Castro Theatre

Castro Theatre is a San Francisco-based movie palace built by two theatre entrepreneurs, the Nasser brothers.

Castro Theatre is a San Francisco-based movie palace built by two theatre entrepreneurs, the Nasser brothers. It is one of the few remaining movie palaces in the nation from the 1920s, which is still in operation. The theatre’s designer was Timothy L. Pflueger who went on to become a famous Bay Area architect. He chose an exterior design reminiscent of a Mexican cathedral. The large windows, shape of the roof line of the front wall of the building, and plaster wall decorations all combine to convey a look of grandeur in keeping with the large scale of many theatres built in the 1920s. The marquee and vertical neon sign are additions from the late 1930s, but the glazed tile street foyer, ornate tent-like box office, and the wooden doors are all from the early 1920s. Castro Theatre’s interior is very diverse. One can sense Spanish, Oriental, and Italian influences. The auditorium seats over 1400 in an intimate setting. On either side of the stage and screen are large organ grills. The Art Deco chandelier date...