Below is an excerpt from How They Met by Joey Green which mentions the Roxy Theater and it’s connection to Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz.
“Before dawn on November 30, 1940, Desi and Lucy eloped by driving from Pierre Hotel in NYC to Greenwich, CT with Desi’s agent and business manager to act as witnesses. Just across the state line in CT, the eager couple could avoid New York’s required waiting period and return to Manhattan, according to Desi’s calculations, in time for his noon performace at the Roxy Theatre. The blood tests, however, took longer than anticipated. Then Desi had to send his business manager into Woolworth’s to buy a brass ring for Lucy. The justice of the peace also slowed things down by insisting upon marrying the couple in a more romantic environment than his office, bringing them to the Bryam River Beagle Country Club to conduct the ceremony before a roaring fireplace. The couple then returned to NYC where Desi, having missed the first of his 5 performances, carried Lucy over the threshold of the Roxy Theater.”
This is a twinned theatre with a totally different concept..double decker rather than splitting the auditorium down the middle or using the balcony for a second cinema.
Just looked at the exterior photo with the marquee and vertical JEFFERSON sign which was there in the 40’s, but not today! I guess the 4 businessmen who bought the theatre and changed the name to THE CINEMA (now that’s creative) decided to make other changes, as well!
I would like to visit Roanoke as I’ve been to that city many years ago and remember the star on the hill overlooking the city and the beautiful neighborhoods. A future visit would include the Grandin this time around though!
Having said that I have since read that the church has completed many restoration aspects of the former theatre which includes work in the auditorium and lobby areas (re-lamping the chandelier) in 2004. In addition to this theatre being known as the Mark Hellinger Theatre it was also known as the 51st Street Theatre and the Warner Theatre. Is this Mark Hellinger still living?
ERD: “The key word is service. As entertaining as it may be, that is not the main goal-obviously. It still is a church. It would be nice someday to see the place return as a fully functional theatre as it was intended to be.” I have to say I agree with these comments after viewing the photos.
After finally finding and viewing the Hollywood (Hellinger) site as there were 2 Hollywood theatres listed for NYC I see that it was built by Warner though the architect was Thomas W. Lamb. The fact that this former theatre is now a church is quite interesting and I wonder if anyone can provide photos of the interior to see how the Times Square Church has changed it to accommodate their spiritual needs?
I found my way here through a bit of research and see that it was a Warner theatre! I would love to see how the church has changed the interior to fit their spiritual needs so perhaps a CT member can post a photo(s).
In what way was Thomas Lamb “quite a character”. I know that architects such as Frank Lloyd Wright was very unique and could be described as “quite a character” also.
After comparing the archive photo of 1945 to the above photo I see the changes and am not pleased although the building’s exterior seems to have been untouched!
I recently received information about a former Lamb theatre called the Capitol which was demolished nearly 3 years ago. “There wasn’t so much as a whimper, as far as I know,about it being torn down. The city let it fall into disrepair (no heat, leaking roof). Prior to that it had been whittled away. First the grand entrance and lobby had been demolished (looked like the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles) leaving only the secondary entrance on the side street as the remaining entrance to the theatre. Then they chopped the theatre up into two screens, covering up all of Lamb’s work.” This is a theatre crime and was repeated more times than we CT members would like to admit.
Below is an excerpt from How They Met by Joey Green which mentions the Roxy Theater and it’s connection to Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz.
“Before dawn on November 30, 1940, Desi and Lucy eloped by driving from Pierre Hotel in NYC to Greenwich, CT with Desi’s agent and business manager to act as witnesses. Just across the state line in CT, the eager couple could avoid New York’s required waiting period and return to Manhattan, according to Desi’s calculations, in time for his noon performace at the Roxy Theatre. The blood tests, however, took longer than anticipated. Then Desi had to send his business manager into Woolworth’s to buy a brass ring for Lucy. The justice of the peace also slowed things down by insisting upon marrying the couple in a more romantic environment than his office, bringing them to the Bryam River Beagle Country Club to conduct the ceremony before a roaring fireplace. The couple then returned to NYC where Desi, having missed the first of his 5 performances, carried Lucy over the threshold of the Roxy Theater.”
Scott: Thanks for the correction and I look forward to seeing this theatre, in person, someday soon!
This is a twinned theatre with a totally different concept..double decker rather than splitting the auditorium down the middle or using the balcony for a second cinema.
And when was the decision to TWIN it made?
Just looked at the exterior photo with the marquee and vertical JEFFERSON sign which was there in the 40’s, but not today! I guess the 4 businessmen who bought the theatre and changed the name to THE CINEMA (now that’s creative) decided to make other changes, as well!
This atmospheric theatre is an Eberson and it’s been TWINNED? What a way to spoil and mess up an atmospheric theatre!
I would like to visit Roanoke as I’ve been to that city many years ago and remember the star on the hill overlooking the city and the beautiful neighborhoods. A future visit would include the Grandin this time around though!
William: Thanks for the Hellinger information…checked out the imdb site which I’m familiar with having looked up many celebrity names.
Having said that I have since read that the church has completed many restoration aspects of the former theatre which includes work in the auditorium and lobby areas (re-lamping the chandelier) in 2004. In addition to this theatre being known as the Mark Hellinger Theatre it was also known as the 51st Street Theatre and the Warner Theatre. Is this Mark Hellinger still living?
ERD: “The key word is service. As entertaining as it may be, that is not the main goal-obviously. It still is a church. It would be nice someday to see the place return as a fully functional theatre as it was intended to be.” I have to say I agree with these comments after viewing the photos.
http://www.timessquarechurch.org/about/
This is the official site for the church which shows a color photo of the auditorium with balcony during a service and a full house of worshipers.
And some wonderful photos of this theatre can be viewed on the Hollywood Theatre (Hellinger) site by CT member, “EdSolero” on 1/10/06.
Ed: Your 1/10/06 post with interior photos was wonderful to see and I thank you.
Two big names are associated with this theatre/church….Lamb and Warner!
Two big names are associated with this theatre/church….Warner and Lamb! Amen!
After finally finding and viewing the Hollywood (Hellinger) site as there were 2 Hollywood theatres listed for NYC I see that it was built by Warner though the architect was Thomas W. Lamb. The fact that this former theatre is now a church is quite interesting and I wonder if anyone can provide photos of the interior to see how the Times Square Church has changed it to accommodate their spiritual needs?
I found my way here through a bit of research and see that it was a Warner theatre! I would love to see how the church has changed the interior to fit their spiritual needs so perhaps a CT member can post a photo(s).
And the other photo shows the Shea’s before the vertical BUFFALO sign was added which makes such a difference!
Lost Memory: Great night photo of the Shea’s in Buffalo. I will be seeing Movin Out at the Shea’s in April which is a musical tribute to Billy Joel.
View link
And I wonder if Lamb ever met FLW? If so, that would have been some meeting of the minds!
In what way was Thomas Lamb “quite a character”. I know that architects such as Frank Lloyd Wright was very unique and could be described as “quite a character” also.
“….the 2259-seat auditorium was demolished.” What a shame!
After comparing the archive photo of 1945 to the above photo I see the changes and am not pleased although the building’s exterior seems to have been untouched!
cnyarts: How does one find the Mark Hellinger (Times Square Church) as I couldn’t find it listed on CT?
I recently received information about a former Lamb theatre called the Capitol which was demolished nearly 3 years ago. “There wasn’t so much as a whimper, as far as I know,about it being torn down. The city let it fall into disrepair (no heat, leaking roof). Prior to that it had been whittled away. First the grand entrance and lobby had been demolished (looked like the Hall of Mirrors at Versailles) leaving only the secondary entrance on the side street as the remaining entrance to the theatre. Then they chopped the theatre up into two screens, covering up all of Lamb’s work.” This is a theatre crime and was repeated more times than we CT members would like to admit.