The College Theatre was once located at 960 College St (at Dovercourt Rd on the northwest corner) in the Dufferin Grove neighbourhood of Toronto.
Built in 1919, architect Charles Howard Crane designed the College Theatre for Jay and Jules Allen. It was one of a few theatres built in the city by the Allens, pioneers in the Canadian movie industry. Opening in early 1920, the theatre had a 1650-seating capacity.
Famous Players later operated the College Theatre until it closed in 1967. The building was subsequently sold, demolished and replaced with the present-day structure.
Other theatres in the city that were part of the Allen brothers’ chain include:
- Allen, later the Tivoli once at Richmond St E and Victoria St
- Allen’s Beach once at Queen St E and Waverley Rd
- Allen’s Beaver once at Dundas St W, east of Pacific Ave
- Allen’s Bloor, today’s Lee’s Palace at Bloor St W, east of Bathurst St
- Allen’s Danforth, today’s Danforth Music Hall at Danforth Ave and Broadview Ave
- Allen’s Parkdale once at Queen St W and Triller Ave
- Allen’s St Clair once at Dufferin St and St Clair Ave W
College Theatre Photos
Source
- The Globe Newspaper Archives: Dec 13, 1919, pg 24
- The Globe Newspaper Archives: Feb 7, 1920, pg 22
- Photos: Denise Marie for TorontoJourney416
- Vintage Photos: City of Toronto Archives, Toronto Public Library & Archives of Ontario
- Toronto City Directory 1920 from the Toronto Public Library