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Empire, Leicester Square: Difference between revisions

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It opened on 8 November 1928 with the silent film ''[[The Actress (1928 film)|Trelawny of the Wells]]'', based on the play by [[Arthur Wing Pinero]].<ref>{{IMDb title|title=Trelawny of the Wells (1916)|id=0232847}}. Retrieved 5 January 2008</ref>
 
Programmes of ''cine-variety'' were presented at the Empire after the war.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.arthurlloyd.co.uk/Archive/May2004/index.htm |title=The Empire Theatre, Leicester Square |publisher=Matthew Lloyd |accessdate=7 June 2014}}</ref> These were elaborate live shows, similar to those presented at the [[Radio City Music Hall]]; the American producer, Nat Carlson, who had been responsible for shows at that venue, was hired, and its slogan "The Showplace of the Nation" was adopted.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.arthurlloyd.co.uk/Archive/May2004/CVProg.htm |title=Cine-Variety Programme for the Empire Theatre, Leicester Square |publisher=The Empire Leicester Square | date= March 1950 |accessdate=7 June 2014}}</ref> In 1952 the Empire featured in [[Charlie Chaplin]]'s film [[Limelight (1952 film)|''Limelight'']], and can also be seen in archived newsreel footage of special events.
 
In 1959, the Empire installed new 70mm projectors and a new screen in front of the proscenium to show ''[[Ben-Hur (1959 film)|Ben-Hur]]'', which ran for 76 weeks. Following this, in 1961 the Empire was closed for extensive internal reconstruction with [[George Coles (architect)|George Coles]] as the architect and G.E. Wallis and Sons as the main contractor.<ref name="auto">{{cite web|url=http://www.arthurlloyd.co.uk/Archive/July2003/Page1.htm |title=Gala Opening Programme for the New Empire Theatre |publisher=The Empire Leicester Square | date= 19 December 1962 |accessdate=7 June 2014}}</ref> Almost all the original ornate plasterwork was removed; two small sections remain, hidden behind false walls and ceilings<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cinematreasures.org/comments?page=13&theater_id=912#comment-318805 |title=Comment by User theatreofvarieties on the Empire Cinema | publisher=Cinema Treasures | date= 17 February 2009 |accessdate=7 June 2014}}</ref>—one section now being behind the IMAX auditorium side wall.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/912/photos/212965 |title=Photo Upload by User theatreofvarieties on the Empire Cinema | publisher=Cinema Treasures | date=4 September 2013 |accessdate=17 July 2017}}</ref>
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{{reflist|2}}
* ''Guide to British Theatres 1750–1950'', John Earl and Michael Sell pp.&nbsp;109–10 (Theatres Trust, 2000) {{ISBN|0-7136-5688-3}}
*[http://www.arthurlloyd.co.uk/Archive/May2004/index.htm Empire Theatre] at the Arthur Lloyd site – the 1884 opening night programme and Archive images.
*[http://www.arthurlloyd.co.uk/Archive/July2003/Page1.htm Feature article on the theatre's history and the opening of the new cinema, with many images]
*[https://www.questia.com/PM.qst?a=o&d=23305621 Ivor Guest ''The Empire Ballet'' Society for Theatre Research. 1962] (Online book)
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