Comments on: Vancouver’s Missing Theatres

By: Barb J.

Barb J. — Fri, 06 Oct 2023 05:49:49 +0000

Re the photograph of the 700 block of Main St with the Imperial Theatre: note that the Imperial has been renamed the Orpheum, and is showing ‘big time vaudeville’. This happened for just 4 weeks in September 1914, before the Orpheum Circuit withdrew, probably because of the disruption caused by WW1. I suspect a date of Sept. or Oct. 1914 for the photo, with that march being linked to the war. The ‘big time’ Orpheum circuit was based in Chicago and would in 1915-16 take over the Orpheum at Georgia & Granville.

By: Helen

Helen — Fri, 19 May 2023 23:40:34 +0000

I’m not having any luck finding a photo of the exterior of the National Theatre that was on Hastings Street, next to the Columbia Theatre – have you ever found one? It’s possible that when it was leased for 12 years, the lessee changed the facade.

By: Michael McLintock

Michael McLintock — Sat, 08 Apr 2023 19:10:03 +0000

always great stories Eve, have you ever done a story on the “Commodore Ballroom”, I had only been there a couple of times but is definitely one of the best dance halls in Vancouver…and must have quite a history.I was born in Vancouver in 1943 , raised there in West Point Grey(just a regular neighbourhood back then) and when I was about 30 yrs old , decided to go North…….sure wish I had stayed.

By: David Banks

David Banks — Fri, 27 Oct 2017 21:00:44 +0000

A history of early Vancouver theatres, including the Opera House / Orpheum

http://ojs.library.ubc.ca/index.php/bcstudies/article/download/1035/1073

By: Jean Dickinson

Jean Dickinson — Sat, 13 Dec 2014 22:16:57 +0000

“Paved Paradise and put in a parking lot”!!!!