Which comic actor died on stage (literally) at the Sunderland Empire in April 1976?
City of Sunderland David Parfitt belonged to this company before achieving worldwide fame and is now a patron of the theatre. The Empire also played host to the final performance of comic actor Sid James, who died of a heart attack whilst on stage in 1976. Sunderland is home to a Nissan car manufacturing plant. Over recent years Sunderland city centre has seen a re-development of the Sunniside area taking place, with new bars, cafes and retailers opening their doors on the Eastern side of the city. The Sunniside area now includes an Empire Cinema, Gala Casino and many surrounding eateries. The Bridges
Sunderland Empire Theatre down a nearby alley and was never seen again. The Empire was known as a 'comic graveyard' - rather unfortunately given the above points - because of the partisan reception of the audiences of the time . Nowadays, the theatre regularly plays host to large-scale musicals, opera, ballet, dance showcases, amateur productions and one-night shows. Oscar-winning actress Helen Mirren made her stage debut at the Sunderland Empire. The theatre was the regular venue for the University of Sunderland's graduation ceremonies until the theatre's refurbishment in 2004. Since this time, the graduation ceremonies have been held at Sunderland AFC's Stadium of