445 Geary St. | map |
Also see: Curran Theatre - interior views
Opened: September 10, 1922. It was initially booked by the Shuberts. Thanks to John Hough for this fine 2017 photo on the site
OrnateTheatres.com. See his
Curran Theatre page for over 50 additional photos.
Architect: Alfred Henry Jacobs
Seating: 1,667
Website: sfcurran.com
The theatre was an $800,000 project of producer and theatre operator Homer Curran.
One additional investor appears to have been Herman Wobber.
In "
H. Wobber - Film Pioneer,"
a June 13, 1965 Examiner obituary, it's mentioned that he "helped build the Curran Theater" although they give a 1927 date for that.
Thanks to Jack Tillmany for locating the article. The Examiner notes that Wobber opened the
Unique, one of the first nickelodeons on Market
after the 1906 earthquake and fire, later managed the
Imperial, and was once an owner of the
Geary.
Wobber was also involved in the founding of both Paramount Pictures and 20th Century Fox. He financed west coast productions of "Kismet," Girl of the Golden West" and "Song of Norway." Not mentioned is Wobber's involvement in managing the
California and the fact that he had a brother. Early articles refer to the firm as "Wobber Brothers."
An ad for the 1925 world preniere of the film "The Phantom of the Opera." Thanks to Dallas Movie Theaters for locating it for a post on
Cinema Treasures. Jack Theakston comments:
"This was the first preview of the film—the most complete version of it as it was shot in 1924. It was an utter disaster. Director Rupert Julian walked away from the project, and producer Carl Laemmle brought in western director Edward Sedgwick to try to punch the film up with more comedy. After THAT preview was a flop, the studio overhauled the film and it opened later that year at the Astor in New York."
An ad for a production of "Topaze" in March 1931. Thanks to Kevin Walsh for spotting it for a post on the BAHT Facebook page.
The Civic Light Opera productions at the Curran began in 1938. Page 6 of the
June 2, 1938 Chronicle discusses the Los Angeles CLO / Edwin Lester production of "Blossom Time," that would be "arriving on a special train" for a one week run "direct from Philharmonic Auditorium Los Angeles." The LACLO had been sending shows north for a spring season at the Curran for four years when a new San Francisco Civic Light Opera Association was formed in
October 1941 to produce
future shows in partnership with the LACLO. The new organization was discussed in a page 63 article in the October 26, 1941 Chronicle where they note that the 1942 season would open May 4 and run for six weeks. Thanks to Jack Tillmany for doing the research via Newsbank.
Boris Karloff starred in a production of "Arsenic and Old Lace" that opened August 31, 1942. Thanks to Jim Jensick for sharing the program with the San Francisco Remembered Facebook group.
An April 25, 1954 ad in the Examiner for the Civic Light Opera season. Thanks to William David French, Jr. for locating it for a post on the BAHT Facebook page. In 1977 the SFCLO productions moved to the Orpheum.
A flyer for an October 1954 engagement of Spike Jones' "New Musical Insanities of 1954." Thanks to Lee Brenkman for posting it on the San Francisco Remembered Facebook page.
A 1960 ad for the end of the Civic Light Opera season that appeared in the program for Marlene Dietrich's appearance at the Geary. Thanks to Lee Brenkman for sharing the program on San Francisco Remembered.
Carole Shorenstein Hays bought the theatre in 2010 for $16.6 million and at the time continued the existing lease with SHN, of which she was a 50 percent shareholder. In 2014 that lease expired. Later she remained a partner but dropped her position on the SHN board. After a renovation she began to operate the Curran herself. The particular shows she brought in caused the Nederlanders to allege that she violated a non-compete agreement.
In 2017 the Curran was used for a premiere screening of the film "Fences."
See "Carole Shorenstein Hays Out as Operator of Curran Theater," Sam Whiting's June 2019 story about her legal troubles with the Nederlanders, her partners in the SHN combine.
Shorenstein
Hays and Nederlander reached an agreement in August 2019. She's out
entirely as a stockholder of SHN and will, per the agreement, continue
to operate the Curran. Well, perhaps after her deal is over with
Ambassador Theatre Group to run the house for the engagement of "Harry
Potter." The news was outlined in the SFist story "Hoorah! Curran Theater Will Continue To Be Run By Carole Shorenstein Hays Following Settlement with SHN."
A February 1923 photo from the Jack Tillmany collection. It was taken during an engagement of the San Carlo Grand Opera Company.
A June 1928 photo taken during an appearance by Ethel Barrymore. Thanks to Jack Tillmany for sharing this one from his collection.
It's December 1933 and the Curran is all decked out for "Sailor Beware."
The Geary appears to be dark. It's a photo from the Jack Tillmany
collection. There's also a smaller version with different cropping on
the
San Francisco Public Library website.
"The Only Girl" is at the Geary and "Suds In Your Eye" at the Curran in
November 1945. It's a photo by an unknown photographer appearing on the
Open SF History Project website. Thanks to Jack Tillmany for spotting it in the collection.
"Song of Norway" playing at the theatre, a Civic Light Opera production that ran from June 23, 1952 until July 20. It's a photo in the
San Francisco Public Library collection. Thanks to Jack Tillmany for the dates. He notes that it's a newspaper file photo and July 18 was the date stamped on the back.
An August 1964 look at the theatre during the run of "110 in the Shade." It's a photo from the Jack Tillmany collection appearing on the
Open SF History Project website.
A vertical view of the one remaining vertical from the Jack Tillmany
collection. Thanks, Jack!
"Funny Girl" playing in June 1966. Thanks to Jack Tillmany for sharing this photo he took. TJ Fisher comments: "Marilyn Michaels was Fanny for this engagement. I think Barbra was doing it in the West End at the time - I'm not sure she ever toured in that role."
Angela Lansbury appearing in "Mame" in April 1968. It's a Tom Gray photo from the Jack Tillmany collection.
"Lovely Ladies, Kind Gentlemen" playing the Curran. It's a November 1970 photo by Fred Beall that's from the Jack Tillmany collection. Jack calls our attention to the
Showroom this side of the theatre advertising "All Nude Girls - Risque Burlesque."
"How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying" starring Robert Morse and Rudy Vallee. It's a July 1975 photo by Tom Gray that's from the Jack Tillmany collection. The Showroom next door has become an art gallery.
"A Day in Hollywood / A Night in the Ukraine." It's an April 1982 photo by Tom Gray. Thanks to Jack Tillmany for sharing it.
A c.2018 shot by an unknown photographer taken as the theatre's renovation was finishing. Ethan Nielson included the photo in an
August 2022
Facebook post that featured 21 other views of the theatre.
Dormant for more than a year after "Harry Potter" closed due to Covid restrictions in March 2020. Photo: Bill Counter - May 2021
Thanks to Mike Hume for sharing this look up the vertical in a July 2022
Facebook post about his visit to see the reopened production of "Harry Potter." Visit his
Historic Theatre Photography site for thousands of terrific photos of the theatres he's explored.
Another view taken during the run of "Harry Potter." Thanks
to Ethan Nielson for including the photo, photographer uncredited, in his
August 2022 Facebook post.
More information: See the Curran Theatre album on the BAHT Facebook page for 150 photos of the theatre.
There's a Cinema Treasures page about the theatre as well as one on Wikipedia.
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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Article brings back fond memories. My father (Earl Day) worked at the Curran for more than 40 years, which allowed me to work part time and meet several celebrities. Thank you San Francisco for maintaining a wonderful piece of history.
ReplyDeleteI remember your father! On 2 show days, he would take a nap between shows at the back of the Orchestra section on the house left side. He was a ticket taker and worked with Mr. Mayer and Stanley Hilden.
DeleteHe also helped Mr. Mayer selling orange drinks and ice cream bon bons at intermissions. He was there when I was hired for the Civic Light Opera's final booking to clean up after matinees on 2-show days in 1977. He remained at the Curran (also true for me) after SF CLO moved to the Orpheum. When I became an usher in 1980 (and thus at the theatre much more than before), I don't think he was still working there. Like you, I have many fond memories of my time there.
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