Palace of Food and Beverages, Treasure Island | map |
Opening: February 18, 1939. The
Hills Bros. Exposition Theatre ran for the 1939 and 1940 seasons as part of the Golden Gate International Exposition. They showed "Behind the Cup," a promotional film in Cinecolor for Hills Bros. coffee. Thanks to Jack Tillmany for sharing the photo from his collection.
Seating: about 140
A map of the Food and Beverages building from the 1939 guidebook that's in the Kevin Walsh collection. The Hills Bros. Theatre is shown as #16. Armour & Company at #18 also had a movie theatre.
A September 21, 1939 ad that was located by Jack Tillmany. He comments:
"The first mention of the theatre in the newspapers was in September Hills Bros. advertisements. The 1939 season of the fair ended 29 October. The last
newspaper mention of the theatre that year was the first week of
November, after the closing.
"Their coffee plant was on Harrison Street, with the huge rooftop signage facing Westbound travelers on the Bay Bridge. Yes, the AROMA increased as you approached SF, so it was a very visible and aromatic LOCAL institution."
A 1938 view south toward the Bay Bridge and the Hills Bros. plant. This view by an unknown photographer appears on the Open SF History Project website.
Another view of the entrance. Photo: Jack Tillmany collection
A display about the coffee business. To the right is the exhibit for Diamond brand walnuts from the California Walnut Growers Association. It's on the map as #15. Photo: Jack Tillmany collection
The screen end of the auditorium. Photo: Jack Tillmany collection
A view to the booth. Photo: Jack Tillmany collection. Thanks!
The 1939 season ended October 29. Hills Brothers was back for the 1940 season, opening May 25.
A blurb about the theatre from page 48 of the 1940 guidebook. Image: Kevin Walsh
An ad in the 1940 guidebook. Image: Kevin Walsh
Closing: The 1940 season for the Exposition ended September 29.
The Gayway attractions in 1939. It's a page from the Guidebook in Kevin Walsh's collection. He calls our attention to the fifth item in the left column: "Lux Theatre: Modern miniature movie theatre with cartoons."
A c.1939 trade magazine ad for Bodiform seats that featured the Lux.
A blurb about the California Auditorium from the 1939 guidebook. Image: Kevin Walsh
The 1939 guidebook noted that the Hawaii Pavilion included sound movies in color in "a special theatre." Image: Kevin Walsh
A 1940 "Official Map" of the exposition from the Kevin Walsh collection. He calls our attention to #8 Hollywood Building / Stage Nine | #8A Pantheon | #13 Palace of Foods and Beverages -- including the Hills Bros. Theatre | #14 Festival Hall | #25 California Auditorium | #44 Open Air Theater | #47 Tower of the Sun | #58 Visual Education | between #97 and #98 Gayway entrance
Page 94 of the 1940 guidebook promoting the "Hollywood Show" at Stage Nine. It's #8 on the map. Image: Kevin Walsh
The back cover of the 1940 guidebook, advertising the show at "Stage Nine," located in the Hollywood Building. Image: Kevin Walsh
The 1940 guidebook had this description of a World War I Panorama on display in the Pantheon Building, #8A on the map. Image: Kevin Walsh
An ad in the 1940 guidebook for the Panorama at the Pantheon Building as well as several other attractions. Image: Kevin Walsh
The 1940 edition of "Folies Bergere" playing in the California Auditorium. The 1939 version toured to the Chinese Theatre in Hollywood, this 1940 version played the El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood. Image: Kevin Walsh
Hills Bros. wasn't the only exhibitor running movies in the Palace of Food and Beverages. Pages 48 and 49 of the 1940 guidebook listed the exhibits. Image: Kevin Walsh
Lucky Stores offered "motion pictures and a vitamin display." The National Biscuit Co. had the "National Biscuit Theatre" with a 15 minute show featuring Disney's "Mickey's Surprise Party" along with a film narrated by Walter O'Keefe. The Refreshment, Inc. exhibit offered a "technicolor film, which shows the parts different industries play in the making of a bottle of Coca-Cola."
A detail from the Shell map with the Palace of Food and Beverages outlined. The entrance to the Gayway is in the upper left.
Wikipedia has an article about the Exposition.
Later in use on Treasure Island: Basilone Theatre
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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