429 Castro St. | map |
More Castro Theatre pages: 2024-2025 interior restoration | earlier interior views |
The News: The theatre closed February 4, 2025 for a $15+ million renovation. Expect a reopening in the summer of 2025. See "Restoration work at SF Castro Theatre starts..," a March 8, 2024 KTVU story and video from Amber Lee.
Earlier stories include "'Necessary' but 'painful': Countdown to Castro renovation begins," a December 2023 Examiner story by Patrick Hodges. Aidin Vazeri of the Chronicle weighed in with "Castro Theatre to go dark for at least a year..." SFist discussed the closure with "Castro Theatre to Close for 16-Month Renovation Starting This Winter" by Jay Barmann.
Since
January 2022 it's been operated by Another Planet Entertainment with a mix of music events, movies and comedy shows. The renovation plan is to terrace the
main floor and add bars at the back. Fixed seating will remain in the
balcony. Decorative finishes and fixtures will be restored, the original
proscenium will be revealed and ADA access provided to the stage. Evergreene Architectural Arts will be supervising the decorative work. Head
down lower on the page for lots of discussion and links to many news
stories.
Opened: June 22, 1922 at a cost of $300,000. This 1922 construction photo appeared on the Facebook page Lost San Francisco with a nice history
of the building and lots of comments. It's credited to the Academy of
Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
Website: www.castrotheatre.com | APE / Castro Theatre
The new theatre was a replacement for the earlier Castro Street Theatre the Nasser Bros. had down the block. The first Nasser theatre had been the Liberty at 18th and Collingwood. SF Curbed had a 2016 article on the "Epic History of the Castro... " that included some history on that one. The current marquee and vertical date from the late 30s. Other exterior elements including the boxoffice are original.
Architect: Timothy Pflueger (1894-1946). The decorators were Faggioni Studios, a local firm.
Seating: 1,407
Screen size: It had been 25' x 44'. That screen was removed in March 2022.
The organ situation: The Wurlitzer that was in the house was removed in 2014 because the house organist, David Hegarty wanted something better. It was not owned by the theatre and the owner was leaving the area and desired to get a token payment for it. There was no attempt to come up with the $60,000 sale price for the Wurlitzer. So an electronic organ was then used for more than five years.
The
Bay Area Reporter Facebook page had a 2014 story about the project to build a new pipe organ that met Hegarty's specifications. The project got stalled. One cost estimate was $800,000. Carlo Cheney
comments:
"The Wurlitzer, which was removed, could
have been purchased for next to nothing. So sad that the 'folks in
charge' wanted a different, ridiculous alternative. Sadly, most folks
believe that the 'alternative' will NEVER happen. Meanwhile, the
electronic replaced a wonderful instrument!"
The new proprietor, Another Planet Entertainment, has noted that they're assuming an organ will be part of the operation.
Timothy
Pflueger's drawing of the Castro Theater. It's an illustration from the
book "Time and Tim Remembered" by Milton Pflueger, his brother. The
caption notes that Pfleuger was 28 when hired by the Nasser Bros. for
the job. Thanks to Bob Ristelhueber for finding the drawing -- he had it on the BAHT Facebook page.
A look down the pen and ink facade drawing in the collection of Glenn Koch. He shared it on a post on the BAHT Facebook page.
A detail from the facade drawing in the Glenn Koch collection.
Zooming in a bit closer to the cupid. Thanks, Glenn!
An entrance detail from a sheet of the plans in the SF MOMA collection. On their site you can zoom in and look around at the details. Thanks to Mike Hume for spotting this on the website.
A south elevation from the sheet in the SF MOMA collection.
A section view from the 1922 plans. It appeared in the video that Another Planet Entertainment used at their
August 11, 2022 public meeting when they presented their renovation ideas. On the left note the original proscenium and screen up against the back wall of the building.
Another interior section. Thanks to the architectural firm of Page & Turnbull for preparing this one as part of their proposal outlining preliminary plans for renovations by Another Planet Entertainment.
The
June 22, 1922 opening ad in the Chronicle for the new theatre, a
replacement for Nasser Bros. original Castro St. Theatre on the same
block. The ad appeared with a SF Curbed article about the theatre. Stephanie Hall also had it on San Francisco Remembered.
An illustration of the new theatre's facade that appeared in the November 4, 1922 issue of Motion Picture News. It's on Internet Archive. Thanks to William L. Coale for locating it for a post on the California Theatre Organs Facebook page. Three interior photos that appeared in the issue are on the interior views page. "Departure to Roman Design Followed in San Francisco House" was an article in the same issue:
"New Castro Theatre Embodies Novel Ideas in Architectural Features - A deviation from the accepted lines of the design for motion picture theatres was followed in the erection of the new Castro theatre, San Francisco, Cal. The following description was received of this house: San Francisco has another first-class motion picture house. The new Castro theatre, which has just opened its doors, is an uptown house. It was erected at a cost of $300,000 and seats 2,000. With its opening, the six Nasser brothers saw the fruition of many years' efforts. in this theatre William, Elias and George Nasser will be actively associated, while Richard, Henry and James Nasser, who are professional men, will be indirectly associated in the Castro.
"On the opening night Mayor James Rolph, Jr., made the dedicatory address on behalf of the city and members of the Board of Supervisors were among the honor guests of the evening. The builders of the Castro, of which T.L. Pflueger was the architect, turned to the semi-exterior or court scheme in planning the interesting auditorium. It is suggestive of the Roman Amphitheatre, which consisted of stone walls, a cantilever roof over the stage and a cloth canopy hung on ropes for the protection from the sun. Though the Roman design is predominant, there is a daring combination of Oriental and Spanish in detail ornamentation. The canopied ceiling is the climax of the architectural effect. It is made entrirely of plaster, but seems to be of some fine fabric of rich design. It is fringed with tassels, valances and cords, and is hung upon great golden ropes, all of which is plaster.
"No effort has been spared anywhere to make the Castro a monument to the art of motion picture presentation. Music will have a special place on all programs at the Castro. Waldemar Lind, a first violinist with the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra and a cousin of the great Jenny Lind, will conduct the new Castro orchestra. Lloyd Carmichael will play the Robert Morton orchestral organ, a $25,000 instrument. A Knabe piano is also part of the new Castro musical equipment. W. Harold Wilson, well known in San Francisco advertising circles as a specialist in motion picture houses, has been chosen to direct the advertising at the new Castro."
Sound comes to the Castro: Film Daily reported on February 17, 1929 that the theatre had installed Western Electric equipment and would shortly show Pathe's "Show Folks," a silent film with sound sequences. The musicians weren't happy. In "
Castro Theatre: The Epic History..," Nadine Daehn's 2021 article on the site San Francisco Local, she comments:
"When the sound equipment was installed in the Castro, the orchestra was [notified] two weeks in advance, but went out prematurely with other workers on a sympathy strike. Orchestra musicians and their union were accused of placing 35 odor bombs in the Castro, Alhambra and Royal theaters; a dynamite bomb in the Royal that destroyed the roof; a bomb that had not been detonated in the Alhambra; and intimidation and attacks against customers and employees. The lawsuit alleged that the acid from the odor bombs damaged the facility and asked for $300,000 in retaliation. In the end, the theater and the union struck a deal that allowed a six-member orchestra to play at the Castro twice a week for ten weeks and later dismissed the claim for damages."
The lawsuit Nadine mentions came along in 1930, well after the troubles had begun. This article appeared in the July 14, 1930 issue of Exhibitors Daily Review and Motion Pictures Today. Thanks to Russell Merritt for locating the article and doing the other research about the transition.
An April 1940 calendar from the Jack Tillmany collection. He comments: "I'm hoping to win that 1940 Hudson, valued at $995."
After decades operated by the Nasser Bros. as a neighborhood sub-run venue and later getting some first-run bookings, the theatre began to falter. It was taken over in 1976 by Mel Novikoff's Surf Theatres and turned into an inexpensive repertory house.
Novikoff in the upstairs lobby of the Castro. Thanks to TJ Fisher for locating this newspaper photo for a post about him on the
BAHT Facebook page. Gary Meyer talks about Mel:
"Mel
Novikoff had the vision to save a third run neighborhood theater ready
to close. He could see through the layers of dirt and cigarette smoke
covering the murals and ornate ceiling and shrouded in low lights to
hide them for many years -- and he had a vision of what the theater
could be with restoration, savvy programming and effective marketing. He
got the organ installed, brought wonderful repertory schedules, gay
events and the San Francisco International Film Festival there.
"When
I was 16 I introduced myself while he sat in the Surf Theatre Cafe
(what a concept!). He became my mentor (and even my daughter's
godfather). We shared offices above Brommel's pharmacy where we loved
looking across the street on opening day to see if there were lines. I
learned so much from him about movies and showmanship. And giving back
to the community. He was an avid supporter of the ballet, symphony,
opera, live theater, local restaurants and museums. When SFMOMA decided
to stop its film programming he jumped and kept it going. He'd work
extra hard to fill the auditorium and we were always rewarded by the
films (such as introducing America to Bertrand Tavernier showing 'The
Clockmaker').
"If
he loved a movie lacking distribution he might buy it and convince a
distributor to handle it for him. When the SF International Film
Festival ran out of money and was about to close down Mel took the lead
with Tom Luddy, Peter Buchanan and Albert Johnson to save it by working
for no pay to get it back on its feet. And he brought the Festival to
the Castro (the start of a trend).
"The story I have often told was that the theater was a run-down, dirty,
crumbling third run venue. The Nasser Brothers Sr. (sweet old guys I
knew) had no interest in it anymore. We walked into this dark place one
morning. Mel dragged the janitor's light to the center and turned it on,
revealing the ceiling dome. As he tilted the lamp we saw murals and
cameos covered with dust and cigarette smoke. It
only took a few minutes for Mel to get excited and start talking about
his vision for turning it into a theater where every night would be an
event.
"He also operated the Surf, Clay, Surf Interplayers, Lumiere
(adding a screen in the adjacent half of the building), Cannery (the
first cinema in SF with a bar), and the Stage Door (for a short time). When Mel fell ill he hired Anita Monga to book the Castro. Knowing his cancer was terminal he sold the lease to Pacific/Blumenfeld and they were proud to continue Mel's tradition and wise enough to keep Anita on as she continued expanded hosting of
festivals and was responsive to the community."
Mel Novikoff died in 1987. Thanks to TJ Fisher for locating the photo for his 2022 post about Mel on the
BAHT Facebook page. He comments:
"He
was only 64 when he died in September 1987. One tribute described him
as 'a gentle man with a passion and a vision who wanted to share his
love of movies...an entrepreneur with an artistic soul, and a nice guy.'
Another called him 'a one-man United Nations: he brought the world to
us on film.' One could argue that he was more responsible than any other
individual from this period for making San Francisco one of the best
cities for moviegoing in the country. At this time of transition, I am grateful for the legacy he left us."
The lease that the Blumenfelds had acquired from Novikoff was up in 2001 but the repertory format continued. Gary Meyer notes:
"When the lease ran out
the Nasser sons decided that they should operate it----with mixed
results. Whatever reputation it maintained was thanks to the people
hired to program, manage and promote it plus those festivals."
The theatre continued with repertory bookings, occasional first-run engagements, numerous film festivals and special events. The San Francisco Silent Film Festival and Frameline found a home at the Castro. One annual festival was Noir City, which moved to the Grand Lake in Oakland in 2022 due to uncertainty about the Castro's future.
A January 2016 calendar. Thanks to Lucas Strauss for adding this as a comment to a
SFist Facebook post about the theatre's 2022 change of management.
A new operator: It's now operated by Gregg Perloff's Another Planet Entertainment. The Nasser family built the theatre in 1922 and it's still owned by their company Bay Properties, Inc. that's controlled by Elaine Nasser Padian and Steven Nasser.
Aiden Vaziri broke the news in "S.F.'s Castro Theatre turning into live events venue featuring music, comedy and more,"
a January 19, 2022 story for the Chronicle. Thanks to Gary Meyer for
spotting the story. It elicited many, many comments when he shared the
article on the BAHT Facebook page.
Thanks to Therese Poletti for spotting "Castro Theatre Changes Management, Will No Longer Primarily Screen Movies..." a January 19 story on SFist. APE has a Castro Theatre page up on their website that notes:
"Another
Planet Entertainment (APE) is partnering with Bay Properties, Inc.,
owners of the Castro Theatre, on an evolution of San Francisco’s
world-renowned entertainment landmark. With a long-standing history of
working to preserve and improve historic buildings such as the Fox
Theater in Oakland, the Greek Theatre in Berkeley and the Bill Graham
Civic Auditorium in San Francisco, APE seeks to enhance the Castro
Theatre by implementing significant improvements to the sound, lighting,
production, HVAC and the theatre’s trademark marquee, among other
facets of the building.
"
'The Castro Theatre is a wonderful building that we will upgrade for
more use in the future,' says Gregg Perloff, Another Planet
Entertainment, CEO and Co-Founder. 'We want to activate and re-energize
the building, making improvements to the customer and artist experience,
including dressing room upgrades, restoring the marquee and blade and
expanding food and beverage service. We want to present all sorts of
programming in the theater – comedy, music, film, community and private
events and more. We look forward to further contributing to the culture
and economy of this vibrant neighborhood.'
"The families of Bay
Properties Inc. have been the sole owner of the Castro Theatre since it
was built in 1922 — this institution has stood the test of time as a
multi-generational family-run business and beloved San Francisco venue.
'After operating the Castro Theatre for nearly a hundred years, we have
chosen to partner with Another Planet Entertainment for the next
evolution of our historic theatre,' said Chris Nasser Padian, Bay
Properties Vice-President. 'Another Planet is an ideal partner, as they
have a rich history with the City and in rehabilitating historic venues.
Bay Properties is excited that the partnership with APE will continue
the legacy of the Castro Theatre and Castro neighborhood.' For more
information and rental inquiries, please contact
thecastro@anotherplanetent.com."
"I
am an optimist about this. As I suspected, Castro will continue to host
film festivals and special events per the Chronicle follow-up.
Repertory died at the Castro several years ago with only a handful of
shows working. It has been those special nights that succeeded. But more
often you'd join a handful of people in a cold theater and that is no
way to enjoy a movie. The only way for the many needed upgrades to
happen is for a plan that generates revenue and this should be it. A
side benefit will surely be that the smaller neighborhood theaters doing
rep will benefit.
"I
think Another Planet and Greg Perloff are community oriented and I know
they have been philanthropic and support the arts. He knows it would be
a mistake not to continue film festivals and special events as part of
be programming mix. Theatre rental rates will be an issue but I hope
some foundation comes to the rescue and offers to underwrite those costs
to keep non-profit presenters offering the city a wide range of
programs.
"I am hopeful that we will get the best of all worlds
with a beautifully restored theater, great sound, expanded bathrooms
and lobby, and a mixture of live events and films that will bring the
theater back stronger than ever and make it a place we will be even more
proud to say is one of the highlights of San Francisco."
Renovation plans: The theatre's focus is now primarily as a live
music venue. Subject to city approval, APE plans to terrace the main floor and add bars at the
back. Fixed seating would remain in the balcony. Decorative finishes and
fixtures will be restored, the original proscenium revealed and ADA
access provided to the stage.
Page & Turnbull
are the architects for the redesign with Elisa Skaggs the principal on
the project.
CAW Architects are also involved with Christopher Wasney
leading that team. VP Mary Conde is managing the project for APE. They've hired Bevan Dufty as "community liaison" to deal with local outrage, such as erupted at an August 11 meeting at the theatre when the plans were discussed.
To look at the plans, go to the SF Planning
Project Record Page
for the Castro. On the left click on the "Record Info" with a downward
blue triangle beside it, and from that select "Attachments." The
preliminary 3/10/22 plans are a 6.27 MB doc labeled "Plans - 429 Castro
St.pdf."
A plan of the proposed main floor terraces from Page and Turnbull.
A rendering showing the terraces with no seating, typical for a rock event. This drawing, and the one below, were shown at the August 11, 2022 event APE hosted at the theatre to present their renovation plans. Thanks to Mike Hume for the images.
The proposed seating for film and other events, using three different heights of chairs.
The Historic Preservation Commission voted unanimously at a February 1,
2023 meeting to recommend that the existing landmark designation be
extended to include certain interior features including the historic main
floor seating configuration. The Chronicle had the news in their
February 1 Datebook story "
Castro Theatre renovation plans hit with a major setback at City Hall." It then needed to get a vote by the Board of Supervisors.
In a June 15 vote APE got their plans
approved by the Historic Preservation Commission and the Planning
Commission to restore the theatre but revamp it into a concert-style
space on the main floor. "
San Francisco Castro Theatre: Changes To Seats, Bar Use OK'd"
was a June 16 story by Mike Ege in The Standard that was spotted by
Gary Meyer. They noted some conditions imposed on the operation as a
result of a year-long campaign mounted by film fans and neighborhood
groups:
"Commissioners
deliberated into the evening over additional conditions for allowing
the additional uses; among those approved are mandates that the Castro
show films at least 75 days per year; that open-to-the-public events be
held at least 90 days per year; that 25% of events be related to the
LGBTQIA+ community; and that Another Planet hold ongoing meetings with
community groups for guidance in managing the theater and make good
faith efforts to use local suppliers for concessions."
Also see a June 15 48hills story: "Promoter gets approval to turn Castro Theater into a nightclub —with a few conditions." Bay Area Reporter also had the news with "SF commissions OK APE plans for Castro Theatre." Thanks to Carole Rutherford for spotting these two articles.
Status: The theatre will be closed from February 2024 until
mid-2025 for renovations and restoration work. See links to several news
stories at the top of the page.
The Castro in the movies:
The theatre was seen in Gus Van Sant's "
Milk" (Focus Features, 2009) starring Sean Penn, Josh Brolin and Emile Hirsch. The cinematography was by Harris Savides. The marquee and vertical were repainted for the film.
Another shot from "Milk." Thanks to Jim Van Buskirk for the screenshots. They were used during a 2021 San Francisco Public Library presentation about neon in the movies he did along with the organization San Francisco Neon. Buskirk and Will Shank are the authors of the 2006 book "Celluloid San Francisco: The Film Lovers Guide to Bay Area Movie Locations." It's available on Amazon.
More exterior views:
A look at the theatre on opening night June 23, 1922. The photo was with
with a March 2016 article by Bob Bragman on SF Gate "A 100 year look at San Francisco marquees and theaters" where they note it appears
courtesy of Anita Monga. It's also on the Film-Tech page about the Castro where they credit it to the James R. Marshall collection.
Thanks to Glenn Koch for sharing this 1926 photo from his collection. It also makes an appearance on the Open SF History Project website.
A
1927 photo by Gabriel Moulin with the theatre playing "Love's Greatest Mistake" with
Evelyn Brent and William Powell. Thanks to Bob Ristelhueber for finding it in a 1927 issue of Pacific Coast Architect. He had it as a post on the BAHT Facebook page. The photo has also appeared on the Facebook page Lost San Francisco. A version from the Jack Tillmany collection can be seen on the San Francisco Public Library website.
An April 1941 cable car view with the theatre in the distance. Thanks to Rell Sanderson for locating the photo for a post on the San Francisco Remembered Facebook page. The unspecified publication he found it in had this caption: "Cable car clangs past the famous Castro Theatre, c.1939." The 1941 date comes from a version of the photo from the Jack Tillmany collection that's on the Open SF History Project website.
Another photo from the Jack Tillmany collection. He shared it on the San Francisco Remembered Facebook page and noted: "San Francisco locals take their last ride on Castro Street's beloved cable car system, 4 April 1941."
The Open SF History site has similar photos looking up the hill from 18th St. toward the theatre: 1937 | 1938 |
A photo from the Jack Tillmany collection of Market and Castro in July 1944. He notes: "Both films showing at the Castro ('The
Lady Has Plans' and 'Hold Back the Dawn') were over 2 years old by that time."
A c.1948 photo. Thanks to Kevin Walsh for spotting it on the San Francicsco Railroad Museum Facebook page.
An August 22, 1964 photo by Alan J. Canterbury. Thanks to Jack Tillmany for sharing his copy of the photo on the Open SF History Project website.
The Castro running "Putney Swope," a 1969 release, along with "Elvira Madigan," a 1967 film. T.J. Fisher notes that this bill played May 20 to 26, 1970. Thanks to transit historian Sean Ault for sharing this photo from his collection. That's MUNI trolleybus 726 heading toward Market St.
It was 1970 and they had "Weekend With the Babysitter" at the time of the photo. Thanks to Sean Ault for sharing this one from his collection. TJ Fisher notes that "Isadora" was the co-feature and that this program played October 21 through 27.
An August 1972 photo from the Jack Tillmany collection appearing on the Open SF History Project website. That's the Municipal Railway M-line streetcar #1144 crossing the intersection.
A 1977 photo by Joseph Taglioni. Visit his website:
www.josephtaglioni.com. Thanks to Joe Russo for sharing the photo.
A 1980 photo by Jerry Pritikin. Thanks to Jerry for sharing it on
San Francisco Remembered. He notes that the cleaners was owned by a Chinese couple whose last name sounded like "gay."
A c.1980 look down the hill toward the theatre. Thanks to Sean Ault for sharing this photo from his collection.
Another c.1980 photo photo from the Sean Ault collection. Thanks, Sean!
Running Tim Burton's 3-D "Alice in Wonderland" in 2010. On the front of the marquee they were also advertising "German Gems" and a new 35mm print of "The Red Shoes" as upcoming attractions. Thanks to John Brister for sharing this shot as a comment to a post about the theatre on the Facebook page
San Francisco Photography.
A 2014 photo. Thanks to Graeme McBain for sharing this one as a post on the Facebook page
Theatre Architecture.
A signage detail by Felix Lipov appearing with "Neon Dreams: 16 old theater marquees around the Bay Area," a February 2018 article on Curbed SF.
Closed for the virus lockdown. It's a photo by Scott Strazzante that appeared with "Castro Theatre's boarded-up box office becomes a message of thanks," an April 25, 2020 Chronicle article by Tony Bravo.
Another 2020 photo by Scott Strazzante for the Chronicle. The boxoffice was decorated by the San Francisco muralist Mace. The entire front was later fenced off due to repeated vandalism to the theatre's display cases.
A detail of some of the damage to the neon on the south side of the vertical. It's a Mark Abramson photo that appeared with the August 2021 SFist article. Part of Mark's caption: "One of the local 'characters' got on top of the Castro Theater marquee, stripped naked... and then changed clothes a couple of times. The crowd was supportive of him until he climbed the Castro sign and kicked the neon lights. Then it was, 'Not the NEON!! Shoot him!'"
The north side of the vertical on November 10, 2021. This side wasn't affected by the sign clinber but obviously had other issues. Thanks to T.J. Fisher for sharing his photo as a comment in a thread about the sign on the
BAHT Facebook page.
A sign company at work repairing the vandalism earlier in the year. In addition to those problems, much of the neon hadn't been working on either side and the weather had taken a toll on the paint job, last done in 2009. Thanks to Marco Place for his November 20, 2021 photo, a post inspiring lots of discussion on the BAHT Facebook page.
The sign back in action after repair work. Thanks to TJ Fisher for sharing this photo in a December 10, 2021 post on the BAHT Facebook page along with another view plus a video showing the sign's animation.
The green carpet was out for the December 18, 2021 U.S. premiere of "The Matrix Resurrections." The AP photo by Noah Berger appeared with a Deadline story about the event. Thanks to Heather Christine Ripley for spotting the story.
A 2022 "Happy New Year" shot. Thanks to Nataliya Zadorozhnaya for the photo,
a post on the Facebook page San Francisco Photography.
TJ Fisher was at the theatre for the March 2022 "Berlin and Beyond" film festival. He shared this photo as well as six interior views as a post on the BAHT Facebook page.
Thanks to Mike Hume for this April 2022 photo, shared as a post on the BAHT Facebook page.
The theatre was celebrating its 100th birthday with a film series in June 2022. Thanks to Therese Poletti for sharing her photo on the BAHT Facebook page.
A shot from the video that Another Planet Entertainment used at their August 11, 2022 public meeting when they presented their renovation plans. Thanks to Mike Hume for tracking it down.
March 2024: stylishly boarded up as interior restoration work begins. Thanks to Art Siegel for sharing his photo.
The vertical's rehab underway. It's a shot from an April 19, 2024 Castro Theatre Facebook post that also included a "before" view.
More information: See the Castro Theatre album on the BAHT Facebook page for over 140 photos of the theatre. A 2009 Bayflicks article discussed the theatre's installation of a new digital projector.
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.
Matias Antonio Bombal has some footage on Vimeo that he shot at the theatre during one year's San Francisco Silent Film Festival. Also see his 2016 "Visit to the Castro Theatre's Projection Booth" album shared on the BAHT Facebook page.
See the Cinema Treasures page on the theatre for lots of stories.
Check out "'A beacon for the community' Iconic SF landmark lights up the Castro again," Amanda Bartlett's November 2020 SF Gate story about the re-lighting of the theatre's vertical.
Don't miss "Castro Theatre: The Epic History Of a San Francisco and LGBTQ Landmark," Nadine Daehn's 2021 article on the site San Francisco Local.News
Eric Burkett's June 22, 2022 Bay Area Reporter story "Peek inside Castro Theatre shows why it's a city jewel" offers a fine discussion about the limitations of the theatre and APE's plans for it. Thanks to April Wright for spotting the story for a post on the Cinema Tour Facebook page.
For the theatre's 100th birthday Aidin Vaziri of the Chronicle put together "A history of San Francisco's Castro Theatre." Thanks to Joel Pell for spotting the story for a Cinema Tour Facebook post. If you're behind a firewall, see his post for the article's text. Also as a birthday present Chronicle film critic Mick Lasalle offers his tale of some bad adventures at the theatre in the Datebook article "Why I stopped watching movies at the Castro Theatre." Thanks to Lew Williams for spotting the story for a post on the Theatre Architecture Facebook page.
As a backlash to APE's plans a number of preservationists were trying to get the city to extend the existing landmark designation to include interior features, including the existing main floor seating configuration. See Tony Bravo's June 2022 Datebook article "New Castro Theatre conservancy group hopes to halt S.F. venue renovation plans." Patrick Carroll spotted Jay Barmann's Hoodline story "Nonprofit seeks to stop plan to remove seats from Castro Theatre."
The Castro Theatre pages: back to top - history + exterior views | 2024-2025 interior restoration | earlier interior views |
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