| 1935 |
Associated Theatres Ltd was incorporated. This marks the beginning of Cathay's movie empire. |
| 1936 |
Opening of the first theatre in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, the 1,200 seat Pavilion Cinema. |
| 1939 |
Cathay Cinema opened with much pomp and fanfare. Opening premiere featured Sir Alexander Korda's "The Four Feathers". |
| 1942 |
Last show screened. Cathay Cinema was converted to a Red Cross casualty station. |
| 1945 |
Cathay Cinema re-opens with screening of first post-WW2 movie "The Tunisian Victory". It is the first cinema in Singapore to screen American and British pictures. |
| 1947 |
Joint-venture partnership signed with J. Arthur Rank Organisation's branch, Overseas Cinematograph Theatres Ltd.. Loke Wan Tho formed Caravan Films to send mobile film units to estates and villages in Malaya. |
| 1948 |
New air-conditioning plant installed, giving rise to "Cathay for Comfort" slogan.
Aggressive acquisition of cinemas in Malaysia and Singapore began. |
