Opening: The theatre opened sometime around 1912 as the V-Odeon Theatre. Somehow it didn't get into the city directories until the June 1915 edition. The location was on the south side of the street, mid-block between 3rd and 4th. The V-Odeon was built on the site of the pre-1906 Cineograph.
The "V" in the name indicated it was a five cent theatre. In 1914 the price went to ten cents and the theatre was renamed the Odeon.
A summer 1914 note about the retirement of the "V." Thanks to Jack Tillmany for finding the trade magazine item. He comments: "The Liberty Nickel, which was in use up to 1913, when it was replaced by the Buffalo Nickel, also sported a V on its back side, and was actually referred to as the 'V Nickel.' Wikipedia has an article on the Liberty Head nickel."
Closed: Sometime in 1924 or earlier. Its last year of inclusion in a city directory was 1923. By October 1924 the space had become the Metropolitan Market.
The V-Odeon c.1912. On the far left it's the Silver Palace, later renamed the Hub Theatre. It's a photo from the Jack Tillmany collection.
A detail of the V-Odeon's entrance from the c.1912 photo. Note the "V" on each corner of the marquee.
A look into the ticket lobby in a summer 1912 American Photo Player ad in Moving Picture World that was located by Jack Tillmany. Note the V-Odeon lettering.
A 1914 photo with the theatre running "The Hand of Horror." The photo is from the Tom B'hend / Preston Kaufmann Collection, a part of the Margaret Herrick Digital Library of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences.
A closer look at the theatre during its run of "The Hand of Horror." Thanks to Jack Tillmany for this one. A smaller version of this is on the San Francisco Public Library website.
A summer 1916 photo looking east from the Jack Tillmany collection. The Odeon is running "The Moment Before" with Pauline Frederick and Thomas Holding, an April release. Note that the marquee has been seriously bulked up with added readerboard space.
This side of the Odeon it's the Unique (757 Market, below the Owl 5 cent cigars sign), the Wonderland (763 Market, just this side of the Unique) and the Portola (779 Market).
A February 1918 photo by International Film Service looking east toward the marquee of the Odeon. There's a sliver of the Unique Theatre two doors this side of the Odeon. Thanks to Bob Ristelhueber for finding the photo in the National Archives for a post on the BAHT Facebook page.
The copy with the image: "San Francisco's Enthusiasm - Photo shows a scene on Market street, San Francisco, Cal., during parade of draft-men. Girl breaks through lines to cheer men on their way."
A September 1919 view from the Jack Tillmany collection.
A last look at the space as a theatre. It's an April 1922 photo from Jack Tillmany's collection.
Nope, can't go on the weekends, but we have a pass from Max L. Shirpser that's otherwise good for a show. The date? Who knows? Thanks to Kevin Walsh for the post on the BAHT Facebook page.
It's October 1924 and the theatre's marquee has been repurposed with signage for the Metropolitan Market. It's a detail from a larger photo in the Jack Tillmany collection.
A February 1927 view giving us another look at the marquee reused by Metropolitan Market. Thanks to Jack Tillmany for the photo. He comments: "The streetcar is advertising 'An Affair of the Follies' at the Warfield. The California Theatre is in the distance. The #5 Line ran out McAllister & Fulton to Playland; rubber replaced rail in 1948."
It's October 1924 and the theatre's marquee has been repurposed with signage for the Metropolitan Market. It's a detail from a larger photo in the Jack Tillmany collection.
A February 1927 view giving us another look at the marquee reused by Metropolitan Market. Thanks to Jack Tillmany for the photo. He comments: "The streetcar is advertising 'An Affair of the Follies' at the Warfield. The California Theatre is in the distance. The #5 Line ran out McAllister & Fulton to Playland; rubber replaced rail in 1948."
More information: 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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