Empress Theatre

18 E. Forsyth Street,
Jacksonville, FL 32202

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Additional Info

Previously operated by: E.J. Sparks Theatres, Paramount Pictures Inc.

Architects: Roy A. Benjamin

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Empress Theatre

The Empress Theatre was a downtown grind house. Three theatres were lined up in a row on Forsyth Street, the Palace Theatre, the Imperial Theatre and the Empress Theatre. The Empress theatre was a conversion of a 1901 building to the plans of architect Roy A. Benjamin. It was opened on October 23, 1926 with Red Grange in “One Minute to Play”. It was closed in 1954, but reopened on April 6, 1956. It was demolished (together with the adjacent Imperial Theatre) on October 4, 1971.

Contributed by Irv Lipscomb

Recent comments (view all 7 comments)

Ken Roe
Ken Roe on August 3, 2006 at 7:54 am

In 1921 the Empress Theatre is listed as being in use as a 600 seat capacity Vaudeville and picture house for Negro audiences. The manager was an African-American;R. Chase.

In the 1943 edition of Film Daily Yearbook it is listed with a seating capacity of 600 and was under the control of Paramount Pictures Inc. through their subsidiary E.J. Sparks. In the 1950 edition of F.D.Y. the seating capacity had been reduced to 534.

atlmike
atlmike on May 1, 2007 at 11:25 pm

In the mid to late ‘60’s the Empress, along with the Imperial next door, was a two-bill second run house. I saw a number of good horror movies there. I recall it as being fairly small compared to the Imperial.

StanleyNorton
StanleyNorton on July 16, 2007 at 7:40 pm

The Empress was a strange little theatre with an ugly marquee and small interior, You entered the auditorium through a kind of tunnel which put you out in the middle of the theatre. The orchestra seating was in front of you and the semi-balcony was behind you. Actually it wasn’t a balcony but an elevated area. I remember you could always hear the projectionist changing reels. I saw a film there called the SECRET Lives behind theIRON CURTAIN.

Mike Rogers
Mike Rogers on July 21, 2011 at 2:35 am

Sept 7 1964,Al Hildreth is managing here.He came from Howard Pettingill who used AL as an Assitant.

rivest266
rivest266 on May 20, 2024 at 7:28 pm

The Empress opened on October 23rd, 1926. Grand opening ad posted.

rivest266
rivest266 on May 21, 2024 at 6:51 pm

Closed in 1954 and reopened on April 6th, 1956. Ad posted.

irvl
irvl on June 5, 2024 at 1:17 am

An additional photo of the Empress exterior has been posted.

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