Downtown Toronto Theatres
Many of the oldest theatres in Toronto are in the downtown core - near Yonge Street.Alphabetical links: A B C D E G I L M O P R S T U
List of all subjects. You can also see all the historic photos for a given neighbourhood. We also have a list of all the photos arranged by date.
And you can also go up a level to see the other photos we've put under the category of theatre photos.
| A (back to top) | ||
| 1960 |  | Alhambra Theatre (1909 - originally the King George, also Baronet in 1969 and Eve Theatre in 1972) across from Honest Eds 64 years ago - The Annex - Thursday, September 8, 1960 Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives) |
| 1937 |  | Astor Theatre - now the Panasonic theatre - built 1935 also known as New Yorker and Showcase 87 years ago - Church-Wellesley Village - 1937 Link to archive record - Map location (From Archives of Ontario) |
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| 1981 |  | Biltmore Theatre cinema posters - 916 seats - 1948 - 1982 43 years ago - Downtown - 1981 Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives) |
| 1982 |  | Biltmore Theatre marquee at 319 Yonge Street, next to Steak n Burger 42 years ago - Downtown - 1982 Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives) |
| 1980 |  | Biltmore Theatre ticket seller, Yonge and Dundas movie theatre 44 years ago - Downtown - 1980 Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives) |
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| 1918 |  | Colonial Theatre and Bowles lunch on south east corner of Queen and Bay Streets 106 years ago - City Hall - 1918 Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives) |
| 1923 |  | Colonial Theatre on Queen Street - constructed from fragments of old Customs House - aka The Bay 101 years ago - City Hall - Thursday, February 22, 1923 Max temp: -1.1°C - Min temp: -9.4°C - 0.3cm of snowfall (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives) |
| 1910 |  | Comique movie theatre marquee - 5 cents - operated 1908 to 1914 114 years ago - Downtown - 1910 Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives) |
| 1981 |  | Coronet Theatre (originally the Biltmore Savoy Theatre) 1951 to 1980 - Yonge and Gerrard streets 43 years ago - Ryerson - 1981 Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives) |
| 1983 |  | Coronet Theatre and Lindys Restaurant - Yonge and Gerrard 41 years ago - Ryerson - 1983 Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives) |
| 1920 |  | Cosmopolitan Theatre at Yonge Street and Gould Avenue, Toronto 104 years ago - Ryerson - 1920 Link to archive record - Map location (From Archives of Ontario) |
| 1915 |  | Crystal Palace Theatre at night on Yonge Street opposite Temperance Street 109 years ago - Downtown - 1915 Link to archive record - Map location (From Archives of Ontario) |
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| 1949 |  | Downtown Theatre - 285 Yonge Street. Built 1948, closed 1972 75 years ago - Downtown - 1949 Link to archive record - Map location (From Archives of Ontario) |
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| 1949 |  | Eclipse Theatre at 393 Parliament Street - Opened 1947, closed 1951 75 years ago - Regent Park - Wednesday, July 27, 1949 Max temp: 33.9°C - Min temp: 23.3°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives) |
| 1929 |  | Elgin and Winter Garden Theatres - (called Loews Theatre at the time) on right - 189 Yonge St looking north from Queen, traffic at 1 p.m 95 years ago - Garden District - Saturday, August 31, 1929 Max temp: 31.1°C - Min temp: 10.0°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives) |
| 1967 |  | Elgin and Winter Garden Theatres - Peter Harris looking into the Winter Garden from the stage - closed since 1928 57 years ago - Garden District - Saturday, December 23, 1967 Link to archive record - Map location (From the Toronto Public Library) |
| 1989 |  | Elgin and Winter Garden Theatres - Wizard of Oz designer Astrid Janson in the lobby 35 years ago - Garden District - Tuesday, December 12, 1989 Link to archive record - Map location (From the Toronto Public Library) |
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| 1874 |  | Grand Opera House - from Canadian Illustrated News: Images in the news 150 years ago - Downtown - Saturday, August 29, 1874 Max temp: 25.6°C - Min temp: 13.9°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From the Library and Archives Canada) |
| 1927 |  | Grand Opera House on Adelaide St, east, from Bay, noon, slow moving truck forced to use second traffic lane by parked cars, faster traffic in turn forced over to wrong side of street to pass 97 years ago - Downtown - Monday, February 7, 1927 Max temp: 2.2°C - Min temp: -2.8°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives) |
| 1890 |  | Grand Opera House, 15 Adelaide St. W. - Opened 1874, demolished 1927 134 years ago - Downtown - 1890 Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives) |
| 1920 |  | Grand Opera House, Adelaide St west, with sign 104 years ago - Downtown - 1920 Link to archive record - Map location (From Archives of Ontario) |
| I (back to top) | ||
| 1984 |  | Imperial Six Theatre at night, Yonge Street 40 years ago - Downtown - 1984 Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives) |
| 1973 |  | Imperial Six theatre on Yonge Street - showing the film Westworld (Yul Brynner) next to Chapman Bros jewelry 51 years ago - Downtown - Thursday, November 22, 1973 Max temp: 11.7°C - Min temp: 7.2°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives) |
| 1981 |  | Imperial Six Theatre on Yonge Street with distinctive round cutout 43 years ago - Downtown - 1981 Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives) |
| 1972 |  | Imperial Theatre showing The Godfather along with the Superior Restaurant and the Saxony Restaurant, as well as Studio 267 Menswear along Yonge Street, south of Dundas Square 52 years ago - Downtown - 1972 Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives) |
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| 1960 |  | Lux Italia Theatre on north side of College Street, looking north from Bellevue Avenue 64 years ago - Harbord Village - 1960 Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives) |
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| 1910 |  | Mary Pickford theatre - looking east on Queen Street (Originally the Auditorium Theatre) 114 years ago - Queen West - Thursday, September 29, 1910 Max temp: 20.0°C - Min temp: 6.7°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives) |
| 1924 |  | Mary Pickford theatre on left - Spadina Avenue at Queen Street West, looking north 100 years ago - Queen West - 1924 Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives) |
| 1933 |  | Mary Pickford theatre on right - looking west on Queen St. at Spadina 91 years ago - Queen West - Thursday, October 12, 1933 Max temp: 15.6°C - Min temp: 7.2°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives) |
| 1910 |  | Mary Pickford Theatre on the left - originally The Auditorium Theatre - opened 1906 114 years ago - Queen West - Thursday, September 29, 1910 Max temp: 20.0°C - Min temp: 6.7°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives) |
| 1894 |  | Massey Hall interior (Shuter St., s.w. corner Victoria St) 130 years ago - Garden District - 1894 Link to archive record - Map location (From the Toronto Public Library) |
| 1947 |  | Midtown Theatre also known as the Capri - opened 1913 as the Madison 77 years ago - The Annex - 1947 Link to archive record - Map location (From Archives of Ontario) |
| 1919 |  | Midtown Theatre - Madison Theatre at the time of the photo - College Inn Lunch next door 105 years ago - The Annex - 1919 Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives) |
| 1945 |  | Midtown Theatre 506 Bloor Street West - now the Bloor Cinema 79 years ago - The Annex - 1945 Link to archive record - Map location (From Archives of Ontario) |
| O (back to top) | ||
| 1972 |  | Odeon Carlton Theatre - 20 Carlton Street - 1948-1973 - one of the last in Toronto with an organ 52 years ago - Church-Wellesley Village - 1972 Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives) |
| 1948 |  | Odeon Carlton Theatre - auditorium and stage - Yonge and Carlton (?) 76 years ago - Church-Wellesley Village - 1948 Link to archive record - Map location (From Archives of Ontario) |
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| 1930 |  | Pantages Theatre and 3:50pm traffic on Yonge St, looking south, from Wilton Square (Dundas) 94 years ago - Downtown - Monday, February 17, 1930 Max temp: 1.7°C - Min temp: -17.8°C - 0.8cm of snowfall (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives) |
| 1962 |  | Parliament Theatre (on left) next to 305-307 Parliament Street 62 years ago - Regent Park - Sunday, October 28, 1962 Max temp: 12.2°C - Min temp: 2.8°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives) |
| 1979 |  | Parliament Theatre at 309 Parliament St 45 years ago - Regent Park - Saturday, September 1, 1979 Max temp: 26.7°C - Min temp: 16.0°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From Collations Flickr stream) |
| 1986 |  | Parliament Theatre with sign removed at 309 Parliament St - Originally The Bluebell then The Gay 38 years ago - Regent Park - Monday, March 17, 1986 Max temp: 5.9°C - Min temp: -0.8°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From Collations Flickr stream) |
| 1950 |  | Portuguese Melody Theatre playbill - 344 College Street 74 years ago - Harbord Village - Tuesday, April 18, 1950 Max temp: 18.9°C - Min temp: 3.3°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From the Toronto Public Library) |
| 1913 |  | Princess Theatre - ground floor fire doors - EXIT sign with shade 111 years ago - Downtown - Friday, November 14, 1913 Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives) |
| 1900 |  | Princess Theatre interior (originally the Academy of Music) - Pressed Metal Co 1900 catalogue 124 years ago - Downtown - 1900 Link to archive record - Map location |
| 1929 |  | Princess Theatre on the south side of King St. - University Avenue extension planning 95 years ago - Downtown - Monday, March 11, 1929 Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives) |
| 1915 |  | Princess Theatre ruins - ornate trim, stairs, broken mirrors, and firehose 109 years ago - Downtown - Monday, May 10, 1915 Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives) |
| 1915 |  | Princess Theatre ruins after May 1915 fire - upper balcony roof collapse 109 years ago - Downtown - Monday, May 10, 1915 Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives) |
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| 1910 |  | Red Mill theater with crowd out front 114 years ago - Garden District - 1910 Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives) |
| 1913 |  | Red Mill Theatre opened 1906 by John Griffin under the name of The Theatorium 111 years ago - Garden District - Tuesday, April 8, 1913 Max temp: 7.8°C - Min temp: -1.1°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives) |
| 1913 |  | Red Mill Theatre, north of Queen Street at 183 Yonge Street 111 years ago - Garden District - Tuesday, April 8, 1913 Max temp: 7.8°C - Min temp: -1.1°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives) |
| 1913 |  | Red Mill Theatre, north of Queen Street on Yonge Street 111 years ago - Garden District - Tuesday, April 8, 1913 Max temp: 7.8°C - Min temp: -1.1°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives) |
| 1921 |  | Regent on Adelaide - The Best First Regent playbill 103 years ago - Downtown - Monday, March 14, 1921 Max temp: 2.2°C - Min temp: -2.2°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From the Toronto Public Library) |
| 1925 |  | Regent on Adelaide St. west of Yonge - Ad for Forbidden Fruit by Cecil B. De Mille 99 years ago - Downtown - Saturday, February 21, 1925 Max temp: 6.1°C - Min temp: -1.1°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From the Toronto Public Library) |
| 1916 |  | Rialto Theatre (side) Yonge and Shuter with Power and Weber Eye of God ad 108 years ago - Garden District - Thursday, October 5, 1916 Max temp: 24.4°C - Min temp: 6.7°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives) |
| 1916 |  | Rialto Theatre - Yonge and Shuter Streets - south east corner 108 years ago - Garden District - Thursday, October 5, 1916 Max temp: 24.4°C - Min temp: 6.7°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives) |
| 1916 |  | Rialto Theatre, southeast corner of Yonge and Shuter streets 108 years ago - Garden District - Thursday, October 5, 1916 Max temp: 24.4°C - Min temp: 6.7°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives) |
| 1930 |  | Royal Alex - Soldiers outside theatre showing silent 1928 British war film Balaclava 94 years ago - King Street West - Monday, October 6, 1930 Max temp: 17.8°C - Min temp: 4.4°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives) |
| 1909 |  | Royal Alexandra Theatre in 1909 - Wizard of the Nile ran from October 10, 1908 to October 16, 1908 115 years ago - King Street West - Tuesday, April 6, 1909 Link to archive record - Map location (From the Toronto Public Library) |
| 1915 |  | Royal Alexandra Theatre stage to resemble The Hotel Carls-Rite Blue Room 109 years ago - King Street West - Monday, April 5, 1915 Link to archive record - Map location (From the Toronto Public Library) |
| 1955 |  | Royal Alexandra Theatre, built 1907, oldest continuously operating theatre in North America 69 years ago - King Street West - Tuesday, May 31, 1955 Max temp: 17.8°C - Min temp: 11.1°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From the Toronto Public Library) |
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| 1953 |  | Sheas Hippodrome (the Hipp) one of the big four vaudeville theatres in North America 71 years ago - City Hall - Friday, April 3, 1953 Max temp: 11.7°C - Min temp: 0.6°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From the Toronto Public Library) |
| 1953 |  | Sheas Hippodrome - built 1914, demolished in the 1950s 71 years ago - City Hall - 1953 Link to archive record - Map location (From the Toronto Public Library) |
| 1956 |  | Sheas Victoria Theatre view from rear, during demolition 68 years ago - Old Town - Sunday, May 6, 1956 Max temp: 12.8°C - Min temp: 8.3°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From the Toronto Public Library) |
| 1955 |  | Sheas VictoriaTheatre, Victoria Street, s.e. cor. Richmond St. E. : Toronto Public Library 69 years ago - Old Town - 1955 Link to archive record - Map location (From the Toronto Public Library) |
| 1930 |  | Standard Theatre - first purpose built Yiddish theatre in North America - Dundas and Spadina -Hebrew theatre sign 94 years ago - Chinatown (Spadina Ave) - Thursday, June 12, 1930 Max temp: 24.4°C - Min temp: 13.3°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives) |
| 1910 |  | Standard Theatre, 482 Queen Street West 114 years ago - Alexandra Park - 1910 Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives) |
| 1920 |  | Strand Theatre at night - Yonge Street north of King Street - opened 1915, closed 1920 104 years ago - Downtown - 1920 Link to archive record - Map location (From Archives of Ontario) |
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| 1945 |  | Tivoli Theatre - 17 Richmond St. East - opened Nov 10, 1917 as the Allen Theatre 79 years ago - Downtown - 1945 Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives) |
| 1919 |  | Tivoli Theatre block on the southwest corner of Richmond and Victoria streets 105 years ago - Downtown - 1919 Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives) |
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| 1948 |  | University Theatre - auditorium and balcony 76 years ago - Yorkville - Friday, November 5, 1948 Max temp: 18.3°C - Min temp: 10.6°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From Archives of Ontario) |
| 1948 |  | University Theatre - seating area with window still open to street 76 years ago - Yorkville - Friday, November 5, 1948 Max temp: 18.3°C - Min temp: 10.6°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From Archives of Ontario) |
| 1948 |  | University Theatre marquee and sign for Joan of Arc with Ingrid Bergman 76 years ago - Yorkville - Friday, November 5, 1948 Max temp: 18.3°C - Min temp: 10.6°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From Archives of Ontario) |
| 1983 |  | University Theatre on Bloor St. showing Return of the Jedi (opened 1949, closed 1986) 41 years ago - Yorkville - 1983 Link to archive record - Map location (From the City of Toronto Archives) |
| 1948 |  | University Theatre on Bloor Street - sitting area and balcony 76 years ago - Yorkville - Friday, November 5, 1948 Max temp: 18.3°C - Min temp: 10.6°C (weather details) Link to archive record - Map location (From Archives of Ontario) |