The Capitol Theatre, Inside/Out, 1947
The Capitol Theatre, George Street, 1947. Photo by Morris Duke. Archives of Ontario (AO), RG 56-11-0-201-15.
Examiner, Oct. 1, 1947, p.7.
The photographer: Vernon's City of Peterborough Directory, 1947, p.119.
On screen that day — the James Stewart movie It’s a Wonderful Life (and “a funny color cartoon,” and more) — when, for insurance purposes, Morris Duke of Peterborough — “Artist of the Camera” — took fourteen photos of the Capitol Theatre for the Ontario government. It was an official and seemingly somewhat painful task requested of theatres all over the province.
The Theatre Branch of the Ontario government had initially requested the photos in 1944 “as visual proof of compliance with safety standards,” but (according to the Ontario Archives record), some theatres took their time in complying with the needs of this regulatory function.
It’s a Wonderful Life (1946) was an Oscar nominee that year; and its longevity since then is impressive: over the years it would become a popular favourite of young and old alike, especially in the December holiday season. Yet on its first run or two director Frank Capra’s expensive film did only a little better than break even at the box office. Perhaps the postwar audiences found it too simplistic, sentimental, or optimistic. “At the time, the public wasn’t bowled over,” writes film historian David Thomson, “but history knows better.” It is an example of a fairy-tale-like film that gained a second life on television and, later, via readily available video.
The Ontario government’s record for the photo series is dated Nov. 1, 1947, but the pictures were snapped somewhat earlier. It’s a Wonderful Life played at the theatre from Wednesday Oct. 1 to Saturday Oct. 4. This is what the theatre looked like then, inside and out. From its opening in 1921 to the 1940s, the Capitol was the city’s key go-to place.
The Capitol’s terrazo-floor entrance in 1947, leading to the foyer or front lobby. The back side of the ticket booth is front left. In 1951 the theatre added a concession booth facing those open doors at the back, where the four-legged stands are in front of the curtained window space (which would offer a view into the auditorium). Most theatres in Ontario did not have “confection bars,” as they were called, until the late 1940s—early 50s. In the meantime they did have vending machines dispensing candy and other treats, and there is one here, to the right of the windows. A poster leaning against the wall advertises the coming feature, They Won’t Believe Me (1947), with Robert Young, Susan Hayward, and Jane Greer, playing Oct. 20 to 22. AO, RG 56-11-0-201-1.
Inside those three open door, the front lobby. The snack bar was added to that space on the right — but also jutting into the auditorium a little, reducing the number of seats (probably those you can just barely see on the right side). Stairs on either side lead up to the mezzanine and balcony. AO, RG 56-11-0-201-8.
The mezzanine, reached by the stairs on either side, with the balcony doors to the right. The photo shows the washroom for the “Gentlemen,” with the “Ladies” on the opposite side. A sign on the far wall says “Silence Please” — moviegoers came and went at all times, and they had to make sure not to disturb those already inside watching. AO, RG 56-11-0-201-12.
The auditorium looking out from the stage, with the projection booth up top. The cords at the front seem to mark off what would have been an orchestra pit of silent film days, done away with only in 1951. In the lobby at back, you can see the stairs going up to the mezzanine. At the very bottom of the photo there is a line of light bulbs that could be used to illuminate the stage if necessary. AO, RG 56-11-0-201-10.
A movie palace view from the balcony: in its prime, an ornate and splendid space. This shot appears to have been taken from the projection booth. AO, RG 56-11-0-201-14.
Moviegoers entered the balcony by means of a central walkway, off to the left here, with the railings, and then there were stairs going up on either side. AO, RG56-11-0-201-11.
Fire exit? You couldn’t get in here, but perhaps you could get out. The AO entry designated it as “rear exit.” AO, 1947, RG 56-11-0-201-13.
These photos document a theatre that was to be substantially altered after renovations in 1951. The changes, which included new cushiony seats and technical equipment, also involved moving the box office to the right side of the entry doors, eliminating the orchestra pit, and adding a snack bar (made necessary to compete with the new Odeon and Paramount theatres). The theatre closed in 1961.