Los Angeles Theatres: Globe / Royal / Victor Theatre

1718 S. Main St. Los Angeles, CA 90015 | map |

Opened: In January 1913 as the Globe Theatre. It was on the east side of the street a bit south of 17th. The 1938 photo from Marc Wanamaker's Bison Archives appears in the 2008 Arcadia Publishing book "Theatres in Los Angeles" by Suzanne Tarbell Cooper, Amy Ronnebeck Hall and Mr. Wanamaker. There's a preview of the book on Google Books.

Joe Vogel found an item about the project in the June 15, 1912 issue of Southwest Contractor and Manufacturer:

"THEATER—F. L. Spaulding, 1460 Dana St., has taken out a permit for the foundation for a moving picture theater which he will build at 1716 S. Main St. for himself. The theater, which has been leased to the Globe Amusement Co., will seat about 900. There will be two store rooms. Concrete foundation, 60x140 ft., brick walls, stucco front, composition roof, dome covered with galvanized iron, steel beams and columns, marble and tile lobby, ornamental plaster ceiling in theater, plate glass store fronts, pine trim, electric wiring, plumbing. Cost about $25,000."

Seating: 755 was a later number. The original number they announced was 900.

Architect: Unknown

The short-lived Globe Amusement Co. projected a circuit of 15 theatres and got at least as far as seven. The Globe #1 was at 5th and Los Angeles downtown, Globe #2 was constructed for the firm at 3511 S. Central, a venue later known as the Amusu and the Florence Mills Theatre. Globe #3 was in Echo Park and ended up being called the Holly Theatre. Globe #4 was this one at 18th and Main. #5 was the Globe Theatre in San Pedro. Unit #6 in the chain was the Starland on the Ocean Park Pier. It was not commissioned by the chain but acquired soon after it opened. And not long before it burned. #7 was at 2624 N. Broadway in Lincoln Heights, a house later called the Starland. The facades of all these (except #6) shared a similar look with a huge entrance arch and a big dome with a lit globe on top.

This September 15, 1912 Times article outlined the progress the circuit was making. But there were problems. That five-story building on W. 3rd St. near Figueroa was never constructed although there were two smaller projects opened around this time: the Tunnel Theatre at 712 W. 3rd. and the Lux Theatre at 827 W. 3rd. The 9th and Georgia house appears to be the venue later known as the Georgia Theatre but it's unknown if Globe ever operated it. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating the article. Near the bottom they note:

"Theater No. 4, at Eighteenth and Main streets, represents an investment of $80,000 and will comfortably seat 900. This house is being rushed to completion and will be opened in a month."

Well, they didn't make the October opening they were looking for. This article noting that they had actually opened didn't appear in the Times until January 1913. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating this as well as many other Globe items for a Facebook thread on Ken's Movie Page.

A 1913 classified ad from the Globe Amusement Co. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating this for a thread about various Globe theatres on the Photos of Los Angeles Facebook page.

A February 1913 rental to a firm using a movie to sell lots in Wilmington. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for adding this article as a comment on a thread on Photos of Los Angeles about theatres at 18th & Main.

A chance to pick up the candy store in one of the theatre's storefronts. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating adding this July 1913 ad.

The Globe Amusement Co. was short-lived and by 1914 it was renamed the Royal Theatre and had a new proprietor, R.B. Seer. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating this March 1914 ad for a comment to a post about the theatre on the Photos of Los Angeles Facebook page.

Another March 1914 ad spotted by Ken McIntyre.

A Royal ad in the L.A. Record in January 1918. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for posting this and other theatre ads from the Record on Photos of Los Angeles.

A January 1918 story in the Record about other bookings that month that were obtained by Henry Riddle, the manager at the time. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating it.

Henry Riddle was in trouble. The Royal was one of several theatres being sued in April 1918 over unlicensed use of certain songs. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating the article.

In the mid 20s West Coast Theatres was the operator. It's in the city directories through 1929 as the Royal. It reopened as the Victor Theatre in 1938. It gets a listing with that name in the 1939 city directory.

Running mainstream Hollywood product as late as November 1949.

Advertising Spanish language films in the Times in December 1949.

More Spanish language product in September 1950.

Back to Hollywood product in 1951. Or perhaps they had been running split weeks. "Lightning Strikes Twice" and "Raton Pass" were both April releases.

"Open Weekends." This was the last ad in the Times: June 20, 1951. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating the ads.

Closing: The date is unknown. Perhaps that June 20, 1951 ad was the closing notice.

Status: It's been demolished. The 10 freeway runs across the site.

The Victor in 1942 running "Mississippi Gambler" and "Murder in the Big House" plus a cartoon and a comedy. Thanks to Lou Rugani for posting the photo on Cinema Treasures. Ken McIntyre also had it as a post on the Photos of Los Angeles Facebook page.

A 2019 look south on Main toward the site of the Victor between 17th and 18th. Well, there's still entertainment in the neighborhood. That's a Déjà Vu Showgirls location down in the next block. Photo: Bill Counter

More Information: The Palm Garden Theatre was an earlier film house nearby. In 1907 it was advertising as being as 18th and Main.

Los Angeles Theatres

Globe / Royal / Victor Theatre

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