Many residents know of the Odeon Carlton Cinemas on Carlton St., just east of Yonge St., but we used to have our own cinema right on Parliament St. called the Carlton Theatre.

Photo courtesy of Archives Ontario – AO 2033

Opening in 1919, the Carlton Theatre was located at 509 Parliament St., just north of Carlton St. on the east side of the street. The 700 seat theatre showed films to a mainly local audience who had not yet experienced the television age. It wasn’t until 1948 that a candy bar was installed in the theatre (remember that when you’re spending as much on popcorn and snacks as you do for the movie!).

The theatre closed on Saturday, September 25, 1954. It later became a CBC studio for a number of years, and is now the School of Canadian Contemporary Dance Theatre.

For more information and pictures (including from inside the theatre) visit the excellent Historic Toronto website, by Toronto artist and author Doug Taylor.

The Carlton Theatre (tayloronhistory.com)