Los Angeles Theatres: Georgia Theatre

1002 W. 9th St. Los Angeles, CA 90015 | map |

Opened: Late 1913 is the best guess. An October 1914 story said it "was completed about a year ago."

It was intended to be called the Globe Theatre No. 7 with the Globe Amusement Co. as the lessee. It appears that the company was falling apart about the time the theatre was ready so it probably never used the Globe name. It was on the south side of 9th just west of Georgia St. The location is three blocks west of Figueroa St. The theatre was a block north of the current site of the Regal multiplex at L.A. Live.

The Globe circuit had announced plans to open 15 theatres and they got at least as far as seven. Globe #1 was at 5th and Los Angeles downtown, Globe #2 was at 3511 S. Central, a venue later known as the Amusu and the Florence Mills Theatre. Globe #3 was in Echo Park, much later known as the Holly Theatre. Globe #4 was at 18th and Main, later renamed the Victor. #5 was the Globe Theatre in San Pedro. Unit #6 in the chain was the Starland on the Ocean Park Pier.

The theatre that ended up as #7 in the circuit was not this theatre at 9th and Georgia but one at 2624 N. Broadway in Lincoln Heights, a house later called the Starland. Other than #6 on the pier, these all shared facade similarities including a huge entrance arch with a big dome and a lit globe on the top.

Architect: Arthur Lawrence Valk, who had done other projects for the Globe circuit. Thanks to Joe Vogel for the research. He discusses Valk:

"Architect Arthur Lawrence Valk began practicing in New York City around 1885, as junior partner in has father’s firm, L. B. Valk & Son. His father, Lawrence B. Valk, was best known for his church designs, some of which were built as far afield as Louisiana, Ohio, and Michigan. By 1904, the Valks had moved to Los Angeles. There the firm continued to specialize in churches, but by 1913 Arthur Valk had become well enough known for his work on movie theaters to have been called a 'motion picture specialist' by trade journal Southwest Contractor & Manufacturer.

"Among his other movie houses were the Argus Theatre (later the Strand) in Santa Barbara, and the Sunbeam Theatre in the Highland Park district of Los Angeles. As he also designed the Globe Theatre # 2 (later the Florence Mills Theatre), it’s possible that he designed other projects for the Globe Amusement Company, perhaps including... the Globe # 3 (Holly Theatre) in Echo Park..."

Seating: It was announced as being an 800 seat house. A 1914 article said 700. A much later number appearing in a Film Daily Yearbook was 385.

The project was announced as part of other Globe circuit news in this September 15, 1912 article in the Times:

The Times article mentioned that the new theatre at 9th and Georgia was to be erected by the Schmidt Brothers. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating this as well as many other Globe items for a Facebook thread on Ken's Movie Page. That five-story project for the Globe circuit on W. 3rd St. near Figueroa was never built although there were two smaller projects built on 3rd around this time: the Tunnel Theatre at 712 W. 3rd. and the Lux Theatre at 827 W. 3rd.

Thanks to Joe Vogel for locating this item in the November 16, 1912 issue of Southwest Contractor and Manufacturer:

"BRICK THEATER—F. D Spaulding, 1460 Dana St., has been awarded the contract at $15,960 for the erection complete of a l-story brick theater and store building on Ninth St., near Georgia, for Adele Otto Schmidt, 820 Story Bldg. A. L. Valk, archt., 933 Union Oil Bldg.

"The theater will seat about 800. Dimensions, 50x128 ft.; stucco front, composition roof, steel lintels, galvanized iron dome, tile floor and marble wainscot in lobby, hardwood and pine trim. cement floors, plate and prism glass windows, plumbing, electric wiring."

It's the mention of a Schmidt family member that appears to confirm that this is the same project as mentioned for Globe Amusement in the September 1912 Times article.

They were advertising in a March 1914 directory ad as Gore's Theater, M. Gore, proprietor. The "M" was for Michael. See the full ad.

A July 1914 ad located by Ken McIntyre. It's in the 1914 city directory as Gore's Theatre (with the address mistakenly listed as 102 W. 9th). It was again listed as Gore's in the 1915 directory.

A new operator, Mr. Kaskel from Riverside, appears later in 1914. Thanks to Ken for locating this October 25 news story.

In the 1916 city directory Nacim Rahpany was listed as the proprietor of the theatre at 1004 W. 9th St. In 1917, it's the New Georgia at the same address.

A May 1918 benefit for the Red Cross. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating the item.

A 1918 ad for the New Georgia. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating it. In the 1918 through 1923 directories it's listed as the New Georgia at 1002 W. 9th.

It was just the Georgia Theatre from at least 1929 through 1936. In the 1939 city directory this location was listed as the Capitol Theatre, perhaps a typo.

Closing: The date is unknown.

Status: It was demolished long ago. There's a vacant medical office building now on the site.

The theatre building is long gone This building, vacant at the time of the photo, was until recently the home of Health Care Partners Medical Group. A 110 freeway overpass is just out of the frame to the right. Photo: Bill Counter - 2018

Another view, looking east toward Georgia St. Photo: Bill Counter - 2018

Los Angeles Theatres

Georgia Theatre

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