Odeon Danforth Theatre, later Rex Danforth, was once located at 635 Danforth Ave (west of Pape Ave on the south side) in The Danforth/Greektown neighbourhood of Toronto.
Built in 1946/47 and designed by architect Jay Isadore English, the movie house opened on April 16, 1948. Along with the ticket booth, the exterior featured a tall illuminated sign and an unconventional marquee gently curved towards the entrance.
The auditorium was a shade of blue/green and had scarlet seats. Large decorative scrolls flared towards the ceiling, and gold drapes extended around the side walls. The main floor seating had extra leg room, while the balcony had a push-back style of seats. Roly Young, a movie critic for The Globe and Mail, mentioned: “…the theatre one of the most beautiful I’ve seen.”
The Danforth was one of five theatres that were part of the Odeon chain, owned by J Arthur Rank. The other four included the Humber, Carlton, Fairlawn and the Hyland.
In the late-1970s, the theatre was renamed the Rex Danforth and showed Greek films. On February 20, 1979, The Clash took the stage at the otherwise peaceful theatre for an exciting concert.
The building was sold in 1994 for $1.5 million and later became home to Extreme Fitness. Today, GoodLife Fitness occupies the former theatre.
Odeon Danforth Theatre Photos
SOURCE
- The Globe and Mail Newspaper Archives: Apr 16, 1948, pg 10
- The Globe and Mail Newspaper Archives: Feb 21, 1979, pg 11
- The Globe and Mail Newspaper Archives: Aug 20, 2011, pg A4
- Photos: Denise Marie for TorontoJourney416
- Vintage Photos: City of Toronto Archives & Archives of Ontario
- Toronto City Directory by Might Directories Ltd 1949 courtesy of Toronto Public Library
- Toronto Yellow Pages 1986 courtesy of Toronto Public Library