticized the presence of vermin on the premises and an accumulation of vandalism."
Opened February 7th, 1927. Grand opening ad posted.
Posted the article and an AI enhanced image of the Majestic.
Opened as Majestic on January 16th, 1913 per:
Majestic theatre opening 16 Jan 1913, Thu The Ponca City Courier (Ponca City, Oklahoma) Newspapers.com
This is expected to be reopened by Icon Cinemas later in 2025. Now hiring: https://www.indeed.com/viewjob?jk=823a5ec53f04e006
The Murray opened on October 31st, 1919. 1919 and 1949 grand opening ads and AI enhanced images posted.
1931, 1950 and 1959 grand opening ads and two AI enhanced images of the Roxy posted.
Grand opening ad posted.
Grand opening ad and AI enhanced photo posted.
The Plaza theatre is reopened as the Bays theatre again on May 26th, 1934. and is remodeled and reopened again on February 19th, 1937.
Grand opening ads posted.
This is a duplicate entry of the Bays-Plaza theatre.