David Dymond's passion for film exhibition and his extensive collection of film periodicals, exhibition documents, and other ephemera have been pivotal in creating the CHiMERA project.

In 1976, Dymond completed the short-lived Cinema Management program at St. Lawrence College in Cornwall, which combined early film scholarship at Queen’s and Carleton with aspects of business training. David then embarked on a career in theatre management and film exhibition. Starting as an usher with Famous Players in Barrie, then manager of the Victory in Timmins, he worked at theatres in Toronto, Ottawa, Sault Ste. Marie, and eventually purchased and ran the Empire Theatre in New Liskeard. He ended his career as manager of the Century in Lindsay. David was not only a dedicated theatre manager but also an avid collector and historian. His expertise and knowledge of North American theatre and exhibition history made him a significant contributor to Cinema Treasures. He gathered a significant collection of film-related materials, aiming to write a comprehensive history of Famous Players. That project was unfinished when he died in 2016.

David's legacy endures through a digitized collection we have made available on Internet Archive, allowing global access to his materials. These and other items in the collection are housed at the Media Commons archive at the University of Toronto, ensuring that his contributions to film history and preservation continue to inspire future researchers. We would also like to thank his brother, Greig Dymond, who entrusted the collection to us.

David Dymond in 1975 staffing the box office at St. Lawrence College and pictured in the Cornwall Standard-Freeholder (Feb 1, 1975).

Dymond’s January 1981 article in Famous News.