Famous News (Mar-Apr 1981)

now Cinemas 2 and 3. The original Cinema 2, (420 seats), is now the larger Cinema }. The Devonshire continued operating its second cinema during the entire renovation period. The only other changes in the theatre were to the projection booth and the signeage. The former was made over to accomodate an additional machine; the latter was slightly modified to advertise an extra theatre. The Devonshire was opened in 1970 by Manager Mike Micelli who left in March, 1980 to take the job of District Manager. Howard Levis, the current Manager of the Capitol in Windsor, managed the Devonshire from March to July, 1980. John Dwyer is the present Manager of the theatre having transferred from the Pen Cinemas in St. Catharines in August, 1980. s Manager Gordon Ollerton poses with all-new projection equipment in Paramount Theatre, Amherst, Nova Scotia. Paramount Cinemas In October 1978, the old Paramount Theatre in the town of Amherst, Nova Scotia was completely gutted by fire. By December 26, 1980, everything but the brick shell of the old theatre was renovated and the Paramount, (owned jointly by Famous and Maritime Theatres Ltd.) re-opened as a spanking new twin cinema. The Paramount opened its doors in October 1947, with the hit show ‘“‘Mother Wore Tights’’ starring Betty Grable. It had an_ initial seating capacity of 756. In the new theatre, a partition runs directly down the shell splitting the structure into two auditoriums of 300 seats each. Cinema 1 is located on the left; Cinema 2 on the right. The projection room is com & March/April, 1981 pletely automatic and features the latest in theatre equipment. While the interior of the building has been completely renovated, the exterior also underwent some changes. One is the disappearance of the outdated marquee and the addition of a readograph with a good-sized track. The 12-foot long, six-foot wide readograph dresses the front of the building and gives details of current movies. According to the Paramount’s manager, Gordie Ollerton, ‘*Amherst has always been a tough show-going town in the summer months. People in the area spend their summers at the shore and unless there is an exceptional show playing, they will not come into town.”’ But now, with air-conditioning added in the recent renovation and the appearance at the Paramount of first-run movies, all that is sure to change. S The lobby of recently-renovated Westwood Theatre in Toronto. New facilities for handicapped added. Westwood Theatres The Westwood Theatre on the limits of Toronto’s west end just keeps on growing! Built in 1952 as a single auditorium theatre, it was dualled in July, 1968 and recently re-opened as a three-plex on December 19. Although Famous owned the Westwood property, the city expropriated the land in 1975 to make way for a new extension to Toronto’s subway system. It was expected therefore, that the theatre would be demolished. Look for features on these properties in upcoming issues of FAMOUS NEWS. Fiesta Mall Cinemas, Stoney Creek, Ontario This new theatre featuring four auditoriums opened February 13, 1981. Calgary Place, Calgary, Alberta The former dual is presently closed and will re-open as a new triple in mid-May. e ae) oS Ne O08 Photo by Len Bishop Luckily, the new station was located just southwest of the theatre not only allowing Famous to continue operating but also bringing in a lot more public-transit people traffic. This happy turn-of-events led to the addition of the new auditorium. The original 1952 auditorium was split into two smaller ones seating 421 and 300. The 1968 auditorium is now the largest of the three seating 496 people. With the tripling, new facilities for the handicapped were also added. e Super Mall, Sudbury, Ontario A new three-plex theatre is to open in mid-April, 1981. Also opening in the same facility will be a new Burgerworks, a new games room and our first-ever licensed restaurant, ‘‘The Works’’. Skyway Park, Toronto, Ontario A new free standing six-plex theatre scheduled to go up on the site of the old Northwest Drive-In sometime in June, 1981.