Opened: May 10, 1922. It was on the west side of the Embarcadero, just north of Mission St. Or, as the architect noted on the plans, 91' north of Mission.
In the photo we see people hanging out in front of the theatre before a 1925 parade up Market St. to celebrate "Greater Movie Season." It comes from the beginning of three minutes and forty seconds of outtakes from Fox Movietone News coverage of the event. Later we see the Egyptian and Imperial theatres. The footage is in the collection of the University of South Carolina. Thanks to Bob Ristelhueber for locating it for a post on the BAHT Facebook page.
Thanks to Gary Parks and Jack Tillmany for identifying the location. Jack comments: "Parades normally started at the Embarcadero and worked their way up Market." Gary compared the photo to the 1936 view at the bottom of the page and notes: "The photos match the way the stucco or cement steps-in around the corner of the entrance, right above the curved poster case. And looking at the signage over the posters on the curved displays, it says 'FERRY' -- the spacing works. And it's a very obvious match all around the edge of the entrance in the post-theatre photo."
The Ferry was a project of Aaron Goldberg, who also had the Peerless Theatre on 3rd St. south of Market and the Central on Market. The latter venue had earlier been called the Empire Theatre.
Architect: Albert W. Burgren
An image taken from a sheet of the plans in the Gary Parks collection. See more from the plans lower on the page.
Seats: 400
An article located by Jack Tillmany that appeared in the April 22, 1922 issue of Moving Picture World.
A May 11, 1922 news item located by Jack Tillmany.
Closing: The Ferry closed May 1, 1927 according to Jack Tillmany's research. It's not in the 1925 city directory but Jack notes that it made a last telephone directory appearance in the May 1927 issue, which probably would have been assembled in April 1927. He comments: "Pretty obvious, not a good idea from the very first. Just an in and out time killer or encounter site for the waterfront trade."
Status: The building has been demolished.
An image of the facade from the blueprints in the Gary Parks collection.
An elevation of the proscenium, such as it is. Gary comments: "Just a plain frame around the screen—no room for a curtain, it seems."
A view back toward the booth and the exit doors.
An elevation of the north side of the building with The Embarcadero off to the left. In the upper center the blank rectangle is the house right end of the projection booth.
The building in 1936 after it had been converted to "Rummy Games with Hot Lunch." The building on the right came along after the 1922 theatre building. It's a photo from the Jack Tillmany collection.
A detail from the 1936 image. Thanks, Jack!
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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