Roxy Theatre (Toronto)

Last updated
Shell of the theatre, in 2009. Avalon Theatre, Toronto.JPG
Shell of the theatre, in 2009.

Roxy Theatre was the final name of a theatre that operated from 1935 to 2006 at 1215 Danforth Avenue, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada's east end. It was designed by the architectural firm Kaplan & Sprachman, which designed dozens of neighbourhood cinemas, and opened under the name Allenby Theatre. [1] [2] [3] [4]

In the 1930s the Allenby allowed neighbourhood children to enroll in the Popeye Club, where they could watch a double bill, and two episodes of the popeye cartoon serials, for ten cents. [1]

During the 1970s, the theatre was run by Gary Topp and Jeff Silverman, reported to have introduced midnight screenings to Toronto. [5] It was the first theatre to play daring films, like John Waters' Pink Flamingos . In addition to serving as a repertory cinema, the location was an early venue for the performance of punk rock. [6]

The Roxy is known for playing cult-classic Rocky Horror Picture Show, every week, from 1976 to 1983. [7]

In its final decades the theatre was one of the Festival chain of repertory cinemas of similar age.

The building's Art Deco facade earned it a listing as a building of heritage interest. [2] [3] [4] This designation, short of a full heritage designation, only preserved its facade. The building stood vacant, for several years, making the work of conservators more difficult.

Following its final period as an English language repertory cinema, it reopened as the Apollo Theatre, and played Greek language films. [8] [1] However, it retained hand-painted Star Wars murals. [3]

The bulk of the building was demolished in November 2009, [6] and an Esso gas station, convenience store, and Tim Hortons were constructed on the site. The facade of the building was restored with an Allenby Theatre marquee, including its ticket booth. A commemorative plaque was installed on the building with its designation as a heritage site, and historical photos are featured inside. [9] [10] [11]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">ByTowne Cinema</span> One-screen repertory movie theatre in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada

The ByTowne Cinema is a one-screen repertory movie theatre located in Ottawa, Ontario, The cinema is one of Ottawa's main venues for independent and foreign films. The 650-seat cinema is located on Rideau Street at Nelson, several blocks east of the Rideau Centre. It was closed on December 24, 2020, with a final week of screenings shown on February 26 to March 7, 2021. The cinema reopened under new ownership on September 8, 2021.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Ed Mirvish Theatre</span> Toronto, Ontario Theatre

The Ed Mirvish Theatre is a historic performing arts theatre in Toronto, Ontario, located near Yonge–Dundas Square. Owned and operated by Mirvish Productions, the theatre has approximately 2,300 seats across two levels. There are two entrances to the theatre, located at 263 Yonge Street and 244 Victoria Street.

'The Adelaide Repertory Theatre, often called Adelaide Rep or The Rep, is an amateur theatre company in Adelaide, South Australia, founded in 1908. It usually presents its productions at The Arts Theatre.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Revue Cinema</span> Cinema in Ontario, Canada

The Revue Cinema is a cinema in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Built between late-1911 and early-1912, it is a designated 'heritage' site and is Toronto's oldest standing movie theatre in use for showing movies. When news of its closure became public, a grass-roots community movement sprang up in order to save the cinema. After a great deal of effort, the movement was ultimately successful and the Revue reopened in October 2007. It is now operated by the not-for-profit Revue Film Society.

The Park Theatre is a neighbourhood movie house on Cambie Street in Vancouver, British Columbia. Opened in 1941, it has passed through several owners, including Odeon Theatres, Famous Players and Alliance Atlantis Cinemas, and in 2005 was renovated and became part of the Festival Cinemas chain. It was acquired by Cineplex Entertainment in 2013 after the Festival chain ceased operations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Danforth Music Hall</span> Music venue in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

The Danforth Music Hall is a music venue and event theatre on Danforth Avenue in the neighbourhood of Riverdale in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It is served by Broadview station on the TTC's Bloor–Danforth line. The building was designated as a property of historic interest under the Ontario Heritage Act in 1985.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vogue Theatre (Vancouver)</span> Theatre and former movie house in Canada

Vogue Theatre is an Art Deco / Art Moderne styled building originally built as a movie house, and currently used as an event venue for the performing arts. Situated on Vancouver’s “Theatre Row", the building was designated as a National Historic Site of Canada in 1993.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Standard Theatre (Toronto)</span>

The Standard Theatre is an inactive theatre in Toronto that originated as the city's main venue for Yiddish theatre, and later became the Victory Burlesque, which would be the last traditional burlesque theatre in Toronto when it closed in 1975. It is located at 285 Spadina Ave. the corner of Spadina Avenue and Dundas Street.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moderne architecture</span> Architectural style

Moderne architecture, also sometimes referred to as Style Moderne or simply Moderne, Jazz Age, Moderne, Jazz Modern or Jazz style, describes certain styles of architecture popular from 1925 through the 1940s. It is closely related to Art Deco. Both belong to the architectural Modern Movement, which broke with tradition on purpose to create a fresh look that was uninfluenced by earlier forms and styles.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Zanzibar Tavern</span> Adult entertainment nightclub in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

The Zanzibar Tavern in Toronto, Ontario, is an adult entertainment nightclub and local landmark found on Toronto's Yonge Street strip. It is one of Toronto's oldest nightclubs, which celebrated its 60th anniversary in 2020.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Metro Theatre (Toronto)</span> Former cinema in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

The Metro Theatre was an adult movie theatre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Located at 677 Bloor Street, it was open ten hours a day throughout the entire week before its closure in 2013. Built in 1938, it is one of the several Art Deco theatres built in Toronto in the 1930s by architects Kaplan and Sprachman. Metro Theatre opened in 1939 as a neighbourhood theatre showing second run films and B movies and in 1976 started to show adult films. The theatre is stylized for the 1940s, one of its screening rooms had 286 seats and another 320, there is also a snack bar. The entrance contained signed photos of notable pornographic stars, including Ron Jeremy.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eglinton Theatre</span>

The Eglinton Theatre, is an event venue and cinema in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. In 2016, it was designated a National Historic Site by Parks Canada and the Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Casino Theatre (Toronto)</span> Theatre in Toronto, Ontario, Canada

The Casino Theatre was a live theatre, in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It was located at 87 Queen Street West across the street from the current site of Nathan Phillips Square.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hollywood Theatre (Toronto)</span> Movie theatre in Ontario, Canada

The Hollywood Theatre was a movie theatre at 1519 Yonge Street in Toronto, Ontario. It opened in 1930 and was located on the east side of Yonge Street, north of St. Clair Avenue.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Westwood Theatre</span> Former cinema in Etobicoke, Ontario, Canada

The Westwood Theatre was built in 1951 in Etobicoke, Ontario's Six Points intersection where Kipling Avenue intersects both Bloor and Dundas streets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Paradise Theatre (Toronto)</span> Cinema in Ontario, Canada

The Paradise Theatre is a movie theatre located at 1006 Bloor Street West in the Bloorcourt Village neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. It first opened in 1937, closed in 2006, and then was to be turned into a pharmacy. However, it was restored and re-opened on December 5, 2019. The renovations included luxury features, such as an attached restaurant, bar, and table service to the premium patrons in the balcony.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Harold Kaplan (architect)</span> Canadian architect

Harold Kaplan was a Canadian architect.

Abraham Sprachman was a Canadian architect. In 1922, he founded Kaplan & Sprachman with Harold Kaplan, which is mostly recognized for designing many movie theaters across Canada from the 1920s to the 1950s, and also for designing synagogues and buildings for the Jewish communities. His work was part of the architecture event in the art competition at the 1948 Summer Olympics.

Shaar Hashomayim is a synagogue in Sudbury, Ontario, Canada. It was dedicated on April 24, 1960. That year, the congregation joined the United Synagogues of America, the chief organ of Conservative Judaism.

References

  1. 1 2 3 Doug Taylor (2016). Toronto's Local Movie Theatres of Yesteryear: Brought Back to Thrill You Again. Dundurn Press. pp. 14, 62–65, 100. ISBN   9781459733428.[ permanent dead link ]
  2. 1 2 Bert Archer (2006-09-16). "Is it curtains for good at the Roxy Theatre?". The Globe and Mail . Archived from the original on 2017-05-22. Retrieved 2017-05-20. And now, like a gratuitous kick when the Toronto cinephile community's down, comes news that the old Roxy at Danforth and Greenwood -- a former member of the Festival group that has been closed and vacant for more than a decade -- has been sold as well. And it could soon be a gas station.
  3. 1 2 3 Jonathan Castellino (2008-12-12). "Toronto's Forgotten Landmarks: A Night at the Roxy". BlogTO. Archived from the original on 2017-03-01. Retrieved 2017-05-20. The chief architectural designers of this low-rise theatre were Kaplan & Sprachman, responsible for many of the smaller concert venues and theatres in the area.
  4. 1 2 "The Roxy Theatre". Eraarch.ca. Archived from the original on 2017-02-26. Retrieved 2017-05-20.
  5. ↑ "THE ORIGINAL 99 CENT ROXY THEATRE: A BRIEF HISTORY". The last pogo. 2015-10-21. Archived from the original on 2015-11-01. Retrieved 2017-05-20.
  6. 1 2 "Remake-remodel". The last pogo. 2009-11-06. Archived from the original on 2016-08-29. Retrieved 2017-05-20.
  7. ↑ Don Wall (2015-03-11). "Flashback 1975: Rocky Horror – Do the Time Warp again". Forever Young magazine. Archived from the original on 2016-04-05. Retrieved 2017-05-20. Back in 1980, it was the Roxy theatre that served as the host of weekly midnight showings in Toronto. They'd show up in lace and lots of mascara, throw toast and rice and yell at Janet and Brad onscreen – "Get an umbrella," as they walked in the rain.
  8. ↑ Doug Taylor. "Toronto's old Allenby (Roxy, Apollo) Theatre on the Danforth". Archived from the original on 2016-08-08. Retrieved 2017-05-20.
  9. ↑ "1930s-era Roxy Theatre reopens with a new purpose after major restoration and preservation". YongeStreet. Retrieved 2018-04-14.
  10. ↑ Torontoist (2010-10-19). "From Double Feature To Double-Double". Torontoist. Retrieved 2018-04-14.
  11. ↑ "Hume: Tim does its bit on the Danforth". Toronto Star. Retrieved 2018-04-14.

43°40′53″N79°19′54″W / 43.68145°N 79.33165°W / 43.68145; -79.33165

This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.