Projectionists at the Loew’s Yonge St. Theatre

From left to right: Loew’s Yonge St. Theatre projectionists and operators Earl Winslow, Phil Ristow, Charles Sturgess and Charles Hallett pose for the January, 1946 issue of Lo!, the Loew’s Inc. employee magazine, which was in its second year of publication. Winslow was the veteran of the bunch, having manned the booth on the Yonge St. theatre’s opening  night in December, 1913; “select photoplays” by Selig, Pathe and Biograph were shown. Long-lasting tenures weren’t uncommon at the time. Jules Bernstein, a veteran of the Loew’s circuit in New York, was managing director of the Yonge St. Theatre from its first … Continue reading Projectionists at the Loew’s Yonge St. Theatre

Creepy Classics presents White Zombie!

Silent Toronto is hoping to inject a little classic horror into Toronto’s October film calendar, so we present our first-annual Halloween Creepy Classics Film Event! WHAT IS IT? A special 16mm screening of the Halperin Bros. classic White Zombie. WHEN IS IT? Monday, October 27. Doors open at 7:30, and please arrive early – seating is limited! Admission is only $8.00! Show will start at 8:30! WHERE IS IT? Cine-Cycle! Located down the lane behind 129 Spadina (near Richmond), Cine-Cycle is a bicycle repair shop by day and micro-cinema by night! A snack bar will be available, and owner Martin … Continue reading Creepy Classics presents White Zombie!

Hollywood Dreams at the Loew’s Theatre

by Eric Veillette In the early days of the movie palace, it didn’t take much to get people into the theatres. The seats were always filled with beaming eyes staring at the latest antics of Mary Pickford or Buster Keaton. Despite jam-packed attendance, theatre managers liked to spruce things up a bit, and give patrons a little more than just a film and a newsreel. How about offering up a prize for grabs? A Saint-John, New Brunswick newspaper clipping I have from November of 1916, promoting Chaplin’s film Shanghaied, asks: “Boys and girls! Have You Sent Your Chaplin Essays in Yet? … Continue reading Hollywood Dreams at the Loew’s Theatre