Metro Theater

2055 Union Street,
San Francisco, CA 94123

12 people favorited this theater

The Metro Theater opened as the Metropolitan Theater on April 23, 1924 with “The Fighting Coward”, a second-run attraction. It was built by Samuel H. Levin, and, from the beginning, was a key link in his San Francisco Theatres Inc. chain, which originally consisted of the Alexandria, Coliseum, Metro, Harding, Balboa and Vogue (in 1949, the Coronet was added to the group.)

In 1941, the Metropolitan Theater was extensively remodelled, both inside and out, and it re-opened on June 7, 1941, its name now shortened to Metro Theater.

In the mid-1950’s the Metro Theater was home to the just emerging San Francisco Film Festival, and eventually upgraded to a first run venue, with bookings usually carefully chosen so as to maintain its image as one of quality and prestige, and far better maintained than most of its siblings elsewhere in San Francisco.

The Metro Theater continued to operate as a single screen theater until its closure in October 2006. In June 2009, the developer extended a commitment to preserve some of the historic features inside, including a series of murals by interior designer Anthony Heinsbergen, Ioinic columns, grilles and urns on the stage.

Contributed by Tillmany, Ian Grundy

Recent comments (view all 63 comments)

tjmayerinsf on February 2, 2008 at 12:47 pm

The SF Landmarks Board will consider landmark status for the Metro Theater next Wed., Feb. 6 at 12:30 pm in Room 400, City Hall. See www.sfntf.org for more info or email Alfonso Felder at … the Metro item is #14 of a 14-item agenda so it will be later in the afternoon . .

lacadaz on February 4, 2008 at 7:53 pm

Here are a few shots from the exterior taken in January 2008

Metro Theater

lostmemory on August 28, 2008 at 2:14 pm

Here is an August 2008 photo.

KPetrin on February 26, 2009 at 10:05 am

Save the Metro! See the Video!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRaM9ODJ-tU

kpdennis on April 25, 2009 at 1:50 pm

The Metro in slightly better days – from spring 1996:
View link

lostmemory on April 26, 2009 at 7:57 pm

1926 Photo