Farewell to the Fox -- October 20, 2016

The San Francisco Arts Commission (http://www.sfartscommission.org/) has set up a series of posters by artist Jeff Canham.  "The Best Show in Town" depicts messages that appeared on the marquees of famous theaters along Market Street from 1928 to 2015.

This item appeared on the marquee of the Fox Theater at 1350 Market Street in 1963.The Fox opened in 1929, and was considered the most beautiful theater in the city.  It was a great tragedy when the theater closed and was demolished in 1963. 

I sat on seats from the Fox at the Richelieu Theater, a repertory theater at Geary and Van Ness. 

This is the last of The Best Show in Town series. 

We only Show the Good Ones -- October 13, 2016

The San Francisco Arts Commission (http://www.sfartscommission.org/) has set up a series of posters by artist Jeff Canham.  "The Best Show in Town" depicts messages that appeared on the marquees of famous theaters along Market Street from 1928 to 2015.

This item appeared on the marquee of the Strand Theater at 1127 Market Street in 1928. The Jewel opened in 1917 and went through many names before it became the Strand in 1928.  By the 1970s and 1980s it was a revival house.  I saw Let it Be there.  I saw Apocalypse Now and the line about unspeakable rites made me wonder what was going on in the balcony.  It continued to decline and started showing dirty movies in 1994.  It closed after a raid in 2003 and I waited for someone to tear it down. 

Instead, ACT, the American Conservatory Theater, purchased the building, restored it, and used it while the Geary Theater was being restored.  They continue to use its two spaces as smaller venues than the Geary. 

Always the Best Show in Town -- October 6, 2016

The San Francisco Arts Commission (http://www.sfartscommission.org/) has set up a series of posters by artist Jeff Canham.  "The Best Show in Town" depicts messages that appeared on the marquees of famous theaters along Market Street from 1928 to 2015.

This item appeared on the marquee of the Embassy Theaters at 1125 Market Street in 1964.  The American Theater's construction was interrupted by the 1906 Earthquake and Fire.  It opened in early 1907.  After going through other names, it became the Embassy in 1927.  It was the first San Francisco theater to present Warner Brothers Vitaphone movies.  For a time it was called the Warner Brothers Theater, but it became the Embassy again by 1933.  I remember avoiding the Embassy because creepy people hung out there.  It was damaged in the 1989 Loma Prieta Earthquake and torn down in 1994. 

See the Beauty Touch the Magic -- September 29, 2016

The San Francisco Arts Commission (http://www.sfartscommission.org/) has set up a series of posters by artist Jeff Canham.  "The Best Show in Town" depicts messages that appeared on the marquees of famous theaters along Market Street from 1928 to 2015.

This item appeared on the marquee of the Market Street Cinema at at 1077  Market Street in 2015.  Showman Sid Grauman and his father David built it in 1911, calling it the Imperial.  In 1931 it became the United Artists.  In 1972 it became the Market Street Cinema.  It hosted adult entertainment, live and on film, until 2013.  I never went there. 

The building was torn down during September, 2016.  

Open All Nite -- September 22, 2016

The San Francisco Arts Commission (http://www.sfartscommission.org/) has set up a series of posters by artist Jeff Canham.  "The Best Show in Town" depicts messages that appeared on the marquees of famous theaters along Market Street from 1928 to 2015.

This item appeared on the marquee of the Paramount Theater at 1066  Market Street in 1944.  The Paramount was torn down to make way for Hallidie Plaza.  During World War II, many movie theaters stayed open all night so that people working odd shifts could see movies. 

Barg in M tinee Dail U il 2 M -- September 15, 2016

The San Francisco Arts Commission (http://www.sfartscommission.org/) has set up a series of posters by artist Jeff Canham.  "The Best Show in Town" depicts messages that appeared on the marquees of famous theaters along Market Street from 1928 to 2015.

This item appeared on the marquee of the Saint Francis Theater at 965 Market Street in 2012.  In 1910, the theater opened as the Empress.  Showman Sid Grauman bought it and named it the Strand in 1917.  In 1924, it became the Saint Francis.  The Saint Francis closed in 2001, but remained mostly undisturbed until it was torn down in 2013.  This explains the condition of the message in 2012.