These photos were taken in 1958, from the south side of Carlton Street.
Shea’s Hippodrome Theatre on Bay Street in 1958, from the northeast corner of Bay and Queen streets. The Nathan Phillips Square is located on the site today.
Shea’s Theatre taken from the same corner as the above photo.
I have collected about thirty photos of Toronto’s old movie theatres. Some are from my own collection, and others are from the City of Toronto Archives. A few are from from the Ontario Archives and the Toronto Reference Library. I have many fond memories of these theatres, and have begun writing them down. I would like to produce another book about these theatres. I thoroughly enjoyed the book called “The Nabes,” by John Sebert, but it only covers the neighbourhood theatres and does not include any of those that were downtown.
Do you have any photos, black and white or in colour, of the old movie houses of Toronto that you are willing to share. If you do not have any photos, are you willing to share memories? Saturday afternoon matinees, evening performance, movie clubs ? Please give your name and in which city you presently reside if you wish to have your name mentioned in the book.
Editorial note: Doug turned his fascination with movie houses into two books:
Toronto Theatres and the Golden Age of the Silver Screen and
Toronto's Local Movie Theatres of Yesteryear.
To view previous blogs about the old movie houses of Toronto
https://tayloronhistory.com/2011/06/27/old-movie-houses-of-toronto/
The Odeon Carlton theatre on Carlton St., east of Yonge St.
The Victory burlesque and movie theatre on Spadina at Dundas:
https://tayloronhistory.com/2012/09/08/the-sinful-victory-burlesque-theatre-at-dundas-and-spadina/
The Shea’s Hippodrome Theatre on Bay St. near Queen
Attending a matinee in the old movie houses of Toronto during the “golden age of cinema”
The University Theatre on Bloor St., west of Bay Street.
https://tayloronhistory.com/2012/02/24/the-opening-of-torontos-university-theatre-on-bloor-street/
Archival photos of the Imperial and Downtown Theatres on Yonge Street
The Elgin/Winter/Garden Theatres on Yonge Street
https://tayloronhistory.com/2012/05/31/torontos-architectural-gemsthe-elgin-winter-garden-theatres/