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. Part of the building survives on the
east side of the street between Daly and Workman streets. Nearby at 2604
was the Daly Theatre.
This lovely 1919 photo was taken after the theatre was renamed the Starland. Thanks to
Noirish Los Angeles contributor Ethereal Reality for spotting it on eBay
and including it in his Noirish Los Angeles post #25389. They were running an episode from "The Lion Man," a 1919 serial. In his post #25392 he noted that the feature they were running was a John Ford film "Prince of Avenue A."
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.
Globe #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."
This image appeared in the October 22, 1930 issue of "Now," a publication
of Fox West Coast Theatres. The Masked Phantom was coming down after
setting a record for flagpole sitting. The Starland was running the
prison drama "The Big House" with Chester Morris, Wallace Beery and
Lewis Stone. Many thanks to Ronald W. Mahan for sharing this photo from his
collection. He notes that the band on top of the marquee was called
"The Inmates."
One of two 1930 trade magazine photos located by Charmaine Zoe. It's another version of the previous shot. Despite the murkiness, this take gives us a view of the bulk of the auditorium way back behind the long lobby.
The second photo of the 1930 pair. Thanks to Charmaine for locating these. They're on Flickr, included in her Vintage Cinemas - California album.
"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 group.
Still running in 1967. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for the L.A. Times listing.
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.
c.1969 - A "closed for alterations" photo. Thanks to the Facebook page Lincoln Heights Remembered for sharing it. They got over 100 comments. 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
2025 - The facade with c.1914 Starland lettering was uncovered during renovations of the retail space in the former lobby. Thanks to The Eastsider for sharing the news in January on their Facebook page. Their comments:
"Lincoln Heights: The renovation of storefronts on North Broadway building near Workman Street revealed an arched window and, above that in terracotta, the words 'Starland Theatre.' The long-gone theater dates back to 1911, according to Los Angeles Theaters. A leasing broker for the building said the owner was restoring some of the original elements of the building. And, yes, the space is up for lease. 'I think this is so cool -- something from the past,' said Gary Jimenez, who took the photos of the reveal. 'This is part of our history.'"
An article from the January 1993 issue of Greater L.A. Metro Newsreel:
The issue with the article is in the Ronald W. Mahan Collection. Thanks to Ron for scanning it.
More information: See the Cinema Treasures page on the Starland. The theatre got a 2009 story in LA Eastside which included several photos.
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