Early History
The 3000 seat theatre opened as Loew's Uptown Theatre in 1920, originally serving as a venue for both vaudeville and films. It was designed by acclaimed theatre designer Thomas W. Lamb. Although built for different chains, the Uptown Theatre and Pantages Theatre (later the Imperial, the Canon, and the Ed Mirvish) were sisters, designed by the same architect, and opened less than a month apart. The Uptown was smaller than the Pantages and with a much smaller lobby, but the two had similar Yonge Street entrances and their auditoriums were of the same style. The original paint colours for the auditorium were rose, grey and gold. For several years noted choreographer Leon Leonidoff was employed by the theatre. It was at the Uptown that Leonidoff developed the style that he would later give Radio City Music Hall's Rockettes. The name Uptown was fitting for its time, as downtown Toronto in 1920 did not extend much north of Queen Street.
Read more about this topic: Uptown Theatre (Toronto)
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