Castro Theatre
429 Castro Street,
San Francisco,
CA
94114
429 Castro Street,
San Francisco,
CA
94114
75 people
favorited this theater
Related Websites
The Castro Theatre (Official)
Additional Info
Previously operated by: Nasser Bros. Theaters, Pacific Theatres
Architects: James Rupert Miller, Timothy L. Pflueger
Firms: Miller & Pflueger
Styles: Spanish Renaissance
Phone Numbers:
Box Office:
415.621.6120
Nearby Theaters
News About This Theater
- Jul 31, 2014 — Castro Theatre Organ IndieGoGo Campaign
- Mar 31, 2013 — Castro Theatre's endangered "Mighty Wurlitzer"
- Apr 11, 2011 — Shirley Jones at the Castro
- May 9, 2008 — Theatre Historical Society Conclave To Visit Bay Area
- Feb 4, 2008 — "Milk" Filming Benefits the Castro
- Feb 2, 2008 — Castro Theatre marquee gets paint job
- Oct 8, 2007 — Silent SF Winter Event
- Sep 6, 2007 — Vogue Theatre Reopens
- Nov 9, 2005 — SFMOMA Showcases Local Theater Drawings By Timothy L. Pflueger
- Dec 20, 2004 — NPR Airs Report On Castro Theatre Firing
- Mar 19, 2004 — Balboa's Birthday Bash Was a Blast!
The Castro Theatre, situated at the corner of Castro Street and Market Street, is one of San Francisco’s most recognizable landmarks. This magnificent neighborhood theatre is decorated in the Spanish Renaissance style; with a Moorish Tent ceiling, Oriental Zodiac emblems, and Art Deco touches throughout. It was built by the Nasser Brothers and became the flagship theatre of their small circuit of neighborhood theatres. It was the first theatre to be designed by architect Timothy L. Pflueger.
Opened June 2, 1922 with Wallace Reid in “Across the Continent”. Waldemar Lind and the New Castro Orchestra and Carmichael at the Robert Morton pipe organ accompanied the movie. In 1937 a small fire damaged the auditorium, and Timothy L. Pflueger was brought back to redesign some damaged sections and design a new Art Deco style chandelier in the center of the auditorium ceiling. In 1950 the organ was replaced by a Conn organ, which, in around 1980 was replaced by a larger 3 manual 16 ranks Wurlitzer organ, the console of which was originally installed in 1925 in the the State (now Palms) Theatre, Detroit, MI. In recent years the Castro Theatre has hosted several premiers including in 1984 “The Times of Harvey Milk”, in 1985 the world premiere of “Buddies”, and in 2008 the world premiere of “Milk” which also featured the theatre in the movie. The Wurlitzer organ was removed from the theatre at the end of September 2015 and will be replaced by a 7 manual pipe/digital organ.
The theatre was still going strong in the country’s best known gay neighborhood. Playing films from across the spectrum of independent film, the Castro Theatre is one of the last picture palaces left in the San Francisco area. Sadly, despite a strong community opposition new operators planned to convert the theatre into a concert venue, and approval was granted in June 2023 to convert it into a nightclub.
In 1976 the Castro Theatre was designated San Francisco city landmark #100.
Contributed by
Tom Rielly, Ken Roe
Want to be emailed when a new comment is posted about this theater?
Just login to your account and subscribe to this theater.
Recent comments (view all 179 comments)
More on the Commission’s recommendations in an SFist article (no paywall)
https://sfist.com/2023/02/01/castro-theatre-gets-landmark-recommendation-from-city-hall-in-big-setback-for-another-planet-entertainment/
An extremely foolish decision if they vote landmark the interior of the theater. If they do this yes another planet won’t be able to Take out the seats that are there now most likely. They proposed a very good expensive compromise. Still they would be able to have a raked floor for the movies. Then for live events they could take out the rake of the floor. The commission is listening to uninformed people who don’t want any changes inside the theater. Landmark in the interior will be the beginning of the end for the Castro theater. It hasn’t been making money showing movies for years. 60% of each dollar goes back to the movie companies when you show a new film like Bros. If you’re showing a older movie you have to pay the movie companies $350 just to run the film. Then there’s other costs like utilities staffing etc. Making it hard to even break even when you show older movies depending on how many people come. The future of places like the Castro theater are live events along with movies when there are no live events happening. I hope the commission does not go through with a very shortsighted foolish decision to landmark the interior of the theater. They are kowtowing too Well-meaning people who are uninformed about the business side of running a theater like the Castro
Christopher Beale’s podcast on history and possible for the future of the Castro
https://www.kqed.org/news/11942942/san-franciscos-castro-theatre-a-cultural-temple-facing-a-fight-for-its-future
“On Thursday 4/6/23, the Castro Merchants voted to conditionally support Another Planet Entertainment’s (APE) proposed changes to the 100-year-old Castro Theatre.”
Stephen Bracco has details in his hoodline article
https://hoodline.com/2023/04/another-planet-entertainment-s-proposed-castro-theatre-plans-conditionally-approved-by-neighborhood-group/
The Castro Theatre Conservatory has realized an ambitious plan to wrest the Castro from the clutches of APE. It would leave the seating and interior as plan.
Plans call for a 365 day a year schedule. 200 days of film, 52 for film festivals.
https://hoodline.com/2023/04/castro-theatre-consevancy-releases-alternate-castro-theatre-plans-with-return-of-repertory-film-daily-events/
“SF Supervisors Vote in Support of Castro Theatre Landmark Update Without Controversial ‘Fixed Seating’ Language”
Hoodline article Here
I think there ought to be a difference between the preferences of people who would prefer for fixed seating, and more film screenings, and legal landmarking, so I understand government’s wishes to landmark the theater but not obligate fixed seating. Historic preservation law is one matter. Policy & shows are another.
Looks like the old seats are going and the place will be a nightclub soon. Limited movies. The new lease APE gang does not even pop fresh popcorn. They just bring in bulk pre popped popcorn and put in little expensive brown bags and re heat in the old big Castro Theatre popcorn machine and charge big bucks. You think you are getting fresh popcorn this is not the case. The cold drinks are now given to you in cans $$$$.A sad day for movie lovers in SF. The seats are going per new commission ruling this week.
Perhaps someone can update the penultimate paragraph in the description. This theatre is hardly ‘going strong’ , it’s the complete opposite.
48Hill.org has an article on the ensuing debacle
https://48hills.org/2023/06/promoter-gets-approval-to-turn-castro-theater-into-a-nightclub-with-few-conditions/
The Theatre is not able to survive as a single screen theater showing movies. Attendance has been not good for the theaters movie selection. The plan is to have concerts with film 33% of the time and concerts and maybe other events. Clearly the community wasn’t supporting the theater when they were showing films not dealing with the gay lifestyle. They had plenty of regular classic films that were poorly attended. The only future for the theater is to have concerts and other non-movie events. They’ll probably have Movies 1/3 of the time. That’s just the reality with single screen theaters now