Comments from gsmurph

Showing 126 - 150 of 329 comments

gsmurph
gsmurph commented about Cine 7 Theatre on Apr 19, 2005 at 12:39 pm

Speaking of Crawford’s Coffee Shop, I remember there was a clock to the left of the proscenium around which the words “CRAWFORD’S COFFEE SHOP” were boldly displayed.

gsmurph
gsmurph commented about Twelfth Street Theater on Apr 1, 2005 at 9:25 am

Correction to the above—-the block where the Orpheum/12th Street Theater stood is now part of the Ronald Dellums Federal Building.

gsmurph
gsmurph commented about Harding Theatre on Mar 14, 2005 at 12:28 pm

UPDATE: The public hearing before the Board of Supervisors is now March 15, 2005 at 4:00 pm.

In a positive development for the Harding, the Board of Supervisors rescheduled the Feb. 15 hearing so that the Board can consider whether the Planning Commission complied with the state environmental quality act (CEQA). This and growing support from neighborhood and preservation organizations significantly improve the prospect that the project will be sent back to the Planning Commission for environmental review and community dialogue over the use of the theater.

The public hearing before the Board of Supervisors has been rescheduled for March 15, 2005 at 5:00 pm.

E-MAIL THE SUPERVISORS.
Copy/paste the following email addresses for the SF Board of Supervisors:

, , , , ,
, , , , ,

Please BCC a copy to so that your support can be noted. Be sure to list your name and street address so that Supervisors know that your support is real.

SIGN OR PICK UP A PETITION OR FLYERS TO DISTRIBUTE:
Madrone Lounge-after 6pm (Fell/Divisadero)
The Film Yard (Fulton/Divis)
Distractions (Haight/Ashbury)

CONTACT
Call David Tornheim at
415-668-2353.

Central City Progressives
c/o David Tornheim
1890 Grove # 5,
San Francisco, CA 94117

gsmurph
gsmurph commented about Brisbane City Cinemas on Mar 5, 2005 at 7:40 am

Status should be changed from “Open” to “Closed/Demolished.”

gsmurph
gsmurph commented about Broadway Theatre on Feb 24, 2005 at 9:55 am

The Broadway opened (in its latter-day incarnation) on August 9, 1930.

gsmurph
gsmurph commented about Coliseum Family Cinemas on Feb 24, 2005 at 9:53 am

The Eastmont 4 was opened and originally operated by AMC (American Multi-Cinema).

gsmurph
gsmurph commented about Franklin Theatre on Feb 24, 2005 at 9:50 am

The Franklin opened as a playhouse, the Bishop, under the management of Henry W. Bishop and contained a revolving stage. In 1918, Bishop sold out to George Ebey (who had previously managed the Oakland Orpheum) and dancer/actress/scenario writer Maude Fulton and renamed the Fulton (after Maude Fulton). Under that name it became the chief legitimate theater in Oakland, operating as a “one-week run” playhouse until 1926, when “The Best People” ran for 10 weeks and “The Patsy” for 13 weeks the following year; afterwards plays ran as long as their popularity and the market would allow.

The theater was purchased by Henry Duffy (of Dufwin [q.v. as Roxie]Theatre fame) on August 9, 1929, but Duffy’s efforts failed; by the following year Ebey had resumed control but the Fulton closed in 1931, reopening as a short-lived stock company showhouse in 1932. In 1935 it reopened as the Franklin, a motion picture house under the Carroll-Blumenfield management. In 1937 Carroll retired and was succeeded by Laws. The Franklin would spend the remainder of its operating life as a first-run movie house. Its final years (post-1942) were as the Telenews (not to be confused with the Telenews [q.v.] on Broadway and 19th Street a few blocks away).

gsmurph
gsmurph commented about Harding Theatre on Feb 3, 2005 at 9:16 am

This Supervisors meeting has been postponed to Tuesday, February 15 at 4 pm.

gsmurph
gsmurph commented about Rockridge Showcase on Jan 30, 2005 at 11:19 am

The building in back of the strip mall (across Broadway from Oakland Tech)referred to by xtopher 1974 was the former Rockridge Showcase West, which was an offshoot of the Showcase depicted here (see the ROCKRIDGE SHOWCASE WEST entry elsewhere in CinemaTreasures). The shopping center that once housed the original Showcase is a block further up Broadway (towards College Avenue).

gsmurph
gsmurph commented about Harding Theatre on Jan 27, 2005 at 9:05 am

ALERT: Condo developers have obtained permits to demolish San Francisco’s historic Harding Theater. Neighborhood merchants are lobbying to save the theater and adapt it for reuse. They will meet with the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday, February 1, 2005, at City Hall, Room 244, One Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place (Polk Street between Grove and McAllister Streets), San Francisco, 3:30 pm. (415) 568-3306.

For info: www.sfbg.com/39/17/x_alerts.html

gsmurph
gsmurph commented about Parkway Theater on Jan 22, 2005 at 10:48 am

Nice picture, but the article got the date wrong—-the Parkway wasn’t built until about 1927.

gsmurph
gsmurph commented about T & D Theatre on Jan 9, 2005 at 1:32 pm

The T&D’s style was Art Nouveau, a rare architectural style for theatres.

gsmurph
gsmurph commented about Warfield Theatre on Jan 9, 2005 at 1:10 pm

Uh, brucec—– The Golden Gate is on Golden Gate (Avenue) and Taylor; Jones and Taylor are one block parallel to each other.

gsmurph
gsmurph commented about Fine Arts Cinema on Jan 8, 2005 at 11:16 am

Oops—-forgot about Bombay Cinema too.

gsmurph
gsmurph commented about Park Theatre on Jan 7, 2005 at 7:02 am

Shouldn’t this be “Closed” instead (as a movie theater)?

gsmurph
gsmurph commented about South Berkeley Photo Theatre on Jan 7, 2005 at 12:51 am

It was located in a building whose historic name is Luke’s Nickelodeon Building, and, according to a Berkeley Daily Planet article (January 4-6, 2005), is among several being considered for the National Register.

gsmurph
gsmurph commented about Fine Arts Cinema on Jan 4, 2005 at 2:50 pm

The Fine Arts was originally The Cinema; later it was known as Mitchell Brothers Cinema, Berkeley Adult Cinema, and Horizon Cinema.

gsmurph
gsmurph commented about Opal Theatre on Jan 2, 2005 at 11:52 am

To clarify things, the Opal was located in the 2107 storefront in the F.D. Chase Building.

gsmurph
gsmurph commented about Presidio Theatre on Dec 24, 2004 at 12:40 pm

Screens should be changed to “Multiplex-4 screen” (and hopefully the acchitecture won’t be too badly obliterated).

gsmurph
gsmurph commented about Malonga Casquelourd Center for the Arts on Dec 23, 2004 at 6:49 am

In 2004, the center changed its name to the Malonga Casqueloard Center for the Arts in honor and memory of a recently-deceased benefactor of its activities. This should be called MALONGA CASQUELOARD CENTER FOR THE ARTS THEATER.

gsmurph
gsmurph commented about United Artists Berkeley 7 on Dec 16, 2004 at 7:13 am

The original UA screen was to the left side of the building (as you go inside; in other words, the screen’s back was to Bancroft Way. I believe the fly tower is intact (as least visually from the outside).

gsmurph
gsmurph commented about Cine 7 Theatre on Dec 16, 2004 at 6:58 am

The Laurel opened on March 17, 1939. The opening features were “The Great Waltz” and “Service De Luxe.”

gsmurph
gsmurph commented about Varsity Theatre on Dec 14, 2004 at 10:09 am

At some point after its closure (this was a single-screen theatre), the building was subdivided into two storefronts (2064 and 2072) and, at least much of the time since then, the two spaces have been occupied by separate and varying businesses over the decades. An Indian restaurant occupies the site today, using both spaces (and lists its address as 2072).

gsmurph
gsmurph commented about Red Vic Movie House on Dec 12, 2004 at 9:29 am

The Red Vic seats 143 people.

gsmurph
gsmurph commented about Allendale Theatre on Dec 11, 2004 at 9:55 am

As much-noted avobe, status should be “Closed.”