[2][3][4] Commonly known as the "Runny", the Runnymede was built by the Capitol (later Famous Players) as an atmospheric vaudeville theatre, the first of this type in Toronto.

[5] As an atmospheric theatre, the interior of the Runnymede was designed to transport its guests to an exotic place.

The painted blue sky ceiling was adorned with clouds, where a complex lighting system projected an array of stars and airplanes.

[6] The building discontinued to be used for plays and live entertainment with the gradual death of vaudeville, and was subsequently converted to a movie theatre in the late 1930s.

The movie theatre closed in February 1999 and You've Got Mail was the last film that was shown.