Clay Theatre
2261 Fillmore Street,
San Francisco,
CA
94115
2261 Fillmore Street,
San Francisco,
CA
94115
7 people
favorited this theater
Showing 1 - 25 of 41 comments
“The Chronicle may have solved the riddle of the mystery buyer who bought the old Clay Theatre and five other buildings on the same block, and unsurprisingly, the person appears to be a wealthy venture capitalist.”
https://sfist.com/2024/04/16/mystery-buyer-whos-bought-nearly-a-block-of-fillmore-street-including-the-clay-theatre-may-be-identified/
SF Chronicle article on the sale of the Clay:
Clay Theater Sold
FYI like the Lumiere (main screen), this too had hardwood floors! You could hear footsteps a mile away it was so loud. The Metro, The Col, The Vogue, The Surf, The Stonestown Twin and The Royal had the same problem.
The current plan is to convert the Clay to a single open space for retail. More info at this link. https://socketsite.com/archives/2021/10/conversion-of-historic-clay-theater-closer-to-reality.html?fbclid=IwAR0k6WV3yN6pvsUCSSBWsHaxhRS_yjNDrYIc1aHb3FylGU0GAMcfZRajQFc
In late 2010 the SFWeekly (or now defunct Bay Guardian) had an article about the impending closure of the Clay. It was saved and outlasted the Bridge by more than seven years.
What gave the Guild in Menlo Park, another Landmark single-screen theatre, staying power is that to redevelop the lot the owner would need to put in underground parking but it was too small to justify that investment.
A community group came together and formed a non-profit to develop a live-performance venue in a new building.
If it is indeed demolished, probably housing. A non profit, the SF Theatre Foundation, which oversees the Vogue and Balboa, is injecting over $1million into the Opera Plaza and in a recent link mentioned on that theatre’s Cinema Treasures page mentions possibly trying to save the Clay also. From that link:
“Meanwhile, the foundation is in talks to save another neighborhood theater: the Clay Theater in Pacific Heights, which ceased operations this month. Jim Herbert said his group is hoping to “help restore and preserve this cultural treasure for the benefit of future generations.”
Add to that list of pre WW1 theaters still operating in SF the Roxie (1909 or 1912) on 16th St in the Mission District:
Roxie
Hello From NYC-
it seems developers in S.F. don’t have anymore love for historic theater buildings than developers in NYC. the Clay is a small theater how can the lot be used for development?
also at least S.F. has something neither NYC or L.A. have.
2 movie theaters build before the advent of WW I. the Vogue
and the 4 Star.
Tomorrow, Jan 26th is the last day for the Clay Theatre. From the SF Chronicle this morning:
Clay
Jack Tillmany’s Theatres of San Francisco gives a somewhat different (and possibly more accurate) history of the Clay Theatre than we have at this time. It says that the house opened as the Regent Theatre in 1914, was renamed Avalon Theatre in 1931, and became the Clay International Theatre, an art house, on April 11, 1935.
However, it appears that the name Clay Theatre was adopted before the name Clay International. A May 6, 1935 article uploaded to this theater’s photo page by Mike Rivest says that “Herbert Rosener… has taken the Clay Theatre on Fillmore at Clay, changed its name to the Clay-International, and will use it as an exhibition place for outstanding films of European origin.”
I’ve been unable to discover the year the name Clay Theatre was first used, or the year when the addition “International” was dropped. An ad indicates that it had returned to being simply the Clay Theatre by February, 1941.
And another fine city cinema bites the dust because of development greed.
The staff at the Clay Theatre have been informed that the house will close on January 26. The landlord is rumored to have plans that might include demolishing the venerable theater.
Opened as Clay on April 10th, 1935. Small ad uploaded.
Exterior and lobby photos from July 2015.
The Clay Theater is still operating. I walked by there today, May 4, 2015.
A few July 2012 photos can be seen here and here.
I discovered the Clay by accident while exploring the streets of San Francisco one July afternoon a few summers back. It’s the sort of funky, friendly neighborhood theater I remember from my childhood. How nice to see that a few of them still exist today!
Was at the Clay today expecting it to be the final show. I was pleasantly surprised when I arrived to see a note in the box office saying they were pleased to NOT be closing today. There were reps from the SFFS (San Francisco Film Society) handing out leaflets and letters to the landlord in front of the theatre. There also seemed to be some news and video crews there, at least in the afternoon after the first showing. The early matinee was about 2/3 full, and audience members seemed relieved to hear of the theatre’s current status.
The Clay is charming with much character – hope something can be worked out! It does seem like multiple parties are aware of the theatre’s status, which could be beneficial in the long run.
Good news! Landmark has worked out a short-term agreement with the theater’s landlord, and until something more definitive can be determined, will remain open, at least for the time being: View link
An article about the Clay’s closing; apparently The San Francisco Film Society is interested in keeping the Clay running, but the theater’s owner is not taking their proposal seriously: View link
It would be the kind of theatre Woody Allen would shoot in a movie.Sorry to hear it is gone.
An article on the Clay – View link
It is with heavy hearts we announce that The CLAY Theatre will be closing at the end of August. It is a dark day for San Francisco theatre lovers. Built in 1910 and closing in 2010 100 years of film history comes to a end. The CLAY played host to many film festivals and special events over the years. On closing weekend The CLAY will host one more Rocky Horror, and The Cast is putting on a funeral for the theatre. I have loved my years working at The CLAY, and will miss it! Rumors have it that a condo project will destroy the theatre. Let’s hope not.
Here’s a current photo of the Clay Theatre – http://www.flickr.com/photos/inkvision/4302123882/
As far as I can tell, in the 1920’s, the Clay Theatre was known as the Regent.
According to both an August 15, 1926 newspaper listing which I have for “The American Venus” (starring the current Miss America and local celebrity Fay Lanphier), as well as a 1927 San Francisco phone book listing for movie theatres, the Regent was located at 2251 Fillmore. Curiously, that address is slightly different from the Clay’s current address, 2261 Fillmore.
Here is a 1970 photo that is currently being advertised on eBay:
http://tinyurl.com/qvgyvq