A DC10-40 FLT PERFORMS A PRIORITY RETURN TO THE GATE WHEN THE FLC IS ALERTED TO SMOKE AND ELECTRICAL ODORS WITH THE ACFT AT SFO; CA.

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ON TAXI OUT FROM GATE AT SFO; THE FORWARD LAVATORY FIRE ALARM SOUNDED. WHILE SO WAS INVESTIGATING; THE FO SMELLED AN ELECTRICAL SMELL. FIRE AND RESCUE WAS CALLED OUT AS WE DID A PRIORITY RETURN TO THE GATE. PRIOR TO OUR GATE ARR; OUR EMER BUS OFF LIGHT ILLUMINATED. SMOKE AND FUMES WERE APPARENT ALSO IN THE AIR CONDITIONING FOR THE CABIN. THERE WAS A SLIGHT DELAY DEPLANING OUR PAX THROUGH DOOR 2L (USING THE JETWAY) DUE TO A HESITATION BY THE FLT ATTENDANTS OF BOTH DISARMING THE DOOR AND NOT REALIZING THAT OUR ELECTRICAL HAD FAILED RENDERING THE NORMAL ELECTRICAL MEANS OF OPENING THE DOOR INOP. THE SO QUICKLY OPENED DOOR 2L USING THE PNEUMATIC BACKUP. THE CABIN CREW (ALL FLT ATTENDANTS) AND THE SO WENT TO THE ARPT CLINIC FOR EVALUATION OF SMOKE AND FUME INHALATION; ETC. BOTH THE CAPT AND FO CHOSE NOT TO. THEY WERE USING OXYGEN MASKS DURING THE EMER PROCS. NO PAX INJURIES WERE RPTED NOR EXPECTED. CALLBACK CONVERSATION WITH RPTR REVEALED THE FOLLOWING INFO: THE RPTR STATED THAT THE ACFT WAS TAKEN TO THE MAINT HANGAR FOR A COMPLETE REVIEW OF THE PROB. THE RELATED SIT COULD NOT BE REPRODUCED. HOWEVER; NUMEROUS MECHANICAL PROBS WERE FOUND TO EXIT. THE LOGBOOK DID NOT REVEAL ANY NOTABLE CORRECTIONS TO THE ORIGINAL PROB AREA BUT DID NOTE A 4 INCH CRACK IN THE BLEED VALVE ON ONE ENG AND OIL IN #2 ENG DUCTING. FO FEELS THAT THE ISSUE WAS IN THE LOWER E&E COMPARTMENT. DURING THE EVENT THE FIRST CLASS CABIN ATTENDANT CAME TO THE COCKPIT AND SAW VISIBLE SMOKE OR HAZE WHICH THE CREW HAD NOT SEEN. THEIR MASKS WERE ALREADY ON AT THIS POINT. 9 DAYS LATER A FERRY CREW HAD THE SAME SMELL OF ELECTRICAL ODORS IN THE ACFT DURING THEIR FLT TO THE MAINT OVERHAUL ARPT. THIS EVENT WAS REVIEWED WITHIN THE COMPANY WITH THE UNION SAFETY REPRESENTATIVES AND THE FAA THERE FOR THE HEARING.