Capitol Theatre

10067 Jasper Avenue NW,
Edmonton, AB T5J 3B1

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Additional Info

Previously operated by: Allen Theatres, Famous Players

Architects: Charles Howard Crane

Styles: Adam

Previous Names: Allen Theatre

Nearby Theaters

Jasper Avenue Street Scene, with Capitol Theatre sign

Opened as the Allen Theatre on December 2, 1918. On October 29, 1923 this house had been acquired by Famous Players and was renamed the Capitol Theatre. Following a major remodeling in 1938, the theatre boasted that its new marquee, with 2,000 lights, was Canada’s largest. From 1952 to 1957, the Capitol Theatre also served as the first home of the Edmonton Symphony Orchestra.

With the declining popularity of big downtown theatres, the Capitol Theatre was closed on November 5, 1972 with Ron O'Neal in “Superfly”. It was demolished, along with several adjacent buildings, to make way for the mixed use Capitol Square project, which included a four screen multiplex cinema. This multiplex, too, has now been closed.

Contributed by Joe Vogel

Recent comments (view all 5 comments)

boytown
boytown on December 10, 2006 at 11:38 am

When my dad told that cost 10 cent a movie in 40’s and 50’s at old Capitol Theatre. It was demolished theatre in 1972, to build new Capitol Square building and it open it late 1975 with mulitplex cinemas, I use to see movies many time at Capitol Square cinemas and it was busiest theatre in first run movies. This is my favorite theatre, good sound, comforoable seating ang screens are large.
Famous Players sold to Cineplex Odeon due financial difficult in 1995 and Cineplex closed it for good due financilal difficult too in 1998. It was sad to see theatre closed and it switch to Epcor Centre office space in 2000.

gordonmcleod
gordonmcleod on January 26, 2014 at 10:10 pm

They had a large Hill-Greene Lane organ don’t know where it ended up

ScreenClassic
ScreenClassic on May 9, 2017 at 3:38 am

The closing date for the Capitol is incorrect. According to the November 4, 1972 edition of the Edmonton Journal, Famous Players would shut down the Capitol on November 5 that year following its final feature, Super Fly. There was no listing for the Capitol in the November 6 edition of the Journal, so the shutdown date given in the Journal is the correct one.

Edmonton Journal – November 4, 1972 (Capitol – “Tomorrow Is Our Last Day”)

rivest266
rivest266 on September 9, 2018 at 3:10 pm

Reopened as Capitol on October 29th, 1923. ad in photo section.

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