626 Jackson St. | map |
Opening: 1868. While in later city directories it's listed simply as Chinese Theatre or Old Chinese Theatre, in the 1870s it was known as the Royal Theatre or Royal Chinese. One of the Chinese names for it was the Hung Chien Guen Theatre (also seen as Hing Chung Yuen), after the name of the performing company initially in residence.
By 1870 it was also referred to as the Sam Yup Theatre, after the name of the company (one of the Six Companies of Chinatown) then operating the house. Later in the 1870s (including in 1878 news items) it was referred to as the See Yup Theatre after the Sam Yup affiliates had migrated across the street to the New Chinese at 623 Jackson.
Seating: about 1,200 with 600 of that on the main floor. At many performances there were over 2,000 people in the theatre.
Architect: Most likely it was John Apel, who worked as both an architect and contractor. He died in 1890. Mark Reed located this item in the November 21, 1867 San Francisco Examiner:
"CHINESE THEATRE. - A company of Chinamen have engaged John Apel to build for them a theatre to cost $40,000. It will be of brick, and erected on Jackson street, between Kearney and Dupont. There are now two Chinese theatres in the city, both of which, it is said, are doing a big business."
There may have been three Chinese theatre operations at the time. One was the Son Son Fong on Dupont between Clay and Washington. The Chinese Theatre in the Globe Hotel building at Dupont and Jackson had opened in 1865. A Chinese troupe began performing at the Union/New Idea Theatre on Commercial St., also in 1865.
The Union and the venue in the Globe Hotel building get mentioned in this item Mark located in the Daily Alta California. It also appeared on November 21, 1867:
"NEW TEMPLE OF THE DRAMA. - The Chinese have lately had two theatres in full blast in this city, the old one at the Globe building, on the corner of Jackson and Dupont streets, and the remodeled Union Theatre, on Commercial street, where the last arrived troupe -- a high-toned one -- made its first appearance.
"They now propose to have a first-class one erected immediately on Jackson street, between Kearny and Dupont, on the lots now being cleared for that purpose by John Apel. The structure is to be of brick, two stories in height and have a frontage of about 50 feet. It is to cost $40,000, and be ready for use, with all the stage effects and scenic accessories in place, by Chinese New Year's, which falls early in February, according to our more modern method of computing time. The 'grand array of talent' to put the machine in operation and astonish the outside barbarians, is to arrive from China by the next steamer."
The theatre is discussed by Lois Rodecape in her article "Celestial Drama in the Golden Hills: The Chinese Theatre in California 1849-1869" (California Historical Society Quarterly, June 1944, v. 23 #2). She seems a bit confused in this opening sentence where she's talking about a theatre in operation on Jackson St. in the "middle sixties." This theatre at 626 Jackson, opened in 1868, was apparently the first on the street.
And while the Daily Alta said the company to play in the new theatre would be arriving on the next steamer, she says they were already in town playing at the Union Theatre and the success there spurred the new construction project. Here's her version of the story:
"...
During the middle sixties there were two Chinese theatres in more or
less permanent operation in San Francisco: one located on Dupont Street [the Son Son Fong], the other a few blocks away on Jackson [this house at 626 Jackson].
Occasionally a Chinese company still found its way briefly into an
Occidental playhouse. Thus, in March 1865, a group of actors, jugglers,
and acrobats was billed at the 'New Idea' Theatre -- the old Union in
new disguise -- where they appeared for a week or two. In June of 1865, a
theatre was fitted up on the first floor of the Globe Hotel at Dupont
and Jackson Streets. [See the page on the Globe Chinese.]
"The fall of 1867 marked the beginning of a first period of recognized prosperity for the Chinese drama. After a newly imported troupe took over the old Union Theatre, some interested reporter dug up, along with information about the major San Francisco houses, some figures on receipts of "the Chinese Theatre." According to his tantalizingly vague report, the Chinese drama grossed $5,365 in September, $9,102 in October, $6,199 in November, and $4,016 in December. We may interpret this at will, bearing in mind that there were at this time players at the Globe Hotel, and two other theatres [sic] listed in the city directory, in addition to the new Union Theatre company, to which the statistics probably apply.
"More
definite was the announcement, in November, that a new theatre was to
be built for the successful Union Theatre players. One John Apel, owner
of a lot on the north side of Jackson Street, between Dupont and Kearny,
had been persuaded by Chinese financiers to erect a two-story brick
building at a cost of $40,000 for the specific use of the Union Theatre
company."
The new theatre was included in the 1868 city directory on a list of buildings completed that year. Thanks to Art Siegel for spotting this copy, evidently written late in the year:
"Chinese Theater. — This establishment, put up during the past summer [?] and to which considerable additions have since been made, is located on the north side of Jackson street, above
Kearny. The main edifice, a gloomy and uninviting structure, stands back from the street;
being approached by a long passage-way flanked by Chinese bazaars. It cost, with enlargements, $20,000. It has dormitories, dining-rooms, etc., below, for the accommodation of performers, attaches, and managers — the establishment being, in this respect, complete in itself."
There had been several ordinances directed against noisy late-night performances in the Chinese theatres as early as 1869. For a time that year closure at midnight was mandated.
Feuds between the various Chinese theatres were intense, sometimes resulting in holding performers hostage. In 1870 the Hung Chien Guen company, then in residence at this house, was involved in a feud with the See Yup Company, operating a recently reopened theatre on Dupont St. Art Siegel located this story in the February 3, 1870 Daily Alta California:
"THE CHINESE RIOT YESTERDAY. There is no class of our community who, when a case of rivalry exists among them, become more hostile or use more violent measures than do the Chinese. About two years since a Chinese theatre was built on Jackson street and leased by the Hing Chung Yuen Company, and theatrical performances have been given there regularly ever since. On one or two occasions raids were made to break them up, which, however, always failed. A few weeks since the See Yup Company reopened the old Chinese theatre on Dupont street. They did but an in different business while the Company on Jackson street played to full houses daily.
"This created a feeling of jealousy and strong rivalry with the See Yup Company, who concluded— not being able to offer superior attractions— to make a desperate raid on their Jackson-street rivals and deter as many as possible from witnessing the performances. About one o'clock yesterday afternoon a gang of 'Celestial highbinders' went down Jackson street in front of the theatre, when they commenced to make violent threats and keeping as many back as they could from going into the theatre building. A woman who came along, and was about to enter the building, was attacked, knocked down and kicked. This ruffianly conduct was noticed by Officer Duffield, who came to the rescue and was about to arrest the assailants when in turn they charged upon him, throwing dirt, rocks, and all kinds of missiles at him.
"A crowd was collecting about there, and knowing the character of those by whom he was surrounded, the officer ran for assistance. In a few minutes Captain Douglas, with a posse of fifteen officers, arrived on the scene. Jackson street, from Kearny up to above Dupont, was one dense mass of Chinamen, hooting, shouting and yelling at the top of their voices. With considerable difficulty the officers made their way through the crowd of upwards of one thousand Chinamen, who, on seeing them, became still more excited, and commenced assaulting and attacking the police, several receiving severe blows. The officers drew their batons and commenced driving the crowd up the hill till the street was cleared. In an hour order was restored on the riotous territory, though it was feared that another determined outbreak would be made and the theatre taken possession of. In the evening the representatives of the six Chinese Companies met on Sacramento street, when the subject matter of the trouble was discussed and arrangements made to prevent any further trouble."
We don't know which venue on Dupont the article refers to. It could have been either the Son Son Fong on Dupont between Clay and Washington or the Globe Hotel Chinese that was on the corner of Dupont and Jackson.
The incident was also covered in "Chinatown Excited," a February 3, 1870 Chronicle
article that was subtitled "Chinese Theatrical Rivals on the Rampage." Their story:
The 1870 feud was also covered in in the February 3 issue of the San Francisco Call with their story "Chinatown. Rivalry in the Theatrical Line" that was subtitled "Chinamen Threaten to Mob A Chinese Theatre—The Police Called Out—A Charge by the 'Locust Brigade'" The three articles are cited by Morgan G. Boyd in the "Theatre Rivalries" chapter that begins on page 67 of his 2012 thesis "The Gold Mountain Theater Riots: A Social History of Chinese Theater Riots in San Francisco during the 1870s and 1880s." It's a PDF from San Jose State University's ScholarWorks. Thanks to Art Siegel for locating it.
In 1875 a variant of the late-night curfew was enacted specified a 1 a.m ending for performances.
By this time the theatre had company on the block with the opening in 1874 of the New Chinese Theatre across the street at 623 Jackson. The older theatre was referred to as the Royal China in "Mongolian Theatricals: The Police Pounce Upon The Royal China Theater," an October 25, 1875 article in the Chronicle. Both theatres figure in the story:
"Last night at 12 o’clock, Captain Douglas detailed about a dozen police officers to meet at 1 o’clock on the corner of Jackson and Kearny streets, to be in readiness for a raid on the theaters if they should remain open longer than 1 o’clock. At that hour a single file of officers stole silently up Jackson street in the shadow of the buildings under the leadership of the corpulent Captain and took up their places in a capacious doorway adjoining one of the theaters. All was silent on the street, except one or two jabbering heathens who were holding excited converse with each other across the street in their native tongue, calmly heedless of police surveillance.
"Suddenly a low shrill whistle was heard in an alley adjoining the new Chinese theater [across the street, 623 Jackson], and simultaneously a chorus of yells emanated from that building itself, followed immediately afterward by a scrambling of the audience, which had been panic-stricken by the warning whistle and were crowding and rolling down stairs from the second and third stories in wild confusion and to the imminent danger of the lives of most of them. Many crawled through narrow windows in the third story, and getting on the roofs of the adjoining building, hurriedly made their escape in the gloom. When they reached the pavement they crowded in front of the door, blocking up the street and wondering what had caused the stampede.
"The Captain glanced at his watch and remarked, '1:15, and still open. Come on boys.' He followed up his remark by darting into the long hallway leading to the [Royal Chinese] theater, followed by his officers. When they reached the door the cry was raised and a rush was made for the door, but two stalwart policemen closed and barred them tightly, and the audience found themselves prisoners."
The Chronicle article is cited by Morgan G. Boyd on page 28 of his 2012 thesis "The Gold Mountain Theater Riots..."
In 1876 a minor fire in the theatre, quickly extinguished, caused a panic and left nineteen dead. "Crushed To Death..," the October 31 Chronicle article about the event that also offers a description of the theatre:
Crime, frequently between members of different tongs, was a common problem in the theatres. "Shooting in the Chinese Theatre," an item cited by Morgan Boyd on page 62 appeared in the April 2, 1877 issue of the Daily Alta California:
"A shooting affair occurred in the gallery of the Royal Chinese Theatre, Jackson street, yesterday afternoon, originating in an altercation between two Chinamen about the right to a seat. They began firing, and one was shot in the back. The other was arrested by Officer Jehu and Local Officer Langdon, on a charge of assault with a deadly weapon. How others escaped being hurt is a wonder, as it is said some twelve shots were fired, and the theatre was crowded, the number of Chinamen present being estimated at two thousand."
In 1877 there was a new theatre opening at 836 Washington St. that also used the Royal Theatre name, at least for Westerners.
The theatre did a bit of remodeling in 1878. On page 22 of his thesis Morgan Boyd cites a letter appearing under the heading "Chinese Nuisances" in the September 5 issue of the Chronicle:
"To the Honorable Board of Supervisors of the City and County of San Francisco: the undersigned, citizens of said city and county and residents in the block surrounded by Kearny, Jackson, Dupont and Pacific streets and Montgomery avenue, respectfully represent that the Chinese theater building structure on the northerly side of Jackson street, between Kearny and Dupont streets, has recently been repaired and altered by the construction of several new windows and openings, which have greatly increased the noises and discordant sounds emanating from said building during the theatrical performances therein …"
Feuds between theatres continued to be a problem. On page 70 of his "Theatre Rivalries" chapter Malcolm Boyd discusses an event in 1878 involving members of the Royal Theatre's company protesting the New Chinese Theatre's practice of stealing performers. An October 19 Chronicle article titled "Almost a Celestial Riot" discussed tactics:
"These fellows were in the employ of the Royal Chinese Theater, and last evening they took up their positions in the doorway of the new Chinese Theater opposite, which opened a night or two since to the lovers of the Celestial drama and refused to allow any one entrance. A posse of policemen charged them with clubs, and they would scatter and return again to their positions. During the melee bricks and cobbles were freely used by the Mongols, and an incipient riot was only averted by the arrest of the thirty-three prime movers in this Mongolian project."
The theatre was listed as "Chinese Theatre, 626 Jackson St." on the Amusements page of an 1882 Guide Book and Street Manual that was located by Bob Ristelhueber.
On the left in this detail from an 1885 map note the New Chinese Theatre indicated as "Jackson St. Chinese Theatre." There's no sign of the Old Chinese Theatre across the street: 626 is indicated as a barber shop. The presumed theatre entrance is here seen labeled "Hall," just above the barber shop. The auditorium area is shown here as having been subdivided for lodging.
This 1885 Chinatown map from the David Rumsey collection was "prepared under the supervision of the Special Committee of the Board of Supervisors" and identified certain properties as opium dens, gambling halls, etc. A high
resolution image is on the David Rumsey Map Collection website.
More information: See the timeline for pre-1906 Chinatown theatres down at the bottom of the page for the Grand Chinese, a venue on Washington St. Also included are links to various articles about early Chinatown theatres.
Other pre-1906 venues: New Chinese / Po Hing / Po Ring, 623 Jackson | New Royal Chinese, 836 Washington | Grand Chinese - 814 Washington St. | Shanghai + Son Son Fong theatres - Dupont St. | Globe Hotel Chinese - Dupont at Jackson | Union/New Idea Theatre - Commercial St.
| back to top | pre-1906 theatre list | San Francisco Theatres: by address and neighborhood | alphabetical list | list by architect | home |
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