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 Gaslighter Theatre (Closed)
Campbell, CA
Photo courtesy Steve Strickland
The old Gaslighter Theatre in Campbell had an unusual start for an entertainment venue. Its building originally housed a bank, before becoming the Campbell Theatre in 1939. Apparently, the place went from keeping money behind the counter to collecting it at the ticket window. 11-09
The Gaslighter arrived in 1969, bringing live melodrama, vaudeville-style entertainment, and an old-fashioned saloon atmosphere. Audiences could join the fun by throwing popcorn, giving the performers something more to contend with than a tough review.
Later years brought concerts alongside the theatrical productions. For 37 years, the Gaslighter gave downtown Campbell a place for an evening’s entertainment inside that former bank.
UPDATE: The Gaslighter’s final concert took place on May 31, 2006. Plans for an upscale lounge followed, and the building eventually housed LvL Up Arcade & Gastropub. That business also closed, on September 30, 2023. The historic building survives, although the Gaslighter’s popcorn-tossing days are long over. 10-26
 Presidio Theatre
San Francisco, CA
Photo courtesy Scott Broadhurst
Here's a night photo of the Presidio Theatre that dates back to 1937. Now with four screens, the Presidio's signage lights up the evening in San Francisco. Many thanks toScott Broadhurst for info. 09-10
Opened on July 1, 1937, as the El Presidio, this neighborhood movie house began with a single auditorium. It eventually became a four-screen cinema, fitting more coming attractions behind its familiar entrance.
This is the Marina District movie theatre, separate from the similarly named performing arts venue inside the Presidio. Here, the neighborhood shopping street supplies the scenery outside, while the movies handle the entertainment indoors.
UPDATE: The Presidio remains open under Lee Neighborhood Theatres, with current films still on the bill. Fortunately, this old movie house continues doing the job it was built for, giving another generation a reason to stop beneath the marquee. 10-26
 Bridge Theatre
San Francisco, CA
Photo courtesy Scott Broadhurst
The Bridge Theatre on Geary in San Francisco opened its doors on July 21, 1939. The neon still casts quite a glow on this sidewalk in town. Many thanks toScott Broadhurst for info. 09-10
The Bridge ater became a favorite for foreign, independent, and cult films. Its attractions sometimes enjoyed lengthy engagements, including a 29-week run of Zorba the Greek in 1965.
The theatre also hosted Peaches Christ’s Midnight Mass shows, giving the old auditorium a lively after-hours chapter. This was a movie house with room for something beyond the usual evening screening.
UPDATE: The Bridge closed on December 27, 2012, with The Perks of Being a Wallflower as its final film. The building found a different use when the San Francisco Baseball Academy moved in during 2016. Batting practice replaced the coming attractions, giving the old theatre another kind of hit to accommodate. 10-26
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