Known Years of Operation

Sep 14, 1912 - Oct 12, 1921

Number of Seats

800

Owner/Managers

Jack O'Neill, Ellen O'Neill, C. M. Hill

According to The Oregonian, the Globe Theater's opening night was September 14th, 1912, the Globe offered films interspersed with songs, and selections from their organ which was specifically engineered for The Globe, within a safe, allegedly fireproof, theater with seating for 800 people, the theater could have had 100 more seats but instead opted to sacrifice them in lieu of a less cramped feeling theater and also for a safer theater, a safe theater seemed to be a top priority for The Globe as the theater also had more exits than was legally necessary (1).

The Globe was, predominantly, a film exhibitor. The Globe promoted their films with large ads, in which The Globe made sure to prominently feature their address, Eleventh and Washington, so that the theater was easily located (2)(3)(4). The Globe also ran other programs and events. For instance, The Globe featured plays like Dion Boucicault's The Shaughraun (5). The Globe also had meet and greets. For instance, in 1917 The Globe had Joe Knowles, the famous nature man who appeared in films, come to the theater to show his latest film and also talk to and teach Boy Scouts wood crafting (6).

The Morning Oregonian, Jun. 20, 1917, p. 6. Historic Oregon Newspapers
The Morning Oregonian, Jun. 20, 1917, p. 6. Historic Oregon Newspapers.

 

The Globe had contests to further promote their theater. For example, The Globe featured a puzzle contest with one grand prize winner and three other places paying out prizes that could be obtained by calling The Globes box office (7).

The original owner, of The Globe, is unknown at the moment. However, Jack O'Neill and his sister Ellen O'Neill owned the theater at its closing, when the siblings sold The Globe to John Hammrick, a Seattle showman, who changed the name of The Globe to The Blue Mouse (8). The Globe was also ran by C. M. Hill who had taken over ownership from Jack O'Neill for a year and a half, the ownership then went back to Jack O'Neill before its selling and changing ownership to John Hammrick and name change to the Blue Mouse(9).

The Sunday Oregonian, Mar. 12, 1920, p.4. Historic Oregon Newspapers
The Sunday Oregonian, Mar. 12, 1920, p. 4. Historic Oregon Newspapers.

According to Moving Picture World, John Hamrick took over the ownership of The Globe Theater on October 12th,1921 and promptly shutdown the theater. John Hamrick planned to renovate the theater and then reopen The Globe as The Blue Mouse, renovations cost an estimate $30,000 which is around $400,000 in today's money (10).

Works Cited

  • 1. "Globe Theater Opens," The Sunday Oregonian,  Sep. 15, 1912, p. 5. Historic Oregon Newspapers.

  • 2. The Globe Theater advertisement, The Oregon Daily Journal, Jan. 16, 1913, p. 15. Historic Oregon Newspapers.

  • 3. The Globe Theater advertisement, The Oregon Sunday Journal, Jun. 1, 1913, p. 2. Historic Oregon Newspapers.

  • 4. The Globe Theater advertisement, The Morning Oregonian, Jun. 20, 1917, p. 6. Historic Oregon Newspapers. 

  • 5. The Globe Theater advertisement, The Morning Oregonian, Dec. 26, 1912, p. 2. Historic Oregon Newspapers.

  • 6. "The Globe," The Morning Oregonian, Jun. 20, 1917, p. 6. Historic Oregon Newspapers. 

  • 7. The Globe Theater advertisement, The Morning Oregonian, Nov. 29, 1912, p. 5. Historic Oregon Newspapers. 

  • 8. "Globe Theatre Goes To Seattle Showman; Renamed 'Blue Mouse'," The Oregon Sunday Journal, Oct. 9, 1921, p. 1. Historic Oregon Newspapers.

  • 9. "Globe Returns to Owner," The Sunday Oregonian, Mar. 12, 1920, p. 4. Historic Oregon Newspapers.

  • 10. "Hamrick Acquires Globe," Moving Picture World, Nov. 5, 1921, p. 111. Media History Digital Library. 

  • 11. Lacher, Gary and Stone, Steve, "Images of America: Theatres of Portland", Arcadia Publishing, 2009. p. 73.