CAARP
Cinema and Audience Research Project

According to Cunningham (1997) the Empire officially opened on June 27, 1912. The site was used previously for screening films under the advertised named Messrs Johnson & Gibson's 'Pictureland' from 1908.and from 1909 it became know as 'Neil Gow's Open Air Retreat'. George Smith was the first manger of the Empire and at one point was controlling the both the Lyric and the Empire.
In 1926 Hoyts Theatre leased the Empire from Brunswick Theatres. In 1937, Hoyts built its own theatre, The Padua , and did not renew the lease on the Empire. 1948 saw the end of Brunswick Theatres involvement with the Empire.

Screening of Italian film from 1962- suggesting that this venue screened Italian film prior to the purchase of the cinema by Cosmopolitan Motion Pictures in 1965/6.

The Empire Theatre burnt down on December 13, 1976.

Film screenings advertised in The Herald until 1966

References
Barnes, L. Cinemas in Brunswick (unpublished manucript)

Cinema & Theatre Historical Society 1997, Cinema index : Melbourne cinemas, suburban cinemas, Victorian drive-ins. CATHS, Victoria.

Cunningham, L 1995, Frame by frame: a history of Brunswick's picture theatres, Brunswick Community History Group, Victoria.

Film Weekly, Film Weekly: motion picture directory, Film Weekly, Sydney. 1946/7-1971

Sydney Road