Ernest L. Ruddy

Ernest L. Ruddy
Born(1870-11-01)November 1, 1870
Holyoke, Massachusetts
DiedNovember 24, 1954(1954-11-24) (aged 84)
Toronto
EmployerLos Angeles Times
OrganizationOutdoor Advertising Association of America (President 1914-5)
Known forOutdoor advertising
Founding E. L. Ruddy & Co

Ernest L. Ruddy (1 November 1870 - November 24, 1954) was an American-Canadian advertising magnate and the founder of E. L. Ruddy & Co and the Regent Theatre Company.

Early life and education

Ernest L. Ruddy was born on 1 November 1870[1] in Holyoke, Massachusetts.[2]

Career

He worked in the print department of the Los Angeles Times, before relocating to Canada in 1894.[2] He founded the Connor-Ruddy Company in 1904 or 1905,[1] which became the E. L. Ruddy & Co in 1912, following the merger of Connor-Ruddy Company's activities with those of the Canadian sign-writer Walter Sutton.[1] Ruddy was the president of the Outdoor Advertising Association of America from 1914 to 1915.[2] In 1916, Ruddy and sales agent Nathan L. Nathanson supported the creation of the Regent Theatre Company, which took over the existing Majestic Theatre in Toronto and turned it into the Regent Theatre based on architectural design work by Thomas W. Lamb.[3][4] The company gained the exclusive rights to show Paramount Films in Canada.[3]

Death

Ruddy died in Toronto on November 24, 1954, aged 84.[2]

References

  1. ^ a b c E.L. Ruddy Company fonds, Toronto City Archive, accessed online 6 Feb 2023
  2. ^ a b c d "E. L. RUDDY". The New York Times. 25 November 1954. ProQuest 113054412.
  3. ^ a b Moore, Paul S. (2004). "Movie Palaces on Canadian Downtown Main Streets: Montreal, Toronto, and Vancouver". Urban History Review. 32 (2): 3–20. doi:10.7202/1015713ar. JSTOR 43562326.
  4. ^ Taylor, M J (24 July 1980). "Famous Players". The Globe and Mail. Toronto. p. 6. ProQuest 386910300.