Novelty Theatre

1121 Broadway,
Oakland, CA 94612

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Additional Info

Previous Names: Broadway Theatre

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Novelty Theatre

The Novelty Theatre opened September 22, 1904. “Always to Lead” was the motto of President and General Manager Tony Lubelski. At the time of its opening, it was claimed by a newspaper article to be “the most attractive and best-appointed vaudeville house in the United States”. A part of the theatre featured a penny arcade consisting of over 7,500 square feet said in an article in the Oakland Herald (12/22/1904) to be “the largest of its kind on the Pacific Coast”. It was intended for patrons to enjoy themselves between performances.

At some point the theatre apparently became the Broadway Theatre, becoming the first of two downtown Oakland theatres by that name. It was demolished about 1930, to be replaced by the New Broadway Theatre, which itself subsequently became known as Broadway Theatre (q.v).

Contributed by Garrett Murphy

Recent comments (view all 1 comments)

NAParish
NAParish on July 15, 2024 at 10:12 am

The Novelty Theater opened on 9/22 in 1902, not 1904: https://www.newspapers.com/article/oakland-tribune-amusements-for-the-week/151382918/

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