The Esquire Theatre

934 Market St. | map |

Opened: The theatre opened c.1909 as the Market Street Theatre. The location was on the north side of Market between 5th and Turk. This March 24, 1911 view east on Market toward the theatre was taken by an unknown photographer. Thanks to Art Siegel for locating the photo in the Open SF History Project collection. From the left it's the Bank of Italy in the Mechanics Savings Bank Building, the Garfield Building, the Market Street Theatre and the Douglass Building. That's the Flood Building at Powell St. in the background. 

Seating: 1,008 seats, with about 200 of that in the balcony.

 

Architect: Unknown

 

Jack Tillmany notes: "Its first listing is in the telephone directory of 1 June 1909, but not in the city directory until September 1910. I've never found any newspaper acknowledgement of its official opening. That gives it an edge over the Portolá (the accent was over the final A--that's the official Spanish pronunciation and the way my father, who had the orchestra there, referred to it), which was in operation by September 1909 but whose first telephone directory listing is 1 October 1909, and first city directory listing also September 1910. Those would be the first 2 large size major Market Street movie venues." 

 

 

A detail of the theatre entrance extracted from the 1911 photo. Thanks, Art!  

 

 

A detail from image 65 of the 1913 Sanborn Insurance map showing the "Market Theatre" entrance at 934 and the auditorium (in yellow) as "Moving Pictures. That's Eddy St. on the left and Mason St. at the bottom. Thanks to Art Siegel for locating the map in the Library of Congress collection. 

 

 

The ad for Chaplin's "Easy Street" that appeared in the September 3, 1917 SF Call. Thanks to Art Siegel for locating it via the California Digital Newspaper Collection. 

 

It became the Alhambra on September 9, 1917. Thanks to Jack Tillmany for locating this re-opening day ad. 

 

"The Playhouse of Preferred Pictures." Thanks to Jack Tillmany for locating this January 1918 ad for "Face Value" with the "Adorable Mae Murray." Also see a photo from Jack's collection of ads on the back of the building with a poster for "Face Value" down in the lower right.

 

August 16, 1919 was the first day of operation as the _______ Theatre. Thanks to Jack Tillmany for the ad. 

 

Two days later it was announced that the house would be called the Frolic Theatre. Thanks to Jack Tillmany for locating the August 18, 1919 ad. He comments: "The Alhambra's name change to Frolic in August 1919 was cleverly promoted, as you can see; the name "FROLIC" didn't appear in the ad until two days after the opening, much to the frustration of modern day researchers." 

 

The September 21, 1923 ad for the theatre's reopening as the Cameo, the "Temple of Contentment." Sorry we missed the Cameo Singing Orchestra. Thanks to Jack Tillmany for finding the page with the ad on Newsbank. 

 

 

The Cameo was operated by Universal. They had done an extensive remodel for an interior that "follows Moorish and Egyptian tencencies." The decorator for the remodel was Robert E. Power Studios. This was part of a 1923 trade magazine report that was located by Comfortably Cool for a post on Cinema Treasures. 

 

It became the Cameo Theatre on September 22, 1923. Thanks to Jack for the ad appearing that day.  

The December 12, 1925 issue of the Cameo News. It's from the Jack Tillmany collection. Jack notes that all you need to do is fill out the coupon and the issues will be mailed to your home.

The rest of the December 12, 1925 news.

 

 

 

It was renamed the Marion Davies Theatre on March 30, 1929. Thanks to Jack Tillmany for locating the ad. In early 1930 the Davies and the Embassy were being operated by Wm. B. Wagnon Theatres. 

 

 

A view of the fire-damaged balcony. The photo, from the San Francisco Public Library collection, appeared in the October 14, 1940 issue of the News-Call Bulletin. It was time for a renovation. 

 

 

 

Blumenfeld Theatres remodeled the house and gave it a new name: the Esquire Theatre. The re-opening was December 5, 1940. Thanks to Jack Tillmany for locating this ad appearing that day as well as researching the dates for all of the theatre's name changes. 

 

Gary Parks has the plans by Vincent G. Raney for the new facade and some of the upstairs remodeling done to turn it into the Esquire. See some images from the plans down at the bottom of the page.

A 1946 trade magazine ad from the Jack Tillmany collection. He comments: "'The Jolson Story' was one of 1946's most popular films. Al Jolson was still alive, and dubbed his own singing voice, while Larry Parks acted his role onscreen. In San Francisco and Oakland, Blumenfeld Theatres had the first run franchise on the output from Columbia Pictures, and played the game for all it was worth. This ad appeared in the trade journals and says it all.

"As you can see, it opened in SF simultaneously at Blumenfeld's United Artists/Esquire/Tivoli, and in Oakland at his Roxie. Note the neon marquee letters still in use at the Roxie, who took over the Paramount's inventory when they abandoned them a few years earlier, thus guaranteeing them an ample supply despite the inevitable breakage that was their waterloo elsewhere by the end of the 1930s."

Closing: It closed on July 30, 1972. At the end the Esquire was operated by Syufy. 

 

 

An item in the July 26, 1972 issue of the Chronicle. First called the Camelot, huh? Thanks to Arto for locating this for a post on Cinema Treasures. 

Status: The building was demolished. The site is now part of Hallidie Plaza and the Powell St. BART station.

 

Interior views: 

 

A 1921 auditorium view. Thanks to Cinema Treasures contributor Dallas Movie Theaters for locating this trade magazine photo. 

 

 

A 1923 look to the rear of the house. It was called the Cameo at the time. Thanks to Cinema Treasures contributor Comfortably Cool for locating the photo.  

 

 

A closer look at the rear of the auditorium in 1923. Thanks to Ken Roe for locating the photo for a post on Cinema Treasures.

A later auditorium view from the Jack Tillmany collection. 

Jack Tillmany on the "Squeeze-O-Vision" presentations at the Esquire:  "The Esquire had a built in problem: a narrow stage. And those heating vents prevented them from moving the screen outside the proscenium. So they did the best they could with what they had, and F the audience. Trouble was, they always bid for, and got, the 'now at popular prices' runs of previous road show attractions, such as 'Ben-Hur' and 'West Side Story,' which they played for weeks and weeks to huge crowds.

"Anyhoo... in the mid-1960s, MGM re-released an Elizabeth Taylor combo: 'Cat on a Hot Tin Roof' (wide screen, not scope) and 'Butterfield 8' (CinemaScope), which was very successful, and played the Esquire. A friend of mine went there and I heard all about it afterwards. In 'Cat,' Ms. Taylor is, as everyone knows, in a stitched-to-fit slip that clings to every ounce and inch of her eye-filling anatomy and in 'Butterfield 8,' she's not shy about such exposure either. But, at the Esquire, in 'Butterfield 8', she 'seemed to have lost a lot of weight and was trying to look like Audrey Hepburn, except when she laid down on the bed & looked short and dumpy.' Let's hear it for Esquire's Panatar Lenses!

"Eventually, in its final years, Syufy took over the Esquire, and really gave it try, with a larger screen outside the proscenium, but still not wide enough because of those vents and the 1929 deco decor, so dropped the top to compensate (see photo below). It was a big improvement, but the parade had already passed it by.

"Footnote: Syufy used to call his sites 'Syufy Luxury Theatres' which would have been a stretch for the Esquire, to say the least, since, by this time, it was primarily an American-International venue. My last trip there was to see what's now regarded as a 'cult classic' (but not so at that time): 'Werewolves on Wheels.' My friend and I had to search to find two seats side by side in the downstairs center section which provided both seat cushions and backs, our feet stuck to the floor; the odor of disinfectant from the restrooms permeated the lobby and into the auditorium. If BART had not done its job back in 1972, today there would no doubt be a committee to Save the Esquire."

The auditorium in 1970. It's a Jack Tillmany collection photo.

More exterior views: 

 

 A c.1912 photo from the Jack Tillmany collection. Note the new marquee inserted into the arch. 

 

The Market St. Theatre in 1915 letting you know they're the "House of Movies." It's a photo that appeared in a March 1915 ad for Tuec Vacuum cleaner systems in Architect and Engineer. It's on Internet Archive.

 

 

The theatre in late 1917. There's a new "Alhambra" sign on the roof but the marquee still says "Market St. Theatre." It had adopted the new name on September 9. Thanks to Jack Tillmany for sharing the photo from his collection. The theatre was running the 1915 film "Civilization." Jack notes that the film had played New York in 1915 but didn't get to San Francisco until a February 1917 run at the Alcazar Theatre. It played there about three weeks and then vanished which, he adds, "suggests it was not the blockbuster intended." He also notes that this later run at the Alhambra doesn't seem to have been advertised in the papers. 

Looking toward the Ferry Building in a wider view taken during the theatre's late 1917 run of "Civilization." Note the "Alhambra" roof sign over on the left. It's a San Francisco Public Library photo, their #AAG-0154. At the lower left it's a view of the Native Sons monument at the foot of Mason St.  In the upper right we're looking at the back of the roof sign for the Pantages Theatre, 939 Market. St.

 

This is one of a dozen 1917 Police Investigation photos in the San Francisco Public Library collection. They were evidently camped out on the south side of Market and taking photos looking across the street. Thanks to Art Siegel for locating these.  

 

A detail Art extracted from the previous photo. The marquee copy: "Thomas H. Ince's Gigantic Spectacle 'Civilization.'"

A detail of another 1917 shot in the SFPL collection, #AAG-0147. Here they were rebuilding the marquee. We can see through the two lines of the readerboard. At the time of the photo there weren't any letters on the end panel and the back was removed as well.

The back wall of the stagehouse, which faced Eddy St., with its 1918 advertisements. In the lower right note the ad for Mae Murray in "Face Value," a January 1918 release. Although the top of the wall says Market St. Theatre, it had been renamed the Alhambra in September 1917.

This version of the photo is from the Jack Tillmany collection. It also appears on the Open SF History Project website from the Emiliano Echeverria/Randolph Brandt Collection. Thanks to Art Siegel for researching the date of the photo. Also see a "Face Value" newspaper ad from January 1918 that was located by Jack Tillmany.

The theatre as the Frolic during the September 1, 1919 Labor Day Parade. Thanks to Jack Tillmany for sharing the photo from his collection. 

A trade magazine item from October 1919 when the theatre was called the Frolic. Thanks to Jack Tillmany for the find. He notes that the feature shown at the time was "Paid in Advance" -- but that wasn't the film for the newsboys. A larger version of the upper photo can be seen on Cinema Treasures.

Jack comments: "The promo was for the serial, 'The Midnight Man,' with James J. Corbett, which was a secondary attraction. Note its prominence on the higher up board, just barely visible in the photo." The October 13, 1919 Chronicle had a story about the program. It's on Newsbank.

 

 

Another shot of kids lined up in October 1919 for "The Midnight Man." The copy on the marquee notes that they were running the second episode of the serial. Thanks to Dallas Movie Theaters for locating the shot for a post on Cinema Treasures.  

 

Newspaper boys from the Daily News at the Frolic for a special matinee on October 16, 1920. The paper one is holding had the day's headline: "Irish War Crimes." Thanks to Elmorovivo for locating the photo for a post on Cinema Treasures. "Shipwrecked Among Cannibals" was a July release that was pretending to be a factual travelogue but included a staged sequence with "cannibals." 

 

 

The ticket lobby decor when the theatre was running "Honor Bound," a November 1920 release with Frank Mayo, Edward Coxen and Dagmar Godowsky. Manager Robert F. Abraham gets the decorating credit. It's a photo located by Dallas Movie Theaters for a Cinema Treasures post.  

 

 

"West Is West" was a November 1920 Universal release starring Harry Carey, Charles Le Moyne and Ted Brooks. Thanks to Dallas Movie Theaters for locating this shot that appeared in a trade magazine in 1921 for a post on Cinema Treasures. 

 

 

A spider was part of the decor for "The Dangerous Moment," an April 1921 release starring Carmel Myers and Lule Warrenton. Thanks to Dallas Movie Theaters for locating the trade magazine shot for a post on Cinema Treasures. 

 

The Frolic's ticket lobby display designed by manager Robert F. Abraham to promote "Reputation," a May 1921 release with Priscilla Dean and May Giraci. Thanks to Dallas Movie Theaters for locating the trade magazine photo for a post on Cinema Treasures.  

 

We got a fine woodland scene for the run of "Blazing Trail," a May 1921 Universal release with Frank Mayo, Frank Holland and Mann Page. Thanks to Dallas Movie Theaters for sharing the trade magazine shot on Cinema Treasures.

 

The east side of the ticket lobby for "Blazing Trail" in 1921. With a campfire! 

 

 

A June 1921 photo looking west with the Frolic signage visible just this side of the Garfield Building. The photo appears courtesy of a private collector on the Open SF History Project website. Note the "Chop Suey" vertical (just to the left of the car on the right) at the location we later see as the College Den.

A detail from the June 1921 photo. 

 

 

Harry Carey in "The Fox," a July 1921 release from Universal. Thanks to Dallas Movie Theaters for locating the shot for a post on Cinema Treasures. 

 

 

 

"The Man Tamer" at the Frolic. It's a photo that appeared in the August 27, 1921 issue of Exhibitors Herald. It's on Internet Archive. The caption: "A cage of monkey and sawdust on the floor of the lobby contributed to the success of the run of Universal's 'The Man Tamer' at the Frolic theater, San Francisco, Cal., due to the enterprise of Noble Hearne, manager."  

 

 

A trade magazine shot of the ticket lobby decorated for an unknown feature in 1921. Thanks to Dallas Movie Theaters for locating it for a post on Cinema Treasures. 

The Frolic running "Moonlight Follies," a September 1921 release with Marie Prevost. Also on the bill was a short starring Brownie the Wonder Dog and Baby Peggy. It's another photo located by Dallas Movie Theaters for a post on Cinema Treasures.

A 1921 photo of the theatre, still called the Frolic, from the Jack Tillmany collection. He comments: "The Bank of Italy is still holding down that space on the corner that became a Servicemen's Fun Center during WWII, seen in those 1940s Esquire photos from Life Magazine."

 

A detail from an April 6, 1922 photo by an unknown photographer appearing on the Open SF History Project site. The parade was for French Marshall Joseph Joffre.  

 

The Frolic's ticket lobby dressed up for the 1923 film "Headhunters of the South Seas." Thanks to Dallas Movie Theaters for locating the photo for a post on Cinema Treasures. Jack Tillmany notes that the film played during the last week of March.

 

A September 1923 photo from the Jack Tillmany collection. The theatre is getting ready to reopen as the Cameo.

 

A photo taken during the September 1923 run of Harold Lloyd's "Why Worry?," the film that reopened the theatre as the Cameo. Thanks to Jack Tillmany for sharing this from his collection. The billiard hall just beyond the theatre would become the location of the Telenews in September 1939.

 

A marquee and signage detail taken during the run of John Ford's "The Iron Horse," an October 1925 release. Thanks to Cinema Treasures contributor Comfortably Cool for locating the photo. It's posted on the site's page about another Cameo Theatre, the one on 16th St. in the Mission district. 

 

Jack Tillmany comments: "The film opened 22 August 1925 for a month long $2 run at the St. Francis, after which it moved up to the Rivoli (the theatre later known as the Embassy) at the end of September. The Cameo engagement began the first week of December 1925. The fact that it starred George O'Brien, the son of San Francisco's Chief of Police, did not go unnoticed."

 

An entrance view during the run of "The Iron Horse." Thanks to Dallas Movie Theaters for locating the trade magazine photo for a post on Cinema Treasures. It got mistakenly posted on the page for the Cameo Theatre in the Mission district.   

 

 

"Is Everybody Happy?" opened at the Davies as a sub-run the first week of January 1930. It had premiered at the Orpheum in September 1929 with Ted Lewis & His Orchestra appearing live on stage. The story is that William Randolph Hearst liked to lean out the window of his office at the Examiner building and see the vertical lettered with the name of his mistress. Thanks to Jack Tillmany for the photo from his collection.

An April 1930 photo with the Marion Davies running "Isle of Escape." It's a photo from the Jack Tillmany collection. He comments: "That month the Davies lowered their prices to 'popular prices' meaning 35 cents matinees, 50 cents evenings. Looks like the first pinch of the forthcoming economic depression."

A 1931 photo from the Jack Tillmany collection.

An April 30, 1932 look at the Davies during the parade celebrating the 143rd anniversary of Washington's inauguration. The photo appears on the Open SF History Project website courtesy of a private collector. Thanks to Jack Tillmany for spotting the photo in the collection. 

A detail from the 1932 photo.

A 1930s look west with the St. Francis in the distance on the left and the Davies on the right. It's a photo from the Marilyn Blaisdell collection appearing on the Open SF History Project website. 

Looking west in January 1939. The College Den seen this side of the Esquire was a bar (previously Tait's restaurant and, at other times, an establishment with "Chop Suey" on that vertical) at 920 Market. Thanks to Jack Tillmany for the photo. He comments: "In the photo, 'Stand Up and Fight' is the feature at the St. Francis, having moved down the street to a smaller venue after its initial engagement at the Fox. 'Alexander's Ragtime Band' already had some mileage on it, having opened at the Fox in August 1938, and was by now in a sub-run status, 'All Seats 15 Cents.' 

"The Esquire is using neon readerboard letters. These letters were the rage during the 1930s and were used at just about all the major venues. Their last sighting in the Bay Area was in the 1950s at the Roxie/Oakland, who picked them up from the Paramount/Oakland which abandoned them, like all the others, because of the problem of frequent breakage." 

 

 

 

A photo of the 1939 Labor Day parade with Harry Bridges of the Longshoremen's union in the foreground. The Davies Theatre vertical can be seen on the left. Just beyond, the brand new Telenews had just opened on September 1. Thanks to John A. Harris for locating the photo. The theatre was renamed the Esquire in 1940. 

 

It's 1941 as we look west past the Esquire, running Abbott & Costello's "Buck Privates." That second feature? Maybe "South of Tahiti" with Brian Donlevy. The photo appears on the Warfield page of Brokendown Palaces, a site about the theatres Jerry Garcia played. Down the street note the side of Loew's Warfield building: "The Place To Go." 

Emiliano Echeverria, in a comment on the Facebook page San Francisco Remembered, takes exception to dating the photo as 1941: "Alright alright. This is around June 1948. This is the year that Muni ripped out the outer tracks on Market Street. The car is dirty having not been repainted since 1940. I recently saw the Muni negative files from this time. SFMTA has some posted on their site. Definitely not 1941 as no major track work occurred on Market Street that year."

Here in 1942 they're offering a second-run program that opened March 18. "Comrade X" was a December 1940 release with Clark Gable and Hedy Lamarr. "Whistling in the Dark" was an August 1941 release. It's a photo by Meith Hagel for Life. This photo, and other 40s views that Mr. Hagel took in San Francisco, are on the site Vintage Everyday. Thanks to Ernie Manzo Jr. for finding the collection. 

An early 40s view west toward the Telenews and Esquire. It's a photo by Meith Hagel for Life. It's on the site Vintage Everyday. Thanks to Ernie Manzo Jr. for spotting it.  

A shot looking east toward the Esquire marquee in 1942 taken by Joseph Selle. Thanks to Jack Tillmany for making it available.

 

A March 19, 1943 photo from the Jack Tillmany collection. He comments: "A fire broke out in the projection room of the Telenews. As a result of the damage, it was closed for ten days. These photos have had a lot of circulation in various forms. Here's the entire newspaper version of the entire street, pointing out the 2 firemen on the roof."

 

Another newspaper photo taken during the March 1943 Telenews booth fire. The copy originally printed with the photo, more or less: "Smoke from film and equipment blazing from a projection booth fire darkens the front of the Telenews Theater in Market-st. where trolley cars and automobiles were tied up in long lines and thousands watched the ??? One man was hurt, 30 safely filed out of the theater." It's in the San Francisco Public Library collection.  

 

 

A detail from the previous photo. The roof of the Telenews had been retouched with some added smoke.

   

A May or June 1943 photo by Meith Hagel for Life magazine. Thanks to Bob Ristelhueber for posting it on the BAHT Facebook page. Jack Tillmany found the entertainment page of the June 9, 1943 Chronicle on Newsbank noting that the film was in its 4th and final week. This photo, and other 40s views that Mr. Hagel took in San Francisco, are on the site Vintage Everyday. 

 

 

 

A July 1943 view looking east toward the Esquire. On the right we get the Kress building, the former Pantages Theatre. It's a photo from the San Francisco Public Library. It also makes an appearance on the website of the Open SF History Project. It's a newspaper photo that appeared with the copy "Around once a year we print a picture of Market St. so Home News readers may see what it looks like. Here it is looking down the street from about Seventh St. Mmmm. Not many autos, are there? But look at all the people on the sidewalks. It's like that everyday now." 

 

 

A look east toward the Esquire from footage shot in March 1944. Thanks to Bob Ristelhueber for posting six screenshots on the Facebook page San Francisco Remembered. The five and a half minute segment, in a colorized version, can be seen as a post from Nass on YouTube. Ten minutes of the original footage is on Internet Archive as a post from A/V Geeks.  

 

 

A closer look at the theatre from the March 1944 footage. They were running a reissue of "The Virginian" with Gary Cooper and Walter Huston, released in 1929. The co-feature was "Big Brown Eyes," a 1936 film with Cary Grant, Joan Bennett and Walter Pidgeon.

 

 

A 1945 photo from the Jack Tillmany collection. "The Naughty Nineties" moved over to the Esquire the first week of August 1945, after 2 weeks at the Orpheum. It closed August 14. Jack comments:  

 

"Even though the quality is below par, I think it's worthwhile because it shows Market Street as I remember it, packed with people, tons of sailors, during WWII, plus a peek at the Esquire signage. It's possible the photo was taken the night of August 14. At 7pm EST that evening President Truman had announced the unconditional surrender of Japan."

"Uncle Harry" and "The Woman in Green" opened Wednesday August 15, 1945. Thanks to Jack Tillmany for sharing the photo from his collection. He comments:

"15 August was declared Victory Over Japan (V-J) Day, so that's the date of this photo. Hence the crowds but not much commotion. Lots of reports about unpleasant incidents and problems that were not made public at the time became newsworthy in later years, but the situation on Market Street seems under control at the time of these photos, despite the abundance of happy people."

 

Art Siegel adds: "According to Wikipedia, the treaty wasn't signed until September, but the emperor announced the surrender on August 15th." Officially, September 2 is now celebrated as V-J Day, the day of the formal signing of the Instrument of Surrender aboard the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay.

 

 

A street level view presumably taken during the August 15, 1945 V-J celebrations. Thanks to Sean Ault for sharing this photo from his collection.  

 

 

An August 15, 1945 photo from the Sean Ault collection that was taken at the corner of Mason St. On the marquee at the Telenews: "War Ends."

 

 

A 1945 view after wartime lighting restrictions had been lifted. The photo appears on Flickr from ArchiTexty.

 

 

A detail from the previous photo. On the Telenews marquee: "Allies Sweep Into Reich - Chinese Battles Rage - That Men May Live." The dark Esquire marquee is advertising Leo Gorcey in the November 1944 release "Bowery Chumps" along with (presumably) the February 1945 release "Sing Me a Song of Texas." The wall of the Warfield was promoting "A Tree Grows in Brooklyn," a March 1945 release. Note the clock on the right saying it was 9:35. 

 

 

The Esquire running "Northwest Trail," a November 1945 release. It's unknown what parade was taking place. The photo from the Chronicle's collection appeared as a post on the Chronicle Facebook page.

A photo from the Open SF History Project taken in July 1946, when Market St. still had four tracks. In this shot, as well as the one below, the Esquire was running "The Wife of Monte Cristo" and "Apology For Murder." Thanks to Jack Tillmany for spotting the photo in the collection. He comments: "A rainy but happier time, when the newborn Pix was just 3 months old. Nobody in those days would ever have believed what would happen to Market Street!"

 

 

A 1946 photo from the Aaron Isaacson collection shared by Dave Gallagher on the SFMemory.org site. It was taken during the last week of July when the Pix was running "The Lone Wolf Strikes" (1940), "Passport To Suez" (1943) and "Arizona Bound" (1941). Thanks to Jack Tillmany for spotting the photo on the site.  

A July 17, 1947 photo from the Jack Tillmany collection. He comments: "Note the 'Welcome Stranger' flag. That's to promote the opening of the Bing Crosby film of that title which opened that week at the St. Francis across the street."

A November 1947 look east from the Open SF History Project.

A March 15, 1948 photo taken by Joe Rosenthal for the Chronicle. At the Paramount it's "Adventures of Casanova." The Embassy is doing a revival of "Bride of Frankenstein." Thanks to Joel Villasenor for posting the photo on the Paramount Cinema Treasures page. It's also been seen on the Facebook pages Lost San Francisco and San Francisco Remembered. 

 

 

A March 18, 1948 shot by Marshall Moxom that's in the SFMTA Photo Archive. They note that it was taken from the Kress Building, a structure that had housed the Pantages Theatre until 1926. Thanks to Art Siegel for locating it. It was Mark Hellinger's "The Naked City" with Barry Fitzgerald playing at the Esquire. Track work was underway to go from four tracks to two. Step one was laying new rails for the two tracks in the center.

A March 29, 1948 look down on the Esquire and the Telenews. The Pix is there too (this side of the Esquire) but hard to see in this shot. It's another by Marshall Moxom in the SFMTA Photo Archive.

 

That great epic "Urubu" playing in 1949. Thanks to Dallas Movie Theaters for locating this trade magazine shot for a post on Cinema Treasures.

A July 28, 1949 view of the Pix, Esquire and Telenews from the Jack Tillmany collection.

A January 1950 view by an unknown photographer. Thanks to Jack Tillmany for spotting the photo on the Open SF History Project website. The Esquire Theatre has "Lost Boundaries" and "Not Wanted" while the Telenews is showing "Nanook of the North."

 

 

A Zane Grey double feature. "Fighting Westerner" with Randolph Scott, a film also known as "Rocky Mountain Mystery," was out in 1935. "Fighting Caravans" was a 1931 release with Gary Cooper and Lili Damita. Thanks to Sean Ault for locating the photo when it popped up for sale online. Jack Tillmany did the research and notes that this revival program opened February 21, 1951.

A 1951 photo from the Vintage Kodachrome Slides Facebook page. The Pix (here with signage saying "News") is running "The Secret of Convict Lake," an August release with Glenn Ford. At the Esquire it's Howard Hughes "Outlaw" with Jane Russell along with Ingrid Bergman in "Stromboli." 

A March 1952 photo from the Jack Tillmany collection. 

 

 

A "Daring 4 Unit Show" was playing the Esquire at the time of the 1952 Thanksgiving Parade. The Chronicle photo appears with the 2020 SF Gate article "San Francisco's forgotten Thanksgiving Day Balloon Parade."

 

Looking west in 1954. Jack Tillmany comments: "One of the BEST! Last week of August 1954. 'Seven Brides for Seven Brothers' in CinemaScope at the Warfield; 'Brigadoon' coming up in October 1954." We also get a look at the vertical signs for the Telenews, Esquire, St. Francis, United Artists, Embassy and Paramount. One version of the photo is on the Cinema Treasures page for the Telenews, a post by Ron Merk. Thanks to Bob Ristelhueber for sharing the version seen here on the BAHT Facebook page. It was a post from John Bisceglie on the page San Francisco Remembered.  

 

 

This November 1955 News Call Bulletin photo looking east at the Pix, the Esquire and Telenews is in the collection of the San Francisco Public Library. The copy printed with the photo: "EARLY END OF THIS PROMISED--Work such as this, blocking the crosswalk at Market and Mason streets, will be all cleaned up by Dec. 1, the city's Public Works Department has promised, at least in the downtown shopping area. This utilities company job is just one of several now under way."  

 

 

A 1956 News Call-Bulletin photo in the San Francisco Public Library collection. It was published to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the 1906 earthquake and fire and note the street's changes. Among their comments: "The Ferry Building is visible in the far distance in center of Market Street."

 
 

A 1958 view west on Market toward the Telenews, Esquire, Warfield and Granada/Paramount from the Jack Tillmany collection. He comments: "This one's been around quite a bit -- it's one of my favorites. One of the rewards of getting old is being able to remember when Market Street looked like this!" Thanks to Matt Spero for work on the color.

A photo from the Jack Tillmany collection taken during the last week of August 1960.

 

 

A look at the entrance during the run of "The Apartment" in 1960. The photo is from the Tom B'hend - Preston Kaufmann Collection, part of the Margaret Herrick Digital Library at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts And Sciences. Thanks to Bob Ristelhueber for spotting the photo in the collection. 

 

 

 

A 1962 view with what looks like Burt Lancaster in "Birdman of Alcatraz"at the Esquire. TJ Fisher notes that it played there first run for five weeks beginning September 19. The first 100 women at the first show received "a lifelike artificial painted bird and a copy of the paperback edition of Tom Gaddis' book on which the film was based." Thanks to Sean Ault for sharing this photo from his collection. 

 

The Warfield and Paramount are down the street and we get a bit of the Golden Gate's dome peeking up. MUNI Car # 1 notes that it's "Going Nowhere In Particular." On the right we have signage for George Christopher's unsuccessful campaign for Lieutenant Governor. Nixon was running for Governor in that election.

A January 1963 image from a slide taken by Jack Tillmany. It makes an appearance on the San Francisco Public Library website. The "West Side Story" run was a moveover. The roadshow engagement was at the United Artists (the former Imperial), a 46 week run beginning in December 1961.

A January 1964 photo by John Harder appearing on the Open SF History Project website.

 

 

A May 1964 look at the two theatres by Alan J. Canterbury. At Blumenfeld's Esquire it's Fellini's "8 1/2" plus "Divorce Italian Style." The Telenews had "The Land of the Longest Day." The photo is in the San Francisco Public Library collection.

 

 

The Esquire running "First To Fight," a World War II drama with Chad Everett and Marilyn Devin that was out in January 1967. The co-feature, "Battle of the Bulge," had initially played a 14 week reserved seat engagement in 70mm on the big Cinerama screen at the Golden Gate beginning December 22, 1965. The main attraction at the Telenews was "Killers of Kwajalein." Down the street one can see the Crest and the Warfield. Thanks to Sean Ault for sharing the photo from his collection.  

 

 

Another 1967 "First To Fight" photo from the Sean Ault collection. Thanks, Sean!

 

 

An August 1967 photo with the Esquire running "Hurry Sundown" and "Alfie." On the marquee they're also advertising their next attraction, a first-run engagement of "Hell's Angels on Wheels." The Telenews is playing their final bill: "Weird Wicked World" with the added attraction "High Arctic." Down at the Warfield, in the center of the image, they have "Fathom" with Raquel Welch. Many thanks to Sean Ault for sharing this photo from his collection.

An August 1967 photo of the Pix, Esquire and Telenews from the Jack Tillmany collection. Aren't you sorry you missed "Hell's Angels on Wheels"? The marquee of the Telenews is blank as it had just closed and was awaiting demolition.

 

 

The Esquire running Richard Lester's "How I Won the War," an October 1967 release. Along with it was "Pressure Point" starring Sidney Poitier. Thanks to Sean Ault for sharing the photo from his collection. 

 

 

A shot taken by Clay Geerdes during the run of "How I Won the War." Thanks to David Miller for sharing the photo on the San Francisco Remembered Facebook page. 

 

 

A November 1967 photo taken by Tom Gray that's in the Jack Tillmany collection. BART construction had begun. Note the Cleveland Wrecking signage on the Telenews marquee. 

 

 

"Bonnie and Clyde" and "Up the Down Staircase" playing the Esquire in March 1968. It's from a photo in the SFMTA Photo Archive. Thanks to Art Siegel for locating it.

 

 

An April 1968 photo by Tom Gray that's in the Jack Tillmany collection. It can be seen on the Open SF History Project website, where they date it as 1965.  

 

 

A detail from Tom's April 1968 photo. "Samson and Delilah" with Hedy Lamarr and Victor Mature was a 1949 release. "The Sons of Katie Elder" was a 1965 release starring Dean Martin and John Wayne. Note that the vertical sign has been taken off the Telenews. 

 

 

"Blue" playing the Esquire in 1968 along with "The President's Analyst." Art Siegel notes that this double bill opened May 29. The Telenews has vanished. Thanks to Sean Ault for sharing the photo from his collection. 

A June 1968 view of the theatre during BART construction. Beyond is the Pix in the Garfield Building. Its space is now used for retail. The construction fence marks the site of the Telenews. It's a Jack Tillmany collection photo. Thanks, Jack!

 

A June 19, 1968 photo by an unknown photographer. Thanks to Jack Tillmany for spotting it on the Open SF History Project site. "Villa Rides" is playing at the Esquire.  

A c.1969 view west across 5th and Market. Thanks to Art Siegel for spotting the post of the photo from Brian Marsh on the Market Street Railway Facebook page. TJ Fisher suggests that the theatre is running "The Lost Man" with Sidney Poitier in July 1969. While it was there it had three different co-features: "The Night of the Following Day," "Cool Hand Luke" and "The Night They Raided Minsky's." "The Lost Man" was back in November 1971 as the bottom half of a double bill with "The Bus is Coming."

 

 

A November 1969 photo by Tom Gray that's in the Jack Tillmany collection. 

 

A 1970 photo by Clay Geerdes. "Cincinnatti Kid" is one of the titles playing the Pix. Beyond, at the Esquire, it's "Midnight Cowboy" and "I Love You, Alice B. Toklas." Plus they're plugging the roadshow run of "Hello, Dolly!" at the Cinema 21, aka the Marina Theatre. Beyond the Esquire one can see a bit of the construction fence where the Telenews had been. Thanks to David Miller for sharing the photo on the San Francisco Remembered Facebook page. 

 

 

A June 1970 photo appearing as part of the Open SF History Project courtesy of a private collector.  At the Esquire: "The Adventurers" plus "Downhill Racer." At the Pix we get 3 Top Action Hits: "Kenner," "The Girl & The General" and "If He Hollers, Let Him Go." 

 

A July 1972 photo by Tom Gray that's in the Jack Tillmany collection.

 

A September 2, 1972 photo from the Open SF History Project. Jack Tillmany comments: "The Esquire closed 30 July 1972 and the Pix hung on to December 1972, so this photo really marks a sad farewell moment in theatrical history for that block! Sad to behold now, but try to imagine living thru it all and seeing it happen from one place to the next, from one week to the next. Poor little Pix 49 cent to noon; 99 cents to closing!" 

A March 1973 photo looking at the east side of the theatre shortly before demolition. In the foreground is the site of the Telenews Theatre. The Garfield Building, once the home of the Pix Theatre, is seen beyond. The photo, taken by California photo Service in Berkeley, was in the Examiner archives. Thanks to Glenn Koch for spotting it when it was on eBay. 

 

Jack Tillmany comments: "Note the fire exits on the East side of the theatre. I was told by reliable people long ago that when the Esquire had a sell out show (which was not unusual during the halcyon days of Abbott & Costello and Maria Montez & Jon Hall), they would sell tickets to wannabe patrons who approached the Esquire box office on Market Street, then shuttle them out the fire exit, and across Eddy Street to the much larger Tivoli where the same program was also playing and seats were always available. Wouldn't THAT have been fun."

 

 

A view from Eddy St. taken by Fred Beall after the stagehouse had been demolished. Thanks to Jack Tillmany for sharing this from his collection. He comments: "Note the lone "E" still atop the vertical." 

 

Gary Parks adds:  "I can see that green of the front edge of the balcony—so indicative of the rather raw and chalky colors theatre interiors were repainted with starting in the Fifties, and continuing through the rest of the Twentieth Century. The Esquire looks so puny and vulnerable from the back, especially when you notice the size of the workers on the fire escape."

Images from the plans in the Gary Parks collection for 1940 remodel:

A titleblock from sheet #2. Gary comments: "Architect: Vincent Raney, future Century Dome creator, and architect of more traditional theatres like the Bal in San Leandro, Center in Fremont, Court in Livingston, El Rey and Rita in Vallejo. A Department of Public Works stamp on the back says 1940."

Front and side views of the new signage. The theatre had been the Marion Davies. 

A closer look at the sign. 

At the top, a partial view of the old mezzanine layout. At the bottom it's the remodeled version. Among other changes, a manager's office got turned into a new ladies restroom area. Gary comments: "The remodel was really just the facade, entry, and mezzanine. The rest of the theatre was just a paint-up, carpeting and refresh-the-seating job, as far as I can tell. Photos seem to bear this out."

Thanks, Gary!

More information: Jack Tillmany's Arcadia Publishing book "Theatres of San Francisco" can be previewed on Google Books. It's available from Amazon or your local bookseller.

The Esquire is one of many San Francisco theatres seen on a 7 minute movie clip from the 1950s in the Prelinger Archives. It's on YouTube from the San Francisco Neon Book.

Also see the Market St. in the 60s footage on YouTube, a lovely night tour. Jack Tillmany comments:  "This was filmed the last week of December 1966. 'Gambit' at the Warfield gives the game away! This was the last hurrah of Market Street in the last days of its glory. The Fox was gone, as we all know, in 1963, the Paramount was gone, in 1965, and, of course, the California/State was already long gone. The Telenews would close a few months later, and the surviving Warfield marquee and all that neon, would suffer the blow of Market Street Beautifucation. And the BART construction would take over... actually you can see the beginning of it here."

Gary Parks adds: "Interesting to see the Orpheum didn't have its (1930s) vertical on.  Maybe they knew its days were then numbered. Saw a tiny fragment of the Embassy's marquee when the camera wavered a bit to the left. I noted that the pitiful little Bauhaus atrocity on the site of the Paramount's entrance was still under construction. You can see the scaffolding just to the left of the Regal. All-too-short glimpse of part of the Golden Gate's marquee and vertical."

See the Cinema Treasures page on the Esquire.

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