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Tracking the history of cinemas in Toronto is no small task. There are well over 100 movie theatres to account for, some of which have left little recorded history. I've already taken a small stab at presenting some of our city's cinematic history with a look at some of Toronto's more significant lost theatres, but given that I've devoted time to shopping malls, grocery stores, butcher shops, gas stations, etc. it seems only right to include a more thoroughgoing visual account of movie theatres.
The gallery below is still far from complete, of course, but provides a decent overview of the city's cinematic legacy. Some of the noteworthy theatres not included below include the Runnymede (now a Chapters bookstore), Mies Movie House, the Brighton (Roncesvalles & Galley), The Mount Pleasant and Regent theatres, The Hollywood and Hyland near Yonge and St. Clair, The Cinema, the Yonge/Elgin, The Royal and a host of others.
It's actually quite amazing how many of these buildings are still standing, if not in use as theatres. Once one knows where to look, evidence of Toronto's former movie theatres is quite widespread. Toward that end, a great basic resource is this list of cinemas past and present that have graced our city streets, though the cinema treasures archives are also a valuable resource. For a more in depth look at the history of movie theatres in Toronto, the best resource is surely Silent Toronto, which has images and accounts of many of the theatres not pictured below. Also worth a look is this exhibit summary from the Ontario Archives, which has extensive holdings featuring the province's lost movie theatres.
Enjoy the images below, and share your memories of Toronto's cinematic history.
PHOTOS
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Comique Theatre (Yonge & Dundas area), 1910
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Auditorium Theatre (Queen & Spadina), 1910
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Rialto Theatre (Yonge & Shuter), 1916
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Odeon Theatre (1558 Queen West), 1918
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Madison Theatre (Bathurst and Bloor, site of current Bloor Cinema), 1919
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Capitol Theatre (Yonge & Castelfield), 1921
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Colonial Theatre (Queen & Bay), 1921
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The Fox (Beaches), 1934
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University Theatre (now a Pottery Barn), 1940s
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Tivoli Theatre (Yonge & Richmond), 1940s
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Midtown (where the Bloor Cinema is now), 1941
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The Revue (Roncesvalles, interior), 1941 via Ontario Archives
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Joy Theatre (Queen & Jones), 1946
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Fairlawn Theatre (Yonge & Fairlawn), 1947
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Eglinton Theatre (Eglinton & Avenue area), 1947
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Nortown Theatre (Eglinton & Bathurst area), 1948
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Shea's Hippodrome (Queen & Bay), 1954
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Towne Cinema (Yonge & Bloor), 1950s
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Willow Theatre (Yonge & Ellerslie), 1950s (source unknown)
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Kingsway Theatre, 1958
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Alhambra Theatre (Bloor & Bathurst), 1960
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Odeon Theatre (Yonge & Carlton), 1960s
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Bay Theatre (Bay & Queen), 1962
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The Uptown (Yonge & Bloor), 1970
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Broadway Theatre (Queen & Bay), 1972
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Westwood Theatre (Bloor & Kipling), 1974
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Imperial Six ad via Silent Toronto
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Coronet Theatre (Yonge & Gerrard), 1979
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Rio Theatre (Yonge & Gerrard), 1980
Photos from the Toronto Archives unless otherwise noted
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