The Allen Family With Photos Of The Allen Theatre Built in Calgary in 1913.
From a page in the 1919 City of Calgary Yearbook.
This was the first large theatre of the Calgary-based Allen chain, which expanded across Canada and included such other
Calgary standouts as the Strand, the Palace, and the Capitol.
A three-page article by Philip Dombowsky on the Allens in the Historic Theatres Trust Bulletin (Winter 1994/95) credits
them with building Canada's first national theatre chain, which grew to about sixty movie theatres by 1920. The author also
cites a Maclean's Magazine report of February, 1920: "The Story of the Allens: How a Business Miracle Came About".
He notes tthat as a large part of their success, the Allens gained exclusive Canadian access to Paramount, Goldwyn and
other motion picture producers.
Photo: courtesy Glenbow Archives, Calgary, Alberta N.A. 789-153
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