39 King St. East, Oshawa, ON

 

Opened in the 1940’s, Oshawa’s Biltmore Theatre may have been the original of 5 Ontario movie theatres in the chain. It was commissioned and built by the Okum Brothers of Toronto, who made their fortune selling hats under the Biltmore name.

 

Other locations included Kingston, Kitchener, Toronto and Sault Ste Marie. Designed by Webb, Blythe and Sproule in the Art Deco style and originally with 699 seats, Oshawa was the smallest of the Biltmore Theatres in Ontario. 

 

During this time, the theatre operated as a “B” movie theatre, one of 4 theatres in Downtown Oshawa. It operated under the Biltmore name until business declined in the 1960’s. The Oshawa location closed before being reopened and operating as an Odeon theatre until 1989.

 

After the Odeon’s closure in 1989, the theatre's history as a movie house stopped, and over the years it was converted into a series of nightclubs and music venues.

 

In September 2020, the Biltmore Theatre property came under the new ownership of Julius Kedvessy, who revived the Biltmore name and renovated the space, bringing back in elements of the art deco design. 

 

Julius unfortunately passed in September of 2021, but his passion and dreams for the arts, music scene and the local community are shared by his daughter Diana Cerovich, who continues to operate the facility today. 

 

The space now operates as a public hall, presenting national touring concerts, special events and a rental space for community clientele.

 

 

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