Los Angeles Theatres: Globe / Starland Theatre

2624 N. Broadway Lincoln Heights (Los Angeles), CA 90031 | map |

Opened: 1913 as the Globe Theatre No. 7. The first lessee was the short-lived circuit Globe Amusement Co. The building is on the east side of the street between Daly and Workman streets. Nearby at 2604 was the Daly Theatre. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating this 1961 photo for a Facebook post on Ken's Movie Page.

The project was announced in the September 22, 1912 issue of the L.A. Times.

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 to be soon 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, 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. It was not commissioned by the chain but acquired soon after it opened. And not long before it burned. And this house on N. Broadway was #7. Other than #6, these all shared facade similarities including a huge entrance arch with a big dome and a lit globe on the top.

Most of the company's theatres were renamed when the circuit imploded. This one was in the 1914 city directory as the Standard Theatre. It's listed in city directories from 1915 onward as the Starland Theatre.

Architect: George B. Campbell. Joe Vogel did the research. He located this item in the November 9, 1912 issue of Southwest Contractor and Manufacturer:

"BRICK THEATER AND STORES—F. L. Spaulding, 1460 Dana St., has been awarded the contract at $23,930 for the erection complete of a 1-story brick store and theater building at North Broadway and Workman Sts. for the Huntington Land & Improvement Co., Pacific Electric Bldg. Plans by G. B. Campbell, 744 Pacific Electric Bldg.

"The building will contain a theater seating about 800, leased to the Globe Amusement Co., and five store rooms. Dimensions 110x165 ft. Concrete foundation, cream pressed brick facing, composition roof, steel beams and columns, cement floors, plate and prism glass windows, galvanized iron skylights, wired glass, metal lath ceiling, stucco front on theater, galvanized iron dome, marble and tile lobby, plumbing, electric wiring."

George comments regarding the architect:

"I believe that George B. Campbell, designer of the Starland Theatre, was an in-house architect for the Huntington Land & Improvement Company. Campbell’s office address was 744 Pacific Electric Building, and I've found that the seventh floor of the PE Building was also the location of the Huntington Land & Improvement Company’s offices."

Stage: The stage was mentioned by Bruce LaLanne in an article about Lincoln Heights theatres in the January 1993 issue of Tom B'hend's publication Greater L.A. Metro Newsreel:

"The shallow stage had fly space so the screen could be flown and it is believed that the theatre presented vaudeville in the early years of its operation. With the advent of sound the screen was anchored to the stage floor."

Thanks to Ron Mahan for the article. It's reproduced at the bottom of the page.

Seating: 850, all on one level.

A 1918 ad for the Starland. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating it.

In the 1929 directory the address shows up as as 2622 N. Broadway. At some point the Starland became a West Coast Theatres operation. Beginning in the fall of 1929 the theatre was advertised as the Fox Starland after William Fox got control of the West Coast circuit.

"The Home of Talking Pictures." This ad appeared in the October 31, 1929 issue of the Eastside Journal. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating it.

"A Theater Worthy of Its Name." It's an April 1930 ad from the Eastside Journal.

A May 1, 1930 ad for the theatre. Evidently they were congratulating Harold B. Franklin on getting his new job. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating this ad for a thread about the area's theatres on the Photos of Los Angeles Facebook page.

Getting a new manager to sweep the place out. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating this 1931 item.

A November 26, 1931 ad for the Starland and the San Carlos appearing in the Lincoln Heights Bulletin-News. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for posting it on Photos of Los Angeles.

"Free Chinaware." It's a November 8, 1934 Eastside Journal ad. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating the three ads from this paper for a post on the Photos of Los Angeles Facebook page.

In 1935 the lovely original facade with a dome on top got replaced with the moderne version still on the building.

"A new front will be put in and the interior will be entirely rebuilt." Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating this March 1935 article for a post on Photos of Los Angeles.

Another March 1935 article located by Ken. He notes that in 1936 they were advertising it as the New Starland.

The Starland was one theatre offering a "Kartoon-A-Scope" program in 1954. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating the ad.

Still running in 1967. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for the L.A. Times listing.

Closing: February 1968 was the end of it.

The final Times ad in February 1968. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for the research.

Status: The lobby portion of the building was converted to retail use shortly after the theatre closed. The auditorium has been demolished and is now a parking lot. Joe Vogel notes that the demolition was announced in the July 25, 1968 issue of the Lincoln Heights Bulletin-News.

Exterior views:

1919 - A lovely photo, presumably of the Starland. Thanks to Noirish Los Angeles contributor Ethereal Reality, who found it on eBay and put it in his Noirish post #25389. They're running an episode from "The Lion Man," a 1919 serial. In his post #25392 he notes that the feature they were running was a John Ford film "Prince of Avenue A."

The photo was labeled "Grand Theater. Los Angeles" but it matches no theatre known to be called the Grand. One possibility, suggested by Palmero in his Noirish post #25405, is that it's the Holly Theatre, 1624 W. Sunset Blvd. in Echo Park. Although that theatre had a similar facade, it's not a match. The designs are similar as both theatres were built for the Globe Amusement Co.

1930 - Many thanks to Ronald W. Mahan for sharing this photo from his collection. It appeared in the October 22 issue of "Now," a publication of Fox West Coast Theatres. The Masked Phantom was coming down after setting a record for flag pole sitting. The Starland was running the prison drama "The Big House" with Chester Morris, Wallace Beery and Lewis Stone. Ron notes that the band on top of the marquee was called "The Inmates."

1930 - One of two trade magazine photos located by Charmaine Zoe. It's another version of the previous photo. Despite the murkiness, this take gives us a view of the bulk of the auditorium way back behind the long lobby.

1930 - The second photo of the pair. Thanks to Charmaine for locating these. They're on Flickr, included in her Vintage Cinemas - California album.

1931 - Note the band on top of the marquee. They're running "Shipmates" with Robert Montgomery and it appears the Navy has come for a visit. Thanks to Elmorovivo for finding the photo for a post on Cinema Treasures.

1960s - A "closed for alterations" photo. Thanks to the Facebook page Lincoln Heights Remembered for posting it. They got over 90 comments on the post. Thanks also to Jason Vega for spotting the post.

c.2009 - Thanks to Don Solosan for this photo and his others that appear here. They were taken for a survey of surviving theatre buildings done by the now-dormant Historic Theatre Committee of the Los Angeles Conservancy. And thanks to Hillsman Wright of the Los Angeles Historic Theatre Foundation for supplying Don's photos.

c.2009 - A closer facade view. Photo: Don Solosan

c.2009 - A terrazzo detail. Photo: Don Solosan

c.2009 - The terrazzo contractor. Photo: Don Solosan

2010 - A terrazzo detail. Thanks to Laurie Avocado for her photo appearing on Flickr.

c.2010 - A look south on Broadway from Martin that once appeared on his now-vanished site You-Are-Here.com.

2011 - A view from Google Maps.

2018 - Another facade view. Photo: Bill Counter

2018 - The terrazzo, the building's best remaining feature. Photo: Bill Counter

2018 - Around back looking for the missing auditorium. The remaining building in the center of the image was the long, long lobby. Photo: Bill Counter

An article from the January 1993 issue of Greater L.A. Metro Newsreel:

Los Angeles Theatres

Globe / Starland Theatre

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