Jump to content

User:Geo Swan/Kaplan & Sprachman

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Kaplan & Sprachman was a prominent Canadian architectural firm, best known for designing 69 theatres.[1] Five of those theatres remain in operation: the Danforth Music Hall in Toronto; the Imperial Oil Centre for the Performing Arts and the Odeon Theatre, in Sarnia; and the Park Theatre and Vogue Theatre in Vancouver.[2]

The partnership dissolved in 1965. 365 architectural drawings belonging to Harold Kaplan were donated to the Archives of Canada.

While many of the theatres they designed have been demolished, others have been repurposed. They include:[1]
image name username municipality location opened closed notes
Clyde Theatre User:Geo Swan/Clyde Theatre Toronto Danforth Avenue near Lutrell Avenue 1926 ?
Liberty Theatre User:Geo Swan/Standard Theatre (Toronto) Toronto Dundas Street West near Spadina Avenue 1928-08-22
  • Originally a Yiddish Theatre, known as the "Standard Theatre" and cultural centre -- said to be the only purpose built Yiddish theatre
  • Later operated as a Burlesque Theater, the "Victory"
  • In 1975, years after the intersection became the centre of Toronto's main Chinatown, it became the "Golden Harvest Theatre", and only showed Chinese films
  • Finally subdivided up into retail stores
Odeon Theatre (Queen and Jameson) User:Geo Swan/Odeon Theatre (Queen and Jameson) Toronto Queen Street West near Jameson Avenue 1931-05-22
User:Geo Swan/Circle Theatre (Toronto) Circle Theatre (Toronto) Toronto Yonge Street near Sherwood Avenue 1933-01-11
Cameo Theatre (Toronto) User:Geo Swan/Cameo Theatre (Toronto) Toronto Pape Avenue at Floyd Avenue 1934
Eglinton Theatre User:Geo Swan/Eglinton Theatre Toronto Eglinton Avenue West near Avenue Road 1935 2003
  • equipped with 70mm projectors, and, eventually, THX sound
  • converted to an "event venue"
Lansdowne Theatre (Toronto) User:Geo Swan/Lansdowne Theatre (Toronto) Toronto Lansdowne Avenue near Bloor Street West 1936
Allenby Theatre User:Geo Swan/Allenby Theatre Toronto Danforth Avenue at Greenwood Avenue 1936
Bellevue Theatre User:Geo Swan/Bellevue Theatre Toronto College Street at Brunswick Avenue 1936
Bayview Theatre User:Geo Swan/Bayview Theatre Toronto Bayview Avenue near Fleming Crescent 1936
Community Theatre (Toronto) User:Geo Swan/Community Theatre (Toronto) Toronto Woodbine Avenue at Frater Avenue 1937-01-20
Bloordale Theatre User:Geo Swan/Bloordale Theatre Toronto Bloor Street West near Indian Road 1938-05
Metro Theatre User:Geo Swan/Metro Theatre (Toronto) Toronto Bloor Street West at Manning Avenue 1938 2013
  • For many years Toronto's sole remaining large porno theatre
  • Converted to a rock climbing gym
Colony Theatre User:Geo Swan/Colony Theatre Toronto Eglinton Avenue West near Vaughan Road 1939
Midtown Theatre User:Geo Swan/Midtown Theatre Toronto Bloor Street West near Albany Avenue 1940
Vaughn Theatre User:Geo Swan/Vaughn Theatre Toronto
Casino Theatre (Toronto) User:Geo Swan/Casino Theatre (Toronto) Toronto Queen Street West near York Street 1944 1966
Downtown Theatre User:Geo Swan/Downtown Theatre Toronto Yonge Street at Dundas Square 1944
Glendale Theatre User:Geo Swan/Glendale Theatre Toronto Avenue Road near Cranbrooke Avenue 1946
Donlands Theatre User:Geo Swan/Donlands Theatre Toronto Donlands Avenue near Plains Road 1946
Birchcliff Theatre User:Geo Swan/Birchcliff Theatre Toronto Kingston Road at Manderley Drive 1949-04
Towne Cinema User:Geo Swan/Towne Cinema Toronto Bloor Street East near Yonge Street 1949-08-18

|}

References

[edit]
  1. ^ a b "Kaplan, Harold Solomon". Biographical Dictionary of Architects in Canada. Retrieved 2016-02-29.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  2. ^ "Movie Theaters Designed by Kaplan & Sprachman". Cinema Treasures. Retrieved 2016-02-29.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)