Opened: 1910 or earlier. This was the first of two theatres to use the Glendale Theatre name. The location was on the south side of the street between Jackson and Isabel. That's a block and a half west of Glendale Blvd.
In this photo the theatre was running "Saved by the Flag" and "Wilson's Wife's Countenance," both released in 1910. The photo appeared in the May 13, 1911 issue of The Film Index. They noted that the house was managed by J. Elgie Busch. The issue is on Internet Archive. Perhaps that's the charming staff we're seeing in the photo. Or maybe it's the stars there for the premiere of one of the films.
Note the 4th St. address in the ad. Martin Turnbull has a several photos and ads related to the Sanitarium located at 4th and Isabel, across from the theatre. Also see a postcard on Calisphere. It had opened as a hotel in the 1880s. The street was later renamed Broadway.
Sometime before 1917 the establishment was renamed the Broadway Theatre. At least that's how it was listed in the city directory published that year by the Glendale Evening News. An early address was 702-04 W. Broadway as at the time Glendale was numbering their east/west addresses with 100 blocks starting at A St. (today called Adams). Their north/south numbering began with a 100 block either side of 1st St. (now called Lexington).
With the new system adopted in 1918 there are now east/west blocks with 100 addresses beginning at Brand Blvd. The north/south addresses begin with 100 blocks either
side of Broadway. With the changes this location became 520 E. Broadway. Thanks to Steve Preston for researching the numbering and locating the City of Glendale's "Historical Research Guide" for a mention of the 1918 changes. It's in pdf format. See page 5.
As a side note, the community of Tropico, just south of Glendale, had even before 1918 been numbering their east/west blocks from Brand so with their 1918 annexation to Glendale those addresses didn't change. But all the addresses on their north/south streets did. All the addresses became South, for one thing. See "New House Numbers Out" in the September 14, 1918 Tropico Herald. It's on the site California Revealed. Thanks to George Ellison of the Special Collections Room at the Glendale Public Library for earlier research on the addresses for the theatre.
Status: Mr. Ellison notes that the building survived with other tenants until it was demolished following damage from the 1971 Sylmar earthquake.
The four story building in the center of the image is on the site of the first Glendale Theatre. We're looking west toward downtown. Photo: Google Maps
More information: See the page about the later Glendale Theatre at 122 S. Brand Blvd., opening in 1920 and running until 1990.
I really enjoy Los Angeles Theatres, but would like to clarify a statement that appears in several of your Glendale entries. I believe that your notation concerning pre-1918 Glendale street addresses is in error. Prior to 1918 the street system numbered south from First St. (now Lexington Dr.) and west from “A” Street (today’s Adams). This numbering was not based on Tropico’s street numbering; Tropico was not incorporated until several years after Glendale, and the pre-1918 system was already in place. This is confirmed by several sources, including the City’s own historical research guide, found at https://www.glendaleca.gov/home/showpublisheddocument/12450/637068957831270000. I grew up in a house that changed addresses in 1918, and can confirm that its original address followed the system above. These facts do not change what you have quoted as the original address of the Glendale Theater, but it was never based on Tropico’s system — Tropico was 1-1/2 miles south of the location from which Glendale streets then numbered.
ReplyDeleteHi, Steve -- Thanks for your comments and research. And for that link to the pdf. Well, it's been a few years since I did any amount of Glendale research. And, as you can see, my source at the time was a guy at the Library. I'll keep all this in mind for when I have some time to go back and update the text. Most appreciated, sir! My source, who I may have misunderstood, obviously thought there was some connection between the pre-1918 Glendale numbering system and what the Tropico area was using at the time. Any idea if Tropico was then using numbering that was an extension of the Glendale numbers? That is, measured from First and A in Glendale?
DeleteHello again -- OK, I got some of my mess sorted out. See what you think. I think what George Ellison of the Library was trying to convey to me (and I totally scrambled) was that in the sense that Tropico was, even before 1918, numbering their East/West addresses from Brand, Glendale took up that system when it made its changes. Of course, none of Tropico's North/South addresses were usable when those had to be integrated into Glendale's system following annexation. Thanks for your help, sir!
DeleteHi, thanks for your note — I appreciate the kind feedback. No, I don’t believe that Tropico operated on Glendale’s numbering system until after its 1918 annexation, when Glendale’s system was applied. I checked a 1911-12 city directory for a Glendale, Tropico, and Casa Verdugo. The addresses in Tropico appear to emanate from a marker within its city limits, most likely Brand or Central or Los Feliz, then known as Park Ave; one livery business, for instance is shown at 102 N. San Fernando, which could not occur on the numbering system then in place for Glendale. Under Glendale’s post-1918 numbering system, San Fernando Road is a rare instance of a street that retains Los Angeles’ numbering system as it runs through town. It appears that by 1922, most Tropico entries had adopted Glendale’s numbering system, although some San Fernando Road addresses still had different numbers in 1922. I hope that helps!
ReplyDeleteNo, I wasn't saying that Tropico used Glendale's system as a whole pre-1918 -- only that (if I'm correct) they took their numbering of the East West blocks from Brand -- which is what Glendale also went to in 1918. Obviously the Tropico North/South addresses were thrown out the window and remeasured South from Broadway. And thanks for the San Fernando Road data. Cheers!
DeleteHi, B Counter — I really appreciate your effort to tie down those numbering details, and enjoyed reading the Tropico/Glendale Herald entry. Thanks for providing a great site for researching these historic theaters!
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