Empress Theatre

The 500-seat Empress Theatre opened its doors on May 29, 1912 as a brick-constructed showplace which belonged originally to Cornelius O'Keefe. Its opening attraction is not known, but featured music by a 4-piece orchestra.

According to once-manager Walter Bennett, the theatre did suffer a very close call on October 7, 1932, just during the showing of Frank Buck’s “Bring ‘Em Back Alive” (along with
the comedy “Too Many Women”, the musical “What An Idea”, the Betty Boop cartoon “Stopping The Show”, Fox Movietone Canadian News, and the 10th Chapter of “Battling With Buffalo Bill”) when 2,000 feet of film unexpectedly and briefly caught fire inside the fireproof projection booth, causing major audience chaos and a massive crowding before immediately rushing out of the exit doors despite no sign of flame. The two operators managed to get rid of the smoke within a minute.

The smoke which caused the theatre to have a major delay happened during the main feature and not the short subjects as listed above in parentheses. Within 16 minutes after the delay, the film resumes as normal and the audience slowly returned back to the theatre.

Famous Players began operating the Empress Theatre in 1942, and operated the Empress Theatre for 17 years until closing in 1959.

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