Originally the Melba Theatre, later the Queen and then Vogue Theatre, was once located at 1574 Queen StE (at Craven Rd on the northeast corner) in Toronto’s Greenwood-Coxwell and Leslieville neighbourhoods.
The 496-seat Melba Theatre opened in 1915, and in the mid-1930s, it was renamed the Queen. By the mid-1940s, the theatre became the Vogue and began selling candy and popcorn and around 1953, the movie house closed.
After being vacant for a few years, the former theatre building became home to the East End Canadians Hall, the Craven Hall Maritime Social Club and the Q Club. Today, the building is occupied by Security Management Services.
Melba Theatre Photos
1922 – Melba Theatre was once located on the northeast corner at 1574 Queen St E and Craven Rd. On the theatre sign, the silent film “Silas Marner,” starring Crauford Kent, Marguerite Courtot and Robert Kenyon, was playing (City of Toronto Archives, Ken Webster Fonds, Fonds 251, Series 1278, File 109)1922 – Looking east along Queen St E towards Craven Rd and Melba Theatre (City of Toronto Archives, Fonds 16, Series 71, Item 1702) 1955 – Vogue Theatre, originally Melba Theatre, was once located at 1574 Queen St E and Craven Rd, on the northeast corner (City of Toronto Archives, Ken Webster Fonds, Fonds 251, Series 1278, File 109)Date unknown – A textual record of Melba/Queen/Vogue Theatre once located at 1574 Queen St E (City of Toronto Archives, Ken Webster Fonds, Fonds 251, Series 1278, File 109)1962/1956 – Real estate documents for the former Melba/Queen/Vogue Theatre building at 1574 Queen St E (City of Toronto Archives, Ken Webster Fonds, Fonds 251, Series 1278, File 109)Date unknown – The Q Club once occupied the former Melba Theatre building on the northeast corner of Queen St E and Craven Rd (City of Toronto Archives, Ken Webster Fonds, Fonds 251, Series 1278, File 109)2022 – Melba Theatre was once located at 1574 Queen St E and Craven Rd, on the northeast corner. Today, the former theatre building is home to Security Management Services1915 – The Toronto City Directory showing the address of the Melba Theatre (Toronto Public Library)1946 – The Toronto City Directory showing the address and phone number of the Queen Theatre (Toronto Public Library)1953 – The Toronto City Directory showing the address and phone number of the Vogue Theatre (Toronto Public Library)
