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106-680: Theatres formerly operated by the company are now operated by Cineplex Entertainment in Canada and as AMC Theatres in the United States. Nathan Nathanson attempted to create a theatre chain with Fox Film , but was unable to due to the company entering receivership . Nathanson returned to the board of Famous Players and became its president in May 1933, resulting in the rest of the board resigning in protest. Holt and Ross, who left alongside Nathanson, returned with him. Zukor agreed to give control of

212-599: A D-Box VR experience launched at the Ottawa location. The IMAX VR centre closed in 2019, as part of the discontinuation of the IMAX VR pilot project. In July 2018, after having opened such an attraction at The Rec Room at Roundhouse Park , Cineplex Entertainment announced that it had reached an agreement to be the exclusive Canadian franchisee of The Void — a chain of mixed reality entertainment attractions. On September 13, 2018, Cineplex announced that it would acquire

318-414: A Hit Albums book following two years later. In 1975, Parker Brothers marketed a board game, The Guinness Game of World Records , based on the book. Players compete by setting and breaking records for activities such as the longest streak of rolling dice before rolling doubles, stacking plastic pieces, and bouncing a ball off alternating sides of a card, as well as answering trivia questions based on

424-402: A "virtual monopoly " over the cinema market in Canada. In 2012, a class-action lawsuit was filed against Cineplex over locations refusing to honour the company's "Cheap Tuesdays" promotion. The company agreed to a $ 7,000 settlement, including a $ 25,000 charitable donation. In 2019, the producers of the anti-abortion film Unplanned criticized Cineplex for initially declining to pick up

530-546: A $ 1.50 surcharge on all online ticket orders since June 2022, but used dark patterns to hide this fee from listed ticket prices until the end of the transaction. In October 2024, Cineplex appealed the decision to the Federal Court of Appeal . Guinness Book of World Records Guinness World Records , known from its inception in 1955 until 1999 as The Guinness Book of Records and in previous United States editions as The Guinness Book of World Records ,

636-511: A branch that keeps records for popular video game high scores, codes and feats in association with Twin Galaxies . The Gamer's Edition contains 258 pages, over 1,236 video game related world records and four interviews including one with Twin Galaxies founder Walter Day . Editions were published for the years 2008 through 2020, with the 2009 edition in hardcover. The 2025 edition is the first since 2020. The Guinness Book of British Hit Singles

742-603: A duopoly, and choking off the film supply so smaller theatres could not show the same products. Cineplex's control over the market allowed them to increase prices. They were criticized, including by Mayor Ed Koch , for raising ticket prices from USD$ 5 to USD$ 7 in New York City. In April 1998, Cineplex Odeon Theatres merged with New York City -based Loews Theatres (founded in 1904 by Marcus Loew ) to form Loews Cineplex Entertainment . Alliance Atlantis purchased Cineplex Odeon Films assets along with its home video division

848-568: A fact-finding agency in London. The twin brothers were commissioned to compile what became The Guinness Book of (Superlatives and now) Records, in August 1954. A thousand copies were distributed for free to pubs across Britain and Ireland as a promotional asset for the Guinness brand, and they became immensely popular with customers. After the founding of The Guinness Book of Records office at

954-646: A former parliamentarian and member of Prime Minister R. B. Bennett 's cabinet, was selected to replace Paul as president in 1946. The board under Rank included president of Canadian Pacific Railway D.C. Coleman, president of Imperial Oil R.V. LeSueur, and Rank lawyer Leonard Brockington . Leonard Brockington was appointed as president following Lawson's death in 1950. Rank controlled Odeon until January 1977, when they sold it, as Rank had stopped its activities in film production, to Michael Zahorchak for $ 31.2 million. Zahorchak combined his chain of 47 theatres with Odeon's 131 theatres. He died in 1982, leaving control of

1060-606: A former Cineplex chief financial officer . With investments from Onex Corporation and Famous Players, the new company focused on smaller markets that were usually served by smaller theatres and old equipment, opening large, major chain-style locations under the Galaxy Cinemas banner. By 2003, Galaxy Entertainment had grown to 19 theatres and $ 75 million in box office revenue. In 2001, Loews Cineplex Entertainment (a 1998 merger of Universal Pictures ' Cineplex Odeon and Sony 's Loews Theatres) underwent bankruptcy due to

1166-682: A higher ticket price. Following the premiere of Star Wars: The Force Awakens in 2015, Cineplex reported that at least 80% of customers watched the film with one of its premium formats, and 40% of the company's overall box office revenue came from premium formats. Arcades at Cineplex locations are primarily operated under the branding Xscape Entertainment Centre ; the brand was first introduced in June 2009, and has since been deployed at 83 locations as of September 2024. Early Xscape locations (such as SilverCity CrossIron Mills near Calgary) were also built with licensed lounges and party rooms, but most of

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1272-667: A huge number of world records. The organisation employs record adjudicators to verify the authenticity of the setting and breaking of records. Following a series of owners, the franchise has been owned by the Jim Pattison Group since 2008, with its headquarters moved to South Quay Plaza , Canary Wharf , London, in 2017. Since 2008, Guinness World Records has orientated its business model away from selling books, and towards creating new world records as publicity exercises for individuals and organisations, which has attracted criticism. On 10 November 1951, Sir Hugh Beaver , then

1378-542: A legal challenge against the Famous Players/Canadian Odeon duopoly and their exclusive contracts with major studios, Cineplex acquired Odeon on 28 June 1984, for $ 22 million and taking on Odeon's $ 35 million in debt. This increased its property ownership to 143 theatres, 383 screens, and 29 drive-in theatres. A lease with Landmark Cinemas in February 1985 added 22 screens. The Bronfman family was

1484-476: A licensed lounge with more premium offerings compared to Outtakes. Poptopia is a flavoured popcorn restaurant offered in a full-service format at 22 locations. Other Cineplex theatres may feature Poptopia at the concession stand, but only in the caramel corn and/or kettle corn flavours. Ice cream at Cineplex locations debuted with Baskin-Robbins and TCBY . Beginning in December 2007, Yogen Früz became

1590-751: A login on the company's website. Applications made by individuals for existing record categories are free of charge. There is an administration fee of £5 (or $ 5) to propose a new record title. A number of spin-off books and television series have also been produced. Guinness World Records bestowed the record of "Person with the most records" on Ashrita Furman of Queens, New York, in April 2009; at that time, he held 100 records. In 2005, Guinness designated 9 November as International Guinness World Records Day to encourage breaking of world records. In 2006, an estimated 100,000 people participated in over 10 countries. Guinness reported 2,244 new records in 12 months, which

1696-500: A major investor in the Odeon purchase. Drabinsky fired two-thirds of the staff at the head-office and the remainder had their salaries cut. By 1984, the company had a profit of $ 12 million. From 1985 to 1986, profits rose by 153% to $ 31.6 million. Merrill Lynch predicted that by 1988, the company's revenue would be above $ 659 million. The company paid USD$ 2.3 million for the worldwide distribution rights for The Glass Menagerie which

1802-539: A new 10-screen cinema at the site with three VIP screens. On December 16, 2019, Cineplex announced a definitive agreement to be acquired by the British cinema operator Cineworld Group , the second-largest film exhibitor worldwide, pending shareholder and regulatory approval. Cineworld would be paying $ 34 per-share—a 42% premium over Cineplex's share price prior to the announcement, valuing the company at CDN$ 2.8 billion. Cineworld planned to pay US$ 1.65 billion, and to fund

1908-628: A new cinema banner incorporating elements from The Rec Room's concept. The first Cineplex Junxion opened at Kildonan Place in Winnipeg in December 2022, succeeding the existing Famous Players location at the same site. Another location at Erin Mills Town Centre in Mississauga opened on May 17, 2023. In November 2017, an IMAX VR centre opened at Scotiabank Theatre Toronto as IMAX VR's first location in Canada. The following month,

2014-483: A new concept, The Rec Room , amusement venues with live entertainment that serve food and drink. In the 2010s, Cineplex began to deploy "VIP Cinemas" featuring reclining seats, in-seat meal services, and a licensed lounge. On August 15, 2014, Cineplex opened a dedicated VIP Cinemas Don Mills location, the first to be devoted solely to the format. By 2017, the company had also begun to retrofit selected non-VIP auditoriums to feature reclining seating. On June 27, 2013,

2120-409: A new record. The company also provides corporate services for companies to "harness the power of record-breaking to deliver tangible success for their businesses." Guinness World Records states several types of records it will not accept for ethical reasons, such as those related to the killing or harming of animals. In the 2006 Guinness Book of World Records , Colombian serial killer Pedro López

2226-504: A one-week limited release at 24 Cineplex locations. The decision was praised by opponents of abortion, but did lead to criticism from abortion-rights (pro-choice) groups due to disputes over the film's content (with the Alberta Pro-Choice Coalition stating that it planned to hold a peaceful protest outside Scotiabank Theatre Chinook Centre ). The film itself had already attracted criticism from groups, such as

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2332-473: A record to break or to create a new category just for them. As such, they have been described as a native advertising company, with no clear distinction between content and advertisement. Guinness World Records was criticised by television talk show host John Oliver on the program Last Week Tonight with John Oliver in August 2019. Oliver criticised Guinness for taking money from authoritarian governments for pointless vanity projects as it related to

2438-573: A scroll", along with other such titles. Concerns were also raised around the activities around Egypt, which moved from 22 records to 110 within a decade until 2024. James Lynch, co-founder of FairSquare, said the records were legitimising Abdel Fattah el-Sisi's regime. The Guinness World Records stated that its record titles "cannot be purchased". For some potential categories, Guinness World Records has declined to list some records that are too difficult or impossible to determine. For example, its website states: "We do not accept any claims for beauty as it

2544-736: A stake in VRStudios—a Seattle-based provider of virtual reality installations, and utilize its equipment for as many as 40 VR centres across the country. Launched in 2007, Scene+ is an entertainment rewards program jointly owned by Scotiabank and Cineplex Entertainment. Cineplex has an Outtakes ( French : Restoplex ) restaurant in many of its theatres, some which replace previous restaurant partners ( Burger King , KFC Express, Pizza Pizza / Pizza 73 , Pizza Hut Express, Taco Bell Express and New York Fries ) and others which introduce restaurants at locations which did not previously feature one. VIP Cinemas and some Xscape locations feature

2650-487: A sword swallower, repeated lightning strike victim Roy Sullivan 's hat complete with lightning holes and a pair of gem-studded golf shoes on sale for $ 6,500. The museum closed in 1995. In more recent years, the Guinness company has permitted the franchising of small museums with displays based on the book, all currently (as of 2010 ) located in towns popular with tourists: Tokyo , Copenhagen , San Antonio . There were once Guinness World Records museums and exhibitions at

2756-546: Is a British reference book published annually, listing world records both of human achievements and the extremes of the natural world. Sir Hugh Beaver created the concept, and twin brothers Norris and Ross McWhirter co-founded the book in London in August 1955. The first edition topped the bestseller list in the United Kingdom by Christmas 1955. The following year the book was launched internationally, and as of

2862-591: Is a Canadian operator of movie theater and family entertainment centers , headquartered in Toronto. It is the largest cinema chain in Canada; as of 2019, it operated 165 locations, and accounted for 75% of the domestic box office. The company was formed in 2003 via the acquisition of Loews Cineplex 's Canadian operations (which included the assets of the former Cineplex Odeon chain) by Onex Corporation and Oaktree Capital Management , and its subsequent merger with Onex's Galaxy Entertainment —a chain of cinemas that

2968-419: Is not objectively measurable." On 10 December 2010, Guinness World Records stopped accepting submissions for the " dreadlock " category after investigation of its first and only female title holder, Asha Mandela, determining it was impossible to judge this record accurately. Traditionally, the company made a large amount of its revenue via book sales to interested readers, especially children. The rise of

3074-422: Is slow. Would-be record breakers that paid fees ranging from US$ 12,000 to US$ 500,000 would be given advisors, adjudicators, help in finding good records to break as well as suggestions for how to do it, prompt service, and so on. In particular, corporations and celebrities seeking a publicity stunt to launch a new product or draw attention to themselves began to hire Guinness World Records , paying them for finding

3180-554: Is the effective authority on the exact requirements for them and with whom records reside, the company providing adjudicators to events to determine the veracity of record attempts. The list of records which the Guinness World Records covers is not fixed, records may be added and also removed for various reasons. The public is invited to submit applications for records, which can be either the bettering of existing records or substantial achievements which could constitute

3286-627: The Abortion Rights Coalition of Canada , over its factual accuracy, with the Coalition describing it as "American propaganda". During the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival , festival organizers stated that Cineplex would no longer allow films distributed by an online video service (such as Prime Video or Netflix ) to be screened at the Scotiabank Theatre Toronto (which has been considered

Cineplex Odeon Corporation - Misplaced Pages Continue

3392-590: The Combines Investigation Act in the 1980s. An application with the Restrictive Trade Practices Commission was filed on 22 December 1982, by the director of investigation and research. The distributors negotiated with the investigators rather than face trial in 1983, and they altered their theatrical distribution policies causing Cineplex to have better access to first-run films. After successfully winning

3498-792: The Empire Company announced that it would divest its Empire Theatres operations in order to focus on its real-estate assets and grocery chain Sobeys . Cineplex acquired 24 former Empire locations in the Atlantic provinces as well as 2 in Ontario, for around $ 200 million ( Landmark Cinemas acquired the remainder, predominantly in Western Canada and Ontario). In February 2014, Cineplex announced that it had acquired Empire's planned Lansdowne Park location in Ottawa, and would construct

3604-490: The Empire State Building . Speed shooter Bob Munden then went on tour promoting The Guinness Book of World Records by performing his record fast draws with a standard weight single-action revolver from a Western movie-type holster. His fastest time for a draw was 0.02 seconds. Among exhibits were life-size statues of the world's tallest man, Robert Wadlow , and world's largest earthworm , an X-ray photo of

3710-665: The Guinness Book of World Records as the world's largest cinema at the time of its opening. In July 1982 they opened their first theater in the United States, with a 14-screen multiplex in the newly built Beverly Center in Los Angeles, the largest in the US at the time. Also in 1982, the company listed on the Toronto Stock Exchange . Cineplex was not financially successful and its debt rose to $ 24.6 million by

3816-676: The London Trocadero , Bangalore , San Francisco , Myrtle Beach , Orlando , Atlantic City , New Jersey, and Las Vegas , Nevada . The Orlando museum, which closed in 2002, was branded The Guinness Records Experience ; the Hollywood, Niagara Falls , Copenhagen, and Gatlinburg , Tennessee museums also previously featured this branding. Guinness World Records has commissioned various television series documenting world record breaking attempts, including: Specials: In 2008, Guinness World Records released its gamer's edition,

3922-669: The Ontario Superior Court of Justice ruled in favour of Cineplex, and ordered Cineworld to pay US$ 1 billion in damages for breach of contract. The company planned to appeal the ruling; Cineworld's shares fell by 40% in the immediate aftermath of the ruling. In September 2022, it was reported that the United States Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of Texas had denied the appeal, amid Cineworld's Chapter 11 bankruptcy . It

4028-681: The Toronto-Dominion Bank . The company grew to 202 theatres by July 1983. Taylor and Drabinsky also founded Pan-Canadian Film Distributors. Drabinsky threatened to sue American companies under the Sherman Antitrust Act if they did not provide first-run films to the Beverly Center. The first Cineplex location, an 18-screen complex in the basement of the Toronto Eaton Centre , earned a place in

4134-773: The economic recession of the early 2000s . In June 2001, Onex Corporation announced its intent to acquire Loews Cineplex; as part of the deal, Loews Cineplex would close 46 cinemas (including 25 in Canada), and Onex would acquire the company for $ 1.3 billion with Oaktree Capital Management as a partner. In November 2003, Loews Cineplex Entertainment's Canadian operations merged with Galaxy Entertainment as Cineplex Galaxy Income Fund. The U.S. operations of Loews Cineplex were divested in 2004 to several investors including The Carlyle Group . On June 13, 2005, Cineplex Galaxy Income Fund announced its acquisition of Famous Players from Viacom for CA$ 500 million (about US$ 397 million). This deal

4240-535: The "primary" venue of the event for major screenings) due to company policy, as the services do not adhere to industry-standard theatrical windows. ScreenDaily stated that this was "believed to be the first time an exhibitor’s position on theatrical windowing has affected scheduling at a major film festival". On September 23, 2024, the Competition Tribunal ordered Cineplex to pay a $ 38.9 million fine for deceptive marketing practices. Cineplex added

4346-478: The 1940s The Rank Organisation sought to expand into markets dominated by American companies. J. Arthur Rank became fifty-fifty partners with Nathanson on 24 November 1944. Paul Nathanson, Nathan Nathanson's son, became the president of Odeon following Nathan's death and served until he sold his 50% stake in the company to The Rank Organisation in April 1946. Odeon grew from 107 theaters at the time of Rank's acquirement in 1946, to 180 theatres by 1948. Earl Lawson ,

Cineplex Odeon Corporation - Misplaced Pages Continue

4452-407: The 2025 edition, it is now in its 70th year of publication, published in 100 countries and 40 languages, and maintains over 53,000 records in its database. The international franchise has extended beyond print to include television series and museums. The popularity of the franchise has resulted in Guinness World Records becoming the primary international source for cataloguing and verification of

4558-493: The 5th richest person in the world, became the first president of the resulting entity, Famous Player Canadian Corporation. In 1923, Famous Players bought out rival Allen Theatres, acquiring many buildings in the process. Odeon Theatres of Canada was established in 1941, before merging with the Canadian Theatres chain in 1978, becoming Canadian Odeon Theatres . In 1979, Garth Drabinsky and Nat Taylor created

4664-784: The Canadian market, AMC sold four of its Canadian cinemas to Cineplex, including the Yonge Dundas 24 at 10 Dundas East (Cineplex's original location and namesake), and the Forum in Montreal . The company also earlier acquired the Tinseltown Movies 12 theatre from another American chain, Cinemark , in the Gastown neighbourhood of Vancouver. Over the subsequent years, Cineplex expanded into advertising, events programming and

4770-509: The Cineplex Corporation and opened its first "Cineplex" theatre complex, in the Toronto Eaton Centre . Odeon merged with Cineplex in 1984 to form Cineplex Odeon Corporation , before being acquired by Loews Theatres in 1998, thereby becoming Loews Cineplex Entertainment . Galaxy Entertainment Inc. was established in 1999 by Ellis Jacob , a former chief operating officer of Loews Cineplex Entertainment , and Stephen Brown,

4876-859: The Cineplex banner). The company also owns Family entertainment centers under the brands The Rec Room and Playdium , the rewards loyalty program Scene+ (in partnership with Scotiabank and the Empire Company ), the e-commerce Cineplex Store, film distributor Cineplex Pictures and the digital advertising business Cineplex Media. Cineplex stakes a partial claim to the history of the Famous Players Film Company (later Paramount Pictures ), founded in 1912 by Adolph Zukor , as Cineplex's earliest predecessor; however, that company did not have any operations in Canada until 1920, when it bought Nathan Nathanson's Paramount Theatre chain, which Nathanson had established four years earlier. Nathanson,

4982-459: The Internet began to cut into book sales starting in the 2000s, part of a general decline in the book industry. According to a 2017 story by Planet Money of NPR , Guinness began to realise that a lucrative new revenue source to replace falling book sales was the would-be record-holders themselves. While any person can theoretically send in a record to be verified for free, the approval process

5088-677: The Official Chart Company's singles and albums charts were combined under the title British Hit Singles & Albums , with Hit Entertainment publishing the book from 2003 to 2006 (under the Guinness World Records brand). After Guinness World Records was sold to The Jim Pattison Group, it was effectively replaced by a series of books published by Ebury Publishing/Random House with the Virgin Book of British Hit Singles first being published in 2007 and with

5194-547: The VIP theatres albeit from a selection of beer or cider beverages. The current Chief Executive Officer and President of Cineplex Entertainment is Ellis Jacob . Alongside with Jacob are Jordan Banks who serves as a Facebook executive, Robert Bruce, Joan Dea, Ian Greenberg , the founder of Astral Media , Sarabjit S. Marwah, Anthony Munk, Edward Sonshine, Christopher Medlock, Robert J. Steacy and Phyllis Yaffe, who serves as its chair. The Motley Fool described Cineplex as having

5300-539: The Xscape format, use the brand Cinescape Games. In January 2015, Cineplex announced The Rec Room , an entertainment restaurant chain similar to the U.S.-based chain Dave & Buster's . The Rec Room targets a young adult demographic, with its locations featuring restaurants and bars, arcade and recreational game areas, simulators, and an auditorium equipped with a cinema-style screen. Cineplex CEO Ellis Jacob explained that

5406-539: The adoption of a subscription service scheme similar to Regal and Cineworld) by the end of fiscal year 2020. The sale was approved by Cineplex shareholders in February 2020. Activist shareholder Bluebell Capital Partners called for the Canadian government to block the sale due to the COVID-19 pandemic , which in turn led to the temporary closure of all Cineplex properties for several months starting on March 16. In May, Cineplex stated that Cineworld planned to complete

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5512-504: The audience on various world records and were able to give the correct answer. Ross McWhirter was assassinated by two members of the Provisional Irish Republican Army in 1975, in response to offering a £50,000 reward for information that would lead to capture of members of the organisation. Following Ross's assassination, the feature in the show where questions about records posed by children were answered

5618-577: The board, increased their share of the risk and the Beverly Center was sold to TTI Movies Limited Partnership for $ 4.33 million. The company almost fell into receivership . An investigation into multiple distributors in Canada was launched by the Department of Consumer and Corporate Affairs against 20th Century Fox , Astral Films Limited , Columbia Pictures , Paramount Pictures, United Artists , Universal Pictures , and Warner Bros. under

5724-580: The book became a surprise hit, many further editions were printed, eventually settling into a pattern of one revision a year, published in September/October, in time for Christmas. The McWhirters continued to compile it for many years. Both brothers had an encyclopedic memory; on the British children's television series Record Breakers , based upon the book, which was broadcast on the BBC from 1972 to 2001, they would take questions posed by children in

5830-496: The case of Coliseum and Colossus, the unique architectural features of these theatres have been preserved), and Scotiabank Theatre in the case of Famous Players' Paramount cinemas. The Galaxy Theatres brand is primarily used by small and medium-market locations, although some have since been converted to the Cineplex Cinemas banner. Selected Cineplex locations offer including large-screen formats, motion seats, and VIP for

5936-624: The chain is meant to help the company diversify beyond its core cinema business in the wake of the growing streaming industry, The first location opened in Edmonton , Alberta on September 19, 2016, at the South Edmonton Common . A second location in Toronto, Ontario at Roundhouse Park opened in June 2017, followed by a third location at the West Edmonton Mall . The chain consists of 10 locations across Canada since

6042-422: The claims and made counter-allegations. The agreement with Cineworld included a condition that the latter would pay a penalty in case it decided to cancel the deal. In February 2021, CEO Ellis Jacob offered to temporarily convert Cineplex facilities into COVID-19 vaccination sites. In July, Cineplex started legal action against Cineworld claiming financial damages and Cineworld counter-sued. In December 2021,

6148-483: The company a $ 65 million line of credit before increasing it to $ 175 million over a ten-year period in 1987. The company's total screen ownership rose from 1,060 in 1985, to 1,501 screens in 1987, making it the largest theatre chain in North America. MCA Inc. acquired a 50% equity interest in the company for $ 219 million which allowed Cineplex to purchase the equity interest from its New York investors. In 1986,

6254-752: The company back to Nathanson after the expiration of the voting trust on 8 March 1939. Barney Balaban replaced Zukor as president of Paramount-Publix Corporation in 1936, and rejected the agreement. Nathanson resigned from Famous Players on 14 May 1941, and Balaban selected J.J. Fitzgibbons to replace him. Nathanson worked on creating a new theatre chain while serving as president. His brother, Henry Nathanson, formed Odeon Theatres in April 1941. It initially started with four theatres in Vancouver and expanded using equal partnerships with Henry Morton's four theatres, Jack Barron's theatre, and Henry Friedman's theatre which were later bought out. Famous Players sued Nathan over

6360-575: The company purchased the Loew chain of 222 screens for $ 325 million, RKO's chain of 97 screens for $ 169 million and taking on its $ 97.3 million of debt, Neighborhood Cinema Group 's 67 screens for $ 21 million, and Essaness Theatres ' 41 screens for $ 14.5 million. Walter Reade 's 143 screens were acquired for $ 32.5 million in 1987. The company's debt increased to $ 650 million by 1989, resulting in MCA and Claridge forcing Drabinsky's resignation on 1 December after he

6466-481: The company to his family. The Zahorchak family sold the company to the Cineplex Corporation on 28 June 1984. Taylor and Garth Drabinsky formed Cineplex in 1977, and started operating in April 1979 with the opening of its first theatre. The company received financial backing from the Bronfman family , Cadillac Fairview 's chair and chief executive officer John H. Daniels, and received a $ 1 million line of credit from

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6572-438: The cover with the topic of 'The ocean and the water'. The retirement of Norris McWhirter from his consulting role in 1995 and the subsequent decision by Diageo Plc to sell The Guinness Book of Records brand have shifted the focus of the books from text-oriented to illustrated reference. A selection of records are curated for the book from the full archive but all existing Guinness World Records titles can be accessed by creating

6678-471: The end of 1982 due to loans taken out with 22% interest rates. In September 1982, Pan-Canadian Film Distributors, Tiberius Productions, Toronto International Studios, Cineplex Theatres, and other companies were combined into Cineplex Corporation and the company went public in order afford its expenditures and continue expanding. 3,653,573 shares were issued with 18.92% held by Max Tanenbaum, 15.89% held by Taylor, and 19.88% held by Andrew Sarlos. Only $ 3.85 million

6784-664: The end of 2004, only the Mississauga location remained, which permanently closed on November 1, 2020. The chain was relaunched with two Ontario locations in 2019: Brampton on September 16, retrofitting the Cineplex Odeon Orion Gate theatre, and Whitby on November 4. A third Playdium location opened in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia on February 20, 2021. Cineplex aims to have 10 to 15 Playdium locations across Canada. In 2022, Cineplex launched Cineplex Junxion,

6890-427: The end of 2021. Cineplex owns Playdium, an arcade and family entertainment centre chain focused on children and teens. The chain first launched in 1996 in Mississauga , Ontario . In 1997, Playdium partnered with Famous Players to operate arcades at its locations under the brand TechTown. It expanded to four locations by June 1999, including Toronto, Edmonton and Burnaby. The Toronto location closed in 2002, and by

6996-427: The film after securing a Canadian distributor. They felt it amounted to an effective "ban" of the film from Canada due to the company's scale. The film's co-director Cory Solomon also, along with other anti-abortion activists and religious groups, called for a boycott of Cineplex. The company later announced that it would— joining competitor Landmark Cinemas and a handful of independent cinemas — screen Unplanned with

7102-421: The film distribution outlet ceased operation in 1997 and the home video outlet a year later after MCA was renamed as Universal Studios . The company also operated Live Entertainment of Canada , which was established in 1989 after they acquired Pantages Theatre from Famous Players. Livent became an independent company after an internal conflict between Drabinsky and MCA. Cineplex Odeon had grown to become one of

7208-526: The incumbent provider with 105 locations, all which offer Pike Place Roast coffee (regular or decaf) and Tazo tea. Select locations also offer premium drinks such as caffè mocha or caramel macchiato . Tim Hortons is available as a full-service restaurant in five locations, with Brossard being the only location to offer both Tim Hortons and Starbucks. In most theatres, Cineplex offers sale of alcohol to 19+ patrons in Ontario (18+ in Alberta) similar to

7314-412: The industry's annual revenues. The key to the success of the two organizations was in large part due to their supply chain. Cineplex Odeon had exclusive first-run rights to films made by Columbia and Universal Studios , which allowed them to seize a hefty market share. Controversy surrounded the practices of both Cineplex Odeon and Famous Players in 1998. The two companies had been accused of operating as

7420-436: The largest film exhibitors in North America by 1993, with 1,630 screens and operations in 365 locations within North America. At this point, Cineplex Odeon accounted for roughly 8% of box office revenues in North America, competing mostly with Famous Players in the Canadian market. Cineplex Odeon and Famous Players were two dominant forces in the Canadian film industry, with both organizations accounting for roughly two-thirds of

7526-579: The later builds have been designed as redemption -oriented refurbishments or conversions of existing space. In 2017, Cineplex began to expand the Xscape brand internationally, beginning with two standalone Xscape arcades at the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minnesota . Cineplex arcades in Prince Edward Island and Newfoundland and Labrador , and at other locations that have not adopted

7632-493: The listings in the Guinness Book of World Records . A video game , Guinness World Records: The Videogame , was developed by TT Fusion and released for Nintendo DS , Wii and iOS in November 2008. In 2012, Warner Bros. announced the development of a live-action film version of Guinness World Records with Daniel Chun as scriptwriter. The film version will apparently use the heroic achievements of record holders as

7738-453: The longest egg tossing distances, or for longest time spent playing Grand Theft Auto IV or the largest number of hot dogs consumed in three minutes. Besides records about competitions, it contains such facts such as the heaviest tumour, the most poisonous fungus , the longest-running soap opera and the most valuable life-insurance policy, among others. Many records also relate to the youngest people to have achieved something, such as

7844-462: The main focus of his story, President of Turkmenistan Gurbanguly Berdimuhamedow . Oliver asked Guinness to work with Last Week Tonight to adjudicate a record for "Largest cake featuring a picture of someone falling off a horse", but according to Oliver, the offer did not work out after Guinness insisted on a non-disparagement clause. Guinness World Records denied the accusations and stated that they declined Oliver's offer to participate because "it

7950-800: The managing director of the Guinness Breweries , went on a shooting party in the North Slob , by the River Slaney in County Wexford , Ireland. After missing a shot at a golden plover , he became involved in an argument over which was the fastest game bird in Europe, the golden plover or the red grouse (the plover is faster, but neither is the fastest game bird in Europe). That evening at Castlebridge House, he realised that it

8056-589: The name of its operating subsidiary Cineplex Galaxy LP to Cineplex Entertainment LP, to reflect their expanded operations. On March 31, 2006, Cineplex sold seven more theatres in Quebec to Chelsea-based Fortune Cinemas. On June 29, 2007, Cineplex Entertainment announced its purchase of three Cinema City theatres in western Canada, consisting of two theatres in Winnipeg and one in Edmonton. As Cineplex no longer held

8162-428: The older book to the "Modern Society" section of the newer edition. As of 2011 , it is required in the guidelines of all "large food" type records that the item be fully edible, and distributed to the public for consumption, to prevent food wastage. Chain letters are also not allowed: "Guinness World Records does not accept any records relating to chain letters, sent by post or e-mail." After Roger Guy English set

8268-525: The ownership of Regal Films, managed by Henry, in 1942, but the case was dismissed in 1948. Nathan attempted to hire Nat Taylor , but he rejected Taylor's demands and Taylor was instead hired by Famous Players to manage 25 theatres. Nicholas Schenck , the president of Loews , whose company owned Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer met with Nathanson, Fitzgibbons, Balaban, and other people in New York to allocate MGM films between Famous Players and Odeon months after Odeon

8374-697: The preferred partner. On January 1, 2014, Cineplex acquired a 50% stake in Yoyo's Yogurt Café. As of January 2017, 77 Cineplex theatres feature Yoyo's restaurants, while Yogen Fruz is still available in 23 Cineplex theatres while TCBY is available in 16 locations. Beverages are available in both cold and hot formats. Cold beverages include the Coca-Cola lineup, which replaced the Pepsi lineup used at locations formerly owned by Famous Players. 12 locations feature Coca-Cola Freestyle . Hot beverages include Starbucks as

8480-496: The publisher to potential litigation . These changes included the removal of all spirit , wine and beer drinking records, along with other unusual records for consuming such unlikely things as bicycles and trees. Other records, such as sword swallowing and rally driving (on public roads), were closed from further entry as the current holders had performed beyond what are considered safe human tolerance levels. There have been instances of closed categories being reopened. For example,

8586-481: The record for sleeplessness in 1974, the category was discontinued for being too dangerous. At the request of the U.S. Mint , in 1984, the book stopped accepting claims of large hoardings of pennies or other currency. Environmentally unfriendly records (such as the releasing of sky lanterns and party balloons ) are no longer accepted or monitored, in addition to records relating to tobacco or cannabis consumption or preparation. In 2024, Guinness World Records

8692-522: The remainder by taking on debt. Combined with its ownership of the 564-location Regal Cinemas chain in the United States (which it had acquired the previous year), the sale would have made Cineworld the largest cinema chain in North America. Cineworld stated that it planned to integrate Cineplex's operations with those of Regal, while maintaining Cineplex's banners for its Canadian operations. The company also stated that it planned to reach $ 120 million in cost efficiencies and revenue synergies (including

8798-601: The rights to the branding, the Paramount Theatres locations were rebranded as Scotiabank Theatre as part of a joint venture with Scotiabank to launch a new loyalty program . With the bankruptcy of Fortune Cinemas, Cineplex Entertainment acquired (or in this case, re-acquired) some of Fortune Cinemas theatres. The Starcité Gatineau (Starcité Hull) and the Cavendish theaters were reopened as Cineplex Entertainment theatres. In June 2012, as part of its exit from

8904-523: The sale by June 2020, provided that it received federal approval under the Investment Canada Act , and that it met the terms of the sale agreement (including its debt not exceeding $ 725 million). On June 12, 2020, Cineworld abandoned the purchase, alleging that Cineplex had engaged in conduct that breached unspecified terms of the sale, and that the company had experienced a "material adverse effect" of an unspecified nature. Cineplex denied

9010-401: The sale in June 2020 due to unspecified breaches of the sale terms. The company operates cinemas across Canada, primarily under the brand Cineplex Cinemas . Some flagship locations operate as Scotiabank Theatre , while some locations use brands carried over from its corporate predecessors (such as Famous Players, SilverCity, Odeon, and Galaxy, although some of them have since been converted to

9116-493: The same year. After the merger, the company ceased to exist and was merged into the operations of Loews Cineplex Entertainment. In 1999, Ellis Jacob and Steve Brown, former executives who left Cineplex Odeon Corporation during the ownership change, created Galaxy Entertainment designed to bring big-city entertainment to mid-sized markets across Canada. In 2001, Loews Cineplex Entertainment, the company that merged with Cineplex Odeon, filed for chapter 11 bankruptcy . Lowes Cineplex

9222-403: The sword swallowing category was listed as closed in the 1990 Guinness Book of World Records , but has since been reopened with Johnny Strange breaking a sword swallowing record on Guinness World Records Live. Similarly, the speed beer drinking records which were dropped from the book in 1991, reappeared 17 years later in the 2008 edition, but were moved from the "Human Achievements" section of

9328-423: The top of Ludgate House, 107 Fleet Street , London, the first 198-page edition was bound on 27 August 1955 and went to the top of the British bestseller list by Christmas. The following year, it was introduced into the United States by New York publisher David Boehm and sold 70,000 copies. Since then, Guinness World Records has sold more than 150 million copies in 100 countries and 40 languages. Because

9434-415: The well-being of potential record breakers. For example, following publication of the "heaviest pet" record, many owners overfed their pets beyond the bounds of what was healthy, and therefore such entries were removed. The Guinness Book also dropped records within their "eating and drinking records" section of Human Achievements in 1991 over concerns that potential competitors could harm themselves and expose

9540-419: The youngest person to visit all nations of the world, currently held by Maurizio Giuliano . Each edition contains a selection of the records from the Guinness World Records database, as well as select new records, with the criteria for inclusion changing from year to year. The latest edition is the 70th, published on 15 September 2023. It is the fourth and last installment featuring Rod Hunt's illustrations on

9646-441: Was a 173% increase over the previous year. In February 2008, NBC aired The Top 100 Guinness World Records of All Time and Guinness World Records made the complete list available on their website. The popularity of the franchise has resulted in Guinness World Records becoming the primary international authority on the cataloguing and verification of a huge number of world records. For many records, Guinness World Records

9752-408: Was a music reference book first published in 1977. It was compiled by BBC Radio 1 DJs Paul Gambaccini and Mike Read with brothers Tim Rice and Jonathan Rice. It was the first in a number of music reference books that were to be published by Guinness Publishing with sister publication The Guinness Book of British Hit Albums coming in 1983. After being sold to Hit Entertainment, the data concerning

9858-586: Was accused of laundering the reputation of the oppressive governments as it set world records for the UAE's police forces and Egypt's military. By 2024, the UAE achieved 526 records, of which 21 were credited to the Emirates' police force. Matthew Hedges, a British academic who was forced to sign a false confession, asked the records body to take down the Abu Dhabi police department's certificate for "most signatures on

9964-866: Was also reported by The Wall Street Journal that Cineplex was exploring the possibility of a separate merger with Regal. Cineplex's flagship banners include Cineplex Cinemas ( French : Cinémas Cineplex in Quebec), with some older locations still using the previous "Cineplex Odeon" branding, and Scotiabank Theatre . Cineplex Junxion was announced as a new cinema banner in 2019; these locations feature expanded arcade, restaurant, and live entertainment areas in addition to traditional cinema auditoriums. Selected banners originating from Famous Players are still used by some locations, such as Famous Players and SilverCity ( French : StarCité in Quebec), but these banners, as well as others (such as Coliseum and Colossus) have been largely replaced by Cineplex Cinemas (although in

10070-556: Was called Norris on the Spot . Norris carried on as the book's sole editor. Guinness Superlatives, later Guinness World Records Limited , was incorporated in London in 1954 to publish the first book. Sterling Publishing owned the rights to the Guinness book in the US for decades until it was repurchased by Guinness in 1989 after an 18-month long lawsuit. The group was owned by Guinness PLC and subsequently Diageo until 2001, when it

10176-536: Was completed on July 22, 2005. To satisfy antitrust concerns, on August 22, 2005, the group announced the sale of 27 locations in Ontario and western Canada to Empire Theatres . On June 21, Loews Cineplex announced that it would merge with AMC Theatres . While AMC Theatres also operated in Canada and was ranked third behind Cineplex Galaxy and the enlarged Empire Theatres, Cineplex Odeon and AMC Theatres remained competitors. In October 2005, Cineplex Galaxy changed

10282-545: Was established in 1999 by former Cineplex Odeon executives, and operated primarily in smaller markets. The company subsequently acquired Famous Players from National Amusements in 2005, went public in 2011, and acquired Empire Theatres ' operations in Atlantic Canada and parts of Ontario in 2013. In December 2019, Cineplex agreed to be acquired by British exhibitor Cineworld Group for $ 2.8 billion, pending regulatory and shareholder approval, but Cineworld abandoned

10388-411: Was formed. Famous Players retained MGM's films, but they would be distributed by Regal films. Theatre construction fell during World War II with nine theatres being built between 1941 and 1944 due to a ban on constructing entertainment facilities. Odeon expanded their amount of theatres from 107 to 180 between 1946 and 1948. Odeon and Famous Players accounted for 60.8% of box-office receipts in 1947. In

10494-549: Was impossible to confirm in reference books whether or not the golden plover was Europe's fastest game bird. Beaver knew that there must have been numerous other questions debated nightly among the public, but there was no book in the world with which to settle arguments about records. He realised then that a book supplying the answers to this sort of question might prove successful. Beaver's idea became reality when Guinness employee Christopher Chataway recommended university friends Norris and Ross McWhirter , who had been running

10600-516: Was later acquired by Onex Corporation and Oaktree Capital Management in 2002. In 2004, Onex decided to sell Loews Cineplex and retain the Canadian operations, merging then with Galaxy to form Cineplex Galaxy Income Fund (now Cineplex Entertainment ). At the time of the merger, Cineplex Odeon operated 40 locations in Canada. Cineplex Galaxy bought Famous Players for $ 500 million in June 2005. Cineplex Entertainment Cineplex Inc. (formerly Cineplex Entertainment and Cineplex Galaxy )

10706-478: Was listed as the "most prolific serial killer", having murdered at least 110 people (with Lopez himself claiming he murdered over 300 people) in Colombia, Ecuador and Peru in the late 1960s to 1980s. This was removed after complaints that the listing and category made a competition out of murder. Several world records that were once included in the book have been removed for ethical reasons, including concerns for

10812-579: Was merely an opportunity to mock one of our record-holders," and that Oliver did not specifically request the record for the largest marble cake. As of 2021, the Guinness World Record for "Largest marble cake" remains with Betty Crocker Middle East in Saudi Arabia. Following Oliver's episode, Guinness World Records ' ethics were called into question by human rights groups. In 1976, a Guinness Book of World Records museum opened in

10918-806: Was purchased by Gullane Entertainment for £45.5 million ($ 65 million). Gullane was itself purchased by HIT Entertainment in 2002. In 2006, Apax Partners purchased HIT and subsequently sold Guinness World Records in early 2008 to the Jim Pattison Group , the parent company of Ripley Entertainment , which is licensed to operate Guinness World Records' Attractions. With offices in New York City and Tokyo, Guinness World Records' global headquarters remain in London, specifically South Quay Plaza , Canary Wharf , while its museum attractions are based at Ripley headquarters in Orlando , Florida. Recent editions have focused on record feats by individuals. Competitions range from obvious ones such as Olympic weightlifting to

11024-509: Was raised and the stock price fell from $ 5 upon opening to between $ 2 and $ 2.50 in August 1983. The Ontario Securities Commission ordered the company to stop trading shares five months after it went public. The failure of the public venture resulted in Sarlos and Tanenbaum resigning from the board of directors and Barry Zuckerman, a principal shareholder, made a $ 1 million write-down for his investments. Drabinsky and Myron Gottlieb, vice-chair of

11130-496: Was recovered by selling the home video rights to MCA. The company's subsidiary in the United States purchased Plitt Theatres , the fourth-largest theatre chain in the country, for $ 136 million on 15 August 1985, which added 574 screens and 209 theatres. A New York investor group financed the Plitt Theatres purchase through a 50% partnership and the company reported record financial results in 1985. The Bank of America gave

11236-648: Was unable to raise $ 1.1 billion. The company was listed on the New York Stock Exchange in May 1987. They acquired 20 Circle Theatres in Washington DC and Maryland with 75 screens for $ 51 million in December 1987. In 1986, the corporation established a film distribution outlet, Cineplex Odeon Films , and a home video distribution outlet, Cineplex Odeon Home Video (Later Cineplex Odeon Video) replacing Pan-Canadian Video Presentations. It distributed all titles in Canada on MCA's behalf, but

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