The Park / Central / Pantages Theatre: 1906-1913

1191 Market St. | map |

Opened: June 30, 1906 as the Park Theatre in a tent behind a new one-story building of storefronts. This theatre on the southeast corner of Market and 8th was a replacement for one just to the east that had burned in April 1906. See the Central Theatre 1900-1906 page for information on the earlier structure. 

Thanks to Jack Tillmany for sharing this photo from his collection. A version of it appears on the San Francisco Public Library website where they note that the photographer was Hosea Blair. It also appeared in the August 1912 issue of The Theatre Magazine. The act, "Kolb and Dill," featured a pair of German dialect comics. 

The project of erecting a tent theatre had been noted in an article in the May 26, 1906 Sacramento Daily Union. Thanks to Art Siegel for locating it via the California Digital Newspaper Collection: 

"SAN FRANCISCO TO HAVE CANVAS THEATERS - San Francisco, May 25. - San Francisco will have two theaters under canvas by the middle of next month. A company has secured the immense tent used by Sarah Bernhardt in her Texas tour. It will afford seats for 7000, and will be put up on the site of the old Central Theater at Eighth and Market streets. It was in this tent that the benefit for the fire sufferers of San Francisco was held in Chicago and netted $15,500. A smaller tent has also been secured which will be raised where the Majestic Theater stood at Ninth and Market streets."

 

Their ad on page two in the June 30 Chronicle noted that the opening show was a "magnificent production" of the comedy-drama "Hearts of Tennessee." To further entice you, the ad noted that it was "Beautifully Staged. Capable Company. Theatre Absolutely Safe."

 

Jack Tillmany reports that it was renamed the Central Theatre on July 20, 1906. Thanks to Art Siegel for locating this ad for "M' Liss" that appeared in the July 20 San Francisco Call. The issue can be viewed on the website of the San Francisco Digital Newspaper Collection. 

 

This view across the footlights into the tent appeared in the July 22, 1906 Los Angeles Herald. Thanks to Art Siegel for locating it via the California Digital Newspaper Collection. The text of the article: 

"The spirit of '49 which has predominated in San Francisco since the disastrous morning of April 18, in the opinion of the business and professional men of the Golden Gate city, is not more strongly exemplified than In the new Central tent theater, which has been erected on the site of the old Central theater at Market and Eighth streets. Standing as it does in the heart of the burned district, directly opposite the awful wreck of the $1,000,000 city hall building, the new tent theater is regarded as a striking example of American Industry and the Indomitable enterprise of the westerners.

"In the midst of the desolation and ruin which extend from it in all directions stands this huge tent canvas temple of mirth. Surrounded by the grim walls and masses of tangled steel, the great white tent is like an oasis on the desert, where relief may be had from heart-breaking reminders of the memorable history-making events of April 18 last. Not a night passes, declare the managers, that this canvas theater is not packed to its doors. The box office sales, they assert, demonstrate that with all the sorrow and poverty, the result of the fire, it is still the pleasure loving city it was in the past.

"The old Central theater, which was noted for its blood-curdling melodramatic productions, has been replaced by this new tent theater and, in place of the old-time 'shockers,' first class productions are being produced there by one of the best stock companies in California. At these productions the wealthy San Franciscans, the middle classes and the poor alike attend. At night the front of the canvas theater is brightly illuminated by electric lights. Forgetting for a moment the wrecked buildings and leveled blocks, the scenes in front of the Central tent theater, with its automobiles, carriages and street cars, are similar to those of the nights when fun reigned supreme on O'Farrell street. 

"The new tent theater measures 90 x 200 feet. The two principal poles in the tent are 38 feet in height. An interesting feature of the construction of the huge canvas is the absence of a center pole. In its place two telegraph poles are erected immediately in front and immediately behind the tent. From the top of one of these poles to the top of the other is extended a heavy cable. To the central part of this cable is attached a block and tackle which supplants the necessary use of the center pole.

"The stage of the Central tent theater measures 45 x 120 feet. With the exception of the old Grand Opera House on Mission street, this is the largest stage that ever was used in San Francisco. The acoustics of the house are perfect. Especially is this so during a fog, say the managers. At such times the natural dampness attendant has a tendency to stretch the canvas and the inside of the tent is like the inside of a drum. Under those conditions the acoustics of the theater are so good that a whisper on the stage may be heard equally as distinctly in the rear of the theater, as in the front part of the stage. Immediately in front of the stage is the orchestra pit. This is not built as far below the level of the floor of the stage as is ordinarily customary. The sides of the tent are half boarded, perhaps to prevent the smaller San Franciscans from creeping under the tent. The managers say this feature adds much to the acoustics of the theater.

"The new Central tent theater is the home of one of the best stock companies that ever played in the Golden Gate city, say San Franciscans. The company is made up of some of the old Central theater headlights and members from the former Alcazar and Majestic companies. Wilfrid Rogers is leading man and Miss Agnes Williams Johns leading woman. Miss Oza Waldrop plays the ingenue parts. 

"The theater is under the management of Ernest E. Howell and Mortimer M. Dodge, both of whom have gained distinction in these, lines both In Los Angeles and San Francisco. Mr. Howeil is a former Los Angeles boy. Some years ago he became identified with J. M. Shawhan in the publication of one of the evening papers for W. F. Burbank. Previous to that time he was employed on the editorial staff of The Los Angeles Herald. It is a matter of history that wherever he has gone and whatever he has undertaken he has always 'made good.' Older church members of this city will remember Mr. Howell as one of the solo boys of the St. Paul's cathedral choir years ago."

 

"Kolb and Dill" with their show "In Paris" were advertised in the December 9, 1906 San Francisco Call. They're the team that's seen promoted on the readerboard in the photo at the top of the page.  They had also played the Central in September. Thanks to art Siegel for locating the ad via the California Digital Newspaper Collection.

The local Italian community was alerted to news of an upcoming Lambardi Grand Opera Company season at the Central in an article in the November 26, 1906 Italia, an Italian language paper. Thanks to Art Siegel for locating this via the California Digital Newspaper Collection. This version is (more or less) by Google Translate: 

"THE ITALIAN OPERA will debut at Christmas at the Central Theater. We are pleased to confirm today the news we were given a few days ago about the next visit of the Lambardi Company, which will give a course of Italian opera performances in our city. The Company will appear at the Central Theater, on Market St, near the City Hall, for a period of 6 weeks, starting performances on Christmas Eve or Christmas day, probably with the opera 'Aida.' 

"The theater will be specially modernized and decorated for the occasion. It contains more than 2,000 seats and a grand stage that will allow for splendid staging. The repertoire of the Lambardi Company, in addition to the most popular works, includes some very interesting and first-rate novelties, including 'Iris' - the splendid work of Mascagni, the 'Chopin' of Orefice, the 'Germania' of Franchettl and the 'Fedora' by Giordano. The entire repertoire is composed as follows: Aida, Otello, Ballo in Maschera, Forza del Destino, Rigoletto, Ernani, Trovatore and Traviata by Verdi; Lucia and Favorita by Donizzetti; Manon Lescaut, Bohème and Tosca by Puccini; Cavalleria and Iris by Mascagni; Africana and Huguenot by Meyerbeer; Faust by Gounod; Carmen by Bizet; Barber of Seville and William Tell by Rossini; Mignon by Thomas; I Pagliacci by Leoncavallo; Gioconda by Ponchielli; Fra Diavolo by Auber; Sonnambula by Bellini; Chopin by Orefice; Germania by Franchetti and Fedora by Giordano. 

"The Company is made up of excellent performers, all new to San Francisco, with the exception of Adelina Tromben, the likeable and very talented light soprano who three years ago brought a series of triumphs to the Tivoli Theater. Some of the other artists are already famous in the theatrical world and among them we mention Ester Adaberto, a dramatic soprano, gifted with a splendid voice. Here is the complete list of the Company -- SOPRANOS: Ester Adaberto, Giorgi Velia, Adelina Tromben, Ida Toragna, Bianca Nunez. MEZZO SPORANOS: Matilde Campofiori and Maria Millon. TENORS: Filippo D'Ottavi, Orelli Emilio, Salvaneschi Attilio. BARITONES: Antola Angelo, Bocchetta Cesare, Pacini Adolfo. BASSES: Ugo Canotti, Lombardi Olinto, Bergami Luigi. ORCHESTRA DIRECTOR: Fulgenzio Guerrieri. We are assured that Maestro Guerrieri is an excellent conductor and has made a good name for himself in Mexico and Los Angeles, where the Company is currently located. The Impresario Lambardi assures that he will put the utmost effort into giving the promised repertoire, and therefore we can already foresee an excellent success for his company."

 

The readers of the San Francisco call didn't get the opera news until that paper's December 9, 1906 issue. That day's paper also carried an article on page 44 promising an improved building:

"Central Theater to Be Renovated for the Performances -- For the opening of Lambardi Italian Opera Company's season at the Central Theater on Christmas evening the house is to be renovated and steam heated and everything done to make its patrons comfortable. A special entrance on Eighth street is being arranged for the accommodation of  those who arrive in carriages or automobiles. The Lambardis were organized early this year for a tour of Cuba and Mexico and after its successful completion they were engaged to open the Auditorium at Los Angeles, where, they have spent a profitable month..."

Art comments: "It seems like the move to high art was not a keeper, and the Central returned to melodrama with lots of special effects, damsels in distress, etc."

A new wood building to replace the tent opened in January 1907. Jack Tillmany notes that January 7 is a probable date for the debut of the building.

Seating: 1,704

Thanks to Kevin Walsh for the seating chart, from a 1908 guidebook in his collection. Kevin shared this as a post on the BAHT Facebook page.

Stage Specifications: Illumination: Gas and Electric | Proscenium width: 32' | Proscenium height: 27' 6" | Stage depth: 50' (!) | Grid height: 65' | Wall to wall: 90'

The stage data and seating capacity comes from Henry's 1907-08 Official Western Theatrical Guide. It's on Google Books. The information for the Central is on page 51.

Pantages arrives:  moved into the Central in late 1909, calling it the Pantages Central. Since the fall of 1908 he had been booking his shows into the Empire Theatre, 2080 Sutter St., advertising it as the Pantages or the Pantages Empire. Thanks to Art Siegel for locating this November 21, 1909 SF Call article via the California Digital Newspaper Collection:

"CENTRAL THEATER TAKEN INTO PANTAGES CIRCUIT -- First Vaudeville Bill Under New Management This Afternoon. Ernest W. Howell, manager of the Central theater, has formed an alliance with Alexander Pantages whereby the Central theater becomes a part of the Pantages chain of vaudeville houses, playing the Pantages acts which have formerly been offered at a theater in Sutter street near Steiner. Pantages has purchased a working interest in the Central, which will hereafter be known as 'Pantages' Central,' although Howell retains the controlling interest. 

"The first of the new bills will be put on this afternoon. By the terms of the contract Howell will play the Pantages acts exclusively for eight months pending the completion of Grauman's theater in Market street between Fifth and Sixth. After that time Howell and Grauman will share half and half each Pantages bill sent here-supplying the remaining turns which make up their bills from other sources. The general policy of the Central will remain unchanged, while the Sutter street house will probably be devoted to motion pictures and the more inexpensive forms of vaudeville. 

"The first Pantages bill will be seen at the Central this afternoon. The Pantages circuit, which originated in Seattle a few years ago, was extended from there to Portland, thence to San Francisco, and at the present time extends throughout almost the entire trans-Mississippi country. This latest theatrical move marks another step in the general trend of places of amusement to the downtown business district, and for that reason is of considerable significance."

The "Grauman's theater in Market street between Fifth and Sixth" that the article referred to was the Empress. That theatre, later called the Strand and then the St. Francis, got open in December 1910 and was actually run by Sullivan and Considine but Sid Grauman was the manager. 

 

The November 21, 1909 Pantages ad in the SF Call. Thanks to Art for locating it.

By December 1909 the connection of Pantages with Ernest Howell had grown. Another article, "New Vaudeville Circuit Formed," appeared in the December 2, 1909 SF Call:

"Pantages and Howell Combine to Play Head Liners in Number of Theaters. Another cliange in the local theatrical world is promised by the establishment of what is known as the 'Pantages-Howell vaudeville circuit,''which promises to bring many of the first class 'circuit' acts to the Central theater in Market street during the coming season. Ernest Howell, proprietor of the Central, returned yesterday from Seattle, where he has been in consultation with Pantages and consummated plans for the operation of a vaudeville circuit that will practically guarantee performers 52 weeks work each season, a condition that at the present time is absolutely unknown in the theatrical world. 

"The route taken will be from St. Paul through to Seattle, down the coast to San Diego and back by way of Salt Lake City and Denver. One of the chief advantages of this arrangement will be the possibility of bringing Al performers to San Francisco and allowing the public to see the acts at a nominal price. Also, the new circuit will include a number of the smaller interior towns and guarantee them some of the better acts. At the present time they have to satisfy themselves with low grade acts and depend entirely on 'pickups' and 'castoffs' for their theaters. 

"The new circuit has arranged for and includes 18 houses in the state of California, covering such cities as Stockton, Fresno, Sacramento, San Diego, besides the larger houses in Oakland and San Francisco. Howell is responsible for the statement that, as, Pantages is very much elated over the new arrangement as by the possibility of bookings throughout this state he is enabled to insure the full year's work to acts and thereby secure a pick of the vaudeville field. Pantages at the present time, it is said, has options on many of the 'head liners' on the higher priced circuits throughout the country, and the opening of the large string of houses on the.new circuit will insure their appearance locally."

Art Siegel notes by mid-December the theatre got another refurbishment and movies were part of the programming mix. He found this mention in the December 12, 1909 SF Call:

"SEA LION CLIMBS STAIRS AT CENTRAL -- Many Big Features Are Promised by Pantages.  Commenclng with the.matinee today, the offerings at Pantages Central theater are promised to be the best that have ever appeared over the Pantages circuit. Among the many feature acts which will be presented is that supplied by Stonewall's educated sea lion, Dick. This is declared to be a marvelous beast, and a great hit everywhere. Among Dick's accomplisments, climbing a flight of stairs, riding on the back of a pony and juggling, are only a few. 

"W. S. Harvey and company, in 'A House Turned Upside Down;' Jarvis, Mann and Jurenda, singers of popular and grand opera selections; Glen Burt, a Hebrew comedian of repute; Golden and Arsath, athletes, and several other big attractions are promised at the Central theater, not to mention an entirely new series of motion pictures. The theater has been entirely renovated, new seats have been installed, and the building has been supplied with all the appurtenances required for the comfort and safety of its patrons."

 

The December 12, 1909 ad in the SF Call.

Closed: 1911 or 1912. It's unknown if shows continued at the Central after the the new Pantages Theatre at 939 Market opened in December 1911. Jack Tillmany reports that the last city directory listing for the Central was in the August 1912 edition. 

In 1926 the Pantages circuit would move to yet another new home at 1192 Market, the theatre that was renamed the Orpheum in 1929.

The slow demolition -- and a fire: Art Siegel found this item via the California Digital Newspaper Collection that appeared in the March 26, 1913 SF Call:

"NEW EIGHTH AND MARKET BUILDING -- McCreery Estate Starts Structure Said to Be Million Dollar Hotel. Workmen began tearing down the old Central theater at Market and Eighth streets yesterday afternoon to make way for a building that the A. B. McCreery estate will soon erect. The Hibernia Savings bank will also erect a structure next to the McCreery holdings, and in a few months the fringe of the civic center will bristle with structures that will be a credit to the city. It is not now known just what class of building the McCreery estate will erect, but the report is that it will be a large hotel and that the investment in the structure will not be much under the million dollar mark. 

"This the McCreery Estate company did not care to verify when questioned, but it was willing to say that extensive improvements would be immediately placed on the property. The McCreery estate, one of the largest property holdings in the city, has shown great confidence in the future of this community. The estate owns the Western Union building at Pine and Montgomery streets and the opposite corner. The Hibernla bank owns the property in Market street adjoining the McCreery Eighth and Market holdings, and the officials of that Institution were in conference yesterday regarding a building on their lot."

Somehow the theatre was still there a month later. Art located this article in the April 16, 1913 SF Call:

"FIRE DESTROYS CENTRAL THEATER -- Old Structure at Eighth and Market Streets and Adjoining Wooden Buildings Burned. The old structure at Eighth and Market streets, known as the Central theater, which was the scene of many important theatrical and operatic performances shortly after San Francisco's gay life was rejuvenated after the fire of 1906, but which has long been abandoned, was destroyed at an early hour this morning. H. and F. Prager's millinery store, east of the old frame theater, was also destroyed. The saloon conducted by Frank P. McCann, 1199 Market street, also fell prey to the flames.

These properties belong to the McCreery estate. Old Alexander McCreery died recently. It was announced some weeks ago that the estate intended to build on the site and the report received with great acclaim in business circles. There were three alarms sent in and the district about was lighted up with the flames. Six months ago the board of public works instructed the McCreery estate that if it did not remove these old buildings the board itself would tear them down. For a time there was a wire rope encircling board of public works instructed [sic] their existence was a menace to the life of the passerby."

Thanks, Art!

In the 20s the Crystal Palace Market was built with its entrance approximately on the site of the first Central Theatre, 1175 Market. Other buildings, including one housing the Aztec Theatre at 1181 Market were built closer to 8th. In 1959 the Towne House motel was built on the site. It was demolished in 2013 for a new condo project.

 

More exterior views: 

 

Another look at the theatre before it got a permanent roof. Thanks to Glenn Koch for sharing this. It appeared in an October 1906 souvenir program for the Colonial Theatre (later known as the President) that's in his collection. The program contained many photos of theatres lost in the earthquake and fire plus a few shots of some hasty replacements. See Glenn's post on the BAHT Facebook page for 26 more images from the program.

 

On the right it's a c.1907 view of the stage end of the wooden building that replaced the tent. We're looking north up 8th St. toward Market with the ruins of the City Hall beyond. Thanks to Art Siegel for spotting this in the Open SF History Project collection. It's by an unknown photographer and appears on the website courtesy of a private collector. 

 

Thanks to Art for this detail he extracted from the previous image. 

 

 

A fine look southeast toward the theatre when it was playing a production of "Kidnapped." The streetcar on the right is on 8th St. The photo appears in a scrapbook of Hamilton Henry Dobbins that's in the California State Library collection. There's also a version of the photo on the UC Bancroft Library website.

 

Art Siegel notes that the photo was taken in August 1908. An ad he located in the August 16, 1908 SF Call advised: "Tomorrow and Every Night Next Week - James Corrigan and all the Central favorites in 'Kidnapped.'" Art notes that Corrigan had also performed in "Kidnapped" at the pre-quake Central Theatre on two occasions.

An entrance view taken during the August 1908 run of "Kidnapped." It's in the California State Library collection from the scrapbooks of Hamilton Henry Dobbin. This one is indexed along with Mr. Dobbins' version of the photo above. He was untrustworthy and gave both of them a date of 1905.

 

 

A 1908 photo taken from north of Market. It's from the Jack Tillmany collection.

 

Thanks to Glenn Koch for this postcard from his collection. It's a photo by a Mr. C. Lind, as he artfully notes in the middle of the other signage. The image was taken during the 1909 Portola Festival. Glenn notes: "Parked right in the middle, on horseback, are Don Gaspar de Portola (as portrayed by Nicholas Corvarrubius) and Queen Virgilia Bogue."

Looking west on Market St. toward 8th with the ruins of the pre-earthquake Central on the left and the new wooden theatre on the right. The c.1910 photo from the Museum of Performance and Design Performing Arts Library is on Calisphere.

Jack Tillmany comments: "An early example of the fine art of jaywalking across Market Street by Mr. Cool in his cap and knickers checking out the ruins. Love it!"

More Information: See the page on the earlier Central Theatre that burned in 1906.

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