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email: roadarch@outlook.com |
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| San Francisco Movie Theatres |
(hit "refresh" to get the most recent version of this page; click on photos for larger images)
| Presidio Theatre San Francisco, CA |
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| The Presidio Theatre opened in 1937 as the El Presidio Theatre. The name was shortened in 1951. In 2004, the theatre was divided up into four screens. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. [map] |
| former Bridge Theatre San Francisco, CA |
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| The Bridge Theatre opened in 1939 and was named after the nearby Golden Gate Bridge. The theatre closed in 2012. In 2014, the building was sold and adapted for the San Francisco Baseball Academy. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. [map] |
| Vogue Theatre San Francisco, CA |
Clay Theatre San Francisco, CA |
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The Vogue Theatre opened in 1910 as the Elite Theatre. It was later known as the Rex Theatre (1919) and the Plaza (1927). It became the Vogue in 1939. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. [map]
The Clay Theatre opened in 1910 and closed in 2020. The interior has been gutted. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. [map] |
| Alhambra Theatre San Francisco, CA |
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| The Alhambra Theatre opened in 1926 and closed in 1998. In 2002, the building was converted into the Gorilla Sports gym. Since 2006, it has housed Crunch Fitness. Much of the interior was preserved and the marquee was restored. For more, see these websites: 1, 2, and 3. [map] |
| 4-Star Theatre San Francisco, CA |
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| The 4-Star Theatre opened as the La Bonita Theatre in 1912. The "Star" marquee was built around 1946. In 1948, the "4" was added to the sign and the facade was covered up. It remains a movie theatre. For more, see these websites: 1, 2, and 3. [map] |
| Castro Theatre San Francisco, CA |
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| The Castro Theatre was designed by Timothy L. Pflueger and built in 1922. The marquee and the vertical neon sign were added in the late 1930s. The neon sign was restored in 2008 by Jim Rizzo of Neon Works. The theatre is now a performing arts venue. For more, see these websites: 1, 2, and 3. [map] |
| Golden Gate Theatre San Francisco, CA |
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| The Golden Gate Theatre was built in 1922 and closed in the 1970s. It was renovated and became a performing arts center in 1979. These photos are from 2014. Around 2019, the signs were painted red. For more, see these websites: 1, 2, 3, and 4. [map] |
| El Capitan Theatre San Francisco, CA |
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| The El Capitan Theatre opened in 1928 and closed in 1957. The interior was demolished in 1964 for use as a parking lot. For more, see this website. [map] |
| Victoria Theatre San Francisco, CA |
Marina Theatre San Francisco, CA |
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The Victoria Theatre was built around 1908 as Brown's Opera House. It was known as the 16th Street Theatre before being renamed the Victoria. It is now used mainly for live shows and community events. It is the oldest still-operating theatre in San Francisco. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. [map]
The Marina Theatre opened in 1928. In the late 1950s or early 1960s, it was renamed the Cinema 21. It closed in 2001. It reopened in 2008 as the Marina Theatre. For more, see this website. [map] |
| former Metro Theatre San Francisco, CA |
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| The Metro Theatre opened as the Metropolitan Theatre in 1924. It was extensively remodeled in 1941 and reopened as the Metro Theatre. It closed in 2006 and was endangered. In 2013, the building was converted into the Equinox Gym. The neon sign and marquee have been restored. For more, see this website. [map] |
| Avenue Theatre San Francisco, CA |
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| The Avenue Theatre opened in 1927. The original sign had bulbs. After a fire around 1940, the theatre was remodeled and the current sign was built. The theatre closed in 1984. The building housed a church but has been vacant since 2011. The facade and sign were restored in 2017. When a tenant is found, the interior will also be restored. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. [map] |
| New Mission Theatre San Francisco, CA |
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| The New Mission Theatre was built in 1916 on the site of a smaller Mission Theatre. The New Mission was remodeled in 1932 by Timothy Pflueger. This 70-foot-tall sign tower was added then. The theatre closed in 1993. It housed a furniture store after that but had been vacant since 2003. The building remained vacant until 2015 when it was restored and converted into an Alamo Drafthouse Cinema as a five-screen theatre and restaurant. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. [map] |
| Alexandria Theatre San Francisco, CA |
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| The Alexandria Theatre opened in 1923 and was remodeled in 1941. In 1976, the theatre was triplexed. It closed in 2004 and remained vacant since then. In 2019, it was announced that the building would be restored. It will be adapted for a public swimming pool and learning center. In 2023, the blade sign was removed for safety reasons. It is in storage and will be restored. For more, see these websites: 1, 2, and 3. [map] |
| Grand Theatre San Francisco, CA |
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| The Grand Theatre was built in 1940. It was designed by Albert O. Lansburgh and S. Charles Lee. The theatre closed in 1988. In 2008, it housed a Chinese discount store. Around 2014, the building was restored as the Gray Area Art and Technology Theater. For more, see this website. [map] |
| Roxie Cinema San Francisco, CA |
Tower Theatre San Francisco, CA |
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The Roxie Cinema opened in 1912 as the Poppy Theatre. It was remodeled in 1932 as the Roxie Cinema. For more, see this website. [map]
The Tower Theatre opened as the Majestic Theatre in 1912. In 1937, it was remodeled by S. Charles Lee in 1937 and renamed the Tower Theatre. The building was used as a church for many years but it has been vacant since at least 2007. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. [map] |
| former El Rey Theatre San Francisco, CA |
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| The El Rey Theatre was designed by Timothy Pfleuger. It opened in 1931 and closed in 1977. The building housed a church in recent years. The building appears to be vacant now. For more, see this website. [map] |
| New Century Theatre San Francisco, CA |
Balboa Theatre San Francisco, CA |
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The New Century Theatre opened as the Larkin Theatre in 1916. In the late 1970s, it was renamed the Century Theatre as began featuring adult films. It is now known as the New Century Theatre which is a strip club. For more, see these websites: 1, 2, and 3. [map]
The Balboa Theatre opened as the New Balboa Theatre in 1926. It was designed by James & Merritt Reid. Although the theatre has been multiplexed, it remains in operation. For more, see these websites: 1 and 2. [map] |
| Stonestown Twin Theatre San Francisco, CA |
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| The Stonestown Twin Theatre was built in 1970. It is located in the Stonestown Shopping Mall. The theatre was twinned in 1973. For more, see this website. [map] |
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Copyright. All photos at this website are copyrighted and may only be used with my consent. This includes posting them at Facebook, Pinterest, blogs, other websites, personal use, etc. Tips & Updates. If you have suggestions about places that I haven't covered, historical info, or updates about places/things that have been remodeled or removed, I'd love to hear from you: roadarch@outlook.com. |