Empire Theatre

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236 W. 42nd St., New York, NY

Seats (approximate): 900

Thomas W. Lamb, architect. Built by Al Woods and named for the female impersonator whose career made Woods's fortune. Woods introduced a new seating system: "slender," "medium," and "stout" seats for patrons of all sizes. Woods lost the theatre in the depression and it became a burlesque house. By 1941, it was a movie house. In 1998, redevelopment of 42nd St. in full swing, the whole building was lifted, moved down the block, and transformed into the facade and entrance of the AMC multiplex cinema.

Built: 1912 Closed: 1942

Theatre Names	Named
Empire Theatre	1954 Showed movies
Laff Movie	1942 Showed movies
Eltinge 42nd Street Theatre	1912 Named for Julian Eltinge, female impersonator. Opened September 11, 1912

Productions

Productions	Production Dates

Eltinge 42nd Street Theatre
First Night Play, Original, Drama Written by Frederick Rath	Nov 26, 1930 - Feb 1931
The Ninth Guest Play, Original, Melodrama, Mystery Written by Owen Davis	Aug 25, 1930 - Oct 1930
Little Orchid Annie Play, Original, Comedy Written by Charles Beahan, Hadley Waters	Apr 21, 1930 - May 1930
A Month in the Country Play, Original Written by Ivan Sergeyevitch Turgenev	Mar 17, 1930 - May 1930
Love, Honor and Betray Play, Original, Drama Written by Fanny Hatton, Frederic Hatton	Mar 12, 1930 - Apr 1930
Recapture Play, Original, Drama Written by Preston Sturges	Jan 29, 1930 - Feb 1930
Top O' the Hill Play, Original, Drama Written by Charles Kenyon	Nov 26, 1929 - Dec 1929
Harlem Play, Revival, Drama Written by William Jourdan Rapp, Wallace Thurman	Oct 21, 1929 - Nov 1929
Murder on the Second Floor Play, Original, Drama Written by Frank Vosper	Sep 11, 1929 - Oct 1929
Keep Shufflin' Musical, Original, Comedy Music by Clarence Todd, Thomas "Fats" Waller; Lyrics by Henry Creamer, Andy Razaf	Apr 23, 1928 - May 26, 1928
Her Unborn Child Play, Original Written by Grace Hayward, Howard McKent Barnes	Mar 05, 1928 - Apr 1928
These Modern Women Play, Original, Comedy Written by Lawrence Langner	Feb 13, 1928 - Mar 1928
We Never Learn Play, Original Written by Daisy Wolf	Jan 23, 1928 - Feb 1928
It Is To Laugh Play, Original, Comedy, Drama Written by Fannie Hurst	Dec 26, 1927 - Jan 1928
Out of the Sea Play, Original Written by Don Marquis	Dec 05, 1927 - Dec 1927
The Arabian Play, Original, Melodrama Written by Gordon Kean	Oct 31, 1927 - Nov 1927
Tenth Avenue Play, Original, Melodrama Written by Lloyd Griscom	Aug 15, 1927 - Oct 1927
Crime Play, Original, Melodrama Written by John B. Hymer, Samuel Shipman	Feb 22, 1927 - Aug 1927
The Love Thief Play, Original, Drama Written by Martin Brown	Jan 24, 1927 - Feb 1927
The Ghost Train Play, Original, Drama, Mystery Written by Arnold Ridley	Aug 25, 1926 - Oct 1926
Hello, Lola Musical, Original, Comedy Music by William B. Kernell; Book by Dorothy Donnelly; Lyrics by Dorothy Donnelly	Jan 12, 1926 - Feb 1926
Stolen Fruit Play, Original, Drama Written by Dario Niccodemi	Oct 07, 1925 - Dec 1925
All Dressed Up Play, Original Written by Arthur Richman	Sep 09, 1925 - Sep 1925
The Fall Guy Play, Original, Comedy, Melodrama Written by George Abbott, James Gleason	Mar 10, 1925 - Jun 1925
The Piker Play, Original, Drama Written by Leon Gordon	Jan 15, 1925 - Feb 1925
Plain Jane Musical, Original, Comedy Music by Tom Johnstone; Book by McElbert Moore, Phil Cook; Lyrics by Phil Cook	Aug 25, 1924 - Oct 04, 1924
Spring Cleaning Play, Original, Comedy Written by Frederick Lonsdale	Nov 09, 1923 - Jun 1924
The Woman on the Jury Play, Original, Drama Written by Bernard K. Burns	Aug 15, 1923 - Oct 1923
Morphia Play, Original, Drama Written by Duncan McNab, Ludwig Herzer	Mar 06, 1923 - May 1923
The Masked Woman Play, Original, Melodrama Written by Kate Jordan	Dec 22, 1922 - Apr 1923
East of Suez Play, Original, Drama Written by W. Somerset Maugham	Sep 21, 1922 - Dec 1922
Back Pay Play, Original, Drama Written by Fannie Hurst	Aug 30, 1921 - Nov 1921
The White Villa Play, Original, Drama Written by Edith Ellis	Feb 14, 1921 - Mar 1921
Ladies' Night Play, Original, Comedy, Farce Written by Avery Hopwood, Charlton Andrews	Aug 09, 1920 - Jun 1921
Martinique Play, Original, Romance Written by Laurence Eyre	Apr 26, 1920 - May 1920
Breakfast in Bed Play, Original, Farce Written by Georges Feydeau	Feb 03, 1920 - Apr 1920
The Girl in the Limousine Play, Original, Farce Written by Avery Hopwood, Wilson Collison	Oct 06, 1919 - Feb 1920
Up in Mabel's Room Play, Original Written by Wilson Collison	Jan 15, 1919 - Aug 1919
Under Orders Play, Original Written by Berte Thomas	Aug 20, 1918 - Jan 1919
The Kiss Burglar Musical, Original, Romance Music by Raymond Hubbell; Book by Glen MacDonough; Lyrics by Glen MacDonough	Jul 01, 1918 - Aug 03, 1918
Business Before Pleasure Play, Original Written by Jules Eckert Goodman, Montague Glass	Aug 15, 1917 - Jun 1918
Cheating Cheaters Play, Original Written by Max Marcin	Aug 09, 1916 - Apr 1917
Fair and Warmer Play, Original Written by Avery Hopwood	Nov 06, 1915 - Closing date unknown
See My Lawyer Play, Original Written by Max Marcin	Sep 02, 1915 - Sep 1915
The Song of Songs Play, Original Written by Edward Sheldon	Dec 22, 1914 - Jun 1915
Innocent Play, Original Written by George Broadhurst	Sep 09, 1914 - Dec 1914
The Yellow Ticket Play, Original Written by Michael Morton	Jan 20, 1914 - Jun 1914
Within the Law Play, Original Written by Bayard Veiller	Sep 11, 1912 - Dec 1913