Starvin' Marvin's/Le Coq D'Or

[jbcurio]

Hi, just looking for a little help in tracing a building. Is 331 Yonge (the one-time Starvin' Marvin's burlesque) now incorporated into HMV (333 Yonge, the former location of Le Coq D'Or) or was it now where the north end of Metropolis/Toronto Life Centre sits? Does anyone also have a rough timeframe for how long both of these spots were in operation? Where were SM's and the Hawks Nest in relation to each other at 331?

(The reason for these questions is an early 70s ad for Starvin' Marvin's that I may write about in the near future)

Thanks in advance!

 

[jaborandi]

Hi, just looking for a little help in tracing a building. Is 331 Yonge (the one-time Starvin' Marvin's burlesque) now incorporated into HMV (333 Yonge, the former location of Le Coq D'Or) or was it now where the north end of Metropolis/Toronto Life Centre sits? Does anyone also have a rough timeframe for how long both of these spots were in operation? Where were SM's and the Hawks Nest in relation to each other at 331?

(The reason for these questions is an early 70s ad for Starvin' Marvin's that I may write about in the near future)

Thanks in advance!

Le Coq D'Or was indeed at 333 Yonge Street, now HMV, and the building directly south which one assumes was 331 Yonge became Cinema 2000 at some point in the mid 70's. Cinema 2000 showed such classic porn flicks as "The Big Snatch". I can't remember Starvin' Marvin's though the name is certainly familiar. Cinema 2000 was torn down to make way for HMV's Classical section. Le Coq D'Or was certainly still happening in the mid 70's (I recall doing some DA and going to see Rough Trade play) but I think its days were numbered by then. I believe it opened in the very early 60's

 

[Urban Shocker]

I can't remember Marvin's either - the only burlesque house I ever went to was the Victory, at Spadina and Dundas, just after it closed somewhere around 1973. The old carpeted floors were ... sticky.

 

[Jdot]

Sometimes I really wish I were around in Toronto in the 70's.

 

[Edward Skira]

I went down to Yonge Street when it was closed to traffic in the early 70's with my parents one night. I must have been around 10 years old. We were walking north of Dundas and as I looked at the storefronts a door opened at one establishment. What I saw was a nude women swinging over the bar. That image of Yonge Street has stayed with me to this day. It really was a wild place in those days compared to today.

 

[Urban Shocker]

Naked ladies used to swing from the lamp posts all down Yonge Street on quiet Sunday afternoons in the summer, in the early 1970's when I first came here. There was never a dull moment in those days.

 

[dt_toronto_geek]

A long dead thread, but I found some photos!

Looks like most are from the 1970's -

Cinema 2000 entrance in the foreground, Starvin' Marvin's just beyond -

Re: jaborandi's post above, I actually found a photo of the Cinema 2000 too (next to Starvin' Marvin's). As usual, protests out front! I remember the big one around 1976/77 that went on for months when they showed the uncut version of a movie called "Snuff" on both screens. Publicity drove business, it played for a long time. I believe Cinema 2000 was originally one small 80-100 seat cinema downstairs then split into two cinemas that each sat perhaps 25-40 seats each. There were no ushers, no candy bar - just bathrooms and vending machines! Upstairs at Cinema 2000 was the magazine/bookstore in the front area which also sold a few adult novelty items, then the peep booths were at the back.

 

[yyz-home-ca]

Le Coq D'Or was indeed at 333 Yonge Street, now HMV, and the building directly south which one assumes was 331 Yonge became Cinema 2000 at some point in the mid 70's. Cinema 2000 showed such classic porn flicks as "The Big Snatch". I can't remember Starvin' Marvin's though the name is certainly familiar. Cinema 2000 was torn down to make way for HMV's Classical section. Le Coq D'Or was certainly still happening in the mid 70's (I recall doing some DA and going to see Rough Trade play) but I think its days were numbered by then. I believe it opened in the very early 60's

Starvin Marvins @ 32 seconds...

 

[jaborandi]

Starvin Marvins @ 32 seconds...

What an excellent reminder of what was and thankfully is no longer. Talk about your Bell Bottom Blues!