One of the most revered stage bookings in the history of the Broadway Theatre was with Ethel Merman in “Gypsy,” which opened on May 29th, 1959, and ran for 702 performances. The creative team had Arthur Laurents as author; Jule Styne, composer; Stephen Sondheim, lyricist; and Jerome Robbins, director & choreographer.
Stage shows were being presented only on Saturdays and Sundays. Casino had been renovated in 1939 to coincide with the opening of the New York World’s Fair, which was now closed after a second season in 1940.
Starting just prior to America’s entry into WW II, new management by Christina Brock and veteran talent booker Charles Yates kept this Saturday/Sunday policy running for a couple of months before drowning in red ink.
More likely, this was probably a pre-Broadway try-out on September 28-29, 1945, which fell on a Friday & Saturday that year. In 1946, September 28-29 fell on a Sunday & Monday, according to the Perpetual Calendar.
Being a Sunday, the Music Hall opened later than usual, but probably earlier than 12:00 Noon if “Suspicion” was to screen at 12:02. News of the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor didn’t break until mid-afternoon,
not causing a sharp drop in attendance until the next day, when the Music Hall reportedly had the worst Monday in its history to date.
A brief article about the Pioneer Theatre at the “Forgotten New York” website includes a current view of the property and a fuller version of the tax photo. Click here
Opened at the Rivoli Theatre on November 14th. This ad was published three days later, following overwhelming “raves” for Dietrich’s first performance in a Hollywood-made film.
Starting in the Thanksgiving season of that month, Loew’s rented the shuttered Fine Arts for a trial period of a “Swing Shift” policy running from 11:00 PM to 7:00 AM the next morning for wartime factory workers. First-run programming was the same as at Loew’s State and Orpheum, but the experiment proved unsuccessful and probably ended with this booking. Next up at Loew’s State & Orpheum was “Jack London” and co-feature, with no mention of the Fine Arts Owl in advertising or news reports.
At that time, “Dick Tracy” was the most popular comic strip in the NY Daily News, which had the highest circulation of any newspaper in the metropolitan area, with more than 2 million copies daily and 4 million on Sundays (when “Dick Tracy” occupied a full page in color).
Federal legislation later changed the observance of Thanksgiving Day from the last Thursday in November to the fourth Thursday, which ended the chance of it ever falling on the 29th or 30th of that month.
Due to shared management with the Fox and Brooklyn Paramount, the Strand usually had to settle for left-overs, including “B” programmers destined for the bottom of double bills packaged for the dominant RKO and/or Loew’s circuits.
This was a morning trade show. The Roxy opened to the public at 1:00 PM that day with its recently launched Christmas holiday presentation of “Peyton Place” and stage revue “Alice in Winterland.”
Community residents are opposing plans to demolish the former cinema and other buildings on the block for a 15-story mixed-use tower. News report can be found here
The western spoof is probably best remembered for an uncredited performance by a future megastar as a singing-and-dancing showgirl.
Highlights can be viewed here
Uncredited process was Cinecolor, which had a more limited spectrum than Technicolor but was more affordable for minor studios such as PRC.
“You’re not leaving this room, Mr. Mitgang, until I have your Blue Cross number.”
One of the most revered stage bookings in the history of the Broadway Theatre was with Ethel Merman in “Gypsy,” which opened on May 29th, 1959, and ran for 702 performances. The creative team had Arthur Laurents as author; Jule Styne, composer; Stephen Sondheim, lyricist; and Jerome Robbins, director & choreographer.
Stage shows were being presented only on Saturdays and Sundays. Casino had been renovated in 1939 to coincide with the opening of the New York World’s Fair, which was now closed after a second season in 1940.
Starting just prior to America’s entry into WW II, new management by Christina Brock and veteran talent booker Charles Yates kept this Saturday/Sunday policy running for a couple of months before drowning in red ink.
More likely, this was probably a pre-Broadway try-out on September 28-29, 1945, which fell on a Friday & Saturday that year. In 1946, September 28-29 fell on a Sunday & Monday, according to the Perpetual Calendar.
Being a Sunday, the Music Hall opened later than usual, but probably earlier than 12:00 Noon if “Suspicion” was to screen at 12:02. News of the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor didn’t break until mid-afternoon, not causing a sharp drop in attendance until the next day, when the Music Hall reportedly had the worst Monday in its history to date.
A brief article about the Pioneer Theatre at the “Forgotten New York” website includes a current view of the property and a fuller version of the tax photo. Click here
This ad published on September 17th, 1929.
Grand opening plans for the nearby RKO Roxy with screen/stage policy described in bottom left corner of the ad.
Opened at the Rivoli Theatre on November 14th. This ad was published three days later, following overwhelming “raves” for Dietrich’s first performance in a Hollywood-made film.
Starting in the Thanksgiving season of that month, Loew’s rented the shuttered Fine Arts for a trial period of a “Swing Shift” policy running from 11:00 PM to 7:00 AM the next morning for wartime factory workers. First-run programming was the same as at Loew’s State and Orpheum, but the experiment proved unsuccessful and probably ended with this booking. Next up at Loew’s State & Orpheum was “Jack London” and co-feature, with no mention of the Fine Arts Owl in advertising or news reports.
At that time, “Dick Tracy” was the most popular comic strip in the NY Daily News, which had the highest circulation of any newspaper in the metropolitan area, with more than 2 million copies daily and 4 million on Sundays (when “Dick Tracy” occupied a full page in color).
Invitation states “Preview,” not “Premiere,” meaning only a single screening. Loew’s ad for that day calls it a “Major Studio Prevue.”
Federal legislation later changed the observance of Thanksgiving Day from the last Thursday in November to the fourth Thursday, which ended the chance of it ever falling on the 29th or 30th of that month.
Due to shared management with the Fox and Brooklyn Paramount, the Strand usually had to settle for left-overs, including “B” programmers destined for the bottom of double bills packaged for the dominant RKO and/or Loew’s circuits.
This was a morning trade show. The Roxy opened to the public at 1:00 PM that day with its recently launched Christmas holiday presentation of “Peyton Place” and stage revue “Alice in Winterland.”
The Roosevelt would soon start its next serial, “The Green Hornet,” with the latest of its 13 episodes shown on Saturdays and Sundays.
Programs at both theatres followed their first area showings at Loew’s Willard and RKO Keith’s Richmond Hill.
Producer had dreamed of a booking at Radio City Music Hall, but had to settle for the same block.
With “Dune” topping the list of titles on marquee.
Local news report on opening can be read here
Community residents are opposing plans to demolish the former cinema and other buildings on the block for a 15-story mixed-use tower. News report can be found here
The western spoof is probably best remembered for an uncredited performance by a future megastar as a singing-and-dancing showgirl. Highlights can be viewed here
Opened on the federal holiday of Veterans Day, November 11th, 1971.