The Imperial was designed by architect Albert E. Westover of Philadelphia and built for the Keith-Albee Vaudeville Organization. It opened to the general public on April 26, 1913. Interior decoration was done by Tognarelli & Voight of Philadelphia while the original frescoes in the lobby are the work of New York artist William Eckhart. For his part, Emmanuel Briffa painted the asbestos curtain.

That same year, the Keith-Albee Vaudeville Organization also commissioned the construction of another, almost identical, Imperial Theatre in Saint John, New Brunswick.

The Imperial in Montreal was first used as a vaudeville theatre and had a seating capacity of 2000. A Wurlitzer organ was fitted to it. By 1934, with vaudeville declining, the theatre was rented to Léo-Ernest Ouimet (founder of the famed Ouimetoscope in 1906). Mr Ouimet included motion picture shows as part of the variety programme. Two years later, the building was sold to the Montreal-based Consolidated Theatres. In 1954, the Imperial was renovated by interior designer Oscar Glas and was equipped with the Cinerama system. This type of cinema lasted through the end of the sixties when the building was sold to the Montreal company Cinéma International Ltée in 1970 by Consolidated's successor, United Theatres. The new owner transformed it in 1974 into a two-screen operation, Ciné-Centre I & II, by installing a partition between the orchestra and balcony levels. United Theatres (which later became Famous Players) manages to acquire the building again in 1980 and undertakes a major restoration that turns the theatre back to a single hall and gives it all of its original lustre.

With larger seats and the upper part of the balcony closed to make room for office space, seating capacity is reduced to 932. Throughout the eighties, the Imperial gains a reputation as Montreal's best cinema because of its comfort, decor, unmatched projection and sound qualities. Among other things, it receives Canada's first THX certification and has the ability to show 70mm films. Following a market shift towards multiplexes, the turn of the nineties signals the end of the Imperial's career as a commercial movie theatre.

The Imperial is donated to the Montreal World Film Festival by Viacom (parent company of Famous Players) in 1995. The Centre Cinéma Impérial, a non-profit organization, is incorporated the same year with the mission to manage the building and operate the venue. Since then, many film events have taken place at the Imperial, cultural films have been released and the Centre Cinéma Impérial has produced numerous festivals and retrospectives. The venue has also been rented for Premieres, film shootings, photo sessions and private screenings. In 2001, the Imperial was officially recognized as a historical monument by Quebec's Culture and Communications Department.

Select a picture Façade of the Imperial in 1913 Article in La Presse, April 25th 1913 Programme on opening night Façade of the Imperial in 1930 Façade of the Imperial in 1935 Façade of the Imperial in 1935 Façade of the Imperial in 1935 Façade of the Imperial in 1949 Façade of the Imperial in 1949 Ticket booth and front doors in 1949 Façade of the Imperial in 1953 Façade of the Imperial in 1988 Façade of the Imperial in 1998 Entrance foyer in 1930 Orchestra level and proscenium in 1930 View of orchestra level and balcony in 1930 Dome at rear in 1930 (present location of the projection booth) Entrance foyer in 1949 View of orchestra level and balcony in 1949 1st floor mezzanine in 1949 Entrance foyer in 1954 Balcony and Proscenium in 1954 View of the hall in 1988 Cover page of CONTINUITÉ magazine, Fall 1988 Click on the image to enlarge >>