Runnymede Theatre
Runnymede Theatre was a playhouse located in Bloor West Village, an affluent west end Toronto neighbourhood. In 1999, it ceased its operations as a movie theatre to become a Chapters bookstore. Its original address, before Chapters' takeover, was 2223 Bloor Street West, at the southwest corner of Runnymede Road.
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[edit] History
Commonly known as the "Runny", the Runnymede was built in June, 1927 by the Capitol (later Famous Players) as an atmospheric vaudeville theatre, first of this type in Toronto. It officially opened with a popular MGM comedy, “The Rookies.” The playhouse was designed by Alfred Chapman, father of Chris Chapman, an accomplished Toronto filmmaker. Known for its music and stage shows, the large 1400-seat theatre, branded “Canada’s Theatre Beautiful”, quickly became popular and brought prestige to the west end of the city.[1] As an atmospheric theatre, the interior of the Runnymede was designed to transport its guests to an exotic place. The painted blue sky ceiling was adorned with clouds, where a complex lighting system projected an array of stars and airplanes. The walls were decorated with a mural, which produced an illusion of being in a courtyard.[2] The building discontinued to be used for plays and live entertainment with the gradual death of vaudeville, and was subsequently converted to a movie theatre sometime in the late 1930s.
[edit] References
- ^ Serbert, John: "The 'Nabes': Toronto’s wonderful neighbourhood movie houses.", page 67. Mosaic Press, 2001
- ^ Hendley, Nate (December 12 1998). ""Run-in at the Runnymede"". Eye. http://www.eye.net/eye/issue/issue_12.24.98/news_views/hendley24.html.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
- Cinema Treasures: Runnymede Theatre
- Toronto Ghosts and Hauntings Research Society: Runnymede Theatre
- Stories from Ontario's Movie Theatres: Capitol Theatre, Cornwall - photographs of Runnymede's demolished sister theatre
- Petroff Partnerships - the firm responsible for the restoration of the theatre; also include a picture of the interior before Chapters-Indigo merger
- World19 - Community Action in Bloor West Village, newsletter #86, May 30, 2001
- “Save the Village” Campaign - depicts the fears of Bloor West Village residents associated with the arrival of Chapters
- [1] - a picture of the theatre before the Chapters' takeover and subsequent restoration
- [2] - a photograph depicting the building as a Chapters bookstore, before the merger with Indigo; current condition
Coordinates: 43°39′03″N 79°28′36″W / 43.650730°N 79.476530°W
![[1]](http://webhome.idirect.com/~jleeson/runnymede.jpg){kind=link}
![[2]](http://home.flash.net/~ral1/starbucks/bigimages/DSCN6585.jpg){kind=link}