Balboa Theatre
3630 Balboa Street,
San Francisco,
CA
94121
3630 Balboa Street,
San Francisco,
CA
94121
23 people
favorited this theater
Showing 26 - 47 of 47 comments found
This is a 2007 photo of the Balboa Theater.
If your in the area, you can see 9 Oscar nominated documentaries for free. Check the Balboa Theater website for details.
Currently on display in the Balboa’s lobby is a black and white photo exhibit of small town American theaters, “Last Frame of Picture”
The Balboa has reverted back to being a neighborhood second run double feature house, as the San Francisco media and filmgoing public did not support the rep schedule. They are still planning a few special series, but the Balboa’s days as a rep house are over for the time being.
The Balboa has reverted back to being a neighborhood second run double feature house, as the San Francisco media and filmgoing public did not support the rep schedule. They are still planning a few special series, but the Balboa’s days as a rep house are over for the time being.
Here is a recent photo of the Balboa Theater.
A night view of the Balboa Theater can be seen here.
Here are more modern photos of the Balboa Theater.
Here is a color photo of the Balboa Theater.
From the San Francisco Public Library website:
View link
View link
The Balboa Theatre was built for the Samuel H. Levin chain of neighborhood theatres known as San Francisco Theatres Inc. It opened on 7th February 1926.
I saw a great double feature there about 1995… “Shawshank Redemption” and “Ed Wood”… a quaint little theater and very nicely kept up. Also some nice deco touches as I recall!
I am a big fan of neighborhood theaters and the Balboa is my favorite (and within walking distance from home!). I have seen several photographs around town of various neighborhood theaters (including the Balboa) and would like to know where I can buy copies of these. Suggestions? Thanks!
The etched glass light fixtures and the bas relief mural mentioned in the first posting have just been lovingly restored. Wow. We are really proud of them.
Sounds great Gary, here is a correction to the link, http://www.balboamovies.com/
As the Balboa approaches its 78th Anniversary, a big birthday bash is planned for Thursday, Feb. 26. WINGS will be screened with an original score performed by Nik Phelps of Sprocket Ensemble. It will be preceded by Melies A TRIP TO THE MOON, Felix the Cat in ASTRONOMEOWS, silent trailers, a vaudeville show with classic magician James Hamilton and San Francisco’s own “It” girl, Suzanne Ramsey as Kitten on the Keys plus prizes and birthday cake.
ADA upogrades are apace and the stunning paint job in the lobby higlights the interior deco detail. The broken etched glass lamp shades are being replicated and little by little the Balboa will become a deserving gem.
Audiences already love the theater for its good movie selection, low prices and friendly staff. It publishes a weekly email newsletter (subscribe at wenbsite: http://www>BalboaMovies.com .
Though the Balboa was originally a single-screen theater (one wonders what its auditorium and screen looked like as such), it was divided into two screens (about 1970’s?), and hence is now a duplex.
As a single screen theatre the Balboa Theatre seated 763 people.
There is a nice photo and more information about the Balboa at the following website:
http://www.outsidelands.org/balboa.html
The Balboa Theatre is located at 3630 Balboa Street.
When the Balboa opened in February 1926, San Francisco already had another Balboa Theatre located on Ocean Avenue, on the other side of town, so this one was christened the “New Balboa” to avoid confusion between the two. By 1932 the “other” Balboa had been renamed the Westwood, and closed shortly thereafter, so the “New” was deemed no longer necessary. Ironically, confusion between the two continues to this day among local theatrephiles.
This was yet another theatre designed by the prolific Reid Bros. It’s style really isn’t Art Deco. It was originally Spanish Colonial, however the later removal of much of the cast ornament on the facade, and the inclusion of a streamlined marquee and vertical sign in later years, along with beautiful etched glass hanging fixtures in the lobby and an allegorical bas relief of a muse holding Greek masks, make much of the overall feel of the place more Deco than anything else.