Westwood Theatres/Then and Now

The Westwood in 1974.

Cinema Treasures has this to say about the Westwood:

"The Westwood Theatre was originally operated by 20th Century Theatres when it opened in February 1952. In the late-1980's, Famous Players took over.
In the late-1960's, a second screen was added in a new addition to the original building. In 1980, the original auditorium was divided in two, making the Westwood Theatre a triplex.
The Westwood Theatre closed in 1998."

The desolate lobby.

No more coming attractions....
We had a lot of fun going to the Westwood at Six points. In fact I went on my first "date" there to see The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes when I was 12.
Later I saw The Beatles' Let It Be and at the end of the film the older kids (hippies)
started to dance in the aisles.

Cloverdale Mall/Then and Now

When Cloverdale Mall (in Etobicoke) was built in the late 1950's it was really a plaza, the inner courtyard was open. After the opening of Sherway Gardens in 1971 the popularity of Cloverdale began to decline until it was decided to revamp the plaza and enclose it.

Cloverdale was built on farmland that had originally been known as Eatonville, purchased by The Eaton family to provide milk and cream for their department stores.

Cloverdale in the early 1960's.

The same view today.

There was a concrete sculpture/slide at the south end that provided hours of fun for the kids while our parents shopped. Who's the girl in the mini skirt? She's got the perfect late 1960's look. If you click on this image
you'll find an original Big Boy statue in the top left corner.
Looking south towards the slide. One of those kids could easily be me.....

The same view today.
The Dominion Store in the late 1950's.
Again.
Before the north end of the mall was a Zellers it was a Hudson's bay store and before that it was Morgan's.

Bloor and Islington/ Then and Now

Bloor and Islington circa 1900, still very rural.

The N/W corner looking east across Islington in the early 60's.

Today

Westgrove Rambler was located on the N/W corner of Bloor and Islington. The corner is
now occupied by the TTC's Islington Station and Bus Station. These photos were taken in the early 1960's. The dealership at the time was an AMC dealership that also sold imported British Hillmans. In the first photo there's a white Sunbeam Alpine.
Today.
Get Smart drove one of these little Alpines(red) in the first two seasons. His was actually a Sunbeam Tiger (bigger Ford engine).
Don Adams and his Sunbeam tiger.

Vintage Batmobile Ride

Someone local has posted this vintage (circa 1966) childrens' Batmobile ride for sale on Kijiji.
It's listed for $5000.00.
The real Batmobile.
The guys at Fiberglass Freaks will build you a new one for $150,000.00.

But you should ask your wife first...
She may not be as keen as you are.

The Terminal

Here's a little quicktime of the almost completed set for Sheridan's ATVF'S 3x3 film project.
Built and painted by my Production Design students this year.
Good work gang.
Now make some good films.

Yonge and Gould/Then and Now

The Edison (formerly the Empress) Hotel in 1950.

The old Edison Hotel on Yonge at Gould has seen better days. So many years of neglect and renovation caused a partial collapse of the north wall last year with no repairs in sight.
The ground floor also housed a record store in the 1960's and 70's.
My friend Malcolm Glassford worked there.

Hong Kong Gardens/ Then and Now

Hong Kong Gardens at Royal York and Bloor has been here since 1947. This photo was taken in the late 50's. There's a nice Nash Metropolitan parked out front2010, I like the old neon sign better.

Sorry Cat

Sorry Cat sometimes makes an appearance attached to your clothes returned from the dry cleaners. They couldn't get the spot out but how can you be mad at a little cat?
Next time a big assignment is due and you're not ready, just show this instead.

Buffalo Bill Cody/The Mississauga Connection

This small Chapel at the N/E corner of Dundas and Cawthra in Mississauga was built in 1839 and still stands today. in 1847 Buffalo Bill Cody was baptized here.

Buffalo Bill later went on to be one of the founders of the Showmen's League.
From their website:

"On February 19, 1913 a small group of dedicated ‘out-of-doors showmen' met at the Saratoga Hotel in Chicago, Illinois. Those present agreed that the time had come for an international organization that would cater to the needs and wishes of carnival people everywhere, through good times and bad.

Thus, the Showmen's League of America was born.

Colonel William “Buffalo Bill” Cody, famed “Wild West” figure and showmen in his own right, was elected the group's first president.

The Elephant was selected as their symbol because “… the elephant in rampant with uplifted trunk, exemplifies in every particular the characteristics of the showmen, alter, sagacious, victorious.”

There is still a Toronto Chapter located on Beverly Street just south of College..

Advertisement for Buffalo Bill's Wild West show from the Toronto Globe 1885.

Lolita Daycare

This daycare in Mississauga seems quite oblivious to the connotations that their name may suggest. They have however been in business for a long time.

Gemini Firecrackers 1966

Front

Back

A few years ago I was lucky enough to find a case of these NOS vintage Martian Firecrackers. Sadly this is the last pack. These are probably circa 1965-66 and illustrate the fascination we all had with the space program. That's a Gemini space capsule on the front. These mini rockets are Cosmic Charged, Super Charged and Extra Loud!

Farmhouse Survivors/Now

A selection of farmhouses that have somehow survived. These are all located in Etobicoke.

Stoupy's Tavern/Royal Oak/ Then and Now

The Royal Oak Hotel at the corner of Dundas Street East and Ontario Street in 1945.

 

A more current view.

Later known as Stoupy's Tavern, the bar is now closed and used only as a film set.