1914 – Shea’s Hippodrome, Toronto, Canada

At opening this was the largest movie theatre in Canada, and one of the largest vaudeville theatres in the world. The fabulous interior included 12 opera boxes, a Wurlitzer organ, as well as a full-size orchestra pit. Costing $250,000 and clad in brick and elaborate terra cotta panels and trim. It was built by brothers Jerry and Michael Shea directly across from Toronto’s old City Hall. Closed in 1956 and was demolished in 1957 to make way for Toronto’s new City Hall.

The exterior is finished in white enamelled brick and terra cotta with glass and copper towers at either corner, which are equipped with an interior illumination visible for a great distance. A massive copper marquee extends the full length of the forty-six foot entrance, covering the entire width of the approach.

The theatre has a seating capacity of approximately three thousand, divided about equally between the orchestra and balcony. There is no upper gallery and the elimination of this feature, together with the desire to obtain the proper seating capacity to accommodate the patrons, has necessitated the use of the area comprised within the walls of the Hippodrome. The lobby is forty-six feet wide, far larger than any other in Toronto, and is decorated in the prevailing tones of the theatre proper; ticket windows are located on both sides of the lobby so as to facilitate the sale and thereby eliminate the long waits for the purchase so common in the average theatre. Between the lobby and the theatre proper is the vestibule with seven double entrances opening into each and two side doors, one leading to the ticket space, the other to the ladies’ parlor, which takes up the entire frontage of the building at one side of the lobby.

The prevailing colors of the decorations are cream, rich golden tones and soft greys, with the ornamental relief work finished in old ivory and gold. The main ceiling consists of decorative panelling with a massive dome effect in the centre, illuminated by indirect lighting. The chairs are upholstered throughout in perfect harmony with the cut drapery of the boxes and the carpets.
Construction, April 1915

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