Over the past several decades, Toronto’s Riverside neighbourhood has been a filming hotspot for many different movies and TV shows.
Learn about some of what has been filmed at some of Riverside’s most notable locations and explore it for yourself with our self-guided walking tour!
Scene from “In The Mouth of Madness” (1994), Directed by John Carpenter
STOP 1: Ralph Thornton Centre & Queen/Saulter Library
765 Queen St East
Designed by E.J. Lennox, the architect behind Old Toronto City Hall and Casa Loma, this building was constructed in 1912 and known as Postal Station G until 1975, before the City of Toronto acquired the building and it was renovated into the Ralph Thornton Community Center and Queen/Saulter Library Branch in 1979. The building and its exterior have served as filming locations for scenes in films such as Cinderella Man (2005) and In The Mouth of Madness (1994).
Photo credit: Christian Jay B. Quilo
Photo credit: The Toronto Star
STOP 2: George Iliades’ Broadview Beauty Parlour
741 Queen St East
Ever since George Iliades’ shop was rented out for a TD Bank Commercial that ended up also featuring him, he got an agent and has been featured in 14 movies including 2002’s My Big Fat Greek Wedding. His barber shop remains a fixture on Queen St E, having been here for over 50 years.
STOP 3: The Broadview Hotel
106 Broadview Ave
Built by Archibald Dingman and known for its Richardsonian Romanesque style, pyramidal tower, and terra cotta relief sculptures on the facade, The Broadview Hotel was first established in 1891 and fully reopened in 2017 after years of acting as rooming houses and hosting entertainment clubs. It has since been featured in notable movies and TV series including Cinderella Man and Workin’ Moms.
Scene from “Angel Eyes” (2001), Directed by Luis Mando
Scenes filmed inside Il Ponte for the TV series “Mary Kills People” created by Tara Armstrong (Credit: Global)
STOP 4: The Riverside Bridge & Il Ponte
Queen St East between River St & Davies Ave & 625 Queen St East
The Riverside Bridge, officially known as the Queen Street Viaduct, was established in 1803 before being reconstructed to its current state in 1911. It has been featured in the 2001 film Angel Eyes where the CN Tower can also be spotted, despite the movie’s Chicago setting. The popular Italian restaurant Il Ponte, named after the bridge it is located next to, is found at the eastern foot of the bridge and has been featured in the TV series Mary Kills People (episode 2×05).
Scene from “The Rocker” (2008), Directed by Peter Cattaneo
STOP 5: The Opera House
735 Queen St East
The Opera House was first established in 1909 as a vaudeville stage before becoming a movie theatre in the 1930s before transforming into the well-known music venue in 1989 that has hosted many iconic artists from Metallica to Eminem. The location has been featured in many different music videos, TV, and film, including The Rocker (2008) and Johnny Mnemonic (1995).
Tell Me Lies (Credit: Disney+/Hulu)
STOP 6: The Comrade
758 Queen St East
Originally a rougher “hole-in-the-wall” spot, The Comrade evolved into a beloved, cozy local hangout famous for its cocktails, burgers, and taxidermy decor. The pub has been a filming hotspot for TV series, such as the Disney+/Hulu series Tell Me Lies’ third season.
The Kids of Degrassi Street (Credit: Amazon)
STOP 7: De Grassi Street & Bruce Mackey Park
812 Queen St East & 55 Wardell St
Named after the soldier Filippo De Grassi, De Grassi Street served as the inspiration for the hit Canadian TV franchise, which started in 1979 with The Kids of Degrassi Street, continuing into the 80s and 90s with Degrassi Junior High and Degrassi High, and the 2000s iteration Degrassi: The Next Generation notably launched the career of artist Drake, with the latest series Degrassi: Next Class streaming on Netflix in 2016. Bruce Mackey Park was dedicated to friend and supporter of the series, Bruce Mackey who aided the series’ creators Linda Schuyler and Kit Hood.
Filming for a Handmaid’s Tale also took place around De Grassi and Queen St East and at local cafe Bonjour Brioche (812 Queen St East).
If you use this tour and post on social media, be sure to tag the businesses along with us @riverside_bia, we’d love to see!
Be sure to follow @riverside_bia on Instagram and check the Riverside Blog for regular updates on the neighbourhood!
This feature is part of our self-guided tours series curated by Richard – a Communication & Media Studies major at York University – in collaboration with the Riverside BIA.