The Curran Theatre: interior views

445 Geary St. | map |

Also see: Curran Theatre - history + exterior views

 

The ticket lobby: 

A 1933 photo from the Jack Tillmany collection. Geary St. is out the doors to the left. 

 

A detail of the ceiling taken in June 1991 by Gary Parks. 

 

 

 

Another 1991 ticket lobby photo by Gary Parks. He comments:

"The finest faux wood grain ceiling in a surviving San Francisco theatre was obliterated by the curious interior design whims of Carole Shorenstein Hays. The cast plaster relief remains intact, but the wood-grain finishes, obviously the work of a 1920s master of the craft, were destroyed. The walnut finish was consigned to tragic oblivion—replaced by a 'cheery' pastel paint job."

 

A post-renovation look at the ticket lobby. It was added as a comment to a 2018 post by Graham McBain on the Facebook page Theatre Architecture.

 

The lobby during the run of "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child." Thanks to Ethan Nielson for sharing this photo as well as 21 others in an August 2022 Facebook post. The show closed September 11. 

 

The inner lobby bar. Photo: Ethan Nielson - August 2022

The auditorium:

 

"Sea-green velvet curtain embroidered in harmonious colors with gold and purple dominating. Decorated by Wm. D. McCann." It's a 1922 photo from the Jack Tillmany collection that appeared in an architectural magazine. 

 

 

A 1922 house left view from the Jack Tillmany collection.  

 

 

Looking back along the boxes. It's a 1922 photo shared by Jack Tillmany. 

 

 

The back of the main floor in 1922. Thanks to Jack Tillmany for sharing the photo. 

 

 

An early look at the chandelier. It's a photo from the Jack Tillmany collection.

 

 

A pre-renovation view from the collection of Bob Chaney and Chris Carlo. It was added as a comment to a post on the Facebook page Theatre Architecture.

 

 

An undated look down from the second balcony. Thanks to Brady Dean Hollifield for locating the photo for a comment to a post on the Facebook page Theatre Architecture.

A pre-renovation look to the rear of the house. The photo appeared as a 2018 post from Graeme McBain on Theatre Architecture.  

 

 

A post-renovation look to the rear. Thanks to Ethan Nielson for including the photo, photographer uncredited, in an August 2022 Facebook post that featured 21 other views.  

 

 

A post-renovation detail of the house right boxes. Thanks to John Hough for his 2019 photo, one appearing as a post on the Theatre Architecture Facebook page. 

 

A post-renovation first balcony view appearing on the Facebook page Theatre Architecture, a 2018 post of Graeme McBain.

 

A view across the house. It was a 2021 post by Graham McBain on the Facebook page Theatre Architecture.

 

A look across the 2nd balcony. Thanks to Mark Jabara for the photo, one added as a comment to a 2020 post about the Curran on Theatre Architecture. 

 

A chandelier detail. Thanks to Mark Jabara for the photo on Theatre Architecture. Chris Carlo and Bob Chaney comment: "The crystals are original. They are vines of California fruit: pears, grapes, grape leaves, apples...it is definitely unique. In the 70’s-80’s they were covered in years of white dust and spider webs. That was really quite moss-like." 

 

 

A chandelier view by an unknown photographer included by Ethan Neilson in an August 2022 Facebook post.  

 

 

A view from the first balcony during the run of "Harry Potter and the Cursed Child." Thanks to Mike Hume for sharing this in a July 2022 Facebook post about his visit to the theatre. Check out his Historic Theatre Photography site for thousands of terrific photos of the theatres he's explored. 

 

 

Another fist balcony view taken during the run of "Harry Potter." Thanks to Ethan Nielson for locating the photo for an August 2022 Facebook post. 

On the stage:

A look into the house by John Hough. It was a post on the LAHTF Facebook page. For over 50 additional photos of the theatre from John's shoot, visit the Curran page on his site www.OrnateTheatres.com.

A look off right. Thanks to John Hough for his photo, this one was a post on the Theatre Architecture Facebook page.  

 

The Curran Salvage Department:

Thanks to Edie Epps for this shot of a wall sconce from the theatre, one of two that are in her collection. She added the photo as a comment to a post on the BAHT Facebook page.

More information: See the Curran Theatre album on the BAHT Facebook page for 150 photos of the theatre. See John Hough's Curran Theatre page on his site OrnateTheatres.com for over 50 great  photos of the theatre.

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.

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