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Opening Night! 

When the Capitol first opened to the public in the summer of 1930, promoters called it "the most beautiful theatre anywhere in Canada." It was also one of the first movie houses designed expressly for "talkies" and quickly established itself as the main entertainment venue in Port Hope. In spite of a delay in the delivery of steel, the Capitol was ready to open on Friday, August 15th, 1930 at 8:30pm with a screening of "Queen High", a Paramount picture based on the comedic stage success "A Pair of Sixes", and featuring Ginger Rogers and Frank Morgan. 

The new movie house attracted huge crowds and provided a tremendous lift for local businesses. Crowds lined up for two shows an evening along Queen Street and up Elias Street. The cost of a night’s entertainment in 1930 was 37 cents for adults, and 15 cents for children - except on Saturdays, when they were charged a quarter. Every Saturday at 3pm there was a matinee where adults paid 25 cents and kids were admitted for only a dime. Along with the Feature Presentation, there were also news reels, cartoons and a short film or two on view. "Never such Entertainment is such a Theatre at these Prices!" boasted the local ads.