Cineplex Odeon
Encyclopedia
Cineplex Odeon Corporation was one of North America
's largest movie theatre operators, with theatres in its home country of Canada
and the United States
. The Cineplex Odeon Theatres are now operated by Cineplex Entertainment
in Canada and as AMC Theatres
in the United States.
and Nat Taylor
, when its first theatre complex opened in the Toronto Eaton Centre
, located in Toronto
, Ontario
.
In 1984, Cineplex bought out Canadian Odeon Theatres, a unit of the UK
firm Odeon Cinemas
and operator of the Odeon cinemas in Canada, to become Cineplex Odeon. In 1985, Cineplex bought out the Plitt Theatres chain (previously United Paramount Theatres and ABC Theatres). In 1986, when federal regulations had been relaxed, MCA (owners of Universal
) purchased a stake in Cineplex Odeon.
A film distribution
outlet, Cineplex Odeon Films
along with a home video
distribution
outlet, Cineplex Odeon Home Video (Later Cineplex Odeon Video), was established some time later in 1986. All titles were distributed in Canada on MCA's behalf, but the film distribution outlet ceased operations in 1997 and the home video outlet ceased a year later, after MCA's department with Universal Studios
.
In May 1998, Cineplex Odeon Theatres merged with New York City
-based Loews Theatres
(founded in 1904 by Marcus Loew
) to form Loews Cineplex Entertainment
. Within a few years, Onex sold the U.S. unit, keeping the Canadian operations and forming Cineplex Galaxy LP. Its cinema in Burlington, Washington
is one of the locations with its original sign.
In July 2005, Cineplex Galaxy LP acquired Famous Players, its largest competitor in Canada, from Viacom, becoming the largest theatre chain in Canada. The company has since renamed itself to Cineplex Entertainment LP.
AMC Theatres
also has locations throughout Canada in addition to the brand of Cineplex theatres.
North America
North America is a continent wholly within the Northern Hemisphere and almost wholly within the Western Hemisphere. It is also considered a northern subcontinent of the Americas...
's largest movie theatre operators, with theatres in its home country of Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
and the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The Cineplex Odeon Theatres are now operated by Cineplex Entertainment
Cineplex Entertainment
Cineplex Entertainment LP , is the largest film exhibitor in Canada and owns, leases or has a joint-venture interest in 130 theatres with 1,351 screens. Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, Cineplex operates theatres from British Columbia to Quebec...
in Canada and as AMC Theatres
AMC Theatres
AMC Theatres , officially known as AMC Entertainment, Inc., is the second largest movie theater chain in North America with 5,325 screens, second only to Regal Entertainment Group, and one of the United States's four national cinema chains AMC Theatres (American Multi-Cinema), officially known as...
in the United States.
History
Cineplex was founded on April 19, 1979, by Garth DrabinskyGarth Drabinsky
Garth Howard Drabinsky, OC is a former Canadian film and theatrical producer and entrepreneur. In 2009, he was convicted and sentenced to prison for fraud and forgery. His sentence is stayed, pending appeal.-Biography:...
and Nat Taylor
Nat Taylor
Nathan A. Taylor was a Canadian inventor. As head of Twentieth Century Theatres, an Ontario branch of Famous Players Canadian Corporation, he built one of the world's first cineplex movie theatres in Ottawa, Ontario at the Elgin Theatre. The Elgin's second screen opened in December 1947 on a patch...
, when its first theatre complex opened in the Toronto Eaton Centre
Toronto Eaton Centre
The Toronto Eaton Centre is a large shopping mall and office complex in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada, named after the now-defunct Eaton's department store chain that once anchored it. In terms of the number of visitors, the shopping mall is Toronto's top tourist attraction, with around one...
, located in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
.
In 1984, Cineplex bought out Canadian Odeon Theatres, a unit of the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
firm Odeon Cinemas
Odeon Cinemas
Odeon Cinemas is a British chain of cinemas, one of the largest in Europe. It is owned by Odeon & UCI Cinemas Group whose ultimate parent is Terra Firma Capital Partners.-History:Odeon Cinemas was created in 1928 by Oscar Deutsch...
and operator of the Odeon cinemas in Canada, to become Cineplex Odeon. In 1985, Cineplex bought out the Plitt Theatres chain (previously United Paramount Theatres and ABC Theatres). In 1986, when federal regulations had been relaxed, MCA (owners of Universal
Universal Studios
Universal Pictures , a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, is one of the six major movie studios....
) purchased a stake in Cineplex Odeon.
A film distribution
Film distributor
A film distributor is a company or individual responsible for releasing films to the public either theatrically or for home viewing...
outlet, Cineplex Odeon Films
Cineplex Odeon Films
Cineplex Odeon Films was the film distribution unit of the Canadian cinema chain Cineplex Odeon Corporation....
along with a home video
Home video
Home video is a blanket term used for pre-recorded media that is either sold or rented/hired for home cinema entertainment. The term originates from the VHS/Betamax era but has carried over into current optical disc formats like DVD and Blu-ray Disc and, to a lesser extent, into methods of digital...
distribution
Distribution (business)
Product distribution is one of the four elements of the marketing mix. An organization or set of organizations involved in the process of making a product or service available for use or consumption by a consumer or business user.The other three parts of the marketing mix are product, pricing,...
outlet, Cineplex Odeon Home Video (Later Cineplex Odeon Video), was established some time later in 1986. All titles were distributed in Canada on MCA's behalf, but the film distribution outlet ceased operations in 1997 and the home video outlet ceased a year later, after MCA's department with Universal Studios
Universal Studios
Universal Pictures , a subsidiary of NBCUniversal, is one of the six major movie studios....
.
In May 1998, Cineplex Odeon Theatres merged with New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
-based Loews Theatres
Loews Cineplex Entertainment
Loews Theatres, aka Loews Incorporated , founded in 1904 by Marcus Loew and Brantford Schwartz, was the oldest theater chain operating in North America until it merged with AMC Theatres on January 26, 2006. From 1924 until 1959, it was also the parent company of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios. The...
(founded in 1904 by Marcus Loew
Marcus Loew
Marcus Loew was an American business magnate and a pioneer of the motion picture industry who formed Loews Theatres and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer .-Biography:...
) to form Loews Cineplex Entertainment
Loews Cineplex Entertainment
Loews Theatres, aka Loews Incorporated , founded in 1904 by Marcus Loew and Brantford Schwartz, was the oldest theater chain operating in North America until it merged with AMC Theatres on January 26, 2006. From 1924 until 1959, it was also the parent company of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios. The...
. Within a few years, Onex sold the U.S. unit, keeping the Canadian operations and forming Cineplex Galaxy LP. Its cinema in Burlington, Washington
Burlington, Washington
Burlington is a city in Skagit County, Washington, United States. The population is 8,388 as recorded by the 2010 census. It is included in the Mount Vernon–Anacortes, Washington Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
is one of the locations with its original sign.
In July 2005, Cineplex Galaxy LP acquired Famous Players, its largest competitor in Canada, from Viacom, becoming the largest theatre chain in Canada. The company has since renamed itself to Cineplex Entertainment LP.
AMC Theatres
AMC Theatres
AMC Theatres , officially known as AMC Entertainment, Inc., is the second largest movie theater chain in North America with 5,325 screens, second only to Regal Entertainment Group, and one of the United States's four national cinema chains AMC Theatres (American Multi-Cinema), officially known as...
also has locations throughout Canada in addition to the brand of Cineplex theatres.