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October 28th, 1942
Canadian FILM WEEKLY Vol. 8, No. 44 October 28, 1982) J J) Allen Passes
®
Quebec Houses
Address all communications—The Managing. Editor, Canadian Film Weekly, 21 Dundas Square, Toronto, Canada.
Published by Film Publications of Canada, Ltd., Sth Floor, 41 Dundas Square, Toronto, Ont., Canada. Phone ADelaide 4310, Price 5 cents each or $2.00 per year.
jay J. Allen
The passing of Jay J. Allen removes another of the leaders of the motion picture industry, the men who introduced visual entertainment of an artificial nature in places and people for the first time. They broke ground in the imagination of the public and built theatres in places where none had existed before.
They manned the outposts of a new movement in art and entertainment and so well did they do their work that they lived to see it become an integral part of the national life. Almost magically the converted store, with kitchen chairs for seats, became a modern, comfortable and beautiful place that was multiplied in every human habitation. The silent flickering screen became the pleasure of the people, their inspiration in time to come, a great weapon for the cause of freedom, the record of each generation.
Like Zukor, Balaban and the others whose faith in motion pictures was vindicated by time, Jay J. Allen separated himself from his native heath and the accepted standards and set out to prove his judgement. The day of the land pioneer was over but new horizons of the imagination were ever open. When one believes in something he is prepared to go anywhere to work it out.
In 1906 Jay. Jule and their father. Barney Allen. were living in Bradford, Pennsylvania. The infant motion picture captured their fancy. Having picked the direction, they sought the path. In those days the tide of American-Canadian immigration and emigration flowed toward Canada and not the United States. The Allens went with the tide. Jule Allen did the reconnaissance, the others followed and opened the first theatre in Brantford, Ontario. In time the activities of the Allen family encompassed the entire Canadian scene.
That the motion picture industry acquired so great a history in so short a time is due to men of the pioneering spirit of Jay J. Allen. Canada and the motion picture industry will be forever in their debt. Among the men of this kind of vision Jay J. Allen will always have a cherished place.
Make Canada Proud of the Industry and the Industry
Proud of you!
Boost and Buy VICTORY BONDS
a ——————
In Toronto
(Continued from Page 1) Kalman BEisenbud of New York. Honorary pallbearers were Arthur Cohen and Charles Draimen.
A member of the boards of Premier Operating Corporation and Columbia Pictures of Canada at the time of his death, Jay J. Allen, with his brother, Jule, saw early the possibilities of motion pictures as mass entertainment and founded one of the first Canadian circuits of a larger size. They opened their first theatre, a converted store, in Brantford, Ontario, and as time vindicated their faith in moving pictures, they continued to establish theatres in the Dominion’s most fruitful places.
Theatres were built by them in Calgary, tidmonton, Regina, Moose Jaw and Toronto. Jay J. Allen and his brother were willing to experiment with any method of construction and presentation which furthered public comfort.
The Tivoli Theatre, Toronto, was built by them in 1915, was an innovation in motion picture houses. it being erected so that the screen could be seen from every point in the house. Other Toronto houses opened by the Allens were the Hollywood, the old Danforth, the College, the Beach, th Parkdale and the St. Clair. The Premier circuit today numbers os houses in Ontario and Quebec.
The enterprise of the Allens was not confined to exhibition. With his father, Barney Allen and his brother Jule, Jay J. Allen founded the Independent Film Exchange in 1912, which later became the Famous Players Film Service, holder of the Paramount franchise for Canada. He was the first to import English films, among them “The Better ’Ole,” and maintaining a world-wide view, ‘interesting himself in European films and theatres in Russia, the latter in 1908.
The home town of the Allens was Bradford, Pennsylvania, where Barney Allen, the father, ran a jewelry store. In 1906 the men of the family decided that one of the great businesses of the future was the then infant motion picture industry. They heard that Hamilton. Ontario, was a boom town, with factories going up regularly and picked that city to make their debut as showmen.
Hamilton, however, had a housing and building problem and they couldn’t find room to begin. Jule went to nearby Brantford, rented an empty store, bought kitchen chairs, erected a rough screen, and called. the town’s first movie theatre the Theatorium. The Allens enlivened their shows with singers and the enterprise proved so successful that they expanded their operations, the other male mem
HIYE BOSSIN, Managing Editor
er
Being Altered
(Continued from Paga 1) sum far in excess of the old figure has been permitted to be spent by C. Blake Jackson, Controller of Construction.
Theatres, it has been explained by Mr. Jackson’s department, are made exceptions to the usual limit in special cases, such as the need of larger seating in defence town houses and where houses have been burned out, the policy here being the rehabilitation of the premises.
At the moment the Classic Theatre, 621 rue St. Jean, Quebec City, is being rebuilt after a fire, reconstruction and improvements to cost between $25,000 and $30,000. The owner is Edward Beaumont of Quebec City. The Academie de Musique Theatre, Fraser St., Levis, Quebec, owned by Mr. Beaumont, is also being altered at a cost of $4,500.
The contractor in both cases is Chrysanthe John, Limitee, and the architects are Rousseau and Begin. The Classic was a 400-seater and the Academie de Musique held 200.
Another Levis, Quebec, house being altered, this at a cost of $15,000, is located on Commercial street and is owned by Romuald Fregeau, grocer. Work started on October 6. Details, other than that Rousseau and Begin are the architects, are lacking. The Canadian Theatre Directory, 1941, compiled by the Film Boards of Trade, lists the Academie de Musique, referred to above, as the only theatre in Levis.
bers of the family growing into the motion picture business as members of the firm and _ individually. The vision and sagacity of the late vay J. Allen was an outstanding factor in their success.
Jay J. Allen’s interests extended to many things outside the motion picture industry, he being known for his philanthropy.
He was one of the-founders of the Federation of Jewish Philanthropies and of the United Jewish Welfare Fund.
He was honorary vice-president of the Ontario division of the Jewish Congress and member of the board of governors of Mount Sinai Hospital. He was also chairman of the finance committee of that hospital and a member of the board of Holy Blossom Temple.
Surviving him are his widow, the
former Ray Abramson of Kingston, Ont.; two sons, Raymond Allen, Toronto, and Larry Allen, leading aircraftsman RCAF, at Dartmouth, N.S.; three brothers, Jules, Herbert and Sol Allen, Toronto.