Globe Theater - Oakland

The Globe Theater (sometimes the Globe Photoplay Theater) was a smaller, short-lived theater at 1424 - 23rd Avenue. It was built in 1912, with A.W. Smith as architect, and opened c.1913. It was apparently put out of business in 1923 by the construction of the nearby and much larger Palace Theatre. ¹

The Cinema Treasures website says "The theater held major vaudeville shows but was primarily a movie house with an all day rate, showing mostly family films, newsreels, and documentaries." ¹

Given its small size and short time as a theater, there are relatively few mentions in the Tribune. The first is about a new type of screen invented by the manager, Mr. H. Bunker. The January 1912 article notes that the Globe seated "nearly 400 persons", and was the only photo theater having its own steam heating plant. ²

But the theater definitely got a mention in 1919, when manager Harry Thomas and Earl A. Attlesey pled guilty to violating the city ordinance against obscene pictures. Each was fined $100, but charges of violating the state law on obscene pictures were dismissed. ² Projectionist Wallace Asay was cleared of charges. ⁴

By 1925, the building was home to a notions shop run by James W. Cowart. ⁵ Cowart's was notable as one of only two international post offices in Oakland, where foreign money orders could be issued. ⁶

In 1936 and 1937, the building was a Safeway Economy Market. In the 1950s and 1960s, it was the Palace Furniture Exchange, ⁷A.B.C. Carpet Co., ⁸Edmund's Furniture, ⁹ then Salisbury Furniture Co. ¹⁰

In the 1990s, the building was an art gallery called The Art Club. ¹¹

The building still exists, although the street level entrance has been reconfigured with a large garage door-style opening.