Fonds glen-904 - Empress Theatre fonds

Title and statement of responsibility area

Title proper

Empress Theatre fonds

General material designation

Parallel title

Other title information

Title statements of responsibility

Title notes

  • Source of title proper: Title based on contents of records.

Level of description

Fonds

Reference code

GLEN glen-904

Edition area

Edition statement

Edition statement of responsibility

Class of material specific details area

Statement of scale (cartographic)

Statement of projection (cartographic)

Statement of coordinates (cartographic)

Statement of scale (architectural)

Issuing jurisdiction and denomination (philatelic)

Dates of creation area

Date(s)

Physical description area

Physical description

1 m of textual records. -- 1 film reel.

Publisher's series area

Title proper of publisher's series

Parallel titles of publisher's series

Other title information of publisher's series

Statement of responsibility relating to publisher's series

Numbering within publisher's series

Note on publisher's series

Archival description area

Name of creator

Biographical history

The Empress Theatre in Fort Macleod, Alberta opened in 1912 as a franchise theatre of the Famous Players chain. It was build by J.S. Lambert who also constructed other prominent buildings in the town. Its first owner was J.B. Martin, and it had an orchestra pit and a seating capacity of 500. From its early days it was an important cultural centre for the area housing lectures, operas, political rallies, vaudeville shows, and movies. A balcony was added with the renovations of the late 1930s. The theatre was bought by Dan A. Boyle in 1938 who owned and managed it into the late 1950s. In 1982 it was declared a historic site, and one of the last remaining examples of early small town theatre architecture in Alberta. In 1987 it was bought by the Fort Macleod Provincial Historic Area Society, and as a part of the Fort Macleod Main Street project, was restored to its 1930s condition for films and live productions. In 1990 the Town of Fort Macleod bought it and the newly-formed Empress Theatre Society leased and operated it. For further information see "The Empress Theatre in Fort Macleod, Alberta"/ Marselle I. Jobs Thompson. -- University of Alberta : unpublished MA thesis, 1990; and Reign of the Empress: 1912-2012 : A History of the Empress Theatre, Fort Macleod, Alberta / Peter J. Scott. -- Fort Macleod : Centennial History Book Committee, 2012.

Custodial history

Scope and content

The fonds consists of correspondence with film distributors, financial records, contracts and schedules (1938-1958); tax statements (1948-1953); daily concession sales reports (1955); movie receipts (1942-1949); and ledger (1938- 1947). Includes a 1924 film entitled "Fort Macleod 50th Anniversary".

Notes area

Physical condition

Immediate source of acquisition

Gift of Larry Becker, 1981.

Arrangement

Language of material

  • The material is in English.

Script of material

Location of originals

Availability of other formats

Restrictions on access

No restrictions on access.

Terms governing use, reproduction, and publication

Finding aids

No finding aid.

Associated materials

Related materials

Accruals

General note

Record No. M-6195;F-76<br><br>

Alternative identifier(s)

Standard number area

Standard number

Access points

Place access points

Name access points

Genre access points

Control area

Description record identifier

Institution identifier

Rules or conventions

Level of detail

Language of description

Script of description

Sources

Accession area

Related people and organizations

Related places

Related genres