| Donlands Theatre | |
|---|---|
 Donlands Theatre, 1948 | |
 | |
| General information | |
| Address | 397 Donlands Avenue Toronto [1] |
| Opened | 1948 |
| Closed | 1984 |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect(s) | Herbert G. Duerr |
| Other information | |
| Seating capacity | 838 [2] |
The Donlands Theatre, is a multipurpose complex and former movie theatre, located on the eponymous Donlands Avenue in the East York neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. [1]
After a protracted construction that lasted more than one and a half year due to a workers' strike, [1] the Donlands Theatre opened on 20 November 1948 with a screening of the historical drama Tap Roots . [3] It operated as part of the regional Bloom and Fine chain, a Famous Players affiliate, until 1969. [4] It was favorite childhood spot of actor John Candy, who grew up in the neighborhood. [5] Some sources also mention that he worked there as an usher. [6] Writer Pierre Berton and his wife, who lived next door with their first daughter, were also regular patrons. [7] It then operated directly under the Famous Players umbrella, before being sold in 1975 amidst a reorganization of the company's assets. [8] Shortly prior to the sale, it was described as a repertory cinema, offering multiple bills in quick rotation. [9]
Following a short tenure under the management of one William Collins, [10] the building then reemerged as a specialty theatre and occasional live venue catering to the area's growing Indian, and particularly Hindi-speaking immigrant community. [11] [12] It was owned by local event promoter Darshan Sahota, who also managed the Landsdowne and Paradise Theatres. [13] [14] Ashok "Charlie" Mehra, the owner of several hospitality businesses [15] [16] and the principal of Scarborough-based company Friends Film (Canada), [17] was also associated with the venue. [18] Several prominent South Asian entertainers have made personal appearances there, including classic actor Dilip Kumar. [18]
While the theatre employed IATSE projectionists under Famous Players, [19] it apparently ran afoul of the organization during Sahota's ownership tenure, as the Toronto Motion Pictures Projectionists Union, an IATSE member, filed grievances against him with the Ontario Labour Relations Board. [14] In early 1984, the theatre saw its license suspended due to safety violations, including overcrowding. [20]
The Donlands Theatre was designed in 1946 by Toronto-based theatre specialist Herbert G. Duerr. [4] [21] Kaplan & Sprachman, another study specializing in theatres, contributed to later renovations. [1] [22] The Donlands is an example of modern theatrical architecture, [1] although it also incorporated art deco touches. [23] It offered lodges but did not possess a balcony. [1] The theatre's entrance has earned notice for its Asian-influenced decor, which features a domed ceiling painted with a dragon and the Chinese symbol for prosperity embedded in the floor. [23] [24] [25] While those decorative elements predated the transformation of the place into a kung fu movie studio (), the Donlands was never a Chinese cinema. [6]
After a period of closure while awaiting a sale in 1985, [26] the theatre was repurposed as a suite of business spaces, primarily intended for use as recording studios and post-production facilities. That incarnation of the building was promoted under the commercial names Mediaplex [27] and Media Centre. [28] [29]
Among early adopters was Studio 92, a new studio founded by engineer Norman Barker which was housed on the third floor. [6] It settled there in 1986 or 1987 depending on sources, [30] [31] and would be the building's emblematic tenant until 2011. [32] Barker went on to receive two Juno Awards for his work at the studio. [33] It was used by former Chilliwack member Glenn Miller for several of his productions. [6] The building also welcomed a group of companies associated with Toronto's christian rock scene, which were previously housed within the walls of the Yonge Street Mission, [34] [35] [36] such as former Deliverance member Doug Virgin's Yonge Street Records. [37] As of 2024, part of the building still operates as a recording studio. [38]
Although it was primed for a renovation, the main theatre lay mostly unoccupied through the rest of the 1980s. [39] It was there however, rather than in the theatre's dedicated studios, that the band Blue Rodeo recorded their classic album Diamond Mine in December 1988 with the help of a mobile sound unit. [40] [41]
The disused theatre was used as an underground kung fu club during the 1990 shoot of the film Tiger Claws . Not long after, its producer and star, Jalal Merhi, moved in full time and fitted out the headquarters of his company Film One inside the building. [6] Over the following years, it came to boast a soundstage, production offices, two film editing suites, a video offline suite and a 25-seat 35mm screening room. [42] The music studios already housed inside the theatre remained active as independent entities. [6] The facility has seen several occupants following Film One's departure, and is still active as a film studio. [23] [43]
An actual kung fu school has also been operated inside the Donlands Theatre, with an opening date listed as 2007. [44] [45]
Another movie house opening slated for tonight—the handsome new Donlands. Its first attraction is "Tap Roots" [...] – via newspapers.com (subscription required)
Ashok Mehra presents Friends Film (Canada) International Inc.'s Gehri Chot URF: Door-Desh
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