The Victoria Theatre

2961 16th St. | map |

Opened: December 1907 as a vaudeville house booked by the Sullivan and Considine circuit called the 16th Street Theatre, now the oldest operating theatre in San Francisco. The theatre is on the southwest corner of 16th and Capp St., a short block east of Mission St. We're looking toward Mission in this photo from the theatre's website.

Website: www.victoriatheatre.org | photo gallery |

In March 1906 Variety reported that the theatre was under construction and had collapsed, injuring a number of workers. After the April 1906 earthquake and fire Variety noted that work on the partially completed building would continue. In August 1907 Variety announced that the 16th Street Theatre, which was "in the course of construction at the time of the fire is nearing completion." In a later article Variety noted that the theatre was scheduled to open December 9, 1907. Thanks to Jack Tillmany for researching the Variety stories.

There was no mention of the opening in the S.F. Chronicle, Examiner or Call. This December 23 ad located by Jack Tillmany appears to be the first mention in the major papers. It's first listed in the December 1907 telephone directory as the Sixteenth Street. It's also in the 1908 city directory.

The theatre was a project of local merchant Charles H. Brown, no relation to Jerry Brown. In the 1905 city directory he was listed as being "with" the Orpheum Theatre and living at 2137 Pacific Ave. By 1906 he had invested in the Mission District. In the September 1906 city directory he's listed as running C.H. Brown & Co., a clothing store at 16th and Mission. In a July 1907 story located by Jack Tillmany it was reported that burglars entered the store and stole $2,000 worth of stock. In the 1909 city directory the clothing business was listed as being at both 2005 Mission and 2979 16th St.

Soon Brown got rid of the clothing store but continued his investments in the neighborhood. In June 1911 he had leased out stores at 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2009 Mission St., all near the southeast corner of Mission and 16th St. In the 1914 and 1916 city directories he's listed as being in the investment business with an office at 785 Market. He shows up in connection with a theatre again in 1917 as the proprietor of the new Casino Theatre (later called the Downtown) at 198 Ellis St.  

Architects: Mathew O'Brien and Carl Werner

An ad for the duo that appeared on page 20 of the 1907-08 edition of Henry's Official Western Theatrical Guide. It's on Google Books. The Orpheum they list was the one on Ellis St., later renamed the Garrick. The Princess was also on Ellis, next door to the Garrick. The Valencia was sold and churched in the late 20s. The Mission was on the southeast corner of Mission and 22nd and was later known as the Grand and the Realart -- no relation to the New Mission or the current Grand Theatre on Mission St.

Jack Tillmany reports that in February 1906 it had been announced that a two-story brick theatre was to be built by C.H. Brown on the north side of Montgomery (later Columbus) Avenue, seventy feet south of Stockton. O'Brien & Werner were to be the architects. That theatre was never built but it appears that Brown and his team saved the plans and chose the 16th St. location instead.

Seating: 1,000 originally. Now it's down to 480.

Stage specifications: 

Proscenium: 26' wide x 22' high    Stage depth: 18'

Grid height: 53'   Stage wall to wall: 56'

The data comes from page 52 of the 1907-08 edition of Henry's Official Western Theatrical Guide. It's on Google Books. The book lists C.H. Brown as manager and notes that the house was booked at the time by the Sullivan and Considine vaudeville circuit.

A February 15, 1908 ad for the theatre appearing in the San Francisco Dramatic Review. Thanks to Jack Tillmany for locating it. Evidently Sullivan and Considine didn't stick around as bookers and Brown was looking for a new impresario.

Charles Young leased the house and was commended for his courage in this March 7, 1908 item located by Jack Tillmany. Nearby competition in the neighborhood increased in September 1908 with the opening of the Valencia Theatre at Valencia near 14th St.

It's listed as the 16th St. Theatre in the 1909 and 1910 city directories. Although it never operated as such, Jack Tillmany reports that it got an October 1909 telephone directory listing as the C.H. Brown Theatre. In the alphabetical section of the 1910 directory the listing for Brown finally indicates him as proprietor of the theatre.

In 1912 a group of neighborhood theatres got together to give performances and film offerings on April 23 to benefit the Titanic Fund. C.H. Brown is listed as proprietor of the Sixteenth Street. Thanks to Jack Tillmany for finding the ad.

It was renamed the Victoria Theatre in 1913 when it became a film house, according to Jack Tillmany. In March 1913 there was a classified ad seeking an "experienced cashier" for the Victoria. Its first telephone directory listing as the Victoria was in the June 1913 edition.

 

An item in a May 1915 issue of Motion Picture News. Thanks to Jim Cassedy for locating it.

In the 1930's it was showing second run movies at half-price (a nickel) and handing out depression glassware to attract patrons. Mexican films were shown at the theatre beginning in March 1947 and later it was rebranded as the Teatro Victoria. Jack Tillmany notes that Mexican films had been successful at the Sutter Theatre since 1941, but the Victoria was the first Mission District venue to offer them on a regular basis.

It started running burlesque shows as the New Follies beginning April 30, 1964. It ran as the Follies, also known as the Follies Burlesque, until 1970. The 1966 city directory notes that it was managed by Samuel Goldberg.

Burlesque had earlier been offered at the President Theatre on McAllister St. but that theatre was demolished in 1963. In the early 70s the Victoria was known as the 16th St. Follies. It closed as a burlesque house in 1976.

Status: The theatre came close to demolition in 1978. It was purchased by Robert and Anita Correa who restored and reopened the theatre in March 1979. It was designated a San Francisco landmark in 1996. Programming is now a diverse mix of concerts, legit shows, film festivals and many unclassifiable events. 

The Victoria in the Movies: The auditorium of the theatre is seen in Stuart Rosenberg's film "Laughing Policeman" (20th Century Fox, 1973) with Walter Mattheau and Bruce Dern.


Interior views:

The theatre's lobby in February 1943. Thanks to Jack Tillmany for the photo by Ted Newman. It appears on the San Francisco Public Library website. Jack calls our attention to the popcorn machine. No snack bar yet.

A February 1943 proscenium view by Ted Newman from the Jack Tillmany collection appearing on the San Francisco Public Library website.

A lone observer waiting for the photographer to finish. It's a February 1943 Ted Newman photo from the Jack Tillmany collection that appears on the San Francisco Public Library website. Jack comments that it was probably the projectionist and adds that when the Newman photos were taken the Victoria was offering low price, third run double features, more or less like its neighbors up the street, the Roxie and the Cameo.

Looking down the aisle in 2010. It's a photo by Will Baker from his "100 Movies, 100 Theaters" blog post about a visit to the theatre.

A proscenium view from the theatre's website.

The rear of the main floor view before a screening of Banksy’s "Exit Through the Gift Shop" in 2010. The photo appears on a page from Hi Fructose, "The New Contemporary Art Magazine."

A 2011 view from the top before the audience came in for "The 3 Minute Picture Show." The photo appears on a PR Web page about the event.


More exterior views:

An early advertising card for the 16th St. Thanks to Glenn Koch for sharing the card in a post on the BAHT Facebook page.

The copy on the rear of the card. 

A 1922 photo from the Jack Tillmany collection. Note that nice flame atop the vertical.

Talking pictures have arrived. It's a 1931 photo from the Jack Tillmany collection.

The theatre as a double feature film house in February 1943. The Ted Newman photo from the Jack Tillmany collection appears on the San Francisco Public Library website. They weren't bothering to put the film titles on the marquee as it couldn't be lit at night anyway due to World War II blackout regulations.

A 1964 Alan J. Canterbury photo of the theatre as the New Follies. The Victoria took up the slack after the President Theatre on McAllister St. closed in September 1963. Note the banner on the vertical covering the Victoria lettering. The photo is from the San Francisco Public Library collection. On their website they display it in a tiny format. Thanks to Jack Tillmany for this larger version on the Open SF History Project website.  

The theatre running as the New Follies c.1968. The photo from the Jack Tillmany collection appears on the Open SF History Project website.

A 1970s New Follies entrance detail from the Jack Tillmany collection. The photo appears on the Open SF History Project website. It's also on the San Francisco Public Library website where it's credited to Bill Koska.

A detail of the 16th St. Theatre tile work under the boxoffice. The photographer is unknown.

A 2009 shot from Mark Denton on Flickr.

A view by Will Baker from his "100 Movies, 100 Theaters" blog post about a visit to the theatre in 2010. 

A 2010 entrance detail by Will Baker.

The boxoffice in 2012. It's a photo by Emile Dillon appearing on Cinema Treasures. 

Mosaic work as the 16th Street Theatre surviving under a later boxoffice, perhaps from when it became a film house in the 20s. The 2012 photo is one by Robby Virus on Flickr.

A 2012 sidewall view from Emile Dillon on Cinema Treasures. 

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 Cinema Treasures page on the theatre for many comments and photos. The site Noe Hill in San Francisco has a page on the Victoria as part of their San Francisco landmarks series. Wikipedia has an article on the Victoria. 

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