Reel SF

San Francisco movie locations from classic films

San Francisco movie locations from classic films

Chan Is Missing - Jenny In Japantown

Jo and Steve head over to a bar in Japantown where Chan’s daughter Jenny works. They want to find out if she has any news to share about her father’s whereabouts. This scene was filmed inside the Kyomasa Cocktail Lounge at 1705 Buchanan Street.

… a vintage photo … Citysleuth found two contemporary photos of its location which he composited into the one below. The center portion is from a 1980s photo, the sides from a 1970s photo; together they show how it looked when Chan was filmed. Marked by the arrow, the Kyomasa Lounge was on the second level, next to the better-known Kokusai Theatre.

… and Now, the theatre (referenced earlier in the movie) closed in 1987 and the space where the Kyomasa Lounge used to be was up for lease when CitySleuth recently stopped by. But the Soko Hardware store at far right is still there. Both Then and Now the Japanese-styled tower displays the sign Nihon Machi - “Japan Town”.

 

Then … The lounge entrance is at the top of the stairs behind the tower, above. Below, they enter from the left and climb a set of 5 steps up to the lounge.

… and Now, the most recent tenant here was the Korean karaoke bar and restaurant ‘Playground’. But they have left and the space is now empty, under construction in preparation for a future tenant. Citysleuth noticed there’s now only 3 steps leading up, not 5. Why? … read on …

 

Then … They ask for Jenny. The two extra steps led to an elevated floor level that created a sunken bar effect. The lounge entrance is on the left.

… and Now, the bar is in the same spot but at a regular height because the elevated floor is gone.

 

Then … Jenny appears; she suggests they take a seat at a nearby table..

… in 2017 … this is the same view in Playground before it closed. The drop ceiling, above, has been removed, below.

… and Now, here it is today.

 

Then … Jenny doesn’t know where her father is but said he apologizes for not being able to complete the cab deal. She then gives them an envelope containing the $4,000 they had given him … “It’s all there”. Steve’s reaction? … “Goddam!”. The shoji screens covering the windows are the same ones seen from the outside in the 1970s photo at the top of this post.

… and Now, these windows look down on the block of Buchanan Street named Osaka Way.

 

The Last Edition - Truth, Love and Duty

George Hamilton, the proprietor of the Chronicle (Louis Payne) decides to write a series of inspirational editorials to counter declining circulation numbers. But with pen in hand and paper in front of him inspiration is hard to find.

 

Then … Hands clasped behind his back, he starts pacing through the Chronicle building, seen here in the editorial room.

… and Now, 100 years later this is the same room, on the 3rd floor at 901 Mission Street, still being used by the newspaper’s reporting staff.

The editorial room was captured in this 1924 photograph. The pneumatic message delivery tubes near the partition right of center and the desk in the right foreground are the same as in the Then image above. (Photo by Gabriel Moulin).

 

Then … The workers at the makeup tables who set the editorial stories in text form using individual metal letters try their best to look busy when they see him pass by.

This was filmed in the Chronicle’s composing room, captured here in 1924, most likely on the 2nd floor of 901 Mission Street. CitySleuth was unable to access this space for a matching photo; it was being remodeled when he visited. (Photo by Gabriel Moulin).

 

Then … Next he marches through the linotype room…

… here’s that same room in 1924. (Photo by Gabriel Moulin). By converting individual letters to complete lines of text using molten alloys, mostly lead, the linotype machines increased printing efficiency significantly. In hindsight one can only shudder at the health hazards to those operators from the molten lead fumes.

 

Then … And here he’s in the press room passing an array of printing presses…

… the giant presses were in the basement of the Chronicle building. This is the same aisle in 1924 viewed from the opposite direction. (Photo by Gabriel Moulin).

 

When he overhears Tom on the other side of the press sharing inspirational advice about truth, love and duty with his young assistant, the proprietor eagerly takes it all in.

 

Tom is invited up to the proprietor’s office. They make strange bedfellows but when prompted to share his philosophy of life Tom is more than happy to oblige.

 

Later at home, Tom reads the editorial in the paper and is shocked to see his creed, based on Truth, Love and Duty, right there in print with no credit as to the source.

 

Chan Is Missing - Pier Pressure

Then… Jo and Steve meet on the municipal pier at Aquatic Park (map), a place popular with local fishermen who enjoy the added bonus of great views in all directions. The 1400 foot-long circular pier was built in 1933; it has slowly deteriorated over the decades resulting in its recent closure to the public in 2022. That’s Pier 45 at Fisherman’s Wharf in the background at upper left, drawn in by the telephoto lens.

… and Now, the fishermen above were between the two lampposts below, near the far end of the sweeping breakwater pier. For the matching photos in this post Citysleuth found online images taken pre-closure. The cylindrical concrete structure seen ahead was meant to be a concessions stand complementing two similar ones on the shore at Aquatic Park but it never was completed.

 

Then… Steve wants to know why Jo refuses to go to the police about the stolen money. When Jo defends Chan, talking about his struggle to find his identity in America, Steve gets angry. In the background we see the liberty ship S.S. Jeremiah O’Brien berthed at Fort Mason, a rare survivor of the 2,710 liberty ships built to supply troops and critical materiel to Europe during WWII.

… and Now, The Jeremiah O’Brien was berthed here for many years but has since been moved to Pier 35. Note the decaying condition of the municipal pier’s concrete wall; note too the fence that was erected down the middle to exclude the public from this more dangerous seaward-facing half of the pier before it was finally closed completely.

This 1982 photo shows the Jeremiah O’Brien at its Fort Mason berth around the time Chan was filmed (compare it to the Then image above). It has been completely restored and is one of only two liberty ships still operational today. Interesting trivia - its engines were filmed for the engine room scenes in the movie Titanic.

 

Then… Steve lays into Jo, telling him there are no identity problems in the community any more. His voice rises … “What are you tripping on this sh-t for? The guy f-cked up man, he couldn’t cope with it”.

… and Now, in both photos we see an art deco building alongside the Aquatic Park beach at far left. Originally a bathhouse, it’s now a maritime museum.

… in 1948 … The pier and the bathhouse are seen here in 1948, nine years after the depression-era W.P.A-funded Aquatic Park project officially opened to the public (the aforementioned unfinished concessions stand is visible at the end of the pier). Designed to resemble an ocean-going ship the sleek streamline-moderne building provided swimmers with changing rooms and showers . At one time it also housed a private upscale restaurant and nightclub until outraged protests succeeded in shutting it down. Note the patterned waves lapping against the Beach Street entrance - a touch of whimsy.

… and Now, The bathhouse became a maritime museum right after troops who used the building during WWII handed it back. Hey, those waves are still there today!

 

Then… Steve gets increasingly agitated but Jo is adamant; he won’t report his friend to the police. They separate, backs turned.

… and Now, the Golden Gate bridge is but one of the many fine views from here. The pier wall was showing damage 40 plus years ago, above, but is far worse now, below.

 

Back at Chester’s Cafe they sit, wordless, Steve silently stewing. Chester’s was popular with workers from the cable car barn at the end of the block, some of them seen here in the background.

 

The Last Edition - Exciting News

    Tom’s son Ray McDonald (Ray Hallor) has exciting news to share with his family.  Outside his parent’s home he waves to a passing cable car.

 

Then …  The cable car is heading east on the Pacific Avenue cable line that at one time ran west to Divisidero and south down Larkin to Brannan. This style of cable car, known as a cable train, was comprised of a grip car pulling an enclosed passenger trailer car - (go here for a wonderful 1929 Movietone Newsreel video of a cable train on the Pacific Avenue line and a link to a detailed article on its history). As the cable train passes the Victorian home below the highlighted buildings in the background establishes where this was filmed - at the corner of Pacific and Gough in Pacific Heights.

… and Now,  the Pacific Avenue cable line closed in 1929 and the Victorian home, at 1895 Pacific Avenue (map) was replaced in 1931 by this five story Art Deco apartment building.  The buildings highlighted above aren’t visible now from street level, but…

this higher perspective reveals that they are still there ; this is the rear of 1810 and 1824 Jackson Street, built in 1917.

    An interesting aside:  while it’s a shame, looking back, that yet another of the city’s fine Victorians was sacrificed, at least the replacement brought its own architectural charm as exemplified by this recent photo of the eye-catching art deco detailing in its lobby.

 

    Ray excitedly shows his mother an acceptance letter from the San Francisco D.A.’s office offering him his first job as a deputy assistant attorney.  Mary (Lila Leslie) couldn’t be more proud.

 

Then …  Tom and Polly are next to arrive at the McDonald home (its street number is 1421 per the image at the top of this post).

… and Now, it’s supposedly in San Francisco but in fact this was 1421 N. Hudson Avenue in Hollywood (the wave to the cable car was a bit of a stretch!). But the charming original house and the one next to it are no longer there; they were replaced in the 1950s by this group of multi-dwelling buildings.

 

 Then …  Clarence Walker (Rex Lease), a San Francisco Chronicle reporter who has taken a fancy to Polly, also shows up.

… and Now,  The houses behind Clarence are also gone, victims of commercial creep from the adjacent Wilcox Avenue. What disappoints CitySleuth is how multi-dwelling and commercial properties have pushed aside the charm of what used to be a lovely residential street.

 

    They all congratulate Ray on his appointment.  Tom too has news to share - his foreman is leaving and he fully expects to get the job.

 

 Then …  There’s more action on this street; we next see Tom’s dog stealing the newspaper from the steps of a neighboring house for his master.

 Then …  The irate homeowner lives in # 1425. He’s seen this before - he glares towards Tom’s house right next door.

… and Now,  Lo and behold! This house, at 1425 N. Hudson Avenue, was built in 1906 and is still there. Over 100 years old but it’s exactly the same. Compare the porch, the posts, the siding, the windows and the steps with the two movie images above. Many thanks to reader Notcom who found this location for CitySleuth.

 

When Tom returns to work he is bitterly disappointed to learn that in spite of having been recommended for the foreman job it has been given to ‘Bull” Collins (Tom O’Brien) (on the right). It doesn’t help that he’s a failure as a printer (the facial acting of the silent movie era is perfectly captured in this frame).

 

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