Beau Geste Cinema
3968 17th Street,
San Francisco,
CA
94114
3968 17th Street,
San Francisco,
CA
94114
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As far as I know, this was the only gay male porn cinema to operate in the Castro district of the city. It opened on May 22, 1976 screening classic movies, Kate Smith & Ronald Reagan in “This is the Army” & Kenneth Nelson in “Boys in the Band”. It became a gay male porn cinema on October 13, 1976. In the late-1970’s it became a gay sex club (which screened movies) named East of Castro Club. It closed in the early-1980’s.
Contributed by
KenRoe
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Recent comments (view all 6 comments)
I remember Gordon Grant doing a personal appearance there.
The late great Clif Newman, operator of the infamous Nob Hill Cinema, took the reins of this place and transformed it into something called “The East of Castro Club,” a bit of a take-off on other clubs (gay sex clubs South of Market), and featured a multi-media frenzy on the walls and screen (if there was one anymore), and a balcony all gussied up in a tierred glory hole situation, all with a view of the super 8 presentations.
It was absorbed into the building completely some time after this venue died in those late ‘70s.
I remember Wakefiled Poole doing a private showing of his “Bible” there. His gallery/retail experience, Hot Flash of America, was almost right next door to it (does everyone from that area and time NOT remember the take off of the Arm and Hammer logo T-shirts featured by Hot Flash?).
This too, like the NHC, was membership-only admittance.
Sinclair;It must have been the Beau Geste Cinema when I first visited San Francisco in 1976 and sadly I didn’t check it out. I do remember going into the building when it had become the East of Castro Club on a later visit to the city. From what I remember there were sets of enclosed ‘stalls’ with glory holes in the walls and gay porn movies screened high up on the main walls. This seems to tie-in with your recollections of the interior of the building at that time.
As far as I know I was the only female projectionest to work at the EOCC
If anyone has info respecting Mr Newman, please contact me at:
or call toll free: 1-866-855-4931. Rest well my dear friend.
Opened on May 22nd, 1976 showing classic movies. Male adult programming started on October 13th, 1976.