Note: The Bishop Playhouse was later known as the Franklin. You may be looking for the Franklin Theater.
1919? 3
The Bishop Playhouse at 1518 Franklin opened in 1916, under H.W. Bishop. Like Bishop's earlier Ye Liberty Playhouse, it featured a revolving stage. The theater was designed by Edward Foulkes, and seated 900 people.
Following Bishop's bankruptcy in 1918, it became the Fulton Playhouse under Maud Fulton and George Ebey. In 1929, Henry Duffy (of the Dufwin Theater) purchased the theater.
It became the Franklin Theater in 1935, showing movies. In October 1939 it became the Franklin Newsreel Theater.
In July 1941, it became the Telenews Theater.
In May 1943, it re-opened as the Franklin Theater showing movies, as part of the Fox West Coast Theaters chain.
After being demolished (the water tower was pulled down in 1953), the site was a parking lot. It is now the location of AC Transit headquarters.
1916
1950 Sanborn excerpt
Links and References
- ohrphoto.oaktheaters.002 Oakland History Center, Oakland Public Library
- Franklin Theatre on Cinema Treasures
