Fascinating stuff. Because not more than three weeks ago, one of my best friends and I were discussing cinemas in Toronto…and we sat there and tossed around some figures based on some numbers we knew we could depend on…and couldn’t figure how the chain stayed in business. (I should say that the subject was brought up because of a post on this very site made by someone wanting to ‘resurrect’ cinemas in the GTA.)
My understanding is that Toronto is the number one film market in the world in terms of number of films seen per year per capita. And yet we’re facing the possibility of losing FIVE screens in one fell swoop. This is an incredibly cosmopolitan city. It is a university city. It’s Canada’s largest city. And yet this is the reality, that even this city, home of one of the top three international film festivals…cannot sustain four second-run/art house cinemas.
As part of our discussion, I threw out the possibility that the marketing was off for these theatres. And that each of them is in need of renovations or upkeep to varying extents, so they’re hardly a draw to anyone other than film die-hards…whose patronage simply doesn’t pay the rent. (I’m speaking in generalities, here. Within a short span of time I was at a show at the Paradise where there were ten of us -the staff have an ongoing pool- and one at the Fox where there were close to fifty. Both non-weekend shows.)
Can Toronto support this chain/these cinemas?
Yes.
But it won’t if the existing business model is replicated.
I die a little every time I see a cinema go under. I wince when I come across a cinema that’s being used for something other than showing films. But as much as I love theatres (and I think I’ve proven this in the form of having written two screenplays that feature film palaces as well as recently planning a road trip of cinemas from Toronto through New England on down to Virginia), it pains me when I have to reconcile my love of cinema treasures with what amounts to stagnant business practices. I know this sounds harsh, and God bless those involved with the Festival chain over the years, but this is business. And I don’t think if these locations were start-ups, they’d have lasted long at all.
Do I have a plan that I think will work? Sure. But it would require a bold approach…and a whack of money.
Toronto deserves to have storied cinemas. I hope these five don’t become storied memories.
The key to selling ALL entertainment viewed on a screen in a theatre is to stress the overall entertainment value, something that the exhibitors have been dropping the ball on for years. And it’s ironic, because the ‘alternatives’ have been working overtime to come up with a better experience. (I’ll leave it to you to list the specifics.)
It’s not just the product that matters. Not when people view going to the cinema as a negative. And that is the starting point that everyone on the theatrical exhibition side of the fence has to be prepared to deal with. Blaming falling ticket sales on Hollywood’s incessant production of perceived dreck is the easy way out. The industry has to be prepared to a) diversify, as in the news item featured here and b) do a better job of the only added values it contributes; take a page from places like Barnes and Noble and help create an exprience for the ticket holder.
Maybe the idea of diversification doesn’t sit well with some people. Purists. It’s seen as non-sensical. But ‘they’ said the same thing about VCRs…
The Savoy was a class joint. It did a great business during its open years, from 1906/07 (I’m still working on this) through to 1955. In the immediate neighbourhood was the Wonderland/Colonial/Princess/Tivoli, the Grand Opera House/Downtown, the Royal, and the York…and this doesn’t include those more than five minutes away…or the non-cinema theatres.
It took me a while to figure out where it had been locate, as the downtown core had been completely redesigned when Lloyd D Jackson Square was built in the early 70s and Merrick Street doesn’t exist anymore. However, thanks to the Hamilton Public Library’s Special Collections staff, now I know…and a parking garage now occupies the location.
The Hyland came into existence as a cinema with that name on November 11, 1955 after closing for renovations on November 5 for renovations. Before this, it was known as The Roxy, original opening date yet to be uncovered.
Here’s some additional information as provided by Bill Mason, author of ‘Up and Down Locke Street’. (Please note that this material is copyrighted.)
“In 1918, a 640 seat silent-movie theatre was constructed on a site on Locke Street South, which since 1885 had been occupied by wooden cottages. All movies, which were projected onto the white painted back wall, cost a nickel, and were accompanied by a piano-player down-front. Saturday matinees were typically “oaters†and “cliffhangers†which delighted the neighbourhood children and adults alike.
With the invention of “talking picturesâ€, the Regent, now owned by the United Amusement Co., was extensively renovated in 1930. New and more seats were added, a larger stage built, the wooden floors replaced with concrete and carpeted, a fresh air ventilation system installed, and an up-to-date lighting system incorporated. Together with the newly-muralled walls, the modern lighting “leant to the theatre a fairy-like scene of rare brilliancy†according to one reporter. The building was also “completely fireproofedâ€, a state-of the-art sound system set up, mirrors installed in the lobby, and a marquee added “which [could] be seen for a great distance on Locke street, and [enhanced] the appearance of the streetâ€. Each evening, between 6:40 and 7:00 pm before the new “silver screen†lit up, popular music played in the soft glow of the new sidelights installed in the most up-to-date cinema in Hamilton. All this cost $25,000.
With the advent of television, this neighbourhood theatre, like so many of its kind, fell upon hard times. The building, which still contained its seats and equipment, lay empty for several years. Since the late 50’s it has been used with extensive renovations by a number of religious groups, as a meeting hall, as an antiques store, and as a drama school. The renovation of the facade has masked the nature and purpose of the original structure, although a glance down the south side of the building reveals some of its original architecture. "
Hmm… As I know that the Skyway Drive-in in Stoney Creek was Canda’s first, and it was built in ‘46, the opening year for this one is off. I’m searching, I’m searching…
Actually, the Colonial is part of the tradition of the Tivoli. From what I gather, what began as the Wonderland in 1908 became the Colonial in 1909, which then became the Princess in 1913…which then transmogrified into the Tiv in 1924. So technically, the Colonial never ‘closed its doors’. It simply put on a different hat.
Actually, to be honest, it was a horrible cinema. (And as a cinephile and theatre buff, it pains me to remember this). When they were going through the ‘Save the Broadway’ campaign, when they were really struggling, my best friend and I had t-shirts made up, replete with a photo. Its caption? ‘Pave the Broadway’.
Moses, by now an old man, says his farewells to his wife, Sephora, and to his chief minister, Joshua, and turns to ascend the Mountain of Sinai to meet his destiny. He pauses, turns, and gives one final wave over his domain. Music from an unseen orchestra builds up to a crescendo, and the scene is over. Pre-Christian Israel? No, the scene is actually in Dundas, and the time is March 1961. The epic motion picture classic “The Ten Commandments†has just been screened in the Roxy Theatre, and the final curtain marks the last film for the old Theatre after more than thirty years of delighting audiences.
The theatre building was constructed in 1929 by Reginald Billington. The Majestic Theatre entertained the Dundas community with feature films from the decade of the Depression in the 1930s through the Second World War years in the 1940s. Kids were always checked at the door for pea shooters, and cap guns were always collected, especially before a Tom Mix western feature.
Reg Billington had been a local theatre owner since 1916, when he purchased the Unique Theatre at 18 King Street West, and operated it with his brother-in-law, Fred Guest as the Strand, and later, the Queen’s Theatre. In 1928, he purchased the property next door at 24 King Street West, and it was at that address that he built the Majestic Theatre, which he continued to manage with Mr. Guest.
Mr. Billington eventually sold his interest in the building to Mr. Guest. After Fred’s death, the Theatre was inherited by his nephew, Fred Yates. But, not being interested in the movie industry, he sold it to his uncle, Jack Guest. After Jack’s death in 1947, his widow sold the interests to Odeon Theatres Inc. and the name on the marquee was changed to the Roxy Theatre. In 1958, the building was bought by Mr. Ephram Slote, and “The Roxy†continued to screen films for Dundas movie goers until March, 1961, when – because of low attendances and rising costs – the curtain rang down for the last time on the only movie theatre in Dundas.
The building was then transformed into a dance hall. The seats were removed, and hardwood floors were installed, and the new hall became known as the Club Safari. There were teen and singles’ dances, live entertainment, and even gospel meetings, but the Club was not an overwhelming success, and the building went up for sale in 1981. After sitting empty for a few years, there were concerns that the building would be torn down.
Those fears were put to rest in 1984, when the former theatre building was purchased by Neil and Denise Gloster, and was redesigned as the new home of their business enterprise. ‘The Horn of Plenty’, a natural and bulk food store, opened in1980 in a smaller location in downtown Dundas, just a few away from their new location. But as the business thrived, a larger location was needed for retail expansion. After extensive renovations were completed, ‘The Horn’ was opened for business, and its product line was expanded from 200 to 4000 items.
In 2001, the building was resurrected as a movie theatre once again, albeit briefly, when the mini-series “Haven†was filmed in downtown Dundas. For a brief moment in time, the old Majestic and Roxy Theatre of 1929 – 1961 was revived as the Oswego Theatre of 1944 small-town New York.
Here’s an update, courtesy of the Dundas Historical Museum:
The Unique Theatre operated from 1909-1916 by the Paling Bros. at 18 King St. West in Dundas. They sold in 1916 to Reg. L. Billington and he changed the name to the Strand and Mr. Billington operated it from 1916 to 1921. In 1921 the name changed to the Queen’s and it was operated by Guest & Billington. In 1928 Reg. L. Billington bought the Swanson property next door to the theatre and moved the house to 24 Park St. W. In 1928 Billington sold the property where the Queen’s Theatre stood to John Craven who constructed a furniture store there and Billington constructed a new movie theatre on the old Swanson property and called it the Majestic Theatre.
The Majestic Theatre operated from 1929-1948 at 24 King St. West in Dundas. It was operated by Guest & Billington. In 1948 Mr. Billington sold the Majestic to his brother-in-law, Fred Guest. After Mr. Guest’s death, Fred Yates, his nephew, inherited the threatre, but was no interested in it so he sold it to his uncle, Jack Guest. After Jack Guest’s death in 1947, his widow sold to Odeon Theatres Inc. and the name changed to the ROXY.
The Roxy, was managed by John Grant from 1948 to 1958.
Currently, it is a bulk/health food store called The Horn of Plenty.
Right in ‘downtown’ Dundas, on the main street. It is now a health food store, the Horn Of Plenty, The 24 King St. W. Dundas Ontario L9H 1T7. I have been unable to locate any information about the Majestic, other than a reference to 1929 from an illustration hanging in the store.
I think this is a great example of what you’re proposing.
Had a very interesting discussion the other night about the state of cinemas in general, and the art house/second-run/nabe aspect to Toronto specifically, so it’s ironic that you’d be posting your idea. I’ll email you privately, but I think that the demonizing of megaplexes is too facile an approach to the ‘What’s happened to all the movie houses?’ question. I suspect it’s the wrong question being asked…and I also suspect that we’re all guilty (to varying degrees) of head-buried-in-sand-itis. I am an impassioned old cinema, drive-in, multi-plex, film lover, but as a result of various conversations I’ve had of late, I can see that the romantic nostalgia that we’re all prone to can be, at times, wickedly myopic. It’s a question of balancing an acceptance of times changing, while striving to protect parts of our heritage. To me, the great evil is not development. It’s the changing landscape of how people ‘see’ their movies. But that’s a much larger discussion than this posting supports. (How come this site doesn’t have any discussion boards…?)
Fascinating stuff. Because not more than three weeks ago, one of my best friends and I were discussing cinemas in Toronto…and we sat there and tossed around some figures based on some numbers we knew we could depend on…and couldn’t figure how the chain stayed in business. (I should say that the subject was brought up because of a post on this very site made by someone wanting to ‘resurrect’ cinemas in the GTA.)
My understanding is that Toronto is the number one film market in the world in terms of number of films seen per year per capita. And yet we’re facing the possibility of losing FIVE screens in one fell swoop. This is an incredibly cosmopolitan city. It is a university city. It’s Canada’s largest city. And yet this is the reality, that even this city, home of one of the top three international film festivals…cannot sustain four second-run/art house cinemas.
As part of our discussion, I threw out the possibility that the marketing was off for these theatres. And that each of them is in need of renovations or upkeep to varying extents, so they’re hardly a draw to anyone other than film die-hards…whose patronage simply doesn’t pay the rent. (I’m speaking in generalities, here. Within a short span of time I was at a show at the Paradise where there were ten of us -the staff have an ongoing pool- and one at the Fox where there were close to fifty. Both non-weekend shows.)
Can Toronto support this chain/these cinemas?
Yes.
But it won’t if the existing business model is replicated.
I die a little every time I see a cinema go under. I wince when I come across a cinema that’s being used for something other than showing films. But as much as I love theatres (and I think I’ve proven this in the form of having written two screenplays that feature film palaces as well as recently planning a road trip of cinemas from Toronto through New England on down to Virginia), it pains me when I have to reconcile my love of cinema treasures with what amounts to stagnant business practices. I know this sounds harsh, and God bless those involved with the Festival chain over the years, but this is business. And I don’t think if these locations were start-ups, they’d have lasted long at all.
Do I have a plan that I think will work? Sure. But it would require a bold approach…and a whack of money.
Toronto deserves to have storied cinemas. I hope these five don’t become storied memories.
‘Perception is reality.’
The key to selling ALL entertainment viewed on a screen in a theatre is to stress the overall entertainment value, something that the exhibitors have been dropping the ball on for years. And it’s ironic, because the ‘alternatives’ have been working overtime to come up with a better experience. (I’ll leave it to you to list the specifics.)
It’s not just the product that matters. Not when people view going to the cinema as a negative. And that is the starting point that everyone on the theatrical exhibition side of the fence has to be prepared to deal with. Blaming falling ticket sales on Hollywood’s incessant production of perceived dreck is the easy way out. The industry has to be prepared to a) diversify, as in the news item featured here and b) do a better job of the only added values it contributes; take a page from places like Barnes and Noble and help create an exprience for the ticket holder.
Maybe the idea of diversification doesn’t sit well with some people. Purists. It’s seen as non-sensical. But ‘they’ said the same thing about VCRs…
The Savoy was a class joint. It did a great business during its open years, from 1906/07 (I’m still working on this) through to 1955. In the immediate neighbourhood was the Wonderland/Colonial/Princess/Tivoli, the Grand Opera House/Downtown, the Royal, and the York…and this doesn’t include those more than five minutes away…or the non-cinema theatres.
It took me a while to figure out where it had been locate, as the downtown core had been completely redesigned when Lloyd D Jackson Square was built in the early 70s and Merrick Street doesn’t exist anymore. However, thanks to the Hamilton Public Library’s Special Collections staff, now I know…and a parking garage now occupies the location.
The Hyland came into existence as a cinema with that name on November 11, 1955 after closing for renovations on November 5 for renovations. Before this, it was known as The Roxy, original opening date yet to be uncovered.
Whoops! Red-faced apologies to Bill: his last name is MANSON, not Mason.
Here’s some additional information as provided by Bill Mason, author of ‘Up and Down Locke Street’. (Please note that this material is copyrighted.)
“In 1918, a 640 seat silent-movie theatre was constructed on a site on Locke Street South, which since 1885 had been occupied by wooden cottages. All movies, which were projected onto the white painted back wall, cost a nickel, and were accompanied by a piano-player down-front. Saturday matinees were typically “oaters†and “cliffhangers†which delighted the neighbourhood children and adults alike.
With the invention of “talking picturesâ€, the Regent, now owned by the United Amusement Co., was extensively renovated in 1930. New and more seats were added, a larger stage built, the wooden floors replaced with concrete and carpeted, a fresh air ventilation system installed, and an up-to-date lighting system incorporated. Together with the newly-muralled walls, the modern lighting “leant to the theatre a fairy-like scene of rare brilliancy†according to one reporter. The building was also “completely fireproofedâ€, a state-of the-art sound system set up, mirrors installed in the lobby, and a marquee added “which [could] be seen for a great distance on Locke street, and [enhanced] the appearance of the streetâ€. Each evening, between 6:40 and 7:00 pm before the new “silver screen†lit up, popular music played in the soft glow of the new sidelights installed in the most up-to-date cinema in Hamilton. All this cost $25,000.
With the advent of television, this neighbourhood theatre, like so many of its kind, fell upon hard times. The building, which still contained its seats and equipment, lay empty for several years. Since the late 50’s it has been used with extensive renovations by a number of religious groups, as a meeting hall, as an antiques store, and as a drama school. The renovation of the facade has masked the nature and purpose of the original structure, although a glance down the south side of the building reveals some of its original architecture. "
Hmm… As I know that the Skyway Drive-in in Stoney Creek was Canda’s first, and it was built in ‘46, the opening year for this one is off. I’m searching, I’m searching…
Actually, there’s quite a bit of info on the Tivoli on this site, including the address: 110 James Street North, Hamilton.
I’m still trying to nail this one down, but I think I’m willing to put money on the fact that the Towne began as the State, at 758 Barton Street East.
Actually, the Colonial is part of the tradition of the Tivoli. From what I gather, what began as the Wonderland in 1908 became the Colonial in 1909, which then became the Princess in 1913…which then transmogrified into the Tiv in 1924. So technically, the Colonial never ‘closed its doors’. It simply put on a different hat.
Actually, to be honest, it was a horrible cinema. (And as a cinephile and theatre buff, it pains me to remember this). When they were going through the ‘Save the Broadway’ campaign, when they were really struggling, my best friend and I had t-shirts made up, replete with a photo. Its caption? ‘Pave the Broadway’.
This from the Dundas Valley Historical Society:
“The Majestic/ Roxy Theatre
Moses, by now an old man, says his farewells to his wife, Sephora, and to his chief minister, Joshua, and turns to ascend the Mountain of Sinai to meet his destiny. He pauses, turns, and gives one final wave over his domain. Music from an unseen orchestra builds up to a crescendo, and the scene is over. Pre-Christian Israel? No, the scene is actually in Dundas, and the time is March 1961. The epic motion picture classic “The Ten Commandments†has just been screened in the Roxy Theatre, and the final curtain marks the last film for the old Theatre after more than thirty years of delighting audiences.
The theatre building was constructed in 1929 by Reginald Billington. The Majestic Theatre entertained the Dundas community with feature films from the decade of the Depression in the 1930s through the Second World War years in the 1940s. Kids were always checked at the door for pea shooters, and cap guns were always collected, especially before a Tom Mix western feature.
Reg Billington had been a local theatre owner since 1916, when he purchased the Unique Theatre at 18 King Street West, and operated it with his brother-in-law, Fred Guest as the Strand, and later, the Queen’s Theatre. In 1928, he purchased the property next door at 24 King Street West, and it was at that address that he built the Majestic Theatre, which he continued to manage with Mr. Guest.
Mr. Billington eventually sold his interest in the building to Mr. Guest. After Fred’s death, the Theatre was inherited by his nephew, Fred Yates. But, not being interested in the movie industry, he sold it to his uncle, Jack Guest. After Jack’s death in 1947, his widow sold the interests to Odeon Theatres Inc. and the name on the marquee was changed to the Roxy Theatre. In 1958, the building was bought by Mr. Ephram Slote, and “The Roxy†continued to screen films for Dundas movie goers until March, 1961, when – because of low attendances and rising costs – the curtain rang down for the last time on the only movie theatre in Dundas.
The building was then transformed into a dance hall. The seats were removed, and hardwood floors were installed, and the new hall became known as the Club Safari. There were teen and singles’ dances, live entertainment, and even gospel meetings, but the Club was not an overwhelming success, and the building went up for sale in 1981. After sitting empty for a few years, there were concerns that the building would be torn down.
Those fears were put to rest in 1984, when the former theatre building was purchased by Neil and Denise Gloster, and was redesigned as the new home of their business enterprise. ‘The Horn of Plenty’, a natural and bulk food store, opened in1980 in a smaller location in downtown Dundas, just a few away from their new location. But as the business thrived, a larger location was needed for retail expansion. After extensive renovations were completed, ‘The Horn’ was opened for business, and its product line was expanded from 200 to 4000 items.
In 2001, the building was resurrected as a movie theatre once again, albeit briefly, when the mini-series “Haven†was filmed in downtown Dundas. For a brief moment in time, the old Majestic and Roxy Theatre of 1929 – 1961 was revived as the Oswego Theatre of 1944 small-town New York.
Today, if you look closely, the building still exhibits plenty of evidence of its former life. Though the marquee is gone, the box office is still prevalent, and the building facade is intact. In 1994, the Intermission Café and snack bar was incorporated and named in tribute to its past occupation."
Many thanks to Stan Nowak for this information!
Here’s an update, courtesy of the Dundas Historical Museum:
The Unique Theatre operated from 1909-1916 by the Paling Bros. at 18 King St. West in Dundas. They sold in 1916 to Reg. L. Billington and he changed the name to the Strand and Mr. Billington operated it from 1916 to 1921. In 1921 the name changed to the Queen’s and it was operated by Guest & Billington. In 1928 Reg. L. Billington bought the Swanson property next door to the theatre and moved the house to 24 Park St. W. In 1928 Billington sold the property where the Queen’s Theatre stood to John Craven who constructed a furniture store there and Billington constructed a new movie theatre on the old Swanson property and called it the Majestic Theatre.
The Majestic Theatre operated from 1929-1948 at 24 King St. West in Dundas. It was operated by Guest & Billington. In 1948 Mr. Billington sold the Majestic to his brother-in-law, Fred Guest. After Mr. Guest’s death, Fred Yates, his nephew, inherited the threatre, but was no interested in it so he sold it to his uncle, Jack Guest. After Jack Guest’s death in 1947, his widow sold to Odeon Theatres Inc. and the name changed to the ROXY.
The Roxy, was managed by John Grant from 1948 to 1958.
Currently, it is a bulk/health food store called The Horn of Plenty.
Right in ‘downtown’ Dundas, on the main street. It is now a health food store, the Horn Of Plenty, The 24 King St. W. Dundas Ontario L9H 1T7. I have been unable to locate any information about the Majestic, other than a reference to 1929 from an illustration hanging in the store.
When I’m visiting family in VA, I go here all the time:
http://www.commodoretheatre.com/index.php
I think this is a great example of what you’re proposing.
Had a very interesting discussion the other night about the state of cinemas in general, and the art house/second-run/nabe aspect to Toronto specifically, so it’s ironic that you’d be posting your idea. I’ll email you privately, but I think that the demonizing of megaplexes is too facile an approach to the ‘What’s happened to all the movie houses?’ question. I suspect it’s the wrong question being asked…and I also suspect that we’re all guilty (to varying degrees) of head-buried-in-sand-itis. I am an impassioned old cinema, drive-in, multi-plex, film lover, but as a result of various conversations I’ve had of late, I can see that the romantic nostalgia that we’re all prone to can be, at times, wickedly myopic. It’s a question of balancing an acceptance of times changing, while striving to protect parts of our heritage. To me, the great evil is not development. It’s the changing landscape of how people ‘see’ their movies. But that’s a much larger discussion than this posting supports. (How come this site doesn’t have any discussion boards…?)