Westdale Theatre

rivest266 on November 29, 2023 at 9:22 pm

Article of interest

Westdale theatre 24 Aug 2017, Thu The Hamilton Spectator (Hamilton, Ontario, Canada) Newspapers.com

Chief_Brody on July 23, 2017 at 8:24 am

As of now, the Westdale is officially closed for renovations with plans to reopen in the spring of 2018.

On June 20, 2017, CHCH News of Hamilton reported on their website:

“Hollywood film producer and Dundas resident Fred Fuchs and Hamilton heritage guy Graham Crawford are part of the Westdale Cinema Group looking forward to bringing the theatre back to life.

‘We’re going to put in a small stage so we can have a small live performance, a chamber orchestra, lectures, other kinds of events.’

Their goal is to create a state-of-the-art space, a cultural and economic hub for Westdale Village and the city.

‘We think it is going to take us between 8 and 12 months because so much has to be repaired or upgraded.’

It’s the first time in its history it’s been closed."

Fred Fuchs was also quoted as saying, “When we’re finished, this will be a state-of-the-art, best cinema experience, perhaps not just in Hamilton, but all of southern Ontario.”

The last film to be shown there was Cannes Film Festival entry ‘Le Havre’ on Sunday, May 28, 2017 at 7:00.

DavidDymond on March 7, 2013 at 6:41 pm

The Capitol and Palace Theatres were large single auditoriums designed by architect Thomas Lamb in the old-fashioned style.They were beautiful theatres, tastefully designed and appointed. These theatres were quite large and each sat approximately 2,000 people, approximately. During the twenties and thirties these theatres would feature live acts such as singers, dancers and comedians in addition to the big-time movies featured on their huge screens.

DavidDymond on March 7, 2013 at 6:22 pm

Susan — I have lots of information about your grandfather. He owned and operated important theatres such as the Capitol and Palace and Savoy Theatres in Hamilton. He was an operating partner of Famous Players Canadian Corporation through a stock-holding company called Hamilton United Theatres Limited. He owned most of the shares. Famous Players would choose the movies and provide the advertising and the profits would be split between Mr. Stroud and Famous Players in EQUAL shares. That is how these agreements were written.One of my senior bosses actually worked for THE GEORGE STROUD ESTATE after his passing in the thirties. The Savoy Theatre was more of a legitimate theatre than a movie theatre and they hosted many big-time live stars of vaudeville. The famous comedy team of Olsen and Johnson appeared at the Savoy for a week — if you want to see them in action do a youtube search for Olsen and Johnson re their movie HELLZAPOPPIN. They were zany on and off the stage. The story I was given by old-timers at Famous Players is that about 1940 or 1941 these very important theatres were sold to the original Odeon chain and the only notification these theatres received was a letter in the mail telling them to mail their reports to a new address. The other people with more exact knowledge of this situation have all passed away many many years ago, so that is all the information I can give you. Mr. Stroud would have been an extremely wealthy man because these theatres were extremely busy first-rate situations in a major Canadian city!!

pj on August 30, 2012 at 10:23 am

Looking for vintage photos that would be good for wedding invitation and programs.

hamiltongirl on October 16, 2004 at 1:04 pm

Great neighbourhood theatre. A staple in the Westdale area. This theatre always shows very “artsy” movies, and is very sucessful in that.