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Bellevue Theatre 360 College Street, Toronto, ON - 1950’s

Men line up outside the Lux Burlesque theatre in the late 50s. Photo via the Toronto Archives.

The history - In 1939, the Bellevue Theatre opened its box office,

its address being 360-362 College Street. The Second World War commenced that year, and many of the troops stationed in Toronto that were receiving training prior to being shipped overseas, attended movies in the theatre. At the end of the war, the shop to the east of the theatre was Smith’s Sandwich Bar, an ideal place to have a snack either before or after a film. The Bellevue continued as movie house until 1958, and customers were able to phone WA 1-1633 to learn the starting times of the movies.

In 1959, the name Bellevue was changed to the Lux

In 1959, the name Bellevue was changed to the Lux, and the theatre became a burlesque house, which soon became famous. It was in direct competition with the Casino on Queen Street and the Victory on Spadina for connoisseurs of the subtle art of the partial removal of clothes to the accompaniment of thumping music. The burlesque tradition in Toronto was already well established, thanks to the Casino, which had been one of city’s favourite burlesque houses for decades. When my father was a young man, he had been a faithful devotee of burlesque.

For the opening of the Lux in 1959, the owner of the theatre, Elliot Abells, flew in the famous stripper “Cup Cakes Cassidy” for a one-night performance.

Despite the public’s image of burlesque, it was never as daring as many believed. However, following a labour dispute, when picket lines prevented customers from attending, and with the decline in popularity of burlesque, the Lux Theatre closed in December of 1962.

In 1968 the Lux was the Elektra Theatre

In 1968 the Lux was the Elektra Theatre and showed Greek movies. This ended in 1970, but in 1976 it again reopened as the Lido Theatre, and screened Asian films. The theatre was eventually closed permanently.

The building was demolished in 1986 - Notes by John Doug Taylor.

Contributed by Greg Lynch -