The Odeon Carlton Theatre, originally the Odeon-Toronto, was once located at 20 Carlton St (east of Yonge St on the north side) in the Church and Wellesley neighbourhood of Toronto.
Built in 1947/48, architect Jay Isadore English designed the postwar Modern style theatre. It featured a dramatic stone tower that rose 80 ft tall and could be seen from blocks away. The flagship Odeon movie house was the largest single theatre in Ontario, with 2,130 seats. On September 9, 1948, the Odeon-Toronto opened with the movie “Oliver Twist” starring Robert Newton, Alec Guinness and Kay Walsh.
The Carlton was one of five theatres that were part of the Odeon chain, owned by J Arthur Rank. The other four included the Humber, Danforth, Fairlawn and the Hyland.
In 1956, it was renamed the Odeon-Carlton and remained open until 1973. The building was demolished later that year.
On the site of the former theatre, two towers were constructed between Maple Leaf Gardens and the Toronto Hydro building. The tower at 20 Carlton St, The Maples, is home to Carlton Cinema.
Odeon Carlton Theatre Photos
Source
- The Globe and Mail Newspaper Archives: Aug 18, 1949, pg 13
- The Globe and Mail Newspaper Archives: Dec 28, 1972, pg 15
- The Globe and Mail Newspaper Archives: Oct 6, 1973, pg 23
- Photos: Denise Marie for TorontoJourney416
- Vintage Photos: City of Toronto Archives & Archives of Ontario
- Toronto City Directory 1950 from the Toronto Public Library