The Galaxie / Off Broadway

501 Broadway | map |

Opened: It was running in the 60s as a dance club and "purple bistro" called the Galaxie that later morphed into a strip club. The building is on the southwest corner of Broadway and Kearny.

 

Teaching the Swim at the Galaxie. Thanks to Jack Tillmany for locating this February 13, 1964 article in the Chronicle. He comments: 

"Here's its first documentation launching what would soon be the San Francisco live entertainment era of the 1960s." 

 

On to the next phase. But owner David Rapken said he has "no present intention" of having strippers at the Galaxie. Thanks to Jack for locating this October 23, 1964 article in the Chronicle.  The Moulin Rouge mentioned in the article as also being operated by Rapkin was later known as the Soul Train / Hippodrome / Stone.

In 1972 it became the Off Broadway. Jack did the research:

"While this site was still operating as the Galaxie, another venue at 1024 Kearny was operating as a dinner theatre which identified itself as the Off Broadway.

"501 Broadway first identified itself as the Off Broadway from April to October 1972 with 'Naked Stewardesses' (dancers), 'Battle of the Wrestlers,' 'Bottomless Can-Can Dancers' and a 'Naked Songstress.'"

 

Thanks to Jack Tillmany for sharing this April 1975 shot of the Kearny side of the building that was taken by Tom Gray.

 

A c.1975 view up Kearny. On the left it's the Palladium Club at 1031 Kearny. At 1033 the Finest Adult Movies venue was called the Peekarama and the Copenhagen Cinema in other times. It's photo by Tom Gray that's in the Jack Tillmany collection.

More history from Jack: 

"In January 1980 male strippers were added to the menu on Mondays and Tuesdays, and were apparently popular enough to be extended to nightly erections by the middle of February. Problem was, admission was limited to 'For Women Only' - obviously the result of hiring a promoter who had just recently arrived in San Francisco from somewhere the other side of the moon. By August, the fog had cleared somewhat, but they were still unclear about the concept [sic] and 'escorted' men were granted admission."

An October 1980 photo by Tom Gray. It's from the Jack Tillmany collection.  

 

 

Gary Gunn, Rocky and the Topper headlining "For Ladies Only 82." It's an April 25, 1982 ad from the Chronicle. Thanks to Jack Tillmany for locating it. 

 

 

Thanks to Jack for locating this May 2, 1982 ad in the Chronicle. Giovian, the Italian Stallion, was then headlining the show. A Tuesday amateur night, both male and female, was an added attraction. 

 

 A November 17, 1983 Chronicle ad located by Jack. He comments: 

 

"This is interesting. A Christopher Atkins lookalike contest at the Off Broadway in conjunction with the opening of 'A Night in Heaven' at the Coliseum and Serra. Carol Doda was the judge."

Thanks to Shannon McClain for sharing this 1983 photo. 

Closing: Sometime in the mid-1980s. Jack Tillmany notes that the 1983 lookalike contest was the last Off Broadway documentation that surfaced in the Chronicle or Examiner.

Status: The building survives at Kearny and Broadway. In 2022 the ground floor tenant was the restaurant Little Szechuan. Gary Parks comments: 

"I've always liked the look of this building. Architecturally, it's the most theatre-ish of the Broadway venues which still stand."

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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