Loew's Globe Theatre

when you have a Theatre like this that seats 2600 people you really don’t need another theater in town.

The name of the architect currently credited with designing this theater is probably wrong. I can’t find an architect named James C. Van Buren (or even just James Van Buren) in an Internet search, but there are numerous references to a prominent New Haven firm called Brown & Von Beren, and there is also this brief biography of architect Ferdinand Von Beren.

Most telling is an item in the records of the New York Architectural Terra Cotta Company which lists a 1913 bid to supply terra cotta ornament for an addition to an unnamed theater on Main Street in Bridgeport, which had been designed for S.Z. Poli by the firm of Brown & Von Beren. Brown & Von Beren might have been the original architects of this theater as well as architects of the 1913 expansion. The New York Architectural Terra Cotta Company’s records only list projects on which they made bids, and they apparently didn’t bid on the original construction project.

I worked as an usher during the fall/winter of 1954 and 1955 at the Globe. The manager was Mr. Alfred Domain. he was a tall cigar smoking man who sope with thunder in his voice. Quite a nice guy who seemed to keep things running well. On the weekends and holidays admission was 10 cents during the day and ( as I recall) 25 cents in the evening. On weekends and holidays the Globe was sometimes filled up where all balconies were open. There was usually a Bridgeport policenman upstairs and another downstairs in case things got out of hand. Sometimes fights would break out and all employees and policeman were put into play. As a generel rule problems were
resolved quickly and the show would continue.
Backstage, there was several dressing rooms where the stars from yesteryear performed during vaudeville days. In the dressing rooms you could see the makup mirror and vanity where stars would get dressed and madeup for the next act. It was said that Lucille Ball and Mickey Rooney as well as others,had worked there. That was of course long before my time. Many old posters were piled in those rooms and I sometimes wonder today as to what collector now possesses them. Fond mamories of and old and beautiful theatre. Gone but not completly forgotton. Larry Alton

Here is a July 1951 ad from the Bridgeport Telegram:
http://tinyurl.com/22buan

I’m still researching. Give me a few days.

The Globe was demolished in June 1957 to make way for a parking lot.

There’s an art show in Bridgeport running until February 17 and the Fairfield Weekly mentioned that among the landmarks of the past, The Globe Theatre is featured.

“Other popular depictions include the Barnum Museum, the City Trust Building and the Globe Theater.”

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My late Uncle Isadore Koenig owned the demolition company that took down the Lyric, Globe and Strand Theatres in Bridgeport CT. I remember vividly visiting the demolition sites of all three facilities. I also remember going to see films there prior to their sad destruction.