There were two theaters that bore the name Princess in San Francisco over the years. The one referred to above is probably the theater called the Ellis (on Ellis) and was demolished in the early 1970’s; its entry here on CT is /theaters/7112/. The other one-time Princess ended its days as the Rita (it had several names) and was demolished in 2009; its entry can be seen here: /theaters/7117/. Both were used as churches after they closed.
This theater closed MUCH later than 1980; I was living in Quincy, just down the road from Coldwater, right up to 1985 and revisited the area frequently afterwards for many years, and it did fairly well almost up to the end. It closed almost twenty years later; its closing coincided with the opening of the seven-screen multiplex on the edge of town which occured in 1999.
There are some pictures of the interior on the Shoreline Plyers site (see above). Unlike some of the theaters on military installations this one appears to been rather dull and functional. The booth photo there strongly suggests that the projection equipment has been removed.
This site has a small picture of the Strongsville Cinema that would appear to match what Parnassus says about the theater; it would seem unlikely that this strip mall would have been taken out to build a service station, though I suppose it is possible: View link. The address cited is slightly different than listed above.
I suppose if these chains owned the fixtures, they were theirs to dispose of as they pleased. In this case though, the all or some of the former furnishings might have been discarded anyway. Most likely, the reason that the number of screens is being reduced by one is that one auditorium is being converted to a kitchen which would would require stripping that screening room out. The rest of the seating might well have to replaced anyway to accommodate small tables or tables between seats and probably seats would have been lost in the process.
According to this article in yesterday’s SF Gate: View link, the current main entrance to the Metreon and the theaters on the corner of Fourth and Mission will be glassed in and used by Target as a cafeteria area. The entrance is apparently now going to be further east on Mission and the escalators relocated as well.
RE: “Darling Lili” – that twenty weeks must be some kind of record. Perhaps Michael Coate might be able to add some detail. I know that in Cleveland, I doubt if it ran more than two weeks and I don’t think it ran as a roadshow ( I would be curious about how many cities had a roadshow run of it). Personally, I think the film is very underrated – it is certainly, IMHO, far better than “Star.” I think Paramount mishandled this film, and I am sure that many CT members know that the experience Blake Edwards had with this film later influenced his satirical film, “S.O.B.”. Unfortunately , this is probably one of a number of failed films of that that hastened the end of the roadshow era.
This site has a selection: http://www.greetingsfromhollywood.com/index.htm. In addition, they show up from time to time at Amazon. Regarding eBay, sometimes a souvenir program will be offered as “Buy Now” item, which can be lower or higher than what you might pay if you decide to offer a bid. They also occasionally show up occasionally on eBay’s sister site, Half.com. The one that are there are most often used.
Also, if you are ever in Hollywood, some of the memorabilia shops on or around Hollywood Boulevard often have some, in varying conditions.
I doubt if it survived beyond 1940. The online references to Tent City indicate that it was totally dismantled toward the end of 1939 into 1940 and the area it occupied near the Coronado hotel redeveloped and re-landscaped. I have not been able to determine if the theater itself was a tent building or if it was located in one of the more substantial buildings or was one of them near the waterfront. There was a rather large pavilion among these wood frame structures, and quite possibly the theater was located within it.
I would doubt it very much – inasmuch as he died in 1927 during the heyday of the building of the grand movie palaces when many of his theaters still had vaudeville and stage shows. As most CT readers know, he very famously remarked that Loew’s “[sold] tickets to theaters – not movies.” I think he would have been appalled at some of theaters that later bore his name.
Yes, but the comparison is in some respects unfair; in the grand era of the movie palace, going to the movies – especially in this country’s great cities in the heyday of the downtown movie palace, about 1920-1945 – seeing movies in a theater was THE major form of popular entertainment with the exception perhaps of radio, There were no TVs, no DVDs or on-demand streamings of films, no video games. People went to the movies far more frequently then, especially as the price was more than reasonable. In addition especially in the first half of the era, patrons also got a stage show in addition to the movie.
ALAlvarez, I am curious about those broken doors – how/why do they get broken? Is it due to vandalism, crowds pushing against them to get in/out, excessive wear and tear, or shoddy door workmanship?
A film organization is moving into the former Granada Theater building now known as the Murphy Arts Center and will build a small screening roon within the facility: View link.
The theater now appears to be doomed; the City Council has overuled the recommendation of its own Historic Preservation Commission and taken the matter away from the Zoning Board which had been holding hearings on the matter. Story here: View link.
I, too, found the omission of a showing of “House of Wax” more than a little strange, but I am wondering if a decision was made that if it were to be shown it should be a 3D print; that may have then created a problem of securing a print and finding a location that could show it. If memory serves, the most recent showings of “HoW” in 3D used a 70mm over/under print. Perhaps none of these were available or no 70mm equipped venue in STL was available (I live there and off hand, I am not sure if there is one any more).
Based on the comments on its entry page here on CT, the city appears to have acquired it in 2006.
There were two theaters that bore the name Princess in San Francisco over the years. The one referred to above is probably the theater called the Ellis (on Ellis) and was demolished in the early 1970’s; its entry here on CT is /theaters/7112/. The other one-time Princess ended its days as the Rita (it had several names) and was demolished in 2009; its entry can be seen here: /theaters/7117/. Both were used as churches after they closed.
This theater closed MUCH later than 1980; I was living in Quincy, just down the road from Coldwater, right up to 1985 and revisited the area frequently afterwards for many years, and it did fairly well almost up to the end. It closed almost twenty years later; its closing coincided with the opening of the seven-screen multiplex on the edge of town which occured in 1999.
There are some pictures of the interior on the Shoreline Plyers site (see above). Unlike some of the theaters on military installations this one appears to been rather dull and functional. The booth photo there strongly suggests that the projection equipment has been removed.
This site has a small picture of the Strongsville Cinema that would appear to match what Parnassus says about the theater; it would seem unlikely that this strip mall would have been taken out to build a service station, though I suppose it is possible: View link. The address cited is slightly different than listed above.
Six screening rooms (on the Planet Hollywood) at this megaplex have been converted to AMC’s dine-and-view concept: View link.
I suppose if these chains owned the fixtures, they were theirs to dispose of as they pleased. In this case though, the all or some of the former furnishings might have been discarded anyway. Most likely, the reason that the number of screens is being reduced by one is that one auditorium is being converted to a kitchen which would would require stripping that screening room out. The rest of the seating might well have to replaced anyway to accommodate small tables or tables between seats and probably seats would have been lost in the process.
According to this article in yesterday’s SF Gate: View link, the current main entrance to the Metreon and the theaters on the corner of Fourth and Mission will be glassed in and used by Target as a cafeteria area. The entrance is apparently now going to be further east on Mission and the escalators relocated as well.
RE: “Darling Lili” – that twenty weeks must be some kind of record. Perhaps Michael Coate might be able to add some detail. I know that in Cleveland, I doubt if it ran more than two weeks and I don’t think it ran as a roadshow ( I would be curious about how many cities had a roadshow run of it). Personally, I think the film is very underrated – it is certainly, IMHO, far better than “Star.” I think Paramount mishandled this film, and I am sure that many CT members know that the experience Blake Edwards had with this film later influenced his satirical film, “S.O.B.”. Unfortunately , this is probably one of a number of failed films of that that hastened the end of the roadshow era.
This site has a selection: http://www.greetingsfromhollywood.com/index.htm. In addition, they show up from time to time at Amazon. Regarding eBay, sometimes a souvenir program will be offered as “Buy Now” item, which can be lower or higher than what you might pay if you decide to offer a bid. They also occasionally show up occasionally on eBay’s sister site, Half.com. The one that are there are most often used.
Also, if you are ever in Hollywood, some of the memorabilia shops on or around Hollywood Boulevard often have some, in varying conditions.
I doubt if it survived beyond 1940. The online references to Tent City indicate that it was totally dismantled toward the end of 1939 into 1940 and the area it occupied near the Coronado hotel redeveloped and re-landscaped. I have not been able to determine if the theater itself was a tent building or if it was located in one of the more substantial buildings or was one of them near the waterfront. There was a rather large pavilion among these wood frame structures, and quite possibly the theater was located within it.
A related press release: View link.
Scroll down on this page to see two pictures (below those of the UA theater) to see two pictures of theBrookdale East: View link.
I would doubt it very much – inasmuch as he died in 1927 during the heyday of the building of the grand movie palaces when many of his theaters still had vaudeville and stage shows. As most CT readers know, he very famously remarked that Loew’s “[sold] tickets to theaters – not movies.” I think he would have been appalled at some of theaters that later bore his name.
The theater has reopened as a non-profit: View link
Yes, but the comparison is in some respects unfair; in the grand era of the movie palace, going to the movies – especially in this country’s great cities in the heyday of the downtown movie palace, about 1920-1945 – seeing movies in a theater was THE major form of popular entertainment with the exception perhaps of radio, There were no TVs, no DVDs or on-demand streamings of films, no video games. People went to the movies far more frequently then, especially as the price was more than reasonable. In addition especially in the first half of the era, patrons also got a stage show in addition to the movie.
ALAlvarez, I am curious about those broken doors – how/why do they get broken? Is it due to vandalism, crowds pushing against them to get in/out, excessive wear and tear, or shoddy door workmanship?
A film organization is moving into the former Granada Theater building now known as the Murphy Arts Center and will build a small screening roon within the facility: View link.
This theater will be closing as of May 15, 2011: View link.
A set of pictures from its Muvico era: View link.
The theater owner has given up the struggle to keep the theater open and is closing it as of May 5, 2011: View link.
An article about the closing with a picture of the school building that housed the theater: View link
According to its entry on CinemaTour, it closed on May 7, 2009: http://www.cinematour.com/tour/us/6318.html.
The theater now appears to be doomed; the City Council has overuled the recommendation of its own Historic Preservation Commission and taken the matter away from the Zoning Board which had been holding hearings on the matter. Story here: View link.
I, too, found the omission of a showing of “House of Wax” more than a little strange, but I am wondering if a decision was made that if it were to be shown it should be a 3D print; that may have then created a problem of securing a print and finding a location that could show it. If memory serves, the most recent showings of “HoW” in 3D used a 70mm over/under print. Perhaps none of these were available or no 70mm equipped venue in STL was available (I live there and off hand, I am not sure if there is one any more).
Exterior of the Odeon Bootle, about 1971, judging by the film that is playing: http://www.mawgrim.co.uk/cavalcade/bootle.jpg.