The Capitol Theatre

The Capitol Theatre. . , The Capitol Theatre opened on this site on June 1, 1929. The sold out opening night movie feature was a "talkie" titled, In Old Arizona. Known as "Northern Ontario's Most Beautiful Theatre," it resembled that of old Hollywood. The walls of the main lobby had panels for posters and glass display cases for photos of current movie stars. At the end of the lobby, six doors allowed patrons to enter the main theatre level to the right or left, or travel up the stairs straight ahead to the balcony which boasted the most expensive seating. The theatre was decorated in a Spanish motif with a Spanish style chandelier which hung in front of the stage. The Capitol Theatre has been remodeled over the years but some decorative elements remain including the false theatre boxes with galaxy themes. , In hard times during the Depression the theatre gave away a piece of cutlery to encourage people to spend their hard earned 35 cents on a mid-week show. During World War Two, patrons could pay for their ticket with a piece of steel or metal which would be melted down and used for ammunition. Feature presentations were also preceded by news reels, providing up-to-date wartime coverage., The theatre was home to more than just movies. In March 1931, Roy Thomson, who later became Lord Thomson of Fleet, started his media empire by opening Northern Ontario's first commercial radio station, CFCH 600, live from the stage of the Capitol Theatre. For 50 cents admission, there were 12 radio acts. The regular radio studio was upstairs in an office lined with mattresses covered with chicken wire to deaden the sound. The Capitol also housed the Lucenti Orchestra and the Capitol Centre Orchestra, both of which held regular concerts beginning in the 1930s. The tradition of fine music at the Capitol has continued to the present thanks to the North Bay Symphony Orchestra. , The first local headquarters of Ontario Provincial Police detachment was established in the upstairs office spaces in the 1930s. There were offices for doctors, insurance brokers, and the Children's Aid Society. Dentist W. R. Foster had his office overlooking the Main Street marquee until he retired in 1973. The basement housed many businesses as well including the I. K. Pierce Furniture Company which opened in 1929. Shortly after brothers Theodore and Gus Salidas started their bowling alley in the basement of the Capitol, operating well into the 1950s. , These additional attractions helped the Famous Players Capitol Theatre remain vibrant and competitive with other movie theatres, such as the Bay across the street and the Odeon just a block to the east. Despite various extra attractions, the Capitol began seeing a decline in ticket sales during the 1970s., Faced with the possibility of being converted into smaller theatres or even sold for redevelopment, the Capitol Theatre was saved when the North Bay Theatre and Arts Community Centre (TACC), an umbrella organization for local arts groups, led by Executive Director, Betty Speers, purchased it in 1985. The building closed for renovations in 1986 and 1987, during which the seat count was reduced from 1,455 to just under 1,000 and a visual arts gallery, the WKP Kennedy Gallery, was constructed within the lobby space. The Grand Opening Gala of the new Arts Centre was held on April 2, 1987 with the hardwood floors of the gallery only being installed the night before and the paint on the walls barely dry. Since that time many well known entertainers and public figures have graced the large Capitol Centre stage., Operating as the Capitol Centre today, the theatre continues to be the community's home for arts and entertainment. , [photo captions] , . Lobby, January 1954 , . Exterior, December 1940 , . Exterior, January 1954 , . Lobby, November 1930 , . Exterior, November 1930 , . Capitol Orchestra, circa early 1930’s , . CFCH Radio Opening Night, March 1931 , . NB Nugget Ads, March 1931 , . Decorative side wall, November 1930 , Capitol Theatre interior and exterior photographs courtesy of Discovery North Bay Area Museum Collection