- Part Of
- Harold S. Kaplan fonds
- Architectural projects series
- Loew's Uptown Theatre (Toronto) sub-series
- Level
- Sub-series
- Fonds
- 27
- Series
- 1-2
- Material Format
- architectural drawing
- graphic material
- Date
- 1919-1968
- Physical Description
- 132 architectural drawings : pencil (some on tracing paper, some hand col. using pencil crayon), blueprints and other reproductions ; 76 x 106 cm or smaller
- 5 photographs : b&w ; 44 x 55 cm or smaller
- Admin History/Bio
- One of sixteen theatres in Canada designed by the well-known architect Thomas W. Lamb, the Uptown Theatre opened in 1920 as a movie and vaudeville theatre of almost 3000 seats, and was later the first theatre in Toronto equipped for sound movies. In 1960 the Uptown's main auditorium was destroyed by a major fire. Kaplan & Sprachman participated in the theatre's subsequent renovation.
- In 1969 the Uptown was split into a five screen theatre through conversion of the theatre's balcony, backstage and basement areas. The Uptown was closed and demolished in late 2003 following the 28th Annual Toronto International Film Festival after the cinema operator, Famous Players, decided to close it and other theatres rather than comply with an Ontario Human Rights Commission order to make the theatres fully wheelchair-accessible.
- Scope and Content
- Sub-series consists of seating plans, blueprints of structural details, floor plans, sections and elevations for successive alterations (to the entrance, lobby, escalator, etc.) of the theatre, as well as several photographs of the Uptown's entrance and auditorium. The sub-series includes a number of hand-coloured drawings of the main auditorium dating from 1962, with paint and fabric samples attached, apparently associated with the re-building of the auditorium following the fire of 1960. The sub-series also includes a set of photo-reproductions of Thomas Lamb's original 1919 plans for the theatre, acquired by Kaplan & Sprachman in 1960.
- The sub-series is arranged in 9 sub-sub-series corresponding to project dates of 1919, 1936, 1945, 1949, 1960, 1962, and 1968. The final sub-sub-series relates to work done by Kaplan after the dissolution of Kaplan & Sprachman.
- In several cases, a sub-sub-series includes drawings and plans from earlier projects, used as reference materials for the current project.
- Name Access
- Lamb, Thos. W. (Thomas White), 1871-1942
- Uptown Theatre (Toronto, Ont.)
- Subjects
- Theaters
- Physical Condition
- Some drawings torn or water-damaged. Some are discoloured or damaged by deteriorating pressure-sensitive tape.
- Places
- Toronto (Ont.)
- Accession Number
- 2003-6-1
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Harold S. Kaplan fonds
- Architectural projects series
- Loew's Uptown Theatre (Toronto) sub-series
- Alterations to Uptown Theatre and plan of existing theatre sub-sub-series
- Level
- Sub-sub-series
- Fonds
- 27
- Series
- 1-2-2
- Material Format
- architectural drawing
- graphic material
- Date
- 1936
- Physical Description
- 2 drawings : pencil on tracing paper ; 49 x 42 cm and 67x41 cm
- 2 photographs : b&w ; 18 x 13 cm
- Scope and Content
- Sub-sub-series consists of floor plans and sections of theatre and Balmuto Street entrance and two photographs of the Yonge Street entrance to the theatre.
- Notes
- Title derived from formal titles of the drawings.
- Project reference code AR 1497.
- Creation date for the photographs is based on the release date of the movie then playing at the theatre.
- The drawings and photographs have been grouped together based on their date of creation, but there is no project reference code on the photographs.
- Name Access
- Uptown Theatre (Toronto)
- Accession Number
- 2003-6-1
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Harold S. Kaplan fonds
- Architectural projects series
- Loew's Uptown Theatre (Toronto) sub-series
- Alterations to Loew's Uptown Theatre sub-sub-series
- Level
- Sub-sub-series
- Fonds
- 27
- Series
- 1-2-3
- Material Format
- architectural drawing
- Date
- 1943-1948
- Physical Description
- 11 drawings : pencil on tracing paper ; 67 x 79 cm or smaller
- Scope and Content
- Sub-sub-series includes floor plans and elevations for alterations to outer lobby and lobby floor, public washrooms and washroom in manager's office.
- Notes
- Project reference no.'s: 44-2 and 45-K-85.
- Plans labelled 44-2 were found rolled up with those for 45-K-85, suggesting they were used in the course of 45-K-8 and so they have been left together.
- Title is based on the formal titles of the drawings.
- Name Access
- Uptown Theatre (Toronto)
- Physical Condition
- Edges of the larger drawings are damaged and torn.
- Accession Number
- 2003-6-1
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Harold S. Kaplan fonds
- Architectural projects series
- Loew's Uptown Theatre (Toronto) sub-series
- Toronto Theatre, Balmuto near Bloor sub-sub-series
- Level
- Sub-sub-series
- Fonds
- 27
- Series
- 1-2-6
- Material Format
- architectural drawing
- Other Title Information
- [1919]
- Responsibility
- Thomas W. Lamb, architect
- Date
- photocopied in 1960
- Physical Description
- 10 drawings : photocopies ; 46 x 67 cm and 41 x 41 cm
- Scope and Content
- Sub-sub-series consists of photoreproductions of Thomas Lamb's original plans and elevations for the Uptown Theatre, acquired by Kaplan & Sprachman in 1960.
- Notes
- Date of these reproductions is taken from a Kaplan & Sprachman stamp on the back of the drawings.
- Name Access
- Lamb, Thomas
- Uptown Theatre (Toronto)
- Accession Number
- 2003-6-1
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Harold S. Kaplan fonds
- Architectural projects series
- Loew's Uptown Theatre (Toronto) sub-series
- Renovations to entrance, mezzanine, auditorium and basement sub-sub-series
- Level
- Sub-sub-series
- Fonds
- 27
- Series
- 1-2-8
- Material Format
- architectural drawing
- graphic material
- Date
- 1919-1962
- Physical Description
- 25 drawings : pencil (some hand col. using pencil crayon), pencil on tracing paper, blueline prints and other reproductions ; 76 x 106 cm or smaller
- 3 photographs : b&w ; 44 x 55 cm and 41 x 52 cm
- Scope and Content
- Sub-sub-series consists of a wide range of floor plans, elevations and longitudinal sections, drawings of structural features and details of doorways, seating, balconies, etc. Also includes several hand-coloured drawings of the auditorium (of the stage area and longitudinal sections of the auditorium) with paint and fabric samples attached. The drawings of the stage are based on one of the photographs included in the sub-sub-series.
- Approximately half of the drawings are by contractors responsible for installing doors and other features, or are drawings from the original construction of the theatre.
- Notes
- Project reference no. 62-K-22.
- Name Access
- Lamb, Thomas
- Uptown Theatre (Toronto)
- Accession Number
- 2003-6-1
- Source
- Archival Descriptions
- Part Of
- Harold S. Kaplan fonds
- Architectural projects series
- Loew's Uptown Theatre (Toronto) sub-series
- Renovations to escalator and upper balcony sub-sub-series
- Level
- Sub-sub-series
- Fonds
- 27
- Series
- 1-2-9
- Material Format
- architectural drawing
- Date
- 1945-1968
- Physical Description
- 46 drawings : pencil, blueline prints and other reproductions ; 72 x 91 cm or smaller
- Scope and Content
- Sub-sub-series consists of plans, elevations, and rough sketches for escalator renovations, balcony restepping and balcony seating plan, and drawings borrowed from previous Kaplan & Sprachman projects (or project proposals) at the theatre. These earlier projects include project numbers 45-85, 54-K-13, 59-K-31, 62-K-22, and 63-K-16, and relate to escalators, the mezzanine and outer lobby, basement, ladies' lounge, projection booth, orchestra floor plan, and details of columns and railings.
- Notes
- Project reference no. 68-5.
- Name Access
- Uptown Theatre (Toronto)
- Accession Number
- 2003-6-1
- Source
- Archival Descriptions