Imperial Theatre
26 E. Forsyth Street,
Jacksonville,
FL
32202
26 E. Forsyth Street,
Jacksonville,
FL
32202
2 people
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Previously operated by: ABC Florida State Theatres, E.J. Sparks Theatres, Florida State Theaters Inc., Paramount Pictures Inc.
Architects: Roy A. Benjamin
Styles: Neo-Georgian
Previous Names: Walt Disney's Holiday Theatre
Nearby Theaters
An early theatre designed by Jacksonville architect Roy A. Benjamin, the Imperial Theatre was located on Jacksonville’s “Great White Way”, Forsyth Street (along with the Florida Theatre and Palace Theatre & Empress Theatre, all designed by Benjamin as well). It was opened on May 20, 1911.
With a fairly elegant Neo-Georgian style facade, the interior of the Imperial Theatre was not quite as ornate as the exterior. The Imperial Theatre had nearly 1,000 seats. By 1941 the Imperial Theatre was operated by Paramount Pictures Inc. through their subsidiary E.J. Sparks. On December 16, 1960 it was briefly renamed for the holiday season Walt Disney’s Holiday Theatre. The Imperial Theatre closed in 1971 along with the adjacent Empress Theatre and nearby Palace Theatre, and demolished in October 1971. Today a parking garage is located on the site of both theatres.
Contributed by
Bryan
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Recent comments (view all 14 comments)
Nice vintage photos.
From the late 1930s a postcard view of Forsyth Street along with the Imperial and Palace Theatres in Jacksonville.
More photos of The Imperial are available on the Facebook page Pop Retrorama. You can also read about some Florida theaters and drive-ins on www.popretrorama.com where we celebrate all things related to vintage pop culture.
Two theatres for one parking garage is not a good trade off!
A house called the Imperial Theatre was expected to open in Jacksonville on May 20, 1911, according to an article on this page of the issue of The Moving Picture World dated June 3 that year. As no address was given for the theater I don’t know that it was the same Imperial. It was smaller, seating only 700, and was designed by local architect James R. Walsh.
It’s possible that it was the same Imperial Theatre, and it was later expanded. The description of the front in the 1911 article doesn’t match the vintage photo of the facade we have, though, so any remodeling would have been quite extensive. The May 27, 1916, issue of Motography said that improvements would be made to the Imperial Theatre, but gave no details about the project. At least some alterations were carried out at that time, as the January 1, 1917, issue of American Gas Engineering Journal said that the Jacksonville Gas Company had installed a modern heating system in the new Imperial Theatre.
Another item about the 1911 Imperial has surfaced, this one in the May 27 issue of The New York Clipper. It says that the 800-seat house opened on May 20, and was located on Forsyth Street just off of Main. That very well might have been the later Imperial, with a different front, which the item describes as having an entrance like “…a monster sea shell… brilliantly illuminated with several hundred electric lights.” It sounds like a rather typical triumphal arch entrance of the early 1910s, which would have been looking very old-fashioned even before the end of the decade, triggering a remodeling in a more sedate style.
We know the 1911 Imperial couldn’t have been any of the other theaters on Forsyth just off Main (Grand, which already existed, Palace, which wasn’t built yet, or Empress, which was too small) so it must have been the origin of the later Imperial.
Opened on May 20th, 1911. Grand opening ad posted.
New photo in photo section: In 1941, the Imperial Theatre on Forsyth Street opened in 1911, according to Florida Times-Union archives. “No money will be spared to make our theater the acme of perfection,” said general manager N.W. Redmond at the time. “Our aim is to entertain the public with the very best moving pictures, music and singing. The pictures will be CAREFULLY SELECTED and none but the VERY BEST comedy, drama, educational and spectacular subjects will be exhibited.” It has since been torn down. [State Archives of Florida]
Renamed for a very short time as Walt Disney’s Holiday Theatre on December 16th, 1960, for the Christmas holidays. It closed in 1971.
Once operated by Florida State Theatres, and last operated by ABC Florida State Theatres.