Capitol Theatre
313 Donald Street,
Winnipeg,
MB
R3B 2B4
313 Donald Street,
Winnipeg,
MB
R3B 2B4
6 people
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Famous Players
Architects: Thomas White Lamb
Styles: Adam
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News About This Theater
- Jun 18, 2010 — "Jaws"... Happy 35th!
- May 14, 2010 — Please Post Today, May 14 --- "Jaws," Happy 35th
Famous Players' Capitol Theatre was the biggest single-screen movie theatre ever built in Winnipeg & the biggest in Manitoba when it opened on February 14, 1921 with Lois Wilson in “Midsummer Madness”. It had a total seating capacity for 2,200-seats.
On June 8, 1979 the theatre was renovated and the Capitol Theatre’s balcony was converted into another cinema. Cinema 1 then contained 864 seats, while Cinema 2 had 426.
The Capitol Theatre closed in 1990 and was demolished in 2003.
Contributed by
Chad Irish, Andrew McCrea
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Recent comments (view all 27 comments)
Heres a link to three excellent interior photos of the Capitol. ere
View link
This theatre reminds me a lot of the Palace in Hamilton, which was also designed by Thomas Lamb.
Those photos show the Capitol as I remember it, not the hacked up horror after twinning. By 1978 (the year of the photos) all traces of the orchestra pit and organ are gone (except for the organ grilles) along with the large central chandelier hanging from the dome. Could the chandelier have been removed as long ago as the 50’s when the Cinemascope screen was installed?
Here is an April 1960 ad from the Winnipeg Free Press:
http://tinyurl.com/3gvb3h
I had just seen “The Two Jakes” at the Capitol 2 (which was the original balcony of the old single seat auditorium.) The crowd was sparse. I watched some of the credits while the handful of other patrons filed out. Whatever the movie was downstairs had already let out. As I got to the door on Donald, the usher, a young kid, said to me “Congratulations Sir – You are the last customer in the Capitol theatre. We’re closing the doors tonight.” And so they did – although the building stood empty for several years after that.
burningdust I would love to have a dvd of the video you took. My info is on my page. Thank you, let me know how much to ship if you are willing. My Grandfather used to work for Rothstein Theaters of Canada and booked all of the movies into this theater for many years. His offices were located in the Marlborough Hotel on the 2nd floor.
Sorry mntwister If your grandfather worked for Rothstein theatres it would be impossible for him to book any Famous Players Theatres as they had their own bookers that worked out of the Toronto head office!!
I stand corrected. I asked my mom, who is from Winnipeg and indeed he did not book for this theater. My mother worked at the Paramount and Universal exchanges in Winnipeg and as I said my grandfather, after working at Universal and RKO, went over to Rothstein Theaters. That’s when he was awarded the Canadian Motion Picture Pioneer of the Year (Hy Swartz).
My mom says we did go to movies at this theater,as we went from Minnesota to Winnipeg several times a year but I don’t remember as I would have been under 10 years old.
The Warren Organ from here is part of the installation in the Obrien Theatre Renfrew Ontario along with the Starland’s organ
Twinned Grand Opening June 8, 1979 – Tom Skerritt and Sigourney Weaver in Ridley Scott’s “Alien” and Ali MacGraw, Dean Paul Martin and Maximilian Schell in Anthony Harvey’s “Players” at the newly twinned Capitol Cinemas in Winnipeg, Manitoba. Print ad, article and photo added courtesy Stephen Leigh.
The Capitol Theatre opened its doors on February 14, 1921 with Lois Wilson in “Midsummer Madness” accompanied with music by the Capitol Symphony Orchestra conducted by Mr. Jack Arthur, along with a live music performance by Princess Pat’s Band conducted by Lietu. James before the movie. Otherwise, no extras were added.