Esquire Theatre
936 Market Street,
San Francisco,
CA
94102
936 Market Street,
San Francisco,
CA
94102
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Additional Info
Previously operated by: Blumenfeld Theater Circuit, Universal Chain Theatrical Enterprises Inc.
Previous Names: Market Street Theatre, Alhambra Theatre, Frolic Theatre, Cameo Theatre, Marion Davies Theatre
Nearby Theaters
Opened in 1909 as one of the first large size theatres on Market Street. First known as the Market Street Theatre, it was soon to be known as the Alhambra Theatre (1917), the Frolic Theatre (1919), the Cameo Theatre (1923-1929 when it was operated by the Universal Pictures chain), the Marion Davies Theatre (1929), and finally, the Esquire Theatre from December 5, 1940 when it came under the management of Blumenfeld Theatres. During the war years it was a popular first run outlet for Universal’s Abbott & Costello comedies, Maria Montez Technicolored ‘Exotica’, and the ever popular Universal horror films which became its backbone.
By the 1960’s, the racier American-International product took over, and things got pretty seedy. It ended its life on July 30, 1972 with Barbara Hershey in “Boxcar Bertha” & Alexandra Hay in “1,000 Convicts and a Woman”. It was torn down, together with its near neighbors Pix Theatre & Telenews Theatre, to make way for a Citizens Savings Bank.
Contributed by
Tillmany
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Recent comments (view all 27 comments)
According to some sources, Rosebud was Hearst’s pet name for a particular part of Davies’s anatomy. An in-joke for Orson Welles in Citizen Kane.
To Ken mc. Your photos from 2005 were of the entrance to the Crystal Market. It was never a theatre. Beyond the signage was a large indoor market which was the delight of downtown food shoppers. It had a large glass ceiling and went all the way back to Mission St. and beyond the buildings over to 8th St. It was torn down to build a huge hotel complex (Del Webb’s Townhouse) which is now being slated for demolition to build new housing.
OK, thanks for clarifying.
In Answer to this comment:
Here is a little more info about The Crystal Market on Market street. It was built as a “super” market sometime in the 1920s and was one of the first and largest supermarkets established . Built on a former circus grounds, the store building was 68,000 square feet, with parking for 4,350 cars.
Here is a 1942 photo from the new Life collection on Google:
http://tinyurl.com/5d86kn
Here is another 1942 photo from Life showing the Esquire and the neighboring Telenews theaters:
http://tinyurl.com/5ab9j5
Don’t forget the Warfield Theatre just on the next block on the left side of the picture.
And Win with Warren billboard too.
I think Earl Warren was running for governor at that time.
This reopened as the Esquire on December 5th, 1940. Grand opening ad in the photo section.
Demolished in 1972, but not for BART construction. Posting Chronicle clipping in photo section.