Paradise Theatre

919 Granville Street,
Vancouver, BC V6Z 1L3

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Additional Info

Architects: Henry Holdsby Simmonds

Functions: Nightclub

Previous Names: Studio Theatre, Eve Theatre, Lyric Theatre, Towne Cinema

Nearby Theaters

Paradise Theatre

Originally opened as the Studio Theatre on March 30, 1949 with Michael Denison in “My Brother Jonathan”. In 1972 it was renamed Eve Theatre. It was renamed Lyric Theatre in 1978. Later going back to its Studio Theatre name, followed on May 8, 1981 when it became the Towne Cinema. I then became Vancouver’s 2nd Paradise Theatre in March 1989. Operating as a second-run movie theatre, it was closed in around February 2000.

It was converted into a nightclub named ‘Tonic’, by 2013 it had become a bar named Joe’s Apartment. In 2015 it was operating as a nightclub named ‘Studio’.

Contributed by Ken Moffatt

Recent comments (view all 21 comments)

rivest266
rivest266 on November 20, 2018 at 12:07 am

Opened as Studio on March 29th, 1949. Grand opening ad posted.

rivest266
rivest266 on November 25, 2018 at 5:45 pm

Reopened as Lyric on August 31st, 1984. Another ad posted.

SnoozeKing
SnoozeKing on August 16, 2019 at 2:34 am

When I moved to Vancouver in 1975, 919 Granville was the location of the Eve, a porn theatre. There was another porn house, the Golden Kitten, farther up Granville and a third, the Venus, on Main near Prior. I didn’t go to the Eve or Venus but visited the Golden Kitten once and the stench (urine, feces, vomit, semen) was overpowering. Last I heard, the Venus was a crackhouse before being demolished. No great loss.

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on September 3, 2019 at 3:19 am

Late `50s photo added courtesy Old Canada Series Facebook page.

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on July 6, 2020 at 8:07 pm

Circa 1972 photo as Eve Theatre added courtesy David Banks.

DavidZornig
DavidZornig on November 15, 2020 at 7:43 pm

1981 protest of “Caligula” at Towne Cinema.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=drSY72BSaQM&feature=youtu.be&fbclid=IwAR1MjsoNDHrchK6JvBxD16AAJf5aym7kiAOSfVdkKpF4Tu_MWeU02W0aAGQ

rivest266
rivest266 on January 24, 2022 at 5:28 pm

This reopened as Towne on May 8th, 1981. Grand opening ad posted.

rivest266
rivest266 on January 24, 2022 at 5:53 pm

Heres the timeline for this cinema. March 30th, 1949 opened as Studio by 20th Century Theatres

1969 sold to Famous Players 446 seats

September 7th, 1972 reopened as Eve by Famous Players Eve Pool. Adult movies are shown

1978 renamed Lyric

May 18th, 1981 renamed Towne by Landmark Cinemas

August 31st, 1984 renamed Studio

April 14th, 1989 renamed Paradise

1993 taken over by Caprice Theatres

1999 closed

rivest266
rivest266 on January 24, 2022 at 5:54 pm

Famous Players Eve pool members: Eve in Vancouver, Winnipeg, Toronto, Montréal and Halifax, Eden in Toronto, Eros in Montréal.

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