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1912 ad

The Columbia Theatre was a theater at 470-476 - 10th St. opened July 1, 1907 by L.C. Keating and D.J, Flood. 5,6 It was re-opened and run by Dillon and King beginning in April 1911. 1

The location had previously been the temporary home of the Winedale Company while they were waiting for their new building to be constructed. 6

In late 1908 and early 1909, scam artist James M. Ferdon, aka "The Great Fer-Don" made an extended appearance, giving lectures, performing "cures," and presenting general entertainment from his band and vaudeville troupe. He had previously been "run out of Portland" then spent time in Los Angeles before coming to Oakland. 7 Before that, he had been fined $100 by the Illinois State Board of Health while manager of the traveling "Quaker Medicine Company", then fine $1,500 in Stephenson County, and left town when prosecution was started against him in another county. 8

It closed c.1923 2; ads for religious speakers in 1923 refer to it as the "Old Columbia Theatre". 4 Note that there were also two Columbia Theatres in San Francisco, one which dated back to the 1800s and another that opened in 1910.

A 1941 article says Hermie King took over the orchestra at the Columbia when he was 17 (c.1914). 3

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Links and References

  1. Columbia Opens Today With Popular Play Oakland Tribune April 16, 1911
  2. Columbia Theatre on CinemaTreasures.org
  3. Making the Rounds With "Kip" Oakland Tribune October 9, 1941
  4. ad for Evangelical J.S. McConell Oakland Tribune August 18, 1923
  5. grand opening ad Oakland Tribune June 24, 1907
  6. New Play House to Open Here Soon Oakland Tribune June 9, 1907
  7. Medical Sentinel Volume 16, February 1908
  8. Bulletin of the Illinois State Board of Health Volume 8
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