click photo for full-size image
photo by Donald Kinney
San Francisco is well known for it's murals, especially in the Mission District, but this giant Whale mural done by Lou Silva in 1976 is on the rear of Mitchell Brothers Theater, on the fringe of San Francisco's very shady and exceedingly dangerous Tenderloin District.
click photo for full-size image
photo by Donald Kinney
A wolf in sheep's clothing? Well, this theater has quite a checkered history -- it was here that the ubiquitous "lap dance" was invented. The Mitchell Brothers continually pushed-the-envelope of what they could get away with and were raided for running a brothel numerous times. And I suppose I could go on, but I think that's about all I'm going to tell you about what goes on inside -- I'd better let Wikipedia fill you in on some of the other details.
click photo for full-size image
photo by Donald Kinney
But besides the theater's notoriety, there is more to the story -- and that would be the Mitchell Brothers themselves -- two kids who came from a really crummy up-bringing and seized on pornography as a way of making a living and supporting their drug habits.
click photo for full-size image
photo by Donald Kinney
Lets just make a long story short by saying that Jim Mitchell ended up murdering his brother Artie -- oh it was a hugely sensational trial and Jim spent a whopping six years in prison. Jim Mitchell died in 2007, but yes, the theater is still open -- and more than willing to empty the wallets of those who seek the very finest hertosexual lust that San Francisco has to offer.
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3 comments:
Wow, again! My wife and I will definitely have to visit San Fran one day (when we can ditch the kids!) Meanwhile, I guess I'll use your blog to tour it vicariously.
What a juxiposition of the murals and the seedy world of the Mitchell brothers.
That's some great artwork you captured.
I know the blue mural. It was already there the first time I came to SF, years ago. I thought it was pretty cool then, and now I"m amazed it's lasted that long.
I used to live in an apart not too far from there and yes the TL was already sketchy but not as depressing as it is now.
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