Accession Number

2017-4-8

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Date

1962-2009

Scope and Content

Accession consists of textual records that include building permits, letters between Ed's Warehouse and Toronto City Hall regarding air pollution, a letter from Mel Lastman, Business Executives' Dining Award (1985,1986), employee benefits and codes, and Honest Ed's Special flyers (2001-2009). The permits include requests to make alterations to the theater and factory building for a theatre (1971) and alter an art studio for a coffee house (1966).

Custodial History

Brought in by Alicia Payne of the Centre for Social Innovation following the Honest Eds' Closing Party.

Administrative History

Honest Ed's (1948-2016) was Canada's first discount retail store opened by Ed and Anne Mirvish at the corner of Bloor and Markham Streets. The store closed on December 31, 2016.

Subjects

Business

Name Access

Mirvish, Ed

Mirvish, David

Honest Ed's (Toronto, Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Accession Number

2019-3-6

Material Format

textual record

Physical Description

3 folders

Date

1999-2013

Scope and Content

Accession consists of correspondence and other material documenting UJA Federation of Greater Toronto and funded agencies including Jewish Immigrant Aid Services (JIAS) and Community Planning and Allocation (CP&A).

Subjects

Charities

Name Access

UJA Federation of Greater Toronto

Places

Toronto (Ont.)

Source

Archival Accessions

Passenger Names

King, Ed.

Page Number

464

Date Range

June 6, 1911 to January 19, 1915

Photographer

Harvey and Adena Glasner

Source

Rotenberg Ledger

Passenger Names

Levitt, Ed.

Page Number

404

Date Range

June 6, 1911 to January 19, 1915

Photographer

Harvey and Adena Glasner

Source

Rotenberg Ledger

Part Of

Morris Norman collection

Level

Item

Fonds

22

Item

77

Material Format

textual record

Date

1965

Physical Description

1 item

Source

Archival Descriptions

Accession Number

2015-6-4

Material Format

object

Physical Description

1 book, 8 x 12 cm

Date

1989-1990

Scope and Content

Accession consists of a day planner produced by the Shaare Zedek Medical Center.

Source

Archival Accessions

Part Of

Sylvia Schwartz fonds

European Visits and Events series

Ed Sullivan Show in Moscow file

Level

Item

Fonds

80

Series

6

File

3

Item

9

Material Format

graphic material

Date

Aug. 1959

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w (negative) ; 13 x 6 cm

Scope and Content

Item consists of a portrait of Ed Sullivan onstage.

Notes

This item has no proofs. This item shares a negative with F80_s6_f3_i10.

Repro Restriction

Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the archives to obtain permission prior to use.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Zionist Organization of Canada fonds

Publicity photographs of people and events series

Level

File

Fonds

28

Series

6

File

40

Material Format

graphic material

Date

[196-?]

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w ; 21 x 26 cm

Scope and Content

The file consists of a photograph of Edward Gelber presenting an award.

Name Access

Edward Gelber

Source

Archival Descriptions

Passenger Names

Apt, Ed D.

Page Number

379

Date Range

June 6, 1911 to January 19, 1915

Photographer

Harvey and Adena Glasner

Source

Rotenberg Ledger

Level

Item

Item

5017

Material Format

graphic material

Date

22 Oct. 1958

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w ; 26 x 21 cm

Scope and Content

Item is a photograph of Ann and Ed Mirvish standing inside Honest Ed's at the opening of the store's expansion.

Notes

Photo by Graphic Artists.

Name Access

Honest Ed's

Mirvish, Ann

Mirvish, Ed, 1914-2007

Subjects

Businesspeople

Stores, Retail

Theatrical producers and directors

Places

Bathurst Street (Toronto, Ont.)

Bloor Street West (Toronto, Ont.)

Accession Number

1990-1-5

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Sylvia Schwartz fonds

European Visits and Events series

Level

File

Fonds

80

Series

6

File

3

Material Format

graphic material

Date

August 1959

Physical Description

12 photographs : b&w (12 negatives) ; 14 x 6 cm or smaller

Admin History/Bio

In August 1959, the Ed Sullivan show travelled to the USSR and taped a show in Moscow titled, "Invitation to Moscow". It aired September 27, 1959. Sylvia Schwartz photographed the show as she was in Moscow at the time.

Acts that were featured at the show included Rise Stevens (a mezzo-soprano opera singer), the Barry Sisters (vocal group), Margaret Tynes (opera singer), Marge and Gower Champion (dancers), Dick Contino (accordian player) and Hubert Castle (tight-wire aerialist).

Scope and Content

File consists of images taken during the taping of the show. Images are of Ed Sullivan with the various acts or of the performers by themselves on stage. Images were taken during the performances.

Name Access

Ed Sullivan show (Television program)

Subjects

Entertainers

Places

Russia

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Sylvia Schwartz fonds

European Visits and Events series

Ed Sullivan Show in Moscow file

Level

Item

Fonds

80

Series

6

File

3

Item

10

Material Format

graphic material

Date

Aug. 1959

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w (negative) ; 13 x 6 cm

Scope and Content

Item consists of a portrait of Ed Sullivan offstage.

Notes

This item has no proofs. This item shares a negative with F80_s6_f3_i9.

Repro Restriction

Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the archives to obtain permission prior to use.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Level

Item

Item

5013

Material Format

graphic material

Date

4 Jul. 1959

Physical Description

1 photograph b&w ; 21 x 26 cm

Scope and Content

Item is a photograph of the interior of Honest Ed's Bargain store. The photograph depicts a line-up of customers waiting to recieve free salamis.

Notes

Original photo by Graphic Artists.

Name Access

Honest Ed's

Mirvish, Ed, 1914-2007

Subjects

Stores, Retail

Places

Bathurst Street (Toronto, Ont.)

Bloor Street West (Toronto, Ont.)

Accession Number

1990-1-5

Source

Archival Descriptions

Level

Item

Item

5014

Material Format

graphic material

Date

4 Jul. 1959

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w ; 21 x 26 cm

Scope and Content

Item is a photograph of customers outside of Honest Ed's waiting in line for a free salami. There are two costumed police officers pictured.

Notes

Original photo by Graphic Artists.

Name Access

Honest Ed's

Mirvish, Ed, 1914-2007

Subjects

Consumers

Stores, Retail

Places

Bathurst Street (Toronto, Ont.)

Bloor Street West (Toronto, Ont.)

Accession Number

1990-1-5

Source

Archival Descriptions

Level

Item

Item

5020

Material Format

graphic material

Date

22 Oct. 1958

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w ; 21 x 26 cm

Scope and Content

Item is a photograph of the exterior of Honest Ed's during their expansion opening. The image depicts the checkouts.

Notes

Original photo by Graphic Artists.

Name Access

Honest Ed's

Mirvish, Ed, 1914-2007

Subjects

Stores, Retail

Places

Bathurst Street (Toronto, Ont.)

Bloor Street West (Toronto, Ont.)

Accession Number

1990-1-5

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Sylvia Schwartz fonds

European Visits and Events series

Ed Sullivan Show in Moscow file

Level

Item

Fonds

80

Series

6

File

3

Item

6

Material Format

graphic material

Date

Aug. 1959

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w (negative) ; 14 x 6 cm

Admin History/Bio

Risë Stevens (b. 11 June 1913 – d. 20 March 2013) was an American operatic mezzo-soprano. Stevens was born Risë Steenberg in New York City, the daughter of Sarah "Sadie" (née Mechanic) and Christian Steenberg, an advertising salesman. Her father was of Norwegian Lutheran descent and her mother was Jewish (of Polish and Russian descent). She had a younger brother, Lewis "Bud" Steenberg, who died in World War II. She studied at New York's Juilliard School for three years, and with Anna Eugenie Schoen-René. She went to Vienna, where she was trained by Marie Gutheil-Schoder and Herbert Graf. She made her début as Mignon in Prague in 1936 and stayed there until 1938, also singing in guest appearances at the Vienna State Opera. She was engaged as a member of the Vienna State Opera ensemble at the Teatro Colón in 1938 (as Octavian) and was invited to the Glyndebourne Festival in 1939 where she was heard as Dorabella and Cherubino. In 1938 she made her début with the Metropolitan Opera in Philadelphia as Mignon. Three days later at the Metropolitan Opera in New York City, she sang Octavian opposite Lotte Lehmann. The film industry in Hollywood produced several films for her, including The Chocolate Soldier (1941) with Nelson Eddy. She played an opera singer in Going My Way (1944) with Bing Crosby, wherein she is credited as a contralto; she is featured performing Bizet's aria "Habanera," "Going My Way" with the Robert Mitchell Boys Choir, and "Ave Maria" with Bing Crosby and the choir.

In 1939, Stevens married Walter Surovy, an Austrian stage and screen actor she met during her European years, after he fled the Nazis to New York. He took over the management of her career and skillfully planned publicity to move her into areas of the business they both felt would advance her career. One likely display of Surovy's finesse with publicity was the fact that Stevens' voice was insured by Lloyd's of London in 1945 for $1 million. The couple had one child, Nicholas, who followed in his father's footsteps, becoming an actor on Broadway, and in film and television. The marriage lasted for over 61 years, until Walter's death in 2001.

For over two decades (until 1961) Stevens was the Met's leading mezzo-soprano and the only mezzo to command the top billing (and commensurate fees) normally awarded only to star sopranos and tenors. Her most successful roles there included Cherubino (recording on EMI), Octavian, Dalila (two separate discs of excerpts on RCA Victor), Laura, Hansel (complete recording on Columbia) and Marina. Above all, she was especially celebrated for her Carmen. She had an enormous personal triumph at the Metropolitan in the role in the famous Tyrone Guthrie production in 1951, becoming the Carmen of her generation. Her RCA Victor recording of the opera, conducted by Fritz Reiner and co-starring Jan Peerce, Robert Merrill and Licia Albanese, became a best seller and has never been out of print in some format. She also appeared in Paris, London, and at Glyndebourne. At La Scala in Milan, she had a great success in Virgilio Mortari's La Figlia del Diavolo in a version of the Salome story where Herodias is the leading character. Stevens sang, acted and danced the role in a notable tour de force. A hallmark of Stevens' career was versatility. She sang opera, excelled on radio and television singing from what came to be called The American Songbook (much of which was recorded), proved to be an accomplished film and television actress, and she handled Broadway material (Anna in The King and I, Lisa in Lady in the Dark) with glamour and star quality. She toured the U.S. annually for several decades singing recitals. In 1962, she recorded the voice of Glinda for Journey Back to Oz, but the production ran out of money and was halted for more than four years. It was only after the Filmation studio had made profits on their numerous television series that they were able to finish the project (which was copyrighted 1971, released in 1972 in the United Kingdom and in 1974 in the United States). After her retirement from the opera stage, Stevens served as General Manager of the Metropolitan Opera National Company until 1966 and later coached the new generation of singers at the Met. Stevens made occasional television appearances too, including a guest-starring role on NBC's The Martha Raye Show. On October 22, 1977, Stevens was awarded the prestigious University of Pennsylvania Glee Club Award of Merit. Established in 1964, this award sought "to bring a declaration of appreciation to an individual each year that has made a significant contribution to the world of music and helped to create a climate in which our talents may find valid expression". She was a Kennedy Center Honoree in 1990.

Scope and Content

Item consists of a portrait of Rise Stevens and Ed Sullivan onstage.

Notes

This item has no proofs. This item shares a negative with F80_s6_f3_i6.

Name Access

Stevens, Risë, 1913-2013

Sullivan, Ed, 1901-1974

Subjects

Singers

Television personalities

Repro Restriction

Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the archives to obtain permission prior to use.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Sylvia Schwartz fonds

European Visits and Events series

Ed Sullivan Show in Moscow file

Level

Item

Fonds

80

Series

6

File

3

Item

8

Material Format

graphic material

Date

Aug. 1959

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w (negative) ; 14 x 6 cm

Admin History/Bio

In August 1959, the Ed Sullivan show travelled to the USSR and taped a show in Moscow titled, "Invitation to Moscow". It aired September 27, 1959. Sylvia Schwartz photographed the show as she was in Moscow at the time.

Acts that were featured at the show included Rise Stevens (a mezzo-soprano opera singer), the Barry Sisters (vocal group), Margaret Tynes (opera singer), Marge and Gower Champion (dancers), Dick Contino (accordian player) and Hubert Castle (tight-wire aerialist).

Scope and Content

Item consists of a portrait of some unidentified audience members of the Ed Sullivan Show in the U.S.S.R..

Notes

This item has no proofs. This item shares a negative with F80_s6_f3_i7.

Repro Restriction

Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the archives to obtain permission prior to use.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Sylvia Schwartz fonds

European Visits and Events series

Ed Sullivan Show in Moscow file

Level

Item

Fonds

80

Series

6

File

3

Item

11

Material Format

graphic material

Date

Aug. 1959

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w (negative) ; 12 x 6 cm

Admin History/Bio

Dick Contino (b. 17 January 1930) was born in Fresno, California and is an American accordionist and singer. Contino studied accordion primarily with San Francisco-based Angelo Cognazzo, and occasionally with Los Angeles-based Guido Deiro. Early on he exhibited great virtuosity on the instrument.

Contino got his big break on December 7, 1947 when he played Lady of Spain (his signature piece) and won first place in the Horace Heidt/Philip Morris talent contest in Fresno which was broadcast on national radio. Contino also won first place in subsequent competitions in Los Angeles, Omaha, Des Moines, Youngstown, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Harrisburg, and New York City. He won first place in the final round on December 12, 1948 in Washington, D.C. Eddie Fisher had much better success with the song in 1952. Contino's song "Yours" was his first hit single. The song reached #27 on the U.S. pop charts in 1954. His second and only other hit single was "Pledge My Love." It reached #42 on the U.S. pop charts in 1957. Contino toured with the Horace Heidt Orchestra and was billed as the "world's greatest accordion player." He appeared on The Ed Sullivan Show a record 48 times.

His success was interrupted when Contino was drafted during the Korean War. Contino, at the time earning a reported $4,000 per week, fled from pre-induction barracks at Fort Ord, due to extreme and unpublicized phobias and neuroses. He was falsely labeled a 'draft dodger' and was jailed for a few months before proudly serving in the United States armed forces and being honorably discharged as a Staff Sergeant and receiving a Presidential Pardon. The resultant scandal dealt Contino's career a serious blow, but he continued performing, including acting in a few movies in the 1950s and 1960s.Contino's acting became known to a new generation in 1991, when "Daddy-O," a low-budget 1958 movie in which he played the starring role as a faddishly-dressed beat rebel and singer, became the centerpiece of an episode of the third season of "Mystery Science Theatre 3000." Contino continues to perform regularly throughout the United States.

Scope and Content

Item consists of a portrait of Dick Contino and Ed Sullivan onstage.

Notes

This item has no proofs. This item shares a negative with F80_s6_f3_i12.

Repro Restriction

Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the archives to obtain permission prior to use.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region fonds

General office subject and correspondence files series

Level

File

Fonds

17

Series

2

File

1145

Material Format

textual record

Date

1996

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Access Restriction

Records in off-site storage; advance notice required to view.

Accession Number

2005-2-2

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

United Jewish Welfare Fund fonds

Photographic and audiovisual collection series

Level

File

Fonds

67

Series

27

File

208

Material Format

graphic material

Date

11 Feb. 1976

Physical Description

5 photographs : b&w 4 negatives) ; 20 x 25 cm and 28 x 28 mm

Scope and Content

File consists of 1 photograph and two negatives of James Bohm and Ed Schmeiser exchanging a cheque (?); the other two negatives depict four other men exchanging a cheque.

Notes

Photos by Graphic Artists Photographers, Toronto.

Availability of other formats: Also available as digital images.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Level

Item

Item

5021

Material Format

graphic material

Date

22 Oct. 1958

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w ; 21 x 26 cm

Scope and Content

item is a photograph of a group of men and women inside Honest Ed's during the opening of the store's expansion. There is a banquet table with sweets and a coffee urn.

Notes

Original by Graphic Artists.

Name Access

Honest Ed's

Mirvish, Ed, 1914-2007

Subjects

Stores, Retail

Places

Bathurst Street (Toronto, Ont.)

Bloor Street West (Toronto, Ont.)

Accession Number

1990-1-5

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Sylvia Schwartz fonds

European Visits and Events series

Ed Sullivan Show in Moscow file

Level

Item

Fonds

80

Series

6

File

3

Item

2

Material Format

graphic material

Date

Aug. 1959

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w (negative) ; 14 x 6 cm

Admin History/Bio

In August 1959, the Ed Sullivan show travelled to the USSR and taped a show in Moscow titled, "Invitation to Moscow". It aired September 27, 1959. Sylvia Schwartz photographed the show as she was in Moscow at the time.

Acts that were featured at the show included Rise Stevens (a mezzo-soprano opera singer), the Barry Sisters (vocal group), Margaret Tynes (opera singer), Marge and Gower Champion (dancers), Dick Contino (accordian player) and Hubert Castle (tight-wire aerialist).

Edward Vincent "Ed" Sullivan (b. 28 September 1901 - d. 13 October 1974) was a US entertainment writer and television host, best known as the presenter of the television variety program "The Toast of the Town," now usually remembered under its second name, "The Ed Sullivan Show." Broadcast for 23 years from 1948 to 1971, it set a record for long-running variety show in US broadcast history.

Scope and Content

Item consists of a group portrait of the cast of the Ed Sullivan Show onstage in the U.S.S.R.. From left to right: Unknown man, unknown woman, unknown man, unknown man, unknown man, unknown woman, unknown man with harmonica, Rise Stevens, Ed Sullivan, Dick Contino with accordian and one of the Barry Sisters.

Notes

This item has no proofs. This item shares a negative with F80_s6_f3_i1.

Name Access

Ed Sullivan show (Television program)

Subjects

Portraits, Group

Repro Restriction

Copyright is held by the Ontario Jewish Archives. Please contact the archives to obtain permission prior to use.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Level

Item

Item

5019

Material Format

graphic material

Date

22 Oct. 1958

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w ; 21 x 26 cm

Scope and Content

Item is a photograph of a CKEY broadcaster in a "country" studio set inside Honest Ed's during the opening of the store's expansion. The broadcaster is seated in an outhouse.

Notes

Original photo by Graphic Artists.

Name Access

CKEY Broadcasting

Honest Ed's

Mirvish, Ed, 1914-2007

Subjects

Stores, Retail

Places

Bathurst Street (Toronto, Ont.)

Bloor Street West (Toronto, Ont.)

Accession Number

1990-1-5

Source

Archival Descriptions

Level

Item

Item

5018

Material Format

graphic material

Date

22 Oct. 1958

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w ; 21 x 26 cm

Scope and Content

item is a photograph of a radio broadcaster in a "country" studio set inside Honest Ed's during the opening of the store's expansion.

Notes

Original by Graphic Artists.

Name Access

CKEY Broadcasting

Honest Ed's

Mirvish, Ed, 1914-2007

Subjects

Stores, Retail

Places

Bathurst Street (Toronto, Ont.)

Bloor Street West (Toronto, Ont.)

Accession Number

1990-1-5

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Canadian Jewish Congress, Ontario Region fonds

General office subject and correspondence files series

Level

File

Fonds

17

Series

2

File

94

Material Format

textual record

Date

1998

Physical Description

1 folder of textual records

Name Access

Morgan, Edward M., 1955-

Subjects

Antisemitism

Access Restriction

Records in off-site storage; advance notice required to view.

Accession Number

2005-2-2

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Morris Norman collection

Turofsky photographs series

Level

Item

Fonds

22

Series

4

Item

14

Material Format

graphic material

Date

[ca. 1960]

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w ; 16 x 26 cm

Admin History/Bio

Spencer Evans was the publicity chief for Maple Leaf Gardens during the 1940s and 1950s and in 1963, became the director of public relations for the Toronto Maple Leafs Baseball Club.

Scope and Content

This item is a group photograph of Maple Leafs Gardens staff gathered at a farewell party for Ed Fitkin. The party was held on the occasion of Fitkin vacating his post as public relations officer for Maple Leaf Gardens for a position in radio sportscasting. Spiff Evans is seated in the middle row on the far left.

Source

Archival Descriptions

Level

Item

Item

4333

Material Format

graphic material

Date

26 Sept. 1948

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w

Notes

Original photo by Norman Studios, Toronto.

Name Access

Adath Israel Congregation (Toronto, Ont.)

Magder, Beatrice

Magder, Ed

Rain, Beatrice

Subjects

Weddings

Repro Restriction

Copyright is in the public domain and permission for use is not required. Please credit the Ontario Jewish Archives as the source of the photograph.

Places

Toronto (Ont.)

Accession Number

1986-7-7

Source

Archival Descriptions

Part Of

Morris Norman collection

Turofsky photographs series

Level

Item

Fonds

22

Series

4

Item

16

Material Format

graphic material

Date

[ca. 1955]

Physical Description

1 photograph : b&w ; 21 x 26 cm

Admin History/Bio

Spencer Evans was the publicity chief for Maple Leaf Gardens during the 1940s and 1950s and in 1963, became the director of public relations for the Toronto Maple Leafs Baseball Club.

Conn Smythe is best known as the principal owner of the Toronto Maple Leafs from 1927 to 1961 and as the builder of Maple Leaf Gardens.

Ed Fitkin was a public relations officer with Maple Leaf Gardens and later went on to a career in radio sportscasting.

Buck Houle was the general manager of the Toronto Marlboros, which was a minor hockey organization directly sponsored by the Toronto Maple Leafs in order to train new players, starting at the age of nine.

Scope and Content

This item is a photograph of Spiff Evans, Ed Fitkin, Buck Houle and Don Mackenzie standing outside on the patio of Conn Smythe's house in Caledon. One unidentified man is playing the piano while the others stand around holding drinks.

Subjects

Hockey

Source

Archival Descriptions