Theatre manager.
Born at Boston, Massachusetts in 1900, he began a career in theatre management in 1920 at the Monarch Theatre in Winnipeg when he came associated with his uncle, Henry Albert Morton. He owned the Park Theatre (1926-1930) then moved to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan to operate the Tivoli Theatre (1930-1944). He then spent two years at Hamilton, Ontario managing the Savoy Theatre for Odeon Theatres of Canada. He returned to Saskatoon to manage three theatres with the Odeon-Morton chain. Soon after, he transferred back to Winnipeg as supervisor of all Odeon-Morton theatres in Winnipeg and Saskatoon, including the Odeon, Garrick, and Beacon in Winnipeg. In 1951, he was appointed General Manager of the entire theatre chain, holding the position until his death.
He held executive positions on the Manitoba Exhibitors' Association and Saskatchewan Exhibitors' Association, and President of the Canadian Picture Pioneers. In 1964, he and his brother Robert received the Pioneer of the Year Award from the Canadian motion picture industry. He was a member of the Masons, B'nai B'rith, Variety Club, and Glendale Golf and Country Club. He and wife Mary Cameron had one son.
He died at the St. Boniface Hospital on 29 November 1964 and was buried in the Rosh Pina Cemetery.
“Odeon-Morton GM, Harry Hurwitz dies,” Winnipeg Tribune, 30 November 1964.
Obituaries and burial transcriptions, Manitoba Genealogical Society.
This page was prepared by Gordon Goldsborough.
Page revised: 13 August 2023
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