Dirty Harry - The Jumper
Then, Callahan and Gonzalez return to their patrol car just in time to hear a radio message: there’s an “804 in progress” at California Hall at Polk and Turk. They head right over. The building is bathed in lights ahead of them; the fire department is already there as is a large crowd of gawkers pointing and looking up to a man on the roof threatening to jump.
… and Now, Both the California Hall and the Embassy Hotel opposite are still there in the Tenderloin District (map).
The Teutonic Baroque architecture of California Hall is clearly evident in this recent photo. It was built in 1912 as a ‘Rathaus’ to serve the neighborhood’s German immigrant population. The Hall became a popular music venue in the 1960s, 70s and 80s; later occupants were the California Culinary Academy and, more recently, the Academy Of Art Fashion School. The Hall is currently closed due to the pandemic.
Check out these vintage posters advertising some of the Hall’s past music events. Other artists who performed there included Janis Joplin, Jefferson Airplane, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Steve Miller, The Doors and U-2.
English punk rockers Siouxsie Sioux and the Banshees played in the Hall on Nov 26, 1980. There’s a bootleg audio recording of that performance here on youTube.
Then, They cross Polk and pull up alongside the Rathskeller restaurant at the Hall’s Turk Street entrance.
… and Now, the marquee awning remains but the restaurant is long gone.
The Rathskeller served German and American dishes - here it was c. 1960.
Then, From the rooftop, the jumper peers down at the crowd below.
… and Now, this is where he was.
Then, Callahan takes on the task of dissuading the jumper - he is hoisted up in a Fire Department cherry-picker. Across Polk street we can see a cocktail bar on the corner of Turk, part of the Embassy Hotel.
… and Now, a gin-focused cocktail lounge in a London Victorian-railway station-themed eatery is the current occupant of that space. Note the original bar entrance door has been replaced by a wall of windows, but the main hotel entrance on the left is much the same as it was. This too is temporarily shuttered during the pandemic.
Then, The jumper shrinks back as the cherry-picker approaches … he gets visibly angry when Callahan, not exactly schooled in the psychology of suicide prevention, starts talking about how jumpers end up unidentifiable and covered in blood.
Then, The jumper lunges at him, takes a short right to the jaw and hangs limp as Callahan brings him safely down. As they leave, Callahan turns to his partner … “Now you know why they call me Dirty Harry - every dirty job that comes along”.
… and Now, they were lowered down here in front of the windows on the left.