Empire Theatre

6315 Van Nuys Blvd. Van Nuys (Los Angeles), CA 91401  | map |

Opened: The Empire's opening date isn't known but it was certainly in business by December 1912. This open-air venue was evidently the first theatre in Van Nuys. Could be that they had a tent roof  -- they ran matinees. The business was operated by Mssrs. Van Patten and Nelson. 

It was on the west side of the street (then called Sherman Way) between Sylvan St. (then called Virginia St.) and Friar St. (formerly F St.). The address at the time the theatre was running was 111-113 Sherman Way. Soon this became 315-317-319. In 1926 this section of Sherman Way became Van Nuys Blvd. with the two storefronts plus the entrance to the 2nd floor of the building then on the site getting the addresses 6315-6317-6319.  

Thanks to San Fernando Valley historian Karl Gerber for locating this article in the December 20, 1912 issue of the Van Nuys News:

 Visit Karl Gerber's website: vintagelosangeles.org 

 

 

An article about an exciting program at the Empire located by Karl in the January 10, 1913 issue of the Van Nuys News:    

 

 

The article lists the theatre's proprietors as Van Patten and Nelson. Regarding the film program, Karl notes that it was thought at the time that raising sugar beets would become a major industry in the Valley. 

 

 

"Why Not?' This item was also in the January 10, 1913 Van Nuys News, appearing in a "Church Notes" section.  

 

The theatre, described as "Open," is seen at 113-115 Sherman Way in this detail from image 2 of the 1913 Van Nuys Sanborn Map on the Library of Congress website. There are a total of five pages. That's Sherman Way along the right side of the image with West F St. at the top (now called Friar) and West Virginia St. at the bottom (now called Sylvan). The map notes that there's an 8' high wall at the front and back.   

Page one of the 1913 map notes that the population at the time was 750. The lot may have been owned by local real estate man Lincoln L. Whitson. Karl comments: 

" In 'The History of the San Fernando Valley,' published in 1934 by someone who went around talking to people from the beginning (1911 and earlier), it was noted that L.L. Whitson operated the first motion picture theater in Van Nuys at the spot where Segner's Department Store was later located."

"I think Van Nuys News publisher Frank M. Keffer was actually in Van Nuys from its start in 1911. He purchased the News on November 24, 1911. Keffer retired from the newspaper in 1932 and presumably wrote the book. His office was 14441 Sylvan, very close to the Empire."

Closing: The guess is that it closed sometime in 1913. 

Whitson was certainly the owner of the building constructed on the site: for years it was called the Whitson Building. The City of Los Angeles Zimas site gives a 1913 construction date for the building.  

In the 1917 L.A. city directory Lincoln L. Whitson was listed as a real estate man in Van Nuys. A Frank W. Whitson was listed that year as a Photoplayer operator.  In the 1917 California Real Estate Directory Bulletin the Whitson Realty Co. is listed with an address of 272 Sherman Way.

 

The west side of the 300 block (now 6300) and the building constructed on the site of the Empire Theatre is seen in this detail from image 4 of the 1918 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map of Van Nuys in the Library of Congress collection. That year the map had nine pages. Also see the LOC's 1923 Sanborn Nan Nuys Map (20 sheets).  

In the 1921 through 1924 San Fernando Valley city directories the Whitson Building was listed with an address of 317 Sherman Way. Downstairs it was a grocer and a meat market. The tenants listed upstairs those years were a physician and the Knights of Pythias Hall. In the 1926 directory the doctor is still in the building but the Pythians have moved and the Knights of Columbus and a dancing teacher took the space. The building got a 6317 Van Nuys Blvd. address that year with the storefronts as 6315 and 6319. 

 

Thanks to Karl Gerber for his research!  

 

Looking south on Van Nuys Blvd. in 2024. That two-story building on the right, using a 6315 address, is on the site of the Empire.  

More information: There isn't any yet.  

Nearby: See our page about the Van Nuys Theatre that opened in 1917 at what is now 6255 Van Nuys Blvd. In 1921 the Rivoli / Capri Theatre opened at 6258 Van Nuys Blvd. The Van Nuys / Fox Van Nuys opened in 1924 in what had been a furniture store at 6417 Van Nuys Blvd.  

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