Loew’s Uptown Theatre c. 1993, after it was converted into five separate theatres. Photo from the City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 251, Series 1278, File 165.
A previous post on this blog about Toronto’s Uptown Theatre, explored the past of this grand movie palace. It mentioned that this theatre was closed and it reopened on December 25, 1969 as a multiplex theatre with five separate auditoriums. At the time, Nat Taylor owned the theatre. In 1979, he partnered with Garth Drabinsky to create Odeon Cineplex Corp. The architects for the renovations of the Uptown were Mandel Sprachman and Marvin Giller. Nat Taylor’s experience with the conversion of the Uptown culminated in the construction of the Eaton Centre Odeon Cineplex, which when it opened, was the largest multiscreen venue in the world.
The Uptown 5 was among first multiscreen cinema complexes in the world. When the conversion had been completed, the main auditorium of the old Uptown had been divided lengthwise to create two theatres, which were side by side—the Uptown Two and the Uptown Three. In the former balcony, a ceiling extended out over the auditorium below to create a separate theatre—the Uptown One—containing 922 seats. The lobby was redone in vibrant greens for the new multiscreen theatre.
For a link to the previous blog, about Loew’s Uptown Theatre : https://tayloronhistory.com/2013/10/24/torontos-old-movie-housesloews-uptown/
This view of the entrance of the Uptown is prior to it being converted into the Uptown 5. The view gazes from the top of the escalator, where patrons entered the Uptown from Yonge Street. Although the colours were changed when the theatre was renovated to create the multi-screen complex, this photo reveals the splendour of the old Uptown, as the decorative plasterwork was retained after the conversion. Photo from City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 122, Series 881, File 241
The entrances for the Backstage One and Two were on Bulmuto Street. The two smaller theatres were created from backstage area of the former Uptown Theatre, which were a considerable size as the theatre had originally been built for live theatre, including vaudeville. The Backstage theatres screened art film. The Backstage One seated 185 patrons, and the Backstage Two seated 149. After the old Uptown was converted, the five theatres had a total of 2268 seats, which was almost equal to the capacity of the former Uptown. Photo-city of Toronto Archives,Fonds 122, Series 122, File 241
The Backstage Two Theatre, Photo City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 122, Series 881, File 241
Another view of the Backstage Two Theatre, Photo City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 122, Series 881, File 241
In the Uptown theatre section the first photo of the #1 auditorium is not the Uptown, I believe it’s Imperial Six cinema #2 – although I remember it having curtains, at least in the mid 70’s to when it closed in the mid-80’s. Also, the first Uptown Backstage photo (film reels on wall) is not the Uptown Backstage, the two photos below are. Again, I think this is one of the two “backstage” cinemas at the Imperial Six.
Please feel free to contact me, I practically lived in cinemas since about the mid 70’s and worked in cinemas for 25 years starting in 1980 and will be happy to freely share information and photos for your excellent site here.