Comments about El Rey Theatre in San Francisco, CA

JGGreco on March 13, 2012 at 3:32 pm

@lostmemory thanks for posting the 1970 photo. I remember seeing B&C&Ted&Alice at the El Rey at that time. It was a beautiful theater. I also remember seeing “Bikini Beach” there in 1964. The stars John Ashley, Mary Hughes and Candy Johnson were in the lobby signing autographed publicity photos. Wish I still had them.

Chuck1231 on April 17, 2010 at 6:05 pm

Then & Now photos of the El Rey Theatre.
View link

Chuck1231 on April 17, 2010 at 5:57 pm

2009 photo of the El Rey Theatre.
View link

lostmemory on April 27, 2009 at 12:36 am

1970 Photo

1980 Photo

EmptyP on April 26, 2009 at 4:06 am

There were retail spaces in this building on both sides of the entrance to the theater. In 1969 The Gap opened its first store in the easternmost retail space just to the right of the theater entrance at the corner of Ocean Ave and Fairfield Way. A picture is here:
http://www.gapinc.com/public/About/about.shtml
You can see a portion the theater’s tower in the background.

Back in the early seventies, a friend and I saw a “Planet of the Apes” marathon there.

kencmcintyre on January 10, 2009 at 7:07 pm

Interior and exterior photos on this site:
http://tinyurl.com/8nhfnq

kencmcintyre on December 22, 2005 at 12:07 am

1942, from the SF Public Library:

View link

robertcampbell on April 15, 2005 at 4:29 pm

The El Rey, located on Ocean avenue, was a beautiful theatre. The mitchell brothers rented it out and showed their premiere screening of “Autobiography of a Flea” complete with champagne and blotter acid. Before it became the Church of the Pentecost, Margo St. James of Coyote, had a week long film festival about prostitution worldwide. Magnificent films were shown there. Patronage was terrible. The interior layout of the theatre is exactly the same as the Alameda Theatre, as both were built by Timothy Pfluger, but the artwork was entirely different. If you are ever in the area, the congregation is very friendly and will let you walk around. Still a beautiful theatre!

lostmemory on January 9, 2005 at 1:16 am

There is a 40’s photo of the El Rey here:
View link

gsmurph on July 1, 2004 at 11:45 am

El Rey’s status should probably list “Closed,” rather than “Open.”

Lawrence on January 29, 2004 at 4:57 am

I visited this theater back in the mid-70’s. At the time United Artists booked the place with B movies week in and week out. On
their big screen was a recent exploitation picture called THE DEVILS RAIN
starring Ernest Borgnine. I recall seeing only about ten patrons
sitting in that big, beautiful house.

William on November 13, 2003 at 3:03 am

The El Rey Theatre is located at 1970 Ocean Ave. and it seated 1831 people.

btkrefft on October 24, 2003 at 8:11 pm

A wonderful 1940s photo (and further information) of the El Rey can be found on the following website:
http://www.outsidelands.org/el_rey.html

El Rey Theatre

1970 Ocean Avenue, San Francisco, CA

1970 Ocean Avenue,
San Francisco, CA