This is indeed the first Drive-In built in Canada by Famous Players Canadian Corporation in 1946. The Canadian Drive-In in St. Catharines tries to claim this honor but it was not built until 1947. The last performance was a dusk-to-dawn show on the last weekend in October 1976 (I was working there that nite!)
True note: When the houses were built nearby, several of them had posts with speakers put in their yards to compensate for the noise and traffic.
I used to regularly go to shows here as a kid. We really missed it when it closed. In 1974 when I worked at the Century, which was a 20th Century Theatre at the time, Much of the junk from the Strand was still backstage. This leads me to believe that 20th Cent. ran the Strand up until it closed. Also it did not burn down, it just closed.
This theatre and the Century were my two favorites of all time. When I worked there I did a lot of exploring. All the history and ‘ghosts’ never leave my memory.
Thanks Joe, I will check out the page.
Roy Miller was in partnership with Famous until his death. His widow retained ownership of the building but Famous Players took over sole operations until Dec.31,1980
(side note to Dave Dymond:I managed this theatre from 1977 until the end of 1980
I was employed as ass’t mgr and did some maintenance at the Tivoli in the early 70’s. I amazes me the historical misinformation that exists about this place. The theatre was built in 1908 and went by several names (Wonderland, Colonial etc.) It was a vaudville theatre until the 1920’s. During these years many of the biggest stars of the day performed here. Many went on to great sucess in Hollywood. In 1925 Famous Players built the large auditorium on the back, and the front of the theatre became the long lobby.The entire theatre was done in Italian Renaissance style with frescos,tapestries and roman statues in the auditorium wall recesses. A massive pipe organ was installed with pipe lofts inthe front recesses on either side.In 1954 the theatre was remodelled again and many of the 1925 fixtures were either removed or hidden behind walls and curtains. Her heydays were over by the early 1970’s and she was reduced to soft core sex movies until Famous Players let her go. Most of my information comes from old files, photos and first hand accounts by those who worked here during the golden years of this fine old lady. One of the biggest movies ever to show here was Gone With The Wind in 1939. According to receipt books I found, the show sold out every performance from 9am till late night every day for weeks. The adult admission price was 35 cents.
I worked at the old Cinema in 1976 & 7 as manager. It was a small and quiet theatre that that showed mostly family entertainment. Old equipment from the silent film days littered the backstage area. It had two small apartments over the front of the building and the projection booth had to be reached from a door on the side of the building.
The Century was one of my favorite old theatres. Originally opened in the 1880’s as the Lyric Opera House, it entertained many of the most famous stars of the day. I worked there as an usher in 1974 and again as manager a few years later. I think I explored every nook and cranie of the old girl back in those days. Most of her history was hidden backstage and above the false ceiling in the front of the building. Over that false front ceiling was hidden the balcony and original projection room with the silent film projectors still in place.
I went to both Capitol and Palace pre auction and auction in 1972. Got some souveniers and a love for old theatres that led to my working for Famous Players as usher and later ass’t mgr and manager until the mid eighties. Too bad video killed the old movie palaces.
Mr. Dymond: I recently saw your comment about the Capitol Theatre in St. Catharines. It would be interesting to talk to a person of your obvious theatre knowledge more personally. Your name sounds very familliar. I worked for Famous from the early 70’s untill 1985 both in Hamilton and St. Catharines. I remember Mr. Mitchell very well from those years.I can be reached at
That photo probably has the correct date because the movie, On Golden Pond is dated 1981. After Famous Players closed the theatre at the end of 1980, the new building owner, Gary Clemenson of Gary’s Give Aways next door tried unsucessfully to run the theatre and show movies for a year or two.
This is indeed the first Drive-In built in Canada by Famous Players Canadian Corporation in 1946. The Canadian Drive-In in St. Catharines tries to claim this honor but it was not built until 1947. The last performance was a dusk-to-dawn show on the last weekend in October 1976 (I was working there that nite!) True note: When the houses were built nearby, several of them had posts with speakers put in their yards to compensate for the noise and traffic.
For most of the 60’s and 70’s the theatre showed all Italian language movies.
I used to regularly go to shows here as a kid. We really missed it when it closed. In 1974 when I worked at the Century, which was a 20th Century Theatre at the time, Much of the junk from the Strand was still backstage. This leads me to believe that 20th Cent. ran the Strand up until it closed. Also it did not burn down, it just closed.
This theatre and the Century were my two favorites of all time. When I worked there I did a lot of exploring. All the history and ‘ghosts’ never leave my memory. Thanks Joe, I will check out the page.
Roy Miller was in partnership with Famous until his death. His widow retained ownership of the building but Famous Players took over sole operations until Dec.31,1980 (side note to Dave Dymond:I managed this theatre from 1977 until the end of 1980
Google Street view shows it still there, but my be an old scene
I was employed as ass’t mgr and did some maintenance at the Tivoli in the early 70’s. I amazes me the historical misinformation that exists about this place. The theatre was built in 1908 and went by several names (Wonderland, Colonial etc.) It was a vaudville theatre until the 1920’s. During these years many of the biggest stars of the day performed here. Many went on to great sucess in Hollywood. In 1925 Famous Players built the large auditorium on the back, and the front of the theatre became the long lobby.The entire theatre was done in Italian Renaissance style with frescos,tapestries and roman statues in the auditorium wall recesses. A massive pipe organ was installed with pipe lofts inthe front recesses on either side.In 1954 the theatre was remodelled again and many of the 1925 fixtures were either removed or hidden behind walls and curtains. Her heydays were over by the early 1970’s and she was reduced to soft core sex movies until Famous Players let her go. Most of my information comes from old files, photos and first hand accounts by those who worked here during the golden years of this fine old lady. One of the biggest movies ever to show here was Gone With The Wind in 1939. According to receipt books I found, the show sold out every performance from 9am till late night every day for weeks. The adult admission price was 35 cents.
I worked at the old Cinema in 1976 & 7 as manager. It was a small and quiet theatre that that showed mostly family entertainment. Old equipment from the silent film days littered the backstage area. It had two small apartments over the front of the building and the projection booth had to be reached from a door on the side of the building.
The Century was one of my favorite old theatres. Originally opened in the 1880’s as the Lyric Opera House, it entertained many of the most famous stars of the day. I worked there as an usher in 1974 and again as manager a few years later. I think I explored every nook and cranie of the old girl back in those days. Most of her history was hidden backstage and above the false ceiling in the front of the building. Over that false front ceiling was hidden the balcony and original projection room with the silent film projectors still in place.
I went to both Capitol and Palace pre auction and auction in 1972. Got some souveniers and a love for old theatres that led to my working for Famous Players as usher and later ass’t mgr and manager until the mid eighties. Too bad video killed the old movie palaces.
Mr. Dymond: I recently saw your comment about the Capitol Theatre in St. Catharines. It would be interesting to talk to a person of your obvious theatre knowledge more personally. Your name sounds very familliar. I worked for Famous from the early 70’s untill 1985 both in Hamilton and St. Catharines. I remember Mr. Mitchell very well from those years.I can be reached at
That photo probably has the correct date because the movie, On Golden Pond is dated 1981. After Famous Players closed the theatre at the end of 1980, the new building owner, Gary Clemenson of Gary’s Give Aways next door tried unsucessfully to run the theatre and show movies for a year or two.