The Kingsway Theatre Was a ‘Modern Picture Palace’

In the 1930s, Robert Home Smith, developer of The Kingsway, set aside lots along both sides of Bloor Street as “Kingsway Park Business Sites” to provide shopping and services for local residents. When the Kingsway Theatre opened in 1939 on Bloor Street West, just west of Royal York Road, it was billed as a “modern picture palace” with its exterior of shiny black vitrolite and polished aluminum. In the above 1949 photo, the adults lined up will pay 20¢ and kids 10¢ to see to see the film That Midnight Kiss, starring Kathryn Grayson and José Iturbi. In fact, those prices also included a second feature, a cartoon, and a newsreel...and no ads!   (Courtesy:  Toronto Archives)

​Researched & Written by Denise Harris, originally published by the Etobicoke Guardian and reprinted with permission.