Opened: November 9, 1970 as the UA Cinema Stonestown with a benefit premiere of "The Owl and the Pussycat." The pre-opening photo by Tom Gray is from the Jack Tillmany collection. Jack describes the theatre as "a magnificent interpretation of mid-century modern at its finest moment."
Seating: 964 was the original announced capacity.
Architect: George K. Raad
The November 10 opening day ad. Thanks to Mike Rivest for locating it.
It reopened as the UA Stonestown Twin Cinemas on December 21, 1973. The job was done by placing a wall down the center. The seats were not repositioned.
A December 16, 1973 ad. Thanks to Mike Rivest for locating it.
Closed: Until the 2020 virus shutdown it was still open as a first run house operated by Regal and called the UA Stonestown Twin. At the time of the shutdown the new Regal Stonestown 12 was under construction.
Monday, March 16 was the last day of operation for San Francisco theatres. CNN ran a story on March 17: "What San Francisco looks like on the first day of sheltering in place."
Status: It's scheduled for demolition. See "Developer Looks To Turn Abandoned Movie Theater Into Affordable Housing in SF," a September 2022 NBC Bay Area story. SFist also had a September 2022 story: "Historic Designation for Stonestown's Old Movie Theater.. Could Alter Housing Plan." The Chronicle also weighed in with "How an empty 1970s SF movie theater..."
Interior views:
The entrance to Theatre One, the house right auditorium. Thanks to Mark Henderson for his photo, added as a comment to a post on the BAHT Facebook page.
Looking the length of the lobby from the house right side. Photo: Daniel E. Saint James - 2019
The bar and, beyond, the entrance to the house left auditorium, Theatre Two. Photo: Daniel E. Saint James - 2019
The bar from the house left end of the lobby. Thanks to TJ Fisher for his photo, included in a 2020 post on the BAHT Facebook page.
Another view from the house left end of the lobby. Photo: Terry Wade - 2019
The house left auditorium. Photo: TJ Fisher - BAHT Facebook page
The house right auditorium. Photo: Terry Wade - 2019
Another house right auditorium view. Photo: Daniel E. Saint James - 2019
Another house right auditorium view. Photo: Daniel E. Saint James - 2019
The rear of the house right auditorium. Photo: Terry Wade - 2019. Thanks, Terry!
More exterior views:
An 80s view by Tom Gray from the Jack Tillmany collection.
The theatre at night. Photo: Daniel E. Saint James - 2019
A closer look into the lobby. Photo: Daniel E. Saint James - 2019
A nice angle showing off the arches. Photo: Daniel E. Saint James - 2019. Thanks, Daniel!
The theatre at night. Photo: Daniel E. Saint James - 2019
A closer look into the lobby. Photo: Daniel E. Saint James - 2019
A nice angle showing off the arches. Photo: Daniel E. Saint James - 2019. Thanks, Daniel!
Thanks to TJ Fisher for this photo of his included in a post on the BAHT Facebook page.
Framing going up. Photo: Terry Wade - June 2019
A closer look. Photo: Terry Wade - June 2019. Thanks, Terry!
Still standing in May 2020 but closed due to the virus lockdown. Thanks to Omar Rodriguez for this photo, a post on the BAHT Facebook page.
The new Regal Stonestown 12 began construction in mid-2019 with a projected opening in February 2020. With Covid 19 delays that will now be May 2021. The circuit is now owned by the British firm Cineworld. The new building, on the site of a former Macy's store, has the cinemas on the second floor. The new location is almost adjacent to the older theatre.
A look across the lot at the old marquee and steel rising for the new building. The older theatre is this side of the new construction. Photo: Terry Wade - June 2019
Framing going up. Photo: Terry Wade - June 2019
A closer look. Photo: Terry Wade - June 2019. Thanks, Terry!
An exterior view closer to opening. Photo: Terry Wade - April 2021
A lobby view. Photo: Terry Wade - April 2021
Looking down the hall back toward the main lobby area. Photo: Terry Wade - April 2021
Seats getting installed in one of the houses. Photo: Terry Wade - April 2021
Another auditorium not quite as far along. Photo: Terry Wade - April 2021. See 30 photos from Terry's April 2 visit on the Cinema Treasures page for the Stonestown Twin.
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.
See the Stonestown Twin page on Cinema Treasures. They have a separate page for the new Stonestown Galleria 12.
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The brand new Cineworld Regal Stonestown 12 Galleria is now showing movies check out my new photos on Cinema Treasures open as of May 26 2021.
ReplyDeleteSorry to see the old one go! At least I got to see one movie there, "Can You Ever Forgive Me?" It was wonderful. I hate cineplexes.
ReplyDelete