CHARLIE CHAPLIN MADE HIS DEBUT IN PAISLEY

However, things did not unfold as expected, and just a few years later, the venture failed. For a time, the building served as an "Assembly Hall." In 1864, as conditions improved, it was converted into a concert hall and singing salon. The theater was intended for the many social evenings that took place in Paisley during that era and was named "Theatre Royal." Typically, theaters in Paisley had a short lifespan, but with a change of name or management, fortunes could shift. In 1896, the theater was renamed "The Royal Empire Music Hall." Locals affectionately referred to it as "The Rat Pit." It was here that the people of Paisley first caught a glimpse of the dazzling light of the cinematograph, watching Lumiere-style films unfold before their amazed eyes.

Once again, the theater underwent a name change. Under the new tenant J.H. Savile and his manager, Mr. Habner, it reopened as "The Empire Music Hall." The venue was expanded, reorganized, and adorned with new features. Two vibrant personalities who managed the theater in its later years were DALNO FRITZ and his wife, who hailed from Germany. Dalno would stand under the gas lantern at the theater's entrance, dressed in a top hat, tailcoat, white scarf, and white gloves, shouting, "All the pit and the stalls this way!" Meanwhile, his wife collected money from the audience. If any member of the Paisley crowd asked Dalno how the show was that evening, he would respond, "Terrible! Terrible! Come in and see for yourselves." He would then inform potential patrons how much the "terrible" performances of the night had cost. This was a surefire way to draw in the audience from the streets! Once the hall was filled, Dalno Fritz would retreat to the nearby Marshall's wine cellar. Occasionally, he would showcase his sword-swallowing act, announcing to the audience that he hadn't performed it in quite some time.

This was a surefire way to draw in customers to Paisley through the doors of Thatre! Once the hall was filled, Dalno Fritz would retreat to Marshall's wine cellar next door. Occasionally, he would perform his sword-swallowing act, announcing to the audience that it had been quite some time since his last performance. His act typically brought down the house, as the audience braced themselves for a potential mishap with such a heavy sword! Behind the scenes, however, his marriage was struggling. Dalno was a mistreated husband, and the dark marks left by his wife often caused him embarrassment among his male friends. His close friends, including a bookmaker from Caledonia Street named “Tiggy” Bonnar, banded together and gifted him a one-way ticket to the United States. They saw him safely board in Greenock, and Dalno never returned to Paisley. Years later, he sent his friends a theater poster featuring him atop a hill at a famous American theater. Another notable act at this theater was remembered by Peter Millar, who ran a butcher shop on Love Street. He witnessed a performance called “Mumming Birds,” featuring a young man in a comedic role as a well-dressed drunkard who kept interrupting the other actors on stage. His name was CHARLIE CHAPLIN. The theater where the world’s greatest comedian performed in his youth closed in 1906. The building later became a billiard hall, then a tea room, and today it operates as an Indian restaurant.