Los Angeles Theatres: Florence Mills Theatre

3511 S. Central Ave. Los Angeles, CA 90011 | map |

Opened: 1912 as the Globe Theatre. Also known as Globe #2, it was a project of the short-lived Globe Amusement Co. It was on the west side of the street in the block south of Jefferson and north of Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd., formerly known as Santa Barbara Ave.

Architect: Arthur Lawrence Valk, who had done other projects for the Globe circuit. Thanks to Joe Vogel for the research. He notes that an April 1912 issue of Moving Picture World said that Valk had designed the new theatre for John Wagner. Joe 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: 1,000 was the announced capacity with 700 on the main floor and 300 in wicker arm chairs in the balcony. When it got closer to completion the number given was 800. 740 was a later number for the house, appearing in a Film Daily Yearbook.

A March 1912 item in the L.A. Times announcing the project. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating this as well as the illustration at the top of the page (from the same issue) for a post on the Photos of Los Angeles Facebook page.

"Let Your Money Work For You." Well, it didn't work for long. Globe was a short-lived venture. This ad for their stock offering appeared in the L.A. Times on March 31, 1912. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating this as well as many other Globe items for a Facebook thread on Ken's Movie Page.

An April 7, 1912 Times article headed "Start Third Theater," was mostly about Globe #3 in Echo Park. See the full article. But at the bottom they had this to say about the new Globe on Central Avenue:

"The Globe Theater No. 2, being built by John Wagner on Central avenue, will be commenced within the next few days, it is stated by officials of the company. The Central avenue house will be a $50,000 proposition and one of the best suburban theaters in the city."

An item in the September 7, 1912 issue of Moving Picture World discussed the Globe Amusement Company:

"Announcement that the Globe Amusement Company has acquired another motion picture theater, making six in all, was made this week. The new house is the Starland Theater, located on the $1,000,000 Frazer pier at Ocean Park. It is one of the finest motion picture houses in California. J. M. Boland, former owner of the house, is to be retained as resident manager. The Globe Amusement Company is planning to build or acquire and to operate, 15 houses in and around Los Angeles. No. 1 is at Fifth and Los Angeles Streets, No. 2 at Central Avenue and Jefferson Street, No. 3 at Sunset Boulevard and Echo Park road, No. 4 at 18th and Main Streets and No. 5 at Sixth and Palos Verdes Street. All except the last named, which is in San Pedro, are in Los Angeles proper."

There was later a Globe #7, at 2624 N. Broadway in Lincoln Heights, a house later called the Starland.

This September 15, 1912 Times article outlined the progress the circuit was making. But there were problems. That five-story project on W. 3rd St. near Figueroa was never built 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. Toward the bottom we get the Central Ave. news:

"Globe Theater No. 2, at Central avenue near Jefferson, is nearing completion. Its cost is given as $30,000. The seating capacity is 800."

A card of Globe #2 from the site Card Cow. Note we get the name of the architect, Lawrence Valk, on the bottom. Thanks to contributor Moviejs1944 for finding the card on the site and posting it on the Cinema Treasures page for Globe #1, the house at 5th and Los Angeles. Ken McIntyre featured it on a thread about various Globe theatres on the Photos of Los Angeles Facebook page.

It's in the 1913, 1914 and 1916 city directories as the Globe. Globe Amusement didn't last long and soon their properties were spun off to other operators. In the 1915 directory it's listed as being operated by an A.P. Tukwell.

A 1918 L.A. Times ad as the Globe. In the 1918, 1921, 1922 and 1923 directories the address shows up as 3513 S. Central. C.W. Young gets a listing in 1922 as the operator.

We get a name change with the 1923 listing, it's become the Amusu Theatre.

"Where Everybody Goes." By 1931 it had been renamed the Florence Mills Theatre. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating this January 1931 ad for a comment on a post on the Photos of Los Angeles Facebook page. The ad appeared in the California Eagle, a newspaper covering the African-American community in Los Angeles.

"A Memorial To a Race's Star." Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating this October 1933 ad from the California Eagle.

In 1936 it got a remodel with a reopening on April 11. Sometimes it was just listed as the Mills Theatre. Thanks to Comfortably Cool for finding this grand opening ad for a post on Cinema Treasures.

A May 1936 ad for the "Florence Mills Follies" that appeared in the California Eagle. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating it for a Photos of Los Angeles post.

The "Queen of Happiness," vaudeville and legit theatre star Florence Mills, 1896-1927. The photo is one appearing with the article about Ms. Mills on Wikipedia. Her early death was due to complications from tuberculosis. Also visit the site FlorenceMills.com.

A portion of a 1938 column of L.A. Times theatre ads that listed the Florence Mills.

1944 listings for four Central Ave. theatres. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating this, added as a comment to a post about the theatre on the Photos of Los Angeles Facebook page.

A 1947 ad for the Flo-Mills Theatre appearing in the L.A. Sentinel, a paper serving the city's African-American community. Thanks to Larry Harnisch for posting it on his Daily Mirror site.

A 1950 ad including the Florence Mills. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for finding it for a post on the Photos of Los Angeles Facebook page.

Closing: Presumably it closed in the 1970s. The closing date is unknown. After closing, the lobby became a video store before the building was abandoned.

Status: It was demolished in March 2013. There was supposed to be redevelopment with a cultural center and housing on the site but this didn't happen. A housing project for the site finally got underway in 2019.

c.1980 - A view from some vintage footage used in episode one of the 2021 Netflix documentary "Night Stalker." Thanks to sean Ault for spotting the theatre and getting the screenshot.

c.2000 - A view of the abandoned building appearing on the site FlorenceMills.com.

2009 - Looking south on S. Central. That's Jefferson Blvd. at the right. Photo: Google Maps

2009 - A facade detail. Photo: Ken McIntyre

2009 - The stage end of the building. Photo: Ken McIntyre. Five more of his 2009 photos appear as a post on the Photos of Los Angeles Facebook page. Thanks, Ken!