The United Artist Theater appeared on the scene in 1931, at the height of the theater boom in San Francisco, if not the entire country. All of Market Street's largest theaters were in business during that period.
In this 1964 photo you can see only the pointed top of the old Imperial Theater Building, the rest has been covered with a false front to give it a more modern look. This theater, like so many of the others of its kind never made it into the 1970s.

Today the building is occupied by the Market Street Cinema, an adult theater with movies and live entertainment. Similar to the United Artist, all but the peak of the actual building is hidden by a large false front. In this case, however, the false front is decorated to suggest the original Imperial Theater.
The sign for the Centre Theater, next door, can be seen at the left border of the photo.

The first theater at 1125 Market opened as the Rialto Theater in about 1920. Shown here in this 1926 photo is the Rivoli. It later became the Vitaphone Embassy.

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The Vitaphone Embassy Theater in 1929. Little has changed in the appearance except the signs on the building. The theater marque visable at the right edge of the photo was that of the Strand Theater.

This photo shows the Embassy Theater as it looked in 1964. It fought the
good fight but, in 1989, the Loma Prieta earthquake did major damage
to the Embassy. In spite of preservationists' efforts to counter the
owner's contention that the cost of repair was prohibitive, the Planning
Commission, in 1990, refused to deny the permit to demolish it. Today there
is a vacant lot at 1125 market.

This 1950 photo shows the Strand Theater at its 1127 Market Street location where it still is today.

Shown in this 1926 photo is the Pantages Theater at its new home on the corner of Hyde and Market. The large Pantages sign and marque were short lived, however, because in 1929 it became the new home of the Orpheum Theater.

This photo of the Orpheum Theater was taken c1930, not long after it moved from its former location on O'Farrell Street.
Still in place, its appearance, has changed very little over the many years. It no longer shows moving pictures; just stage presentations.

For a complete history of the Orpheum Theater, check out the S.F. Performing Arts Library and Museum at 401 Van Ness. They are currently showing a great display of memorabilia of the theater with lots of photos. FREE. Thru March 30, 2002.

If you have information or photos pertaining to the above, or any other San Francisco movie theaters, that you are willing to share, I would like to hear from you.

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