Powell Cinema
39 Powell Street,
San Francisco,
CA
94102
39 Powell Street,
San Francisco,
CA
94102
2 people
favorited this theater
Additional Info
Functions: Restaurant
Previous Names: Edison Theatre, Powell Theatre
Nearby Theaters
A second run, grind-run theatre on Powell Street near Market Street and the cable car turnaround.
It originally opened as the Edison Theatre in 1911. Re-named Powell Theatre in 1933, it was renamed Powell Cinema in 1955 and was playing revivals of classic movies, eventually moving over to X-Rated movies. By 1976 the Powell Cinema was operating as a gay porn theatre. It was closed in August 1977, and was converted into a Burger King restaurant.
Contributed by
Gerald A. DeLuca
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Recent comments (view all 18 comments)
John Stefanelli. That’s his name. He had what must have been the very best slogan ever for a movie theatre: “Where dreams are played.” I didn’t go to it much as a porn house, though I do remember seeing two Fred Halstead porn masterpieces “Sex Garage” and “LA Plays Itself” there. These stylistic films were recently purchased as part of the permanent collection of the NY Museum of Modern Art.
But what I most remember were the old musicals and the elderly fans who used to turn out to see them, along with those of us who really appreciated seeing the old movies in the old theatre that must have played them shortly after they came out the first time.
Few movie theatres do I miss as much as the Powell.
I arrived in San Francisco in 1964, a Texas green horn desperate to get away from the constraints of the bible belt mentality that still ruled the south.
My first job in San Francisco was at Tad’s Steak house up a block from the Powell Theatre. I worked a split shift from 10am until 2pm then back again from 6pm until 10pm. A steak dinner was a dollar for a steak, baked potato, small salad and garlic bread. Coffee was a dime. A bargain even then insured a substantial clinetelle of both residents and tourists.
The Powell Theatre became my afternoon refuge. There were 15 operating movie houses in downtown San Francsico showing everything thing from first run films to 2nd run double bills. Every theatre had daily matinees. The concept of “revival houses” hadn’t started yet but the Powell had a healthy dose of films of the 40s and 50s along with more current 2nd runs. For an admission of 25 cents I was introduced to Hollywood’s “Glory years” . I saw my first Jeanette McDonald Nelson Eddy film there and The Marx brothers sublime lunacy would pop up occasionally. The films changed three times a week so there was always a steady supply of new entertainment.
The theatre box office was a stand alone booth off the street. There was a short slanted walk up into the theatre with displays on either side for a posters of current and coming films. Inside there was a small room with vending machines. No real snack bar – no usher taking your ticket. . The back left of the auditorium still had the remains of a “cry room” a sound proof room with a glass front and side door where noisy infants and their parents could be isolated from the theatre and still watch the film. The glass front and side entrance door had been removed but a portion of the side wall still remained.
I was loyal to the Powell until it’s entrance into pornography. I knew the “end was near” when I went to a midnight screening of “ Beach Blanket Bingo” with two friends and we were the only customers. Shortly after that it switched to porn – then one day was quietly gutted and soon replaced with a “Burger King” which still operates there. No trace of the theatre or its facade remains except in my memory.
I miss it.
Phil Gray
This site has a 1968 photo of the Powell:
http://tinyurl.com/dl9k4e
looks like “RACHEL.RACHEL” might be playing in the photo.thanks for the Picture KenMc.
I wandered into this theater back in the 70’s and without anticipating anything special, saw David Lean’s “Great Expectations”. There are few better experiences than being surprised by a great movie. I told my son about it tonight and he asked where I saw it. I said it was the Powell Theater and speculated that it was in the Burger King that we dined in a couple of years back. Sure enough.
Added a photo of the Powell that I took, I believe, in 1975. I also found a flyer when the Powell showed all male porn films. It was a great theater.
While living in San Francisco the year of 1969, the Powell Theatre was my main movie hangout, I just loved that classic little theatre which played all of the classics rotating…‘plus new shows changing all the time.
Two of my original photos were deleted and replaced with “color corrected copies” which I do not appreciate. My comments under the photos were also removed, and credit for these photos were given to the new poster. Please correct this from happening again.
Early `60s photo added via Mase Mason. Marquee still read Powell Theatre.
Lots of history and photos: https://sanfranciscotheatres.blogspot.com/2017/06/powell-theatre.html