Doug Taylor (1938–2020) was a Canadian historian, professor, author and connoisseur of movie theatres.[1][2] In two books, and multiple online articles, Taylor wrote about Toronto's history of beautiful cinemas.[3] He published a history of selected neighbourhoods in 2010, a book on Toronto lost landmarks in 2018.
Doug Taylor | |
|---|---|
| Born | June 14, 1938 Toronto |
| Died | July 27, 2020 (aged 82) Toronto |
| Nationality | Canadian |
| Other names | John Douglas Taylor |
| Occupation(s) | Historian, teacher, author |
Toronto Life magazine and Inside Toronto both profiled Taylor when he published Toronto Theaters and the Golden Age of the Silver Screen.[1][3][4] The Toronto Sun's local historian, Mike Filey, used its publication as a jump-off for his own article on Toronto's cinema history.[5]
Taylor's parents immigrated to Canada from Newfoundland, when it was an independent country.[1] Two of Taylor's books are memoirs of his experience growing up in an immigrant family.
Liz Braun, the Toronto Sun long-term film reviewer endorsed Taylor's books on Toronto cinemas.[6]
Publications
edit- Doug Taylor (2008). There Never Was a Better Time: Toronto's Yesterdays. iUniverse. ISBN 9780595899555. Retrieved May 24, 2017.
- Doug Taylor (2010). Arse Over Teakettle: An Irreverent Story of Coming of Age During the 1940s in Toronto. iUniverse. ISBN 9781450205306. Retrieved May 24, 2017.
- Doug Taylor (2010). The Villages Within: An Irreverent History of Toronto and a Respectful Guide to the St. Andrew's Market, the Kings West District, the Kensington Market, and Queen Street West. iUniverse. ISBN 9781450225250. Retrieved May 24, 2017.
- Doug Taylor (2011). The Reluctant Virgin: Murder in 1950s Toronto. iUniverse. ISBN 9781462046478. Retrieved May 24, 2017.
- Doug Taylor (2013). When the Trumpet Sounds. iUniverse. ISBN 9781491708705. Retrieved May 24, 2017.
- Doug Taylor (2014). Toronto Theaters and the Golden Age of the Silver Screen. The History Press. ISBN 9781626194502.
- Doug Taylor (2016). Toronto's Local Movie Theatres of Yesteryear: Brought Back to Thrill You Again. Dundurn Press. ISBN 9781459733428.
- Doug Taylor (2016). Toronto Then and Now. Pavilion Books. ISBN 9781910904077.
- Doug Taylor (2018). Lost Toronto. Pavilion Books. ISBN 9781911595038. Retrieved May 24, 2017.
References
edit- ^ a b c "These vintage photos reveal the glamour of Toronto's old-timey movie theatres". Toronto Life. June 22, 2016. Retrieved May 24, 2017.
- ^
"LOST TORONTO: Great buildings that are no more". 24 Hours (Toronto). July 6, 2016. Retrieved May 24, 2017.
The 1960s were the greatest period of civic destruction," the retired York University professor tells 24 Hours. "It was a period of civic vandalism, great neglect and city council loved everything sparkly and new.
- ^ a b
Justin Skinner (August 10, 2014). "Doug Taylor pays tribute to the movie theatres of Toronto's past". Inside Toronto. Retrieved May 24, 2017.
Downtown author Doug Taylor has captured many of those changes, looking at Toronto's history as a movie hub, in his new book Toronto Theatres and the Golden Age of the Silver Screen.
- ^
Bernie Fletcher (September 9, 2014). "The Golden Age of movie houses". Beach Metro News. Retrieved May 25, 2017.
Taylor tells the stories of local movie houses from the early days of storefront nickelodeons to the TIFF Bell Lightbox of today. Each chapter in the book traces one era, highlighting the decades when film theatres were the centres of entertainment in a community.
- ^
Mike Filey (July 26, 2014). "The golden age of Toronto movie theatres". Toronto Sun. Retrieved May 25, 2017.
Just released by the History Press out of Charleston, South Carolina (what a great city!) and distributed by the good people at Dundurn here in Toronto (an even better city!!) is a new book by Toronto history buff Doug Taylor.
- ^
Liz Braun (June 15, 2019). "BRAUN: See you at the movies!". Toronto Sun. Retrieved August 10, 2019.
If you're interested in Toronto's old movie theatres, historian Doug Taylor has two good books on the subject: Toronto Theatres and The Golden Age of the Silver Screen, and Local Movie Theatres of Yesteryear, both available on amazon.ca.