2261 Fillmore St. | map |
Seating: 379 following the 1958 renovation, nearly 500 at one time. When it closed in 2020 it was still a single screen venue.
The theatre is still listed as the Regent in the 1928 and 1929 city directories. They didn't get a listing in the 1930 city directory but Stacy Farr notes that an April 1930 Chronicle ad mentioned that they were "fully equipped for Talkies." It's unknown when they got their sound installation. The vintage plasterwork extant behind the screen that the Historic Preservation Commission survey calls "original proscenium plasterwork" probably dates from a 1929 or 1930 remodel that brought the proscenium forward to allow speakers behind the screen. The 1913 configuration would have had the screen on the back wall. It was listed as the Avalon Theatre in the 1931 city directory. There was no listing for the theatre in the 1932, 1933, 1934 or 1935 city directories. But the June 1933 phone company listings by street address showed it as still having a phone. They listed it as the Regent with a 2441 address.
Opening: The theatre opened in 1913 as the Regent Theatre, a project of the Mutual Amusement & Investment Co. The building is in Pacific Heights
on the west side of the street just south of Clay. The 1977 photo by Paul Lawrence is from the Surf Theatres Archives.
It's not in the 1913 city
directory but Jack Tillmany advises that it did make the October 1, 1913
edition of the telephone directory. A March 2022 Hoodline article discussing the landmarking process noted that the theatre's building permit was issued in 1913 and that it's on the 1913 Sanborn map with small retail stores flanking a space indicated as 'moving pictures.' Thanks to Patrick Carroll for spotting the story. The building is 60' x 119'.
Thanks to Jack Tillmany for sharing this December 1913 flyer from his collection.
Architects: Arthur Frank Rosseau and Oliver Marion Rosseau. These brothers were sons of Charles Marion Rosseau. The firm had been
founded by him in 1890 as a solo practice. His oldest son Charles J. joined the firm in 1898, later followed by the younger brothers
Arthur and Oliver. The firm became Rosseau and Son in 1900 and later
Rosseau and Rosseau.
In 1946 Vincent G. Raney was the architect for a remodel of the facade, lobby and second floor areas. Some of what he designed was executed, some not. Raney went on to design many other theatres, including the famous domes that Ray Syufy built everywhere. This detail is from one of the sheets in the Gary Parks collection. See six images from the plans at the bottom of the page.
The Clay got another remodel in 1958 designed by Gale Santocono that involved removal of the south storefront and a reconfiguration of the lobby, restrooms and aisles. This sheet of plans appears in the San Francisco Historic Preservation Commission's 2022 "Article 10 Landmark Designation Fact Sheet," part of an 84 page report on the theatre, available as a PDF.
Seating: 379 following the 1958 renovation, nearly 500 at one time. When it closed in 2020 it was still a single screen venue.
An item in the September 16, 1916 issue of Moving Picture World commented on "... the transfer of the Regent Theatre on Fillmore street, San Francisco, from J.P. Hughes to Leroy Blanchard and L.F. Salbach." A December 9, 1917 item in the Chronicle titled "Theater Proprietor 'Wanted' in Wyoming" identified G.M. McDonald as the operator. Both of these are cited in research by Stacy Farr included in the 2022 Historic Preservation Commission report.
The theatre is still listed as the Regent in the 1928 and 1929 city directories. They didn't get a listing in the 1930 city directory but Stacy Farr notes that an April 1930 Chronicle ad mentioned that they were "fully equipped for Talkies." It's unknown when they got their sound installation. The vintage plasterwork extant behind the screen that the Historic Preservation Commission survey calls "original proscenium plasterwork" probably dates from a 1929 or 1930 remodel that brought the proscenium forward to allow speakers behind the screen. The 1913 configuration would have had the screen on the back wall. It was listed as the Avalon Theatre in the 1931 city directory. There was no listing for the theatre in the 1932, 1933, 1934 or 1935 city directories. But the June 1933 phone company listings by street address showed it as still having a phone. They listed it as the Regent with a 2441 address.
Herbert Rosener took over beginning April 11, 1935 calling it the Clay International. The opening attraction was "Sangan till Henne" ("The Song to Her"). It's cited by the Historic Preservation Commission as the city's first "dedicated" foreign film venue, although perhaps the Filmarte/Union Square should get the nod for their similar policy in 1931. And there was certainly no dearth of foreign product on San Francisco screens in the 1910s and 20s.
In 1938 the "International" part of the Clay name was dropped. That year Rosener also began operating the Larkin Theatre. While Rosener kept operating the theatre, ownership of the building changed many times. Stacy Farr reports that in 1943 the building was sold to Walter O. Preddy, J.D. Preddy, Richard J. Nasser and Henry W. Nasser. Previous owners had been the estates of J.F. Knights and B.H. Fottrell. The Nasser family firm Bay Properties purchased the building in 1955, presumably ending the Preddy family involvement.
A 'scope format screen was installed in front of the proscenium 1956. Rosener added to his screen count in 1962 by opening the Music Hall Theatre. His holdings, including operation of the Clay, were later absorbed into the New York-based Walter Reade circuit. The Clay's building was sold again in 1965 to George J. and Katherine Couch, Melvin and Francis O. Dagovitz and Sheva Diane Brandis.
In 1966 Reade-Rosener Theatres was advertising the theatre as the New Clay. Herbert Rosener died in 1968. The Chronicle ran an obituary on May 6. Following the 1977 Walter Reade bankruptcy it became part of Mel Novikoff's Surf Theatres operation. Novikoff died in 1987 and Blumenfeld Theatres became the operator. The Chronicle covered the transfer in their March 9, 1988 story "Surf Theaters Sold to Regency Owner."
Landmark Theatres took it over in 1991. In 2010 the San Francisco Film Society had been in talks to take over the operation but those went nowhere. The building has been owned since 2008 by Balgobind Jaiswal. He had been exploring the possibility of combining the theatre with a restaurant operation but hadn't found a partner for the food end of the business. Various renovations were proposed in 2016 but nothing transpired. Hoodline's April 2016 story "In Bid To Survive, Historic Clay Theatre To Undergo Major Revamp," discussed proposed renovations to add food and drinks to the moviegoing mix. The article noted:
Closing: After losing money for years, Landmark pulled the plug on their month-to-month rental arrangement. The theatre closed January 26, 2020.
SFist reported the news in their January 17 story "Historic Clay Theatre in Pacific Heights to Close on January 26 After 110 Years." Actually there was no evidence that the theatre was open before 1913. Thanks to Gary Meyer for spotting the story.
Also see "Clay Theatre to close, last Bay Area single screen in Landmark art house chain," Sam Whiting's January 21 story for the Chronicle. The article notes that it was Landmark's decision to close, not the landlord's. They're quoted as saying that the theatre had been consistently losing money for the last six years.
Sam Whiting's March 9, 2020 SF Gate story "SF supervisor hopes a law will save historic Clay Theatre, other single screens" discusses the problems of keeping single screen theatres in operation. It was reported that the owner, Balgobind Jaiswal, would love to rent it as a theatre, even at below market rents, but had found no takers. The San Francisco Neighborhood Theatre Foundation had expressed an interest but only in buying, and not at a price that Jaiswal is interested in. Sam notes:
Landmark Theatres took it over in 1991. In 2010 the San Francisco Film Society had been in talks to take over the operation but those went nowhere. The building has been owned since 2008 by Balgobind Jaiswal. He had been exploring the possibility of combining the theatre with a restaurant operation but hadn't found a partner for the food end of the business. Various renovations were proposed in 2016 but nothing transpired. Hoodline's April 2016 story "In Bid To Survive, Historic Clay Theatre To Undergo Major Revamp," discussed proposed renovations to add food and drinks to the moviegoing mix. The article noted:
"'Our
current situation is not sustainable,' said architect Charles Kahn of
Kahn Design Associates, who's leading the theater's revamp. 'We've been
trying to figure out a way to get people back to the theater—but it's
hard to compete with those with that have multi-screens.' A new layout
for the theater has yet to be officially confirmed, but the current plan
is for traditional seats near the front of the theater, and dining in
the back. Gaining a restaurant use from Planning means the theater can
offer full meals; it also gives it permission to apply for a beer and
wine license. 'This will put us on more equal footing with Sundance
Kabuki down the street,' Kahn, who's also designed Artis Coffee in
Berkeley, and Cowgirl Creamery in the Ferry Building, told us."
Closing: After losing money for years, Landmark pulled the plug on their month-to-month rental arrangement. The theatre closed January 26, 2020.
SFist reported the news in their January 17 story "Historic Clay Theatre in Pacific Heights to Close on January 26 After 110 Years." Actually there was no evidence that the theatre was open before 1913. Thanks to Gary Meyer for spotting the story.
Also see "Clay Theatre to close, last Bay Area single screen in Landmark art house chain," Sam Whiting's January 21 story for the Chronicle. The article notes that it was Landmark's decision to close, not the landlord's. They're quoted as saying that the theatre had been consistently losing money for the last six years.
Sam Whiting's March 9, 2020 SF Gate story "SF supervisor hopes a law will save historic Clay Theatre, other single screens" discusses the problems of keeping single screen theatres in operation. It was reported that the owner, Balgobind Jaiswal, would love to rent it as a theatre, even at below market rents, but had found no takers. The San Francisco Neighborhood Theatre Foundation had expressed an interest but only in buying, and not at a price that Jaiswal is interested in. Sam notes:
"Gary Meyer, co-founder of Landmark Theatres and now a film programming consultant, confirmed that the Clay was never a money maker. He described recent attendance figures at the Clay as 'miserable' — partly due to the programming of foreign and independent films, and partly due to the constraints of running a single screen. If a movie opens as a dud, there is no smaller room to place it, as there is at a multi-screen theater. The operator is stuck with it for at least a week, maybe longer, depending upon the deal with the distributor. When the weekly numbers are distributed to the industry, the situation worsens. 'It has been frustrating watching the grosses at the Clay,' Meyer said. 'No distributor with a major film wants to show there.'"
Thanks to Gary Meyer for spotting a July 2021 Deadline story by Joe Kukura: "Landmark status for Clay Theatre moves forward, theater may reopen yet." The article noted that the theatre's interior had been gutted. Michael Blythe says not quite true. The snackbar, seats, and projection equipment had been removed but everything else was still intact.
The landmarking process progressed another notch in early 2022. Deadline discussed the theatre in Joe Kukura's March 9 story "Clay Theatre on verge of historic landmark designation as SF's 'first dedicated foreign film theater.'" At the time of the article the property was listed as being for sale. The Historic Preservation Commission's 84 page report on the theatre is available as a PDF. Thanks to Patrick Carroll for spotting the story.
Julie Zigoris outlines the difficulties in preserving the building as a theatre in "Sense vs. Sentiment: The Battle For the Soul of Fillmore's Clay Theatre," her March 2022 story for The San Francisco Standard.
A new owner: The theatre sold in February 2024 but the buyer was not revealed. Thanks to Bob Ristelheuber for spotting Laura Waxmann's February 16 Chronicle story "Historic S.F. theater sold for surprising price and the buyer is a mystery." Laura's copy:
"While many commercial properties are seeing vacancies rise and values plummet in San Francisco following the pandemic, one deal that closed last month in Pacific Heights stood out — for its sale price, and the mystery around who paid it. Two small, more-than-a-century-old commercial properties at 2261 and 2599 Fillmore St. that last traded hands in 2008 for just under $5 million were sold in January for more than double that price. The $11 million pricing was achieved despite one of the buildings sitting vacant for four years. The building at 2599 Fillmore houses retailer Alice & Olivia on the corner of Fillmore and Clay streets; the other is the historic but recently shuttered Clay Theater at 2261 Fillmore.
"The identity of the buyer of the properties is unknown. It’s listed in public documents only as Fillmore Reserve LLC, a limited liability company that was registered in Delaware at the start of the year. According to available public records, Fillmore Reserve did not take out a loan to acquire the properties, suggesting that the deal was an all-cash transaction. The company, contacted through its New York-based attorney, did not respond to a message seeking comment. Real estate firm Maven brokered the sale but declined to comment, citing a non-disclosure agreement.
"Balgobind Jaiswal, who had owned the Clay Theater and adjacent building since 2008, did not respond to attempts by the Chronicle for comment. The 325-seat theater dates to around 1913, when it started as a nickelodeon — the first type of projected motion picture theater in the United States — named after its cheap price of admission. Because of this, the Clay was opened at a 'relatively modest size that fits into the fabric of the neighborhood,' said Woody LaBounty, executive director of SF Heritage, a nonprofit whose goal is to preserve the city’s architectural and cultural identity. He said that, while it was subject to modernization efforts over the years, the Clay retained much of its original design integrity.
"But at the start of 2020, the Clay suddenly went dark after its operator, Landmark Theatres Los Angeles, pulled out, citing six consecutive years of revenue losses. A few months later, Jaiswal met with city Planning Department officials to explore converting the theater into a more 'economically viable' use — anything but a theater. He had leased the Clay to Landmark at a reduced rate and wasn’t truly interested in acquiring the theater in the first place — Jaiswal’s focus had been on the attached corner building, he told the Chronicle in 2020.
"In 2021, 'Save the Clay!' became the rallying cry of cinephiles, preservationists and sentimental community members who mobilized to prevent one of city’s last remaining single-screen theaters from being transformed into a retail destination in the spirit of the many boutiques that have opened shop around it in recent years. 'The owner ripped the seats out of the theater and announced that he had these plans to turn it into a retail space. We were worried that something bad would happen to the building,' LaBounty said. 'If it wasn’t going to be a theater, we wanted to preserve the elements that could make it go back to being a theater if, say, the retail plan didn’t work out.'
"In 2021, 'Save the Clay!' became the rallying cry of cinephiles, preservationists and sentimental community members who mobilized to prevent one of city’s last remaining single-screen theaters from being transformed into a retail destination in the spirit of the many boutiques that have opened shop around it in recent years. 'The owner ripped the seats out of the theater and announced that he had these plans to turn it into a retail space. We were worried that something bad would happen to the building,' LaBounty said. 'If it wasn’t going to be a theater, we wanted to preserve the elements that could make it go back to being a theater if, say, the retail plan didn’t work out.'
"The neighborhood’s supervisor, Catherine Stefani, even got involved in the effort to preserve the Clay, eventually getting behind a proposal by Jaiswal to add a cafe or a wine bar to the theater, but the plan never materialized. In 2021, Jaiswal filed an application seeking approval for a retail conversion. Jaiswal rejected an offer by the nonprofit San Francisco Neighborhood Theater Association to buy the Clay for $3.5 million. In 2022, the city’s Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to grant landmark status to the theater, an effort that Stefani initiated. The designation means that changes to the property require an extra layer of scrutiny by the city’s preservation commission. In the fall, a hearing on the retail conversion planned by Jaiswal was continued indefinitely.
"But the Clay’s landmark status does not prevent its new owners from reviving the effort. Dan Sider, the Planning Department’s chief of staff, confirmed that the application is still active. 'The danger is — and why the landmark was important — now with a lot of these state bills, people could buy two lots, combine them and build a very large building,' LaBounty said. 'The landmarking provides some limited protections, at least on some of these state programs.'"
"But the Clay’s landmark status does not prevent its new owners from reviving the effort. Dan Sider, the Planning Department’s chief of staff, confirmed that the application is still active. 'The danger is — and why the landmark was important — now with a lot of these state bills, people could buy two lots, combine them and build a very large building,' LaBounty said. 'The landmarking provides some limited protections, at least on some of these state programs.'"
Interior views:
A c.1977 photo by Paul Lawrence from the Surf Theatres Archives. Note the poster for "Pumping Iron."
A 2015 snack bar view from Elokuvateattereita, "a photographic blog of movie theaters."
A Brian Feulner photo appearing with "Clay Theatre to close..," Sam Whiting's January 2020 story for the Chronicle.
The west wall of the lobby in 2010. It's a photo by Will M. Baker on his 100 Movies, 100 Theaters blog.
A north wall view. Photo: Elokuvateattereita - 2015
The stripped out booth in 2020. It's a photo from DNM Architecture that appears in the San Francisco Historic Preservation
Commission's 2022 "Article 10 Landmark Designation Fact Sheet," part of
an 84 page report on the theatre, available as a PDF.
The office area behind the booth. The floor was added in 1946. Originally this was the upper portion of a two-story ticket lobby open to the street. It's a 2020 photo from DNM Architecture appearing in the San Francisco Historic Preservation
Commission's 2022 report on the theatre. We're looking north. That's Fillmore St. out the window.
The south wall of the office area. It's a 2022 photo from the San Francisco Planning Department appearing in the Historic Preservation
Commission's report on the theatre.
A closer look at the south wall mural. It's a 2022 photo from the San Francisco Planning Department appearing in the Historic Preservation
Commission's report on the theatre.
Thanks to Michael Blythe for this 2020 mural photo. He comments: "One of my favorite hidden details of the Clay Theatre, the mysterious and fantastic mosaic in our office. In older photos you can see the space this work of art is in, but it’s empty. Just a couple years later they altered the front, and he was hidden. We think probably right after it was installed."
A c.1977 photo from the Surf Theatres Archives that was taken by Paul Lawrence.
A 2014 photo by Franck Bohbot. It's part of his Cinema Series.
A last look down the aisle. It's a Brian Feulner photo appearing with Sam Whiting's January 2020 Chronicle article "Clay Theatre to close..."
The stripped out auditorium. It's a photo by Nick Otto appearing with Sam Whiting's March 9, 2020 SF Gate story "SF supervisor hopes a law will save historic Clay Theatre, other single screens."
The stripped out auditorium. It's a photo by Nick Otto appearing with Sam Whiting's March 9, 2020 SF Gate story "SF supervisor hopes a law will save historic Clay Theatre, other single screens."
The auditorium in 2022. It's a photo from the San Francisco Planning Department appearing in the Historic Preservation
Commission's report on the theatre.
Checking out the moldings on the back wall. It's a 2022 photo from the San Francisco Planning Department.
Plasterwork behind the screen. The new screen frame, on the left, was moved out in front of this proscenium in 1956. It's a 2022 photo from the San Francisco Planning Department.
They cite this "original proscenium plasterwork" as one of the features of the building worth preserving. It's most likely a new proscenium built in 1929 or 1930 when it was necessary to move the screen forward to allow speakers behind. The 1913 configuration would have been the screen on the back wall of the building.
A detail of the "original proscenium plasterwork" with part of the perforated screen on the right. It's a 2022 photo from the San Francisco Planning Department appearing in the Historic Preservation
Commission's "Article 10
Landmark Designation Fact Sheet," part of their 84 page report on the
theatre, available as a PDF.
More exterior views:
A September 1940 photo with the theatre running
"Queen of Destiny" with Anna Neagle. Yes, those are firemen on the roof.
It's a News-Call Bulletin photo from the Surf Theatres Archives. There's a smaller version on the San Francisco Public Library website.
A detail from the 1940 photo.
SFMTA doing some repair work c.1940. Thanks to Cinema Treasures contributor Granola for finding the photo in the SFMTA collection.
A 1941 look at the entrance at the premiere of the documentary "Kukan." The director is on the left. Thanks to Michael Blythe of the Clay for the photo. It appears as one of four photos on a 2015 post on the Clay's Midnight Movies Facebook page.
Another shot at the "Kukan" opening. This one's from the Jack Tillmany collection. He notes that the film opened Friday August 1, 1941.
A look at the theatre's entrance in June 1963. The shot is from some footage in the Prelinger Archives. Thanks to Bob Ristelheuber for posting the three minutes of footage on Facebook. He also posted three screenshots from the footage on the BAHT Facebook page. And thanks to Jack Tillmany for dating this.
A June 1964 "World of Henry Orient" Alan J. Canterbury photo in the San Francisco Public Library collection. The photo also appears with "In Bid To Survive, Historic Clay Theatre To Undergo Major Revamp," an April 2016 Hoodline story about approval for renovations to add food and drinks to the moviegoing mix.
"Shoot Loud, Louder... I Don't Understand" with Raquel Welch and Marcello Mastroianni playing in January 1967. Thanks to Jack Tillmany for sharing this photo that he took. He comments: "I hope whoever did this marquee did not quit their daytime job."
"The Whisperers" playing in May 1968. It's a Tom Gray photo that's in the Jack Tillmany collection.
A May 1975 photo by Tom Gray. Thanks to Jack Tillmany for sharing this from his collection.
A photo taken by Paul Lawrence during the 1977 west coast premiere engagement of "Pumping Iron." It's from the Surf Theatres Archives.
A 1979 "Life of Brian" photo from the Surf Theatres Archives.
Another "Life of Brian" photo from the Surf Theatres Archives.
Thanks to the now-vanished American Classic Images website for this May 1980 photo.
A 1997 photo by Ken Roe appearing on Flickr.
This 2008 shot by the Clay's Michael Blythe has the theatre running "The Class." It was paired with the 1940 San Francisco Public Library photo for a "then and now" on the Facebook page Lost San Francisco where it elicited many comments.
A 2009 look up the facade appearing with "5 Bay Area Theaters to Watch Throwback Movies," a 2015 RushTix blog post.
A 2010 photo by Will M. Baker from his 100 Movies, 100 Theaters blog.
A c.2010 Roshan Vyas photo from Flickr appearing with the April 2016 Hoodline story about building owner Balgobind Jasiwal getting Planning Department approval for renovations to add food and drinks to the moviegoing mix.
A fine 2011 "Potiche" night view accompanying a story on the blog The New Fillmore story about plans to expand the lobby and offer beer and wine at the theatre. Thanks to Michael Blythe for sharing the story on the BAHT Facebook page where it got some comments about the plan. Also see "How the Clay Dodged a Bullet," a 2010 story carried on the blog.
A 2015 photo from Tommy Wiseau appearing on Instagram.
A 2015 photo appearing with a July 2021 Deadline story by Joe Kukura: "Landmark status for Clay Theatre moves forward, theater may reopen yet." Thanks to Gary Meyer for spotting the article.
A view from across the street. Photo: Elokuvateattereita - 2015
Michael Blythe changing posters. Photo: Elokuvateattereita - 2015
A closer look at the boxoffice. Photo: Elokuvateattereita - 2015. Thanks for the photos!
A March 2020 photo of the closed theatre by Nick Otto appearing with Sam Whiting's SF Gate story "SF supervisor hopes a law will save historic Clay Theatre, other single screens." 
A photo from TJ Fisher appearing on the BAHT Facebook page on January 26, 2021.
A 2020 photo by Brian Feulner appearing with "Clay Theatre to close..," Sam Whiting's story that year for the Chronicle.
A 2020 photo taken for the Chronicle by Brian Feulner that appeared with Laura Waxmann's February 16, 2024 story "Historic S.F. theater sold for surprising price and the buyer is a mystery." Thanks to Bob Ristelheuber for spotting it.
Another 2020 Brian Feulner photo that appeared with the Chronicle's 2024 article about the sale of the building.
A March 2020 photo of the closed theatre by Nick Otto appearing with Sam Whiting's SF Gate story "SF supervisor hopes a law will save historic Clay Theatre, other single screens."
A 2021 facade detail from TJ Fisher. He comments: "One year ago today, the Clay was closed after 110 years. This understated and unsung theatre was for decades a reliably curated source for exploring the world in film, and the last word in spirited midnight movies in the area. If you saw the final show of the day, you might be fortunate to receive a heaping to-go box of popcorn to munch on the way home and into the next morning. The building’s future remains undetermined, but the light in the window seemed to say, 'don’t forget about me!' There is more to say, and so many people to thank for so many wonderful years, but suffice it to say that I miss it very much!" Thanks, TJ!
Images from 1946 plans for a proposed renovation from the Gary Parks collection:
Gary comments: "From the desk of the architect who would one-day invent the Century Domes…We bring you, the remodeled CLAY that was, and never was."
A title block from page one.
A floorplan.
The plan for upstairs.
A detail of the area near the boxoffice. Gary comments: "How often do we get to see the architect’s vision for the terrazzo in the entry?"
An elevation. Note the dotted line. Gary comments: "Nothing above the outline of the old nickelodeon style arched entry was executed. But that rectangular window was built as planned, as was most everything below it, although a more substantial canopy over the entry was constructed."
A section through the front of the building. Thanks, Gary!
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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