Carlton Theatre

The Carlton Theatre was a London West End dual purpose theatre come cinema built in 1927 for Adolph Zukor's Paramount Pictures. It continues in use as a cinema and is now called Empire Haymarket.[1][2][3]

For the movie theatre in Toronto, see Rainbow and Magic Lantern Cinemas.

Empire Haymarket
As Cineworld Haymarket in 2009
Full nameEmpire Cinema Haymarket
Former namesCarlton Theatre
Address63-65 Haymarket
Locationcentral London
OwnerEmpire Cinemas (since 2017)
OperatorEmpire Cinemas
Construction
Built1927
Renovated1979
ArchitectFrank Verity

It was designed by Frank Verity and Sam Beverley in Italian and Spanish Renaissance architectural style with a total seating capacity is 1,150 and a dual theatre or cinema capability. It is located at 63-65 Haymarket, London, SW1 and was built on the site of Anglesea Yard, a former coaching inn.[4]

It opened on 27 April 1927 with the successful musical play Lady Luck by Firth Shephard. In 1933 it staged another stage success, a run of Bitter Sweet by Noël Coward.[5][6]

The Carlton Theatre was wired for sound in 1929 and increasingly went over to being used as a full-time cinema.

It was originally built and owned by Paramount Pictures and was operated by them until 1954 when it was leased to Twentieth Century Fox as their West End showcase for CinemaScope films.

Fox continued to operate the Carlton until 1977 when they withdrew from cinema operations in London (they had also run the Rialto, Coventry Street). The cinema was taken over by Classic and the former stage area was sold for demolition and redevelopment. The auditorium was divided into three screens and reopened on 11 January 1979 as the Classic Haymarket. Various changes in ownership resulted in name changes to Cannon, MGM, Virgin, UGC and Cineworld Haymarket.

The Cinema is currently operated by Empire cinemas who took over ownership in 2017.

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References
  1. "Carlton | Theatres Trust". database.theatrestrust.org.uk. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  2. "Carlton Theatre, London | Theatricalia". theatricalia.com. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  3. "SAVE the Empire/Carlton Cinema on Haymarket". www.savebritainsheritage.org. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  4. "The Haymarket, West Side | British History Online". www.british-history.ac.uk. Retrieved 4 February 2019.
  5. "Empire Cinemas - London Haymarket in London, GB - Cinema Treasures". cinematreasures.org. Retrieved 2 February 2019.
  6. "The Carlton Theatre, 63-65 Haymarket, London". www.arthurlloyd.co.uk. Retrieved 2 February 2019.



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