University Theatre
100 Bloor Street W,
Toronto,
ON
M5S 1M4
100 Bloor Street W,
Toronto,
ON
M5S 1M4
10 people
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Famous Players
Architects: Eric W. Hounsom
Styles: Streamline Moderne
Nearby Theaters
News About This Theater
- May 21, 2010 — Happy 30th, "Empire"
- Nov 18, 2009 — Happy 50th, "Ben-Hur"
- Aug 21, 2009 — "Alien" 30th Anniversary
- Aug 15, 2009 — "Apocalypse Now" 30th Anniversary
- Nov 19, 2008 — Remembering Cinerama (Part 12: Toronto)
Opened on March 25, 1949, the University Theatre was one of the first movie theaters in North America to not only feature 70mm projection, but also a THX Dolby Surround Sound system. It was a good-sized theatre with a balcony so large that there was a snack bar on it as well as on the main floor.
It was a very popular theatre for its entire run and screened several significant premieres, including "Apocalypse Now" and a special double bill of "Star Wars" and "The Empire Strikes Back" with a rare preview for the trailer of "Return of the Jedi" before it came out and was known as "Revenge of the Jedi."
Despite a petition of over 25,000 people, it was closed when the property value became too great to continue operating as a theatre. The University Theatre was demolished in 1986 and, today, only its rebuilt facade remains, fronting a newly constructed retail structure.
Contributed by
J.D. Lafrance
Want to be emailed when a new comment is posted about this theater?
Just login to your account and subscribe to this theater.
Recent comments (view all 56 comments)
1962 photo added via below link.
https://torontolife.com/city/life/remember-heritage-minutes-guy-creates-toronto-minutes/?fbclid=IwAR0a55a0SXXfCYuVTT0HxlWa6rr7ZtHlMqwadp79MqaHMw7PNZJ7wRKLlG4
1959 picture added to Photos section
Here’s a new 4-page 50th anniversary FIDDLER ON THE ROOF retrospective featuring a roadshow playdate chronology and historian Q&A. The University’s 57-week run is mentioned in the piece.
Is there somewhere to get a list of screen sizes of the Toronto closed theatres: the University, Hollywood 1, Hyland 1, York 1 Cinema (on Eglinton), Uptown 1 and Eglinton? In feet would work. Thanks.
This venue’s 70mm presentations history is included in the recently-published article “70mm Presentations in Toronto: A Chronology of 70mm Large Format Exhibition, 1956-Present”.
Is this the first THX theater in Canada? I know the first THX theaters were in Los Angeles, Dallas, and Orlando, but I’m pretty sure that this could be the first in Canada.
No, the First THX system in Canada was the Cineplex Odeon Oakridge Center 3 opening on May 11th, 1985. Famous Players installed its THX system at the Imperial in Montreal and University here in Toronto in time for “Top Gun” in May 1986
50sSNIPES and rivest266: Toronto’s first THX cinema was the Eglinton, certified during summer ‘85 for “Cocoon.”
Cocoon didn’t came out until a month, a week, and three days after the Oakridge Center 3 launched their THX system. So I’m pretty sure that rivest266 is right.
Nice try, 50sSNIPES. I am not disputing Rivest’s claim that Oakridge Centre in Vancouver was Canada’s first THX theater. My point was both you and Rivest seemed to be under the mistaken impression that the University was Toronto’s first THX theater. You wrote you were “pretty sure that this [University] could be the first [THX] in Canada.” Not only was it not the first THX theater in Canada, it was not the first in Toronto, either.
And your math is wrong about the number of days between the Oakridge and Eglinton THX certifications. The run of “Cocoon” at the Eglinton upon becoming THX certified commenced July 5th (not June 21st when the film opened throughout much of North America) and you could have easily determined this had you bothered to check the Toronto 70mm Presentations article I linked to a few comments ago or by checking my “Cocoon: The North American 70mm Presentations” article.