Esquire Theatre

Syufy was the last chain to run this theater.

Anybody have any information on other theaters in that area: Powell(now occupied by a Burger King), Stage Door, Crest(known under several other names, now the Crazy Horse strip club--It was next to the Warfield), Regal (showed 4 features grindhouse-style, became a porn theater around 1973, later renamed Bijou when operated by the Mitchell Brothers--Now the LA Gals strip club), and the Centre (showed adult films from the early 60's on--What was it called prior & also what is it now?).

Also anybody have any information on: The Guild(was next to Market Street Cinema, became a Pussycat theater in late 1972, may be part of the current Market Street Cinema?), The Larkin(art house run by Walter Reade theaters, Mitchell Brothers acquired it in 1978 and switched to adult films, now is New Century strip club), and the Music Hall(was also run by Waler Reade--what is it now?)

A 1967 night view of Market Street can be seen here, with the Esquire's vertical sign in the center, Pix to the left and the unlit vertical sign of the Telenews to the right.

Scott there are listings in Cinema Treasures for the following theatres that you requested info on. Powell #6404, Regal #5131, Guild #3300, Larkin #3143, Music Hall #5401. The address of the Crest was 1046 Market Street, but I don't have a history and it is not listed in Cinema Treasures. All these theatres are either on Market street or around the corner of Market street. Don't know about the Guild being part of the Market Street Cinemas, the address for the Market St. Cinemas is 1077 and the Guild was listed at 1069.

I saw one of the last movies to play the Esquire it was a Vincent Price film. My shoes stuck to the carpet it was so sticky. The Esquire was torn down to make room for the the Powell St Bart Station.brucec

The Esquire's vertical sign (and part of the marquee) can be seen on the right-hand side of this 1967 photo of Market Street under construction.

From the SF Public Library website:

http://webbie1.sfpl.org/multimedia/sfphotos/AAA-8674.jpg

1964 photo of the Esquire Theatre
http://webbie1.sfpl.org/multimedia/sfphotos/AAd-8080.jpg

En fuego:

http://webbie1.sfpl.org/multimedia/sfphotos/AAA-9119.jpg

Another photo from the SFPL:

http://webbie1.sfpl.org/multimedia/sfphotos/AAB-6455.jpg

1956:

http://webbie1.sfpl.org/multimedia/sfphotos/AAB-6543.jpg

Here is a puzzle. This store on Market Street was clearly a theater at one time. Any ideas?

http://webbie1.sfpl.org/multimedia/sfphotos/AAC-6828.jpg

Here is a photo of the theater/market in the picture above, showing its vertical sign and its location across the street from the Orpheum:

http://webbie1.sfpl.org/multimedia/sfphotos/AAB-6487.jpg

1949:

http://webbie1.sfpl.org/multimedia/sfphotos/AAB-6458.jpg

1943:

http://webbie1.sfpl.org/multimedia/sfphotos/AAB-6339.jpg

I can only recall seeing one movie here. And that because some guy was handing out flyers for it on the street.

The Incredible Two-Headed Transplant with Ray Milland and Rosie Greer attached that the neck and wearing bib overalls.

The Telenews pictures were interesting as it had a large fire in the 40s or 50s.

I seem to recall that there may have been a 3rd theatre next to this one. Some guy had gained control of that theatre and had found dozens of old westerns in the basement. He turned it into a grind theatre at $1 a head, kept it open 24 hours a day with a lot of winos sleeping in the seats and one day the projector (which had an open gas flame in it instead of a bulb !) caught the film and the theatre on fire !!

George Senda
Concord, Ca

projection lamphouses from that era used carbon arc as a light source.

Here's a postcard from 1957 of Market Street, with the Esquire as well as the Telenews, which doesn't have it's own listing on Cinema Treasures yet? The Paramount's marquee can be seen in the far distance. http://www.flickr.com/photos/pulp-o-rama/888593338/in/set-72057594129975085/

IN the above postcard picture you can also see the vertical of the Warfield Theatre.brucec

Thanks! I'll need to update my info.

During the mid 1980s I lived in SF and my landlady, who was 90YOA at the time, said W.R. Hearst chose this location for his sweetheart's theatre because from his office desk he could watch those giant "rosebud" pink neon letters spell out MARION DAVIES.

According to some sources, Rosebud was Hearst's pet name for a particular part of Davies's anatomy. An in-joke for Orson Welles in Citizen Kane.

To Ken mc. Your photos from 2005 were of the entrance to the Crystal Market. It was never a theatre. Beyond the signage was a large indoor market which was the delight of downtown food shoppers. It had a large glass ceiling and went all the way back to Mission St. and beyond the buildings over to 8th St. It was torn down to build a huge hotel complex (Del Webb's Townhouse) which is now being slated for demolition to build new housing.

OK, thanks for clarifying.

Close but no cigar. LOL

In Answer to this comment:

Here is a little more info about The Crystal Market on Market street. It was built as a "super" market sometime in the 1920s and was one of the first and largest supermarkets established . Built on a former circus grounds, the store building was 68,000 square feet, with parking for 4,350 cars.

Here is a 1942 photo from the new Life collection on Google:
http://tinyurl.com/5d86kn

The link to the Life magazine photo was originally found by a new member named "misterboo". Let's give proper credit to the person that actually found the photo. Thanks "misterboo".

Here is another 1942 photo from Life showing the Esquire and the neighboring Telenews theaters:
http://tinyurl.com/5ab9j5

Don't forget the Warfield Theatre just on the next block on the left side of the picture.

And Win with Warren billboard too.

I think Earl Warren was running for governor at that time.

Thanks to "misterboo" for the above Life Magazine photo link.