Florence Mills Theatre
3511 S. Central Avenue,
Los Angeles,
CA
90011
3511 S. Central Avenue,
Los Angeles,
CA
90011
1 person
favorited this theater
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Larry Harnisch’s “Daily Mirror” weblog has posted an ad for this theater that ran in the July 17, 1947 issue of the Los Angeles Sentinal, the city’s African-American newspaper. The ad promotes the house as the Flo-Mills Theatre.
The Florence Mills is in the midst of being demolished. Here is a picture of the Florence Mills, in decline, but before the wrecking ball. http://www.florencemills.com/buildings.htm#theatreLA
I think that this item from an April, 1912, issue of The Moving Picture World must be about the Globe/Florence Mills Theatre, which was built that year:
Yes, William. I was commenting to Warren, who was “bewildered.”
South Central is a good area for a photographer interested in architecture: old buildings tend to get reused, rather than knocked down.
Don S, The “long lost” meaning for the theatre district that once was in this area. Just like how Main Street once had many theatres before Broadway became the new district.
Bill, in the last shot Ken posted on 3/3/09, we’re looking up past the liquor store sign at the front right corner of the building. At the very top are white letters on a black background that read Florence. From other angles, it’s possible to see that it reads Florence Mills Theatre.
‘The introduction is a bit bewildering. That section of Los Angeles is hardly “long lost.”’
I thought the long lost referred to the theater district, not the actual area. Another thing that has changed is that it’s largely Hispanic now, not black.
Hello all, I feel I should chime in as I grew up there. I first at least since the 1970’s, this theater has Never functioned as a movie house. I has been like Noah’s Ark sitting their. The structure looks pretty much the same as the photo’s Ken has shared with us here. It’s kinda weird because the neighborhood has changes dramatically since I was a boy but I do not think the locals know or knew it was a theater.
He outlived four wives, the last one being Dr Gertrude Curtis, New York’s first Black dentist, and also the widow of Cecil Mack (R.C. McPherson), joint songwriter of The Charleston, Just a Cousin of Mine, That’s Why They Call me Shine and many others. Florence Mills' husband ended up owning a share of the royalties from the Charleston, enough to make anyone wealthy
Bill Egan
It looks like she only lived to the age of 31, but her husband died at the age of 102 in 1990. Quite a disparity.
No, I only photographed it from outside.
By the way, another Florence Mills theatrical link with LA is the old downtown Pantages theatre, long closed and now an electronics goods store or similar, but the name Pantages can still be seen over the entrance. See:
View link
Florence Mills played there in 1920 as one of the Panama Trio
Bill Egan
http://www.florencemills.com
I was hoping that one of the doors would be open, but it was sealed tight. Have you ever been inside of the building?
Thanks for posting those, Ken. I have been trying for ages to get some info on whether the planned recdevelopment was happening but neither 20th Century Housing nor Dunbar EDC respond to messages. It’s clear from your pics that nothing has happened. The financial crisis is the likely explanation as Fannie Mae had a role in the financing. Presumably the public funding assigned still exists so perhaps things may still happen when the crisis eventually blows over.
I can tell from your last pic that Florence Mills' name is still legible on the gable end.
Best wishes
Bill Egan
http://www.florencemills.com
Here are some photos taken today:
http://tinyurl.com/avx54g
http://tinyurl.com/asxmdp
http://tinyurl.com/cmos75
http://tinyurl.com/brmepv
http://tinyurl.com/bhrroo
That’s interesting, Warren. I didn’t know that there were other papers besides the Times on the LAPL database. I have to check that out.
Interesting that the 1950 Florence Mills was featuring “Covan’s Stars of the future” on stage, as Willie Covan had been a close friend of Florence Mills in the 1920s and her husband had later helped finance his West Coast dance school. Another performer of that era, still performing on the West Coast today , was Herb Jeffries, whose black westerns were featured at the Florence Mills in the Thirties (before he found fame as Duke Ellington’s vocalist – main hit Flamingo).
Trying to figure out the size and scale of the FLorence MIlls Theater, as well as some others along central avenue such as the Tivoli and Ebony Showcase.
Also wanted to know about the whether the theaters were exclusively black or mixed? And were theaters in other parts of Los Angeles segregated, with blacks restricted to the balconies?
What type of research on them?
I presume it’s William Gabel, the originator of this thread, you’re addressing but if you want to contact me at wegan[at]pcug.org.au we can see whether there is anything useful I can share,
Best wishes
Bill Egan
http://www.florencemills.com
William,
I am doing some professional research on Florence Mills Theater, Lincoln Theater, and others on Central Avenue during the 1920s-1950s…
Do you have any contact info?
Here is the city directory showing the Globe at 3511:
http://tinyurl.com/2m5dq2
According to a report generated by the L.A. city planning department’s zoning information system, the building currently on this site was erected in 1912. The listing as Globe Theater in 1914 thus must refer to this same building.
The Globe Theater was listed at 3511 S. Central in the 1914 city directory.
Here is a 2004 aerial photo:
http://tinyurl.com/yra3mr
Please note status change to closed.