Dale Theatre

The Glassell Theatre launched July 30, 1926 near the corner of W. 35th Avenue and what was called Glassell Boulevard. It was located in close proximity to Glassell Park and was one of a number of theatres reachable on the “E” streetcar line including the Yosemite Theatre, United Theatre / Eagle Rock Theatre, Division Theatre and Dayton Theatre. The theatre was in what was considered competitive zone 16 along with the Highland Theatre and the York Theatre.

On January 17, 1929, the Glassell Street name was changed to Eagle Rock Boulevard but retained its name due to the park and neighborhood names remaining the same. In April of 1929, the theatre was converted to sound using the Qualitone sound system. The theatre appears to have ceased operations under Al Hansen early in 1933 but found a new operator who relaunched with a reopening on June 8, 1933 in Zach Harris.

When the competing Highland Theatre launched a Bank Night program, the Glassell Theatre successfully launched a lawsuit terminating the lottery-like bank night. In 1936, Al Bowman took on the venue giving it a refresh and, purportedly changing the name of the venue to the LaSalle Theatre. However, it appears that the Glassell name eventually stuck.

In 1939, Kurt and Max Laemmle took on the Glassell Theatre and the Franklin Theatre. They would add Highland Park’s Park Theatre to have a stronghold in Zone 16. They gave the theatre a Streamline Moderne style makeover and changed its name to the Dale Theatre. The theatre struggled and added vaudeville shows in 1941 for a short period to find its audience. During World War II, it was simply a grind house showing discount double features. In the 1950’s, Laemmle dropped the aging house - likely at the end of a 25-year lease.

Bill Jenkins & Peter Fox were the Dale Theatre’s last operators, reopening the Dale Theatre in September 1955. On October 3, 1955, the theatre presented Bob Hope in “The Seven Little Foys” and Shirley Yamaguchi in “House of Bamboo”. The final audience at the Dale Theatre left at 11:45. Two hours later, the electric curtain device ignited a fire that consumed the theatre which caved in the roof and ended the operation. The Dale Theatre was deemed a $100,000 total loss and was razed. It was an empty lot into the 21st Century.

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