The Novelty Theatre

108 Powell St. | map |

Opening: It began as Hill's Theatre in 1901, advertised as being at the corner of Ellis and Powell. It was in the building on the northeast corner of Powell and Ellis with the theatre's entrance several bays north of Ellis.

Jack Tillmany reports that C. H. Hill opened it in October 1901. The first week's bill consisted of Vaudeville, a Ladies Orchestra, and Moving Pictures. There were matinees on Sundays. Admission was 10 to 25 cents." Hill's isn't in the 1901 or 1902 city directories.

The cover for a program at Hill's for the week beginning October 21, 1901. The bill that week included Albert Vendt's California Ladies' Orchestra. It's on Calisphere from the Museum of Performance and Design Performing Arts Library.

The venue became the Novelty Theatre c.1903. It shows up on the 1903 map below. There's not a listing for the Novelty (or Hill's) in the 1902 city directory.

It's in the 1903 and 1904 city directories as the Novelty with the address given as the NE corner of Powell and Ellis with Sam Loverich listed as general manager. In the 1905 directory the name Theo Rothschild is added as secretary and treasurer.

The Novelty is one of many theatres seen on this detail from a 1903 map. Thanks to Bob Ristelhueber for finding the map for a post on the BAHT Facebook page.

Just north of the Novelty note the cluster of Fischer's, Orpheum and Alcazar on O'Farrell St. between Powell and Stockton. Also on the map are the Tivoli on the SW corner of Mason & Eddy with the Lyric nearby. The Alhambra is at the NE corner of Eddy and Jones. 

 

The Novelty is seen in this detail from Volume 1, pages 35-36 of the 1905 Sanborn Fire Insurance Atlas. It appears on the website of the David Rumsey Historical Map Collection. Also see a discussion page on the site's blog with links to various pages of the six volume publication. That's Ellis St. on the left, Powell across the top of the image and O'Farrell St. on the right. Note the Orpheum in the lower right.  

 

It appears that the theatre was on the ground floor with the entrance at 106-108. Just to the north at 110-112 was the entrance to a basement tavern, marked "Entr To Bst."  The tavern is seen in the photo below with signage saying "The Pabst."

 

 

Thanks to Glenn Koch for this c.1905 photo that appeared in an October 1906 souvenir program in his collection for the Colonial Theatre, a house later known as the President. It was part of a portfolio honoring theatres lost in the fire and earthquake plus a few views of the hasty replacements. See Glenn's post on the BAHT Facebook page for 26 more images from the program.

Closing: The earthquake and fire of April 1906 was the end.

 

An April 18, 1906 view down Powell toward Ellis St. and the approaching fire beyond. The Novelty is seen on the left. Thanks to Art Siegel for locating the photo in the Open SF History Project collection. It's from the Marilyn Blaisdell collection and was taken by an unknown photographer. The site's caption: 

"View south on Powell toward Market Street and crowds gathering to see the approaching fire after the earthquake. Novelty Theatre and Flood Building, with S.N. Wood & Co. store, at left. Transient rooms for rent at right, St. Ann's Building in distance."

 

The ruins. Thanks to Art Siegel for locating this photo by the Miles Brothers in the Open SF History Project collection. It's another that had been collected by Marilyn Blaisdell. The site's caption:

"1906 Earthquake and Fire, view east across Powell to men posing among ruins of Novelty Theater at 108 Powell St. after 1906 earthquake and fire. Top of Call Building visible in distance. [Miles Bros. #60]."

The replacement: See the page about the replacement Novelty Theatre erected in the Fillmore district at the SE corner of O'Farrell & Steiner. It started with a tent for a roof and later got more permanent.

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