Warfield Theatre
982 Market Street,
San Francisco,
CA
94102
982 Market Street,
San Francisco,
CA
94102
12 people
favorited this theater
Located in the Tenderloin district of downtown San Francisco. The Loew’s Warfield Theatre opened on April 13, 1922 with Viola Dana in “The Fourteenth Lover” on the screen, and vaudeville presented on the 33ft deep stage. It was built by Marcus Loew and named in honor of his actor/friend David Warfield. The Loew’s Warfield Theatre was equipped with a Moller 3 manual 15 ranks organ which was replaced in January 1925 by a Wurlitzer 3 manual, 11 ranks instument.
Since closing as a movie theatre in the 1970’s, it is alive and kicking as a venue for live acts and concerts.
Contributed by
William Gabel
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Recent comments (view all 54 comments)
William………… Many thanks! That was one busy theatre in the 60’s and 70’s. Believe it or not, there were times when it out-grossed the Fox Warfield.
Great history and photos, looks as if it had several different vertical signs over the years,like the double vertical and roof signs.
An interesting fact thatI have never read on C.T. that many theatres like this one,the building was just not a theatre but an office building too.Even in those days Loews and many other theatre companys knew that a theatre was not a good way to make money.The rent on the offices and storefronts paid for the buildings.When I worked for Loews it was called Loews Theatres and Realty Co.The Real Estate was where the money really came in.
The district office for National General Theatres/later Mann Theatres was just upstairs in the office building of the Fox Warfield Building. The company did a lot of storefront leases on theatres and buildings they owned.
Does anyone know when the name changed from Loews Warfield Theater to Fox Warfield and then to Warfield Theater?
Name change came shortly after the FOX was closed and torn down. That was in the 60’s. The FOX WARFIELD was not even close to being the original FOX.
1973 photo courtesy of Michael Thomas Angelo.
In the early 1950’s this was one of the biggest theaters to enjoy a Saturday Afternoon matinee. Then called, The Lowes Warfield it played many 1st run movies popular during that timeframe. One of the highlights was the 1954 Preimer showing of the movie “Dragnet” starring Jack Webb. Mr. Webb was present for the initial Saturday Afternoon showing before a packed house of screaming kids who favored his tv series by the same name. He briefly addressed the audience but for the Lowes to host such event was big news at the time.
Loew’s, not “Lowes.”
That’s right!