Liberty Theatre

649 Broadway,
San Francisco, CA 94133

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Additional Info

Previous Names: California Theatre, Allies Theatre, Crescent Theatre, World Theatre

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Liberty Theatre

Opened as the California Theatre in San Francisco’s North Beach District in 1909; it was soon renamed the Liberty Theatre the following year, then briefly became the Allies Theatre around 1920, and the Crescent Theatre in the mid-1920’s, but reverted back to Liberty Theatre in 1926.

When the Capitol (qv) closed in 1941, the Capitol Follies Burlesque moved over to the Liberty Theatre and prospered there during the 1940’s, helped no doubt by the large number of military and transient personnel visiting San Francisco during World War II.

Its burlesque days ended after the war, and on March 11, 1949 it was re-christened the World Theatre, with a foreign film policy.

In April 1953 it closed, and was torn down. At this time, the name World moved across the street to the former Verdi Theatre which continued the foreign film policy, eventually narrowing down to Chinese films.

Contributed by tillmany

Recent comments (view all 2 comments)

Joe Vogel
Joe Vogel on October 5, 2006 at 7:15 pm

The street address of 649 Broadway needs to be added above.

GaryParks
GaryParks on December 14, 2010 at 10:42 am

At one time in the late 1920s, there was a proposal to remodel/update the facade of the Liberty using the same ornamental scheme originally designed for the Golden State Theatre in Monterey. A photo exists of the Golden State exterior rendering, with the Liberty Theatre, San Francisco, name pasted where the Golden State name had been at the bottom of the drawing. This design was by Reid Bros. The remodeling was never carried out. Monterey’s Golden State was built exactly as drawn in the rendering.

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