Famous Players theatres

Famous Players Limited Partnership is a subsidiary of Cineplex Galaxy LP; it operates numerous Canadian movie theatre locations stretching from British Columbia to Quebec.

Related Topics:
Cineplex Galaxy LP - Canadian - Movie - Theatre - British Columbia - Quebec

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Famous Players Canadian Corporation was founded in 1920. The Famous Players chain was always strongly linked with Paramount Pictures and was a wholly-owned subsidiary of Paramount Communications by the time that firm was acquired by Viacom in 1994. Under chairman Tom McGrath, Famous Players re-built its entire infrastructure from 1997 to 2003 with new "megaplex" stadium-seated theaters and extensive innovative food court offerings.

Related Topics:
1920 - Paramount Pictures - 1994 - Tom McGrath

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In June 2005, Viacom announced it would sell Famous Players to Cineplex Galaxy, controlled by Onex Corporation, for $500 million. The sale was completed July 22.

Related Topics:
June - 2005 - Viacom - Onex Corporation - July 22

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Famous Players theatres can be divided into five categories.

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• Famous Players (traditional) theatres, some of which still operate in downtown or mall locations across Canada.
• SilverCity theatres, generally stand-alone locations, are mid-sized locations found in many cities not large enough to support a Coliseum or Colossus, or in smaller neighbourhoods of major cities.
• Coliseum theatres are stand-alone locations often found in the suburbs of major cities. Coliseum was the first of the branded concepts introduced by Famous Players.
• Colossus theatres are stand-alone megaplex locations even larger than Coliseums; they were opened in response to similar-sized cinemas being opened in Canada by AMC Theatres. Locations are in Laval, Vaughan and Langley, which are respectively suburbs of Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver.
• Paramount theatres are the company's flagship downtown locations in cities such as Toronto, Montreal, Calgary and Vancouver. These locations will be rebranded by April 22, 2006, pursuant to a short term licence from Viacom's Paramount Pictures unit, which owns the Paramount brand.

Famous Players also owns a minority interest in Alliance Atlantis Cinemas, in partnership with the movie distribution unit of Alliance Atlantis Communications. Cineplex Galaxy has indicated that this interest is expected to be sold.

Related Topics:
Alliance Atlantis Cinemas - Alliance Atlantis Communications

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Famous Players once operated a number of drive-in theatres, but most have been closed and replaced with modern theatres. Until 2004, it operated theatres in the Maritimes, none of which were branded-concept theatres; these were sold to the region's dominant exhibitor, Empire Theatres.

Related Topics:
2004 - Maritimes - Empire Theatres

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It was believed to be the first exhibitor in the world to have automated box offices.

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Famous Players theatres: References ►