The American / Rialto / Rivoli / Embassy Theatre

1125 Market St. | map |

Opened: It was called the American Theatre when, after long delays, it opened with a matinee concert by Madame Schumann-Heink on January 20, 1907. That was followed by a formal opening with the musical comedy "The Strollers" on January 21. The location was on the south side of Market between 7th and 8th Streets. It was on the lot just east of where the Strand Theatre would later be built.

Construction was started in 1905 and it was intended to be a vaudeville house to be called the Bell Theatre, planned to be part of the circuit of that name. Still unfinished at the time of the 1906 earthquake and fire, it required some work after those events to get the project back on track. This April 1906 Albert Dressler photo is in the California State Library collection.

Architects: Reid Brothers designed the original building and oversaw the work necessary to complete the project following the 1906 earthquake. In 1915 Charles Weeks designed a remodel of the lobby areas and a replacement of the original balcony with a new construction at a shallower angle. In 1927 G. Albert Lansburgh did some renovations for operator William Wagnon before the house reopened with Vitaphone as the Embassy. 

Seating: 1,387 is one number that has surfaced. Not counting the four boxes, the main floor originally sat 780. 

A main floor seating chart for the "America Theantre." It's from a 1908 guidebook that Kevin Walsh found for a post on the BAHT Facebook page. Thanks, Kevin!

 

 

The unfinished theatre, here shown as the Bell, is seen on the left in this detail from a 1905 Sanborn Fire Insurance Map located by Art Siegel. That's Market St. across the top of the image. The theatre called Grauman's in the Odd Fellows' Building at 7th and Market was better known as the Lyceum.  

 

Pre-opening skirmishes: In late 1905 Belasco & Meyer, who had been operating the Alcazar on O'Farrell St. and the Central on Market were losing their lease on the latter house to Harry Bishop, the operator of the Majestic. They thought they could nab the Bell as a replacement. This October 26 article appeared in the Chronicle: 

 

Things didn't go as planned. And what Belasco & Meyer had hoped would be a legit house ended up with Harry Bishop and would stay with the vaudeville and burlesque programming originally proposed. This article in the October 27, 1905 issue of the Chronicle discussed the quick change in plans: 

 

 

In late 1906 the theatre was still unfinished and an opening was projected in early 1907 for both Harry Bishop's Bell Theatre and Belasco & Meyer's replacement Alcazar, a house in the Fillmore later known as the Uptown Theatre. This excerpt appeared as part of "An Amusement Loving Public," an article by Colgate Baker that appeared in the December 20, 1906 issue of the Chronicle: 

 

Thanks to Art Siegel for locating the three newspaper articles. 

The 1907 debut: 

 

The image appeared in the January 6, 1907 S.F. Call with this caption:

"Eight girls of the beauty chorus in 'The Strollers,' the Knickerbocker Theater, New York, musical comedy success which the San Francisco Opera Company will present at the new American Theater the week beginning Monday, January 21st."

 

Thanks to Art Siegel for locating this via the California Digital Newspaper Collection website. The Call's story that ran along with the illustration also discussed a January 20 pre-opening concert:  

"Madame Schumann-Heink, the great contralto vocalist, will have the honor of being the first artist to appear in the American Theater on Market street, near Seventh. The opening is announced for Sunday afternoon, January 20, when Madame Schumann-Heinck will sing a programme especially arranged for the occasion. On the following evening, however, the formal opening of the house will be effected by the San Francisco Opera Company in 'The Strollers.' This organization is composed of members of the former Tivoli company, and is managed by Frank W. Healey, who was assistant manager of the Eddy-street home of opera when its destruction occurred...

 

"Walter Sanford is manager of the new house, which was almost ready to open on April 18, and was one of the few buildings in that vicinity that resisted the ravages of the flames. It is a steel and reinforced concrete structure, complying with all the demands of the building laws, and the furnishings and decorations are said to be tasteful and costly. Mr. Healey's people are engaged for a limited season at the American."

 

 

The ad for the opening concert in the January 15, 1907 SF Call that was located by Art.  

 

 

The grand opening ad in the January 17, 1907 SF Call. 

 

 

Also in the Call's January 17 issue was this illustration of "Three Beauties of 'The Strollers'" plus a story about the opening: 

"Mme. Schumann-Heink to Open the American - 'The Strollers' Will Take Stage Center. While to Mme. Schumann-Heink shall belong the honor of being the first artist to appear on the stage of the American Theater on Market street near Seventh, the San Francisco Opera Company shall have the prestige of being the first organization there engaged. The great contralto is to sing at the American on Sunday afternoon, and on Monday evening the opera company opens a season in 'The Strollers,' a well-known musical comedy success. 

 

"In the American the demands of amusement seekers will be entirely complied with, for the theater is first class in every particular, and in the San Francisco Opera Company, will be found some old Tivoli favorites... A large and pretty chorus is one of the features of the company."

 

The Jewish News of Northern California discussed the opening in "Opening of San Francisco's First Modern Theatre," an article Art Siegel located via the California Digital Newspaper Collection that appeared in the paper's January 18, 1907 issue: 

"On Monday evening, January 21, the new American Theater, at Market and Seventh Streets, will throw open its doors to the public. This is the first up-to-date, 'Class A' theater to enter the field of amusement. It is a steel and concrete three-story structure, absolutely fireproof. The decorations are by A. Benvenuti, who also decorated the leading New York theaters and who was brought here specially for that purpose.

"The furnishings, drapings, etc., are from the firm of W. J. Sloane, and the building will be steam-heated. The management has chosen for the opening attraction the San Francisco Opera Company. This would seem to be a happy selection, as it is composed of the members of the Tivoli Opera House Company, who were appearing here at the time of the fire. After that event they went on tour under the management of Mr. Frank W. Healy, also of the Tivoli, and have played long engagements in Seattle and Denver, where they were received with great enthusiasm. The principal members are Aida Hemmit, prima donna soprano; Teddy Webb, comedian; Maud Beatty, soprano; Joseph Smith, tenor; Francis Carrier, baritone; George Kunkel, basso; Aimee Leicester, contralto; Freida Wisher, Charles Alorgan, Ruby Norton, and Frank Bertrand. The opening bill will be the musical comedy, 'The Strollers.' This is a New York Knickerbocker Theater success, the piece having scored a run of a whole season at that theater when produced.

 

"The book is in the wittiest vein of that well-known librettist, Harry B. Smith, and the music by the successful composer, Ludwig Englander, is tuneful and catchy. The costuming is beautiful, the scenery elaborate, and the chorus lays claim to being the strongest and best balanced since the days of the old Bostonian Opera Company and numbers many California beauties among the feminine portion. No doubt these old favorites will be received enthusiastically, as they all have hosts of friends in San Francisco. There will be matinees on Saturdays and Sundays."

In the 1913 city directory there are listings for it as both the American and the Hippodrome, that latter name evidently an error.

 

Becoming a film house in 1915:

 

A drawing from the plans Charles Weeks did in 1915 to turn the theatre into a movie palace. The balcony got a shallower slope and the lobby areas were redone. Gary Parks has the plans for that project in his collection. See eleven images from the blueprints down at the bottom of the page.

The reopening as a film house was noted in the March 13, 1914 SF Call, a story located by Art Siegel:  

"American - Tomorrow will mark an epoch in picturedom in San Francisco with the opening of the American Theater at Market and Seventh streets. Nance O’Neil, emotional actress, will be featured in the first photoplay to be presented at this playhouse. Penned by Tolstoi, 'Kreutzer Sonata' has been recognized as his best effort. Nance O'Neil plays the role of Miriam, the wronged wife, who takes in the end revenge for her injuries. 

"Theda Bara, leading woman of the Theater Antoine, Paris, portrays Celia Friedlander, the heartless siren who breaks up her foster sister's home and ruins her life. William Shay, formerly leading man for Robert Mantell, portrays the violinist, Gregor Randor, who plays his way into Celia’s heart with 'Kreutzer Sonata,' Henry Bergman, a character actor, enacts the moving role of Raphael Friedlander, the pathetic old man, who sees the city lure his children away from him. The performance will be continuous from IS a. m. to 11 p. m."

Also on the page was a large ad for the American that featured a clipping from the Portland Oregonian discussing the banning of the film in that city. And in the March 20, 1915 SF Call we got this: 

"After a varied career extending over a period of almost eight years, the American Theater has come Into its own. and it has remained for the 'movies' to accomplish this. The house in Market street above Seventh has been the scene of nearly every form of theatrical entertainment during its existence, but not one of half a score of managers has been able to put the house on the theatrical map of San Francisco. 

"Thoroughly renovated, and offering the film story of Tolstoi’s 'Kreutzer Sonata,' the last week has been the most prosperous that the house has ever known. The 'Kreutzer Sonata' will be shown for the last time tonight. Commencing tomorrow 'A Gilded Fool,' with William Farnum in the role made famous by Nat Goodwin, will be shown. This is Farnum's first appearance in a film role in which comedy plays a part. The ingenue role will be handled by Margaret Vale."

The March 20 ad in the SF Call. 

There was new management in 1916. Thanks to Art Siegel for locating this item buried in the business news in the January 4, 1916 SF Call: 

"Western Theater Company, San Francisco, taking over the lease on the American Theater property, on Market street near Seventh, to issue 300 shares to Emile Kahn, as trustee: Metropolitan Realty Company and Norman C. Sheehan."

"Doors of New Movie House Soon to Open." When the theatre reopened on April 30 it was called the Rialto Theatre. Art located this story in the April 15, 1916 SF Call:

 "Finishing touches are being put on the Rialto Theater, on Market street near Seventh, on the site of the old American Theater, and a large force of workmen is busily engaged in completing the work of decorating and installation. Howard J. Sheehan, manager of the Rialto, told a representative of The Call that, when completed, the Rialto will not have a peer among the exclusive motion picture theaters of California. Sheehan has been virtually reared in the motion picture industry and has had experience in its every department. 

"He brought with him to the coast from New York the most modern and approved ideas of motion picture theater architecture and operation, all of which have found their place and become a thing of reality at the Rialto. No expense has been spared and no detail has been slighted in making the Rialto what a high class exclusive motion picture theater should be, and Manager Sheehan promises that the public has an agreeable surprise in store for them when the Rialto throws its doors open. It is contemplated to have everything in readiness for opening in the very near future. The opening date will be announced shortly."

 

The April 28, 1916 Jewish News of Northern California had the scoop about the renovations and reopening. Art Siegel found this in their "Theatrical Notes" column: 

 

"RIALTO - Sparing no cost for completeness and the comfort of its patrons, the new Rialto theatre, the first of its kind built exclusively for the production of feature moving pictures, will be thrown open to the public a week from this coming Sunday. Mabel Taliaferro, considered one of the most talented actresses in filmland, who has achieved great success throughout the East, will be seen in 'Her Great Price,' a great gripping five-act reel of thrilling moments, with a dash of sparkling comedy. This spectacular feature is released for the first time in this city to the Rialto theatre.

 

"In fact, the management of this new house will exhibit nothing but extraordinary feature photo plays. With this production will be shown the 'Mysteries of Myra,' a fifteen episode serial portraying the psychic pnenomena of spirit-land and all the amazing enchantments of astro thought. A beautiful romance is interwoven throughout this fascinating serial, capped with wonderful climaxes, and it is holding from start to finish. In conjunction with these two star features will be shown, also for the first time in San Francisco, the amusing cartoons of that famous artist of the Hearst newspapers, T. E. Powers.

 

"Powers’ pictures have captivated the American public and his opening funmaker at the Rialto will be 'Did It Ever Happen to You?' A $20.000 organ, the kind that makes the pictures realistic, has been installed. This is the largest instrument of its kind west of New York City. In addition to the organ there will be a full orchestra under the leadership of Jonize Senescu, the noted Rumanian master of music. With the opening of the handsome new Rialto, located in Market street near Seventh, on the site of the old American theater, San Francisco enters into a new era of photo-play houses."

 

The reopening was Sunday, April 30. This ad was in the Jewish News on the 28th. 

 

A story that Art Siegel located in the April 29, 1916 SF Call had this to say about the upcoming opening:

"Rialto Theater to Show 'The Mysteries of Myra' - Fascinating in the extreme and carrying with it all the latest touches of the film stage, 'The Mysteries of Myra,' the serial feature of the International Film Service, will be shown at the opening performances of the new Rialto Theater, Market street near Seventh. The Rialto will be opened next Saturday with an elaborate bill at regular popular photoplay prices. 'Mysteries of Myra' is a serial of fifteen episodes. The picture deals with the occult influences and is filled with many gripping scenes and absorbing climaxes. 

 

"Miss Jean Sothern, who won her way to fame as Polly of the Circus portrays the leading role. She is supported by Howard Estabrook and an excellent cast. 'Her Great Price,'  a five act Metro feature, with Mabel Taliaferro in the title role, and the International animated weekly, showing T. E. Powers' famous cartoons, 'Did It Ever Happen to You,' together with pictures of the European battle fronts and action pictures of the American troops in Mexico, will also be shown. The Rialto will be devoted to suprane photo play productions exclusively. A $20,000 organ has been installed and music will also be furnished by a twenty piece orchestra under the able leadership of Jonize Senescu."

 

 

The three column ad in the May 6, 1916 SF Call. Thanks to Art Siegel for locating it.

 

 

An ad for "The War Bride's Secret" from October 1916. Thanks to David Gallagher for finding the ad. Also see a photo of the entrance during the run of that film. 

 

The Rialto was featured in this 1918 ad for Westinghouse. Thanks to Jack Tillmany for locating it. He comments: "Obviously, the photo was taken earlier, since there's no sign of the Strand yet, which opened as the Jewel in October 1917. The billboard at the future Jewel location has a February date which puts the photo as early 1917."

Back to legit in 1922:

By 1922 it had become the Rivoli Opera House and was again a legit operation. This cover from a 1922 program is from a production of "The Bohemian Girl" done as part of a comic opera season. It's on Calisphere from the collection of the Museum of Performance and Design Performing Arts Library.

Later it was just the Rivoli Theatre again after the Opera House phase. It got the Embassy name in 1927 after William Wagnon took over the lease on the theatre and did a remodel.

Sound comes to Market Street:

An article in the October 29, 1927 issue of the publication Organized Labor. Thanks to Don Tamblyn for locating it for a post on the Vitaphone Project Facebook page. November 3 was the debut of the new system with "When a Man Loves," starring John Barrymore and Delores Costello. It was a silent with an added music and effects track. With the arrival of the talkies the Embassy vertical was redone to say "Vitaphone."

 

 

 

A new program of Vitaphone shorts started Thanksgiving Day, including Al Jolson singing favorites in front of a plantation setting. But the feature was silent: "Slightly Used." Thanks to Don Tamblyn for sharing this article from the November 26, 1927 issue of Organized Labor on the Vitaphone Project Facebook page. The talking picture they had on the program, "The Lash," was an 8 minute short released in November.

"The Jazz Singer" opened February 9, 1928. "Now movies that you hear" the ad tells us. The Chronicle headed their page nine opening day article "Comedian in Talking Movie Play" and noted: "Al Jolson comes to the Embassy Theater today in 'The Jazz Singer,' Vitaphone's first full-length feature. That means Jolson’s voice is heard accompanying the action. He sings the lilting 'Blue Skies,' a 'Mammy’ song or two, 'Dirty Hands, Dirty Face,' and, for contrast, the Jewish 'Kol Nidre.'"

In addition to the feature there was a Vitaphone prologue and several shorts including William Demarest and Stanbury and Gamberelli in "Glow Worm" and "For You Alone." Thanks to Jack Tillmany for finding the Chronicle article. It can be viewed on Newsbank.

A discount ticket (be sure to wear your Naval Uniform) to the Embassy to "See and Hear Al Jolson in 'The Jazz Singer.'' and a reminder to drop into Roseland Ballroom (Sutter & Pierce) after the show. Thanks to Jack Tillmany for sharing the item from his collection.

The theatre continues its run of talkies with Vocafilm equipment. Or at least exhibiting a film done in that process on their Western Electric equipment. Bob Ristelhueber found the item in the March 24, 1928 issue of Motion Picture News for a post on the BAHT Facebook page. Evidently only one film, "Babe Comes Home" with Babe Ruth, was made in the process. The August 4, 1928 issue of Motion Picture News had more to say about the process as a consortium of Broadway producers acquire it: "Broadway Producers Enter Sound Picture Field." It's on Internet Archive. Also see the continuation of the article.

The mention of William Wagner in the article above is a typo. It was actually William B. Wagnon Theatres that was running the house. They still had it and the Esquire (called the Davies at the time) at least until early 1930.

 

"And On the Vitaphone..." The program for the week of September 6, 1928 when they were running "the second all-talking photoplay 'The Terror." Thanks to Robert Muller for sharing this on a BAHT Facebook post. He comments: "I just purchased a used copy of Jack Tillmany's 'Theatres of San Francisco' and found this 1928 brochure inside."

A 1929 program cover for the theatre running a Warner Bros. program. It's on Calisphere from the Museum of Performance and Design Performing Arts Library. Thanks to Bob Ristelhueber for finding the item for a post on the BAHT Facebook page.

The theatre was known for a spell in the early 30s as the Warner Bros. Theatre with the Warners name on both the vertical and marquee. It reverted to the Embassy name in 1933. The two storefront spaces either side of the entrance had signage up on the 2nd floor with the west end of the facade saying "Sun-Light Fountain Lunch." On the east side: "Star-Light Room Lounge."

In 1938 the operation was taken over by Dan McLean, who then bought the building in 1960. McLean continued operating the theatre until his death in 1983. 

 

This article about Dan McLean appeared in the Chronicle on March 8, 1981. Thanks to Eric Schaefer for locating it and supplying the images. 

In August 1987 Mike Thomas took over the business and, with his partner Greg King, proceeded  to renovate and sanitize the downtrodden theatre. Thomas had already succeeded in reviving the Strand Theatre next door.

Closing: It was damaged in the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake and didn't reopen. Demolition was 1994. It's still a vacant lot.

Interior views:

"American Theatre, Designed for Moving Picture Entertainments. The Only Down Town San Francisco Play House which Withstood the Earthquake and Fire." The photo appeared in the November 1910 issue of Architect and Engineer with an article "The Work of Reid Bros., Architects." It's on Internet Archive. Thanks to Bob Ristelhueber for finding the photo for a post on the BAHT Facebook page.

An early proscenium view from the San Francisco Public Library collection It makes an appearance in Mark Ellinger's superb Up From The Deep survey of the Mid-Market area.

A 1918 proscenium view taken when the theatre was called the Rialto. It's a Jack Tillmany collection photo.

A c.1918 look at the rear of the auditorium. It's a photo from the Jack Tillmany collection.

More exterior views: 

A view looking east from the Jack Tillmany collection. He comments: "I always thought the other building in this well known April 1906 view of what was going to be the Bell but was eventually completed and opened as the American, was the Odd Fellows Building, but looking at it more closely now, I see that it's actually the Market Street Bank, which was on the SE corner of 7th & Market, whereas the Odd Fellows was on the SW corner, and you can see the ruins of it here. So there are two theatres in this shot! The rubble of one past and gone, one still in the womb!"

The theatre that was in the Odd Fellows Building was a vaudeville house called the Lyceum. They later rebuilt a smaller building on the corner but there wasn't a commercial theatre operation in the new building.

The "Safe Playhouse" in a 1907 photo from the Jack Tillmany collection. This version appeared with "A 100 year look at San Francisco marquees and theaters," a 2016 SF Gate article. It's also on the San Francisco Public Library website.

That vacant lot this side of the American would be the site of the Strand, opening in 1917 and called the Jewel at the time. The Strand survived, the American/Embassy is now the vacant lot. 

We're looking toward 7th St.  Note the rebuilt building on the left, the Market Street Bank / Grant Building. It was saved from the dynamite squad trying to stop the fires. Protesters convinced them it wouldn't help. This 1908 photo is from the collection of Hamilton Henry Dobbin in the California State Library collection. They also have a second version.

 

A c.1909 shot appearing in the 2021 PBS documentary "Moving San Francisco" by Peter L. Stein and Jim Yager. The show discusses the evolution of transit in the city with this image appearing in a chapter about the rebound from the 1906 earthquake and fire. Thanks to Greg King for spotting the theatre and getting the screenshot. And thanks to Gary Parks for sending it along.

The theatre in a June 1909 photo from the San Francisco Public Library collection. The attraction is "The Blue Mouse," perhaps the inspiration for several theatres later named that by Pacific Northwest exhibitor John Hamrick. He had Blue Mouse Theatres in Seattle, Portland, and Tacoma. Thanks to Jack Tillmany for this version of the photo, larger than can be seen on the SFPL website.

 

 

Running vaudeville in September 1909. Thanks to Art Siegel for locating this custom postcard on eBay. Written on the rear: "A snap shot of the Gabriella Drum Corps taken in front of the American Theater on Labor Day Sept. 6, 1909. From Francio and Margaret."

 

 

The American Theatre is seen in the distance to the right of center behind the Pioneer Monument. It's a November 1914 photo taken from Grove and Larkin by Horace Chaffee for the Department of Public Works. Thanks to Art Siegel for posting it on the BAHT Facebook page. It appears on the website of the Open SF History Project where they note:

 

"Elevated view east from the Civic Auditorium along City Hall Avenue. Preparation for Grove Street extension to Market is underway. Marshall Square with Pioneer (Lick) Monument in its original location which would become the corner of Hyde and Grove. Methodist Book Concern Building, 3 City Hall Ave. (now 83 McAllister) in distance left with large sign atop. On Market St. near 7th are Grant Building, Odd Fellows Hall, American Theatre. At far right, rear of Robison Bros. Bird Store, 1260 Market (which stands in 2019 as the Wells Fargo Bank Building (1908), 1256-1264 Market, one of only two buildings remaining along the City Hall Avenue alignment)."

A photo from the Jack Tillmany collection taken between 1912 and 1916. Note the sidewall still saying "American Theatre." Down in the next block we get a peek at the signage for Grauman's Imperial.

The theatre as the Rialto in a view of the July 22, 1916 Preparedness Day Parade. Thanks to Jack Tillmany for finding the image in the SFMTA Photography Department & Archive collection and doing some work on it. The SFMTA caption: "Preparedness Day Parade on Market Street looking towards 7th Street between approximately 1:30 to 2 p.m. Image possibly taken by United Railroads photographer John Henry Mentz - Note that this parade was bombed at Stuart Street just south of Market Street at 2:06 p.m.  July 22, 1916."

Gary Parks comments: "How light a paint job the facade had at that point…maybe a quick way to cover the ’06 soot? I'm wondering if the construction of the Jewel (Strand) next door sealed up that sign. Likely. The horizontally painted RIALTO sign on the side of the auditorium remained until the end—likely put there because the Jewel hadn’t been built yet, and once it had, there was no reason to cover up the Rialto sign on the auditorium side."

A fine look at the plaster detail above the doors and at the display cases. Thanks to David Gallagher of the Open SF History Project for the photo. He believes the posters are advertising "The War Bride's Secret" with Virginia Pearson and Walter Law, a film that the theatre played in October 1916.

It's the April 6, 1918 Preparedness Day Liberty Loan Parade. To the right of the Rialto is a bit of the Strand in its Jewel days. Thanks to Jack Tillmany for sharing the photo from his collection.

A c.1918 entrance view of the theatre as the Rialto. It's a photo from the Jack Tillmany collection.

A look west along the curving marquee of the Rialto toward the Strand, at the time still called the Jewel Theatre. The 1918 photo is from the Jack Tillmany collection.  

A mid-20s photo of the theatre as the Rivoli. It's from the Jack Tillmany collection.

A 1926 photo There's a bit of its surviving neighbor, The Strand, at the left. It's a Jack Tillmany collection photo on the San Francisco Public Library website.

A 20s view east toward 7th St. with the Rivoli vertical down the block. This side of it note the lettering atop the marquee of the Strand, here called the Francesca. It's a Jack Tillmany collection photo.

A detail from the previous photo.

 The theatre became the Embassy in 1927. This December 1929 look at the theatre shows that huge vertical changed to advertise Vitaphone. "Disraeli," from Warner Bros. (of course), was a November 1, 1929 release. To the right we get a bit of the Strand -- also gone talkie "All Singing" with Sue Carol and John Breeden in "Fox Movietone Follies of 1929," a May release. The Jack Tillmany collection photo appears on the Embassy page of Cinema Tour. It's also on the San Francisco Public Library website and makes an appearance in Mark Ellinger's Mid-Market article on his site Up From The Deep.

A February 1931 photo taken when the theatre was briefly called the Warner. They're running "Illicit" with Barbara Stanwyck. Note the use of changeable neon letters on the marquee. The photo from the Glenn Koch collection was a post on the Facebook page Vintage San Francisco.  

A photo taken the last week of April 1938 from the Jack Tillmany collection -- along with a collection of his Embassy ticket stubs.

A fine look west from Market & Jones toward the Embassy in August, 1939. It's one of many intriguing Market St. views on the Bold Italic page "Detailed Photos: Vintage Market St. 1920-1956."
On the block just behind us in the right was the Granada/Paramount. Bob Ristelhueber notes: "The building in the dead center of the picture is what's now called the Renoir Hotel."

A photo from the Jack Tillmany collection taken the first week of July 1941. He comments: "It's interesting because it shows a bit of the pre-WWII marquee of the Strand still as it was. The features at the Embassy are 'Her First Romance' and 'The Great Train Robbery' (the 1941 version, not the 1903 version!). The Strand is offering 'The Man I Married' and 'Captain Fury.'"

We're looking west on Market toward the Embassy (and the Orpheum, down there in the distance) in what looks like a 40s vintage San Francisco Public Library photo. It's featured in a September 18, 2015 S.F. Weekly article outlining the efforts of the organization Old SF to get the Library's Historic Photographs collection on a searchable map. Here's the searchable Old SF map, with hundreds of photos plotted: www.oldsf.org

A January 12, 1947 view from the Billy Holcomb Collection in the Vanishing Movie Theaters album by Don Lewis on Flickr. Jack Tillmany dated the photo after seeing "Caesar and Cleopatra" on the Embassy marquee. At the Strand it's two re-releases from 1943: "Pride of the Yankees" along with Bob Hope in "They Got Me Covered."

An April 6, 1947 Army Day Parade look at the Embassy and its next door neighbor, the Strand, on the south side of the street between 7th & 8th. The Embassy is playing "Sweet and Low-Down" with Linda Darnell, Jack Oakie and the Benny Goodman Orchestra, a 1945 release. The 2nd feature is Rex Harrison in "Night Train to Munich" from 1940. ArchiTexty has the photo on Flickr where it's credited to the National Archives, 111-SC box 665 317326. They also have another Embassy shot from the same parade, National Archives 111-SC box 665 317324.

A June 10, 1947 photo from the Jack Tillmany collection.

A June 20, 1947 photo that appeared with a May 2015 story on the blog Stark Insider. The Strand has "God is My Co-Pilot" (1945) with Dennis Morgan along with Mae West's "The Heat's On," a 1943 release. Thanks to Jack Tillmany for dating the photo. He comments: "Typically, most films had a bit of mileage on them by the time they reached the Strand."

Thanks to the Facebook page Lost San Francisco for this fine view taken March 22, 1948. The Strand is running "Woman in the Window" and "Night in Paradise." Down the street we get a peek at the Imperial / United Artists.

A view west toward 7th St. and the Embassy beyond in 1950. It's one of many Market St. views on the Bold Italic page "Detailed Photos: Vintage Market St. 1920-1956."

 

A 1953 parade view taken by Bill Young for the Chronicle. The photo appears with the 2020 SF Gate article "San Francisco's forgotten Thanksgiving Day Balloon Parade." Their caption noted that Emperor Joshua Norton I was the parade's grand marshal. Thanks to Bob Ristelhueber for spotting the shot for a post on the BAHT Facebook page. The photo can also seen on a page from the Emperor Norton Trust. 

 

 

An October 7, 1954 look east toward 7th St. by an unknown photographer. Thanks to Jack Tillmany for spotting this one on the Open SF History Project website. He notes that the Embassy is running "On the Waterfront" with Marlon Brando.  

A look east during the first week of March 1955. "Chief Crazy Horse" and "Abbott & Costello Meet the Keystone Kops" are playing at the Embassy. Beyond the United Artists (it wouldn't get its simplified yellow "UA" vertical until the 60s) we see a bit of the vertical for the Centre theatre. It's taken from "San Francisco," a 21 minute 16mm 'scope format film shot by Tullio Pellegrini. Thanks to Gary Meyer for locating it on YouTube. There's also a 7 minute "highlights" version on YouTube from Prelinger Archives. 

A July 27, 1957 view of the Strand and the Embassy with the bonus of the United Artists vertical down there in the distance. Jack Tillmany came up with the date. He notes that the Strand is running "The Blackboard Jungle" and "The Mountain."

The photo appears on the Cinema Treasures page for the Embassy, a contribution of David Zornig. He credits it to the Lincoln Land Facebook page. Phil Davies has also posted it on San Francisco Remembered. And you can also find it it on a page of the Open SF History Project.  

 

The Embassy running "The Prince and the Showgirl" in 1957. The film was a June release starring Marilyn Monore and Laurence Olivier. It's a Clark Frazier photo. Thanks to Ken McIntyre for locating it for a Facebook post on Ken's Movie Page. 

A terrific postcard appearing on the Cinema Tour page for the Warfield, a contribution of Jack Tillmany. Heather David also had it as a 2013 post on the Facebook page Mid Century By The Bay.  Jack has figured out that the Strand was playing "Drums Across the River" and "A Man Escaped" which puts in 1959.

A look east on Market in 1960 with the Embassy's vertical visible on the right. "Pollyanna," a May release, is playing at the Fox. Thanks to Lily Castello for finding the photo for a post on the BAHT Facebook page.

A November 23, 1961 photo by Lance Nix. He had it as a post on the Facebook page San Francisco Remembered.

The theatre, with "Always the Best Show in Town." It's an Alan J. Canterbury photo in the San Francisco Public Library collection. You'll also find the photo appearing in Mark Ellinger's Up From The Deep survey of the mid-Market area. Jack Tillmany notes: "'The Long Ships' opened 29 July 1964, first run, at the Embassy and Mission Drive-In."

San Fran Fan paired this shot with the 1929 view of the theatre running "Disraeli." That combo appeared on the Facebook page Vintage San Francisco. That 1929 / 1964 pair also surfaced on the Lost San Francisco Facebook page.

A September 1965 view west from 7th St. Thanks to Jack Tillmany for finding this photo taken by an unknown photographer that appears on the Open SF History Project website. He comments about the Embassy: "The management has cleverly added a re-run of Marilyn Monroe in 'Don't Bother to Knock' to their presentation of Carroll Baker in 'Harlow.'" At the Orpheum it's "Mediterranean Holiday, a film in 70mm "Cinerama" that got a nineteen week run. Fox Plaza is rising beyond the Orpheum.

Gary Parks comments: "Wow—what a symbolic photo. Market St. looking essentially how it had for several decades—a commercial and entertainment hub…and then this giant ALIEN THING rising up ominously, a precursor to the soulless, drab, bureaucracy-and-unabated greed-created NEW WORLD that San Francisco was about to become. Darkness, drabness, starkness. To paraphrase Ben Hall: 'Ain’t We Got Fun?' replaced by 'I Dare You To Impress Me!' Despite this, it is a testimony to the vast history (and the physical setting) that San Francisco has, that any beautiful atmosphere or real character survives at all."

A night view taken by Jack Tillmany. He comments: "This Embassy/Strand night shot is Monday 21 November 1966. 'Seven Brides for Seven Brothers' (1954) is a typical 'Revival Night' offering that the Embassy did every Monday-Tuesday. 'In Harm's Way' is just a normal re-run of a previously over-hyped turkey. I took the photo because all the different colors of their neon interested me, a wider range and more variety that I had seen elsewhere."  Thanks to Matt Spero for some cleanup work on the image.

A Sunday May 14, 1967 photo taken by Jack Tillmany. Gary Meyer comments: "When the Embassy was a grind house in the 60s and 70s the marquee was always fun because of the unintentionally eclectic pairings of movies. My favorite, an only in San Francisco double bill: "The African Queen" and "Shaft's Big Score." 

A c.1967 photo by an unknown photographer appearing on the Open SF History Project website. Thanks to Jack Tillmany for spotting it. 

 

 

A 1968 photo taken by Jerry Squier that's in the Andy Goddard collection. Thanks to Steve Souza for sharing it on San Francisco Remembered. And thanks to TJ Fisher for dating it. He notes that "Up the Down Staircase" and "Oh Dad, Poor Dad, Momma's Hung You In the Closet and I'm Feelin' So Sad" played from August 9 through 13. 

 

 

A c.1968 look east before the dig has begun. It's a photo from the Andy Goddard collection. Thanks to Steve Souza for sharing it on San Francisco Remembered. And thanks to Bob Ristelhueber for spotting the post. 

 

 

It's chaos on Market for BART construction. On the left it's the then-dark Orpheum with its vertical temporarily mounted parallel to the facade. The Embassy is down the block in this c.1968 photo from the Sean Ault collection. Thanks, Sean! 

Starting the dig. This fine c.1968 photo from Market Street Railway is on a page advertising a 2015 presentation about the future of Market St. Note the new flat marquees on the Embassy and the Strand.

 

 

Getting some steel in place. It's a 1968 photo by Clay Geerdes. Thanks to David Miller for sharing it on the San Francisco Remembered Facebook page.

A September 1969 view east. Thanks to Chris Treadway for finding the photo.

 

 

The old vertical temporarily mounted flat against the facade. Thanks to Sean Ault for sharing this c.1969 photo from his collection. "Tony Rome" was a November 1967 release with Frank Sinatra. "The Tiger and the Pussycat" with Vittorio Gassman and Ann-Margret was out in September 1967. Down the street the UA still has it's vertical sign. It would come down after Loew's took over in October 1969.  

 

 

A 1970 look west with the Orpheum in the center and the Fox Plaza beyond. "Hair" is on the Orpheum's marquee. It's a photo from the Sean Ault collection. 

 

 

A 1970 photo by Clay Geerdes. One of the titles at the Embassy is "The Undefeated," a November 1969 release with Rock Hudson. Thanks to David Miller for posting this on the Facebook page San Francisco Remembered.  

 

 

An April 1970 photo from the Sean Ault collection. Down the street the former United Artists, renamed Loew's in 1969, was running "Halls of Anger" and the Guild had "Without a Stitch." Thanks, Sean! 

 

 

A May 1970 view by an unknown photographer that appears on the Open SF History Project website.  

 

Starting to cover the dig. It's another 1970 photo from the Sean Ault collection. That's part of the Orpheum building on the far left. 

 

An August 1970 view looking east toward 7th St. Beyond there's a bit of the mustard colored facade of the Imperial/UA/Loew's/Market St. Cinema and the vertical of the Centre Theatre. It's an Open SF History Project photo, on their site courtesy of a private collector.

Another August 1970 view appearing on the Open SF History Project website. Gary Parks comments about the Embassy's marquee: "I’ve always been curious of the fact that when Dan McLean had to take down the wonderful neon trapezoid that was the former marquee of the Embassy, and replace it with the blah flush one pictured here, he put that rectangular panel in the center, with the sloppy, randomly-placed lightbulbs. It’s as if he was trying to still capture the essence of a wedge-shaped marquee, with a decorative center to it.

"Then, whoever was in charge of putting lightbulbs in the sockets, tried to counteract the random socket placement by using white bulbs around the edges, and yellow in the field of the middle, which simply made an oddity odder. The bulbs were like this when I first saw the theatre, but sometime in the 80s, they were all changed out to clear, which was less showy, but down-played the zany socket placement. Maybe it was Mike Thomas and Greg King trying to reduce the effect. I can’t recall whether the bulbs scintillated or not." 

 

 

Finishing up in the center of the street. Thanks to Sean Ault for sharing this photo from his collection. 

 

 

Another view east as work nears completion in the center. It's a 1970 or 1971 photo from the Sean Ault collection. Thanks!

 

A 1971 photo from the Jack Tillmany collection. BART opened on Market St. in November 1973.

 

A 1971 Fred Beall photo in the collection of Jack Tillmany. We're looking at the stage end of the Strand and Embassy from the Greyhound Bus Station. Jack calls our attention to how much squatter the Strand is compared to the full stage at the Embassy. Thanks to Matt Spero for color correction.

 

 

Robert Blake's big hit "Electra Glide In Blue" at the Embassy. Thanks to Dave Hunter for sharing this c.1974 photo he took. 

 

A 1977 boxoffice view taken by Steve Vaccaro. Thanks, Steve! It was used without credit in a 2016 post about the theatre on the Facebook page San Francisco Remembered.

 

This guy evidently is going to the show. "The Klansman" was a 1974 release. "Street People" was out in September 1976. TJ Fisher figured out that the third title was "Summertime Killer," a 1973 release with Karl Malden. He says this program played July 6 and 7, 1978 and notes: "Don't be late for Ten-O-Win!" It was in the ad as "Free Cash Tonight at 8:05." Thanks to Sean Ault for sharing the photo from his collection. On the far left note the wall painted with "Egyptian Theatre." It's the venue that was later called the Guild and then the Pussycat.

 

Thanks to Paul Engel for this fine 1984 view taken when both theatres were friendly grindhouse competitors. At the Embassy it's "The Island," "Endangered Species" and "Taps," dating from 1980 to 1982. At the Strand it's two 1983 releases: "Never Say Never Again" and "Nate and Hayes." Eric Schaefer notes that these programs played on February 4.

Paul comments about the bar in the Embassy building: "The Starlight Room was a marvelous dive bar on Market. It had a round bar with stars dangling from the ceiling. The Starlight ROOF was on top of the Sir Francis Drake Hotel on Powell. After the Starlight on Market closed, Harry Denton took over the Starlight Roof and renamed it Harry Denton's Starlight Room. If you look at the left side of the picture, up on the 3rd floor, you can see a sign that says 'Starlight Room.' On the right it says 'Sunlight Fountain,' which must've been a soda fountain of some sort, but I don't remember that."

A May 12, 1988 view west. It's a Chronicle photo appearing with "The big screen, no not your TV: over 100 years of San Francisco Theaters," a March 2016 SF Gate photo portfolio. When the photo appeared on the now-vanished Observe SF/ DesignWeb page about Market St. theatres they noted that it's the Trinity office building under construction beyond the Strand.

Bobby Clic comments: "I was the projectionist during the 89 earthquake that closed the Embassy. It was an interesting evening and luckily no one was hurt.... the booth there was particularly rickety. I climbed down feeling my way in the dark."

A post-1989 view from Jason Balch, one of a set of photos of the theatre in a post of his on San Francisco Remembered.

Thanks to Gary Parks for his 1995 demo photo looking into the auditorium. It was a post on the BAHT Facebook page.

The Embassy as a vacant lot. The c.2012 Mark Ellinger photo appeared on his now-vanished architecture site Up From The Deep.


Embassy salvage: 

 

One of the surviving plaster heads from the friezes that ran above the entrance doors and all around the inner lobby during the Embassy’s Rialto days, and perhaps later. They can be seen in an early photo of the entrance and box office. 

 

This is one of several pieces of ornamental plaster removed by Greg King after the Loma Prieta quake closed the Embassy. It now watches over his dining table. Greg says he recalls there had to be at least 21 of them. Thanks to Greg for his photo. 

 

A plaster ornament photographed by Gary Parks. He comments: "I finally got to photograph this wonderful 'grotesque' from an earlier incarnation of the lobby of the Embassy. It had been hidden by a dropped ceiling, was rescued prior to the theatre's 1994 demolition and is now in a private Bay Area collection (not mine). The 'Strand' sign refers to a gold-and-green light fixture from that theatre."

The game:

The Ten-O-Win game. It's a Jack Tillmany collection photo. He comments: "The fabled Ten-O-Win tickets! Cardinal Red was always the first color to be given out, starting at 4:30 PM. The standard wheel held 24 colors, the extended wheel held 36 colors. Each adult patron got 2 tickets. Winners were paid in silver dollars dropped into a little metal pail by whatever usherette was stationed on the aisle of the winning customer. An equal amount was added on stage to the jackpot. It was FUN!

"Thanks to Ten-O-Win, sellouts were not unusual. Latecomers bought tickets, got in line out front, listened to the game over loudspeakers over the box office, and otherwise participated just as did those inside. After the game, those who had already seen the show cleared out, and those outside were now allowed to come in and watch the double feature which followed the game.

"Dan McLean usually emceed the proceedings, and was not niggardly when it came to giving out extra cash to the winners on the spur of the moment. "Give that lady an extra $5 for wearing that terrific blue dress!" "Give that gentleman an extra $5 because he's brave enough to wear that wild tie!" And his comments would be repeated, loud and clear, by the usherettes when they delivered the cash. They too would get cash bonuses . One of them was named Virginia, who usually worked the main floor, and would scream "m--a--i--n f--l--o--o--r" as she ran up the aisle to the lucky winner. From the stage, Dan would ad lib: "Virginia! Take $5 for yelling the loudest" & just as loud, Virginia would drop another $5 into her little metal pail, and scream "$5 to Virginia for yelling the loudest!"

"Its time for Ten-O-Win!" Thanks to Matías Antonio Bombal for posting this photo of a 1936 vintage wheel on the BAHT Facebook page. He comments: "One of few Ten-O-Win wheels still in existence, another is seen in use regularly at the Oakland Paramount in moderne harness created / adapted and kept gleaming by David Boysel as "Dec-O-Win." Should you ever find one, I want it for use at the Fox California in Stockton (Bob Hope Theatre).

"Ten-O-Win originated in San Francisco at the Embassy Theatre on Market St. and was sold to theaters across the USA to improve audience attendance on slow nights in the late 1930's. A stage emcee and often lovely assistants would spin the 7 foot tall 72 inch diameter wheel at the stage with complex game rules and multiple ways to win on colors, numbers or both, or by pooling. The outside wheel spins; a good spinner then spins the large arrow in a counter rotation and the small arrow in the same direction of the outer wheel, or any number of combinations of movement."

Steven Stitch reports that both he and David Boysel think that the name change of the game at the Paramount to "Dec-O-Win" was the idea of Jack Bethards, sometime in the 1970s.

 

The rear of the wheel. It belongs to Gary Meyer and resides at the Balboa Theatre. The two photos are by Chad E. Williams for the Facebook page Alhambra: Sacramento's Palace of Fantasy. 

 

 

A poster residing in Gary Parks' garage. He comments: "Direct from our garage to you! Back when Greg King and Mike Thomas were carrying the Ten-O-Win torch in the Embassy’s final days, Greg found these hand painted posters. When the Embassy was closed by the Loma Prieta quake, Greg rescued what he could, and brought various artifacts over to the Strand next door. Some of them he left when he later relinquished operation of the Strand, and in the case of these signs—there they sat, until ACT bought the Strand, and decided what to keep, and what to give or throw away. I got to take home these well-used relics. Unfortunately, they suffered from some water damage while languishing at the Strand. This sign once had a printed miniature Ten-O-Win wheel occupying the open space in the center. It warped and split into several pieces—though I do still have them, too curled to repair."

 

 Another poster in the Gary Parks collection. 

Images from the blueprints for the 1915 remodel in the Gary Parks collection: 

A title block from one of the sheets. Gary comments: "Several Bay Area theatre historians used to talk about how Weeks & Day, though working in San Francisco, never actually designed any theatres for San Francisco. Well, at least Charles Weeks—working on his own—did design a major balcony structural overhaul, and mezzanine and lobby remodeling, for the American Theatre (a Reid Bros. design, originally), apparently just before it became the Rialto."

 

A floorplan of the entrance and lobby areas.

 

 

A section view of the lobby areas as seen from in the auditorium and looking toward Market St. In the center on the second level note the bottom of the ramp leading to the center vomitory of the redone balcony. 

 

 

A detail of the house left area from the section.  

A section through the auditorium. The stage is not shown. 

 

 

A detail of the rear of the house from the section. Note the ramp to the balcony. 

 

 

A section detail of the top of the balcony. Weeks called the booth the "Lamp Room." Note the stepped dotted lines substantially higher than the new construction: "Old Balcony to be removed." There's also an old exit doorway to be filled with brick.

A section detail of the front of the auditorium. That's the orchestra pit in the lower left. 

 

 

Sections showing framing details for the new balcony. 

 

 

A note on the plans for the steel erectors. 

 

Balcony truss details. Thanks, Gary! 

More information: Thanks to Jack Tillmany for the many photos from his collection as well as invaluable help researching dates for many other photos here on the page. His Arcadia Publishing book "Theatres of San Francisco" can be previewed on Google Books. It's available from Amazon or your local bookseller. 

See the chapter on the Embassy in Jack Stevenson's "Land of a Thousand Balconies" for tales of the time Mike Thomas and Greg King ran the theatre. It's on Google Books.

The Cinema Treasures page on the theatre has photos and comments. Cinema Tour also has a page on the Embassy.

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