The Lineup - Opera House
The police visit Philip Dressler (Raymond Bailey) at his office in the Opera House after replacing the concealed heroin with a look-alike packege. He is the passenger who brought the statuette into the country and they hope he might incriminate himself by passing the drugs on.
Then ... from Van Ness near Grove Street, the panorama shows City Hall on the right and the War Memorial Opera House on the left (map). The frame assembly up the steps was most likely being set up for an upcoming gala event
and Now ... just as it was then - check out those same lamp posts.
Then ... Below, they enter the main foyer. The Van Ness entrance is to the right and the steps on the left lead up to the auditorium.
and Now ... just the same - even down to the marble table in the center. (To get these Now pictures, CitySleuth, a patron of SFOpera, was able to avoid the crowds by accessing the Opera House between performances).
Then ... The foyer wraps around the Grove Street side of the building (to their left). Note those two large tapestries on the wall ...
and Now ... there's only one tapestry there but it's different from either of the original two.
They leave Dressler's bag with him and exit the building. Outside, Lt. Guthrie calls his office from a police phone and instructs his staff to put a 24 hour tail on Dressler.
Then ... Behind Guthrie is the War Memorial Veterans building, next to the Opera House and a bookend twin to it architecturally.
and Now ... more than 50 years older and no worse for wear.