Todd Haimes Theatre
229 W. 42nd Street,
New York,
NY
10036
229 W. 42nd Street,
New York,
NY
10036
12 people
favorited this theater
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Naming this one after Todd Haimes makes sense. After all, he was the one who got Roundabout into the space, which itself came after he saved the entire company from bankruptcy. If there’s anyone deserving of the honor, it’s him.
I always was hoping they would rename it the Selwyn. I am not a fan of renaming a theater after people nobody knows.
Now THERE’s an idea!
How about they call it the Edgar and Archibald Selwyn theater…
Anything is better than American Airlines Theatre! Corporate naming rights bring in lots of money, but they result in awful monikers up on the marquee!
American Airlines Theatre to be renamed in honor of Roundabout Theatre Company’s Todd Haimes
https://www.broadwaynews.com/american-airlines-theatre-to-be-renamed-in-honor-of-roundabout-theatre-companys-todd-haimes/
Featured prominently in recreation in the new HBO series “THE DEUCE”. The Apollo and others are also featured in the series pilot episode with meticulous detail, circa 1971.
That clip was from 1984, seven years after this house closed, but still before its legit rebirth. (The Robby Benson movie on the marquee “One on One” came out in 1977.)
Brief shot of the Selwyn marquee at 3:16 in this `80’s SNL clip. The dancer on the lower right at 2:42 is Bebe Neuwirth too. Copy & Paste to view.
https://screen.yahoo.com/popular/needleman-dentist-000000600.html?soc_src=default
I’m with you there, Luis. The sad thing is, of the 9 historic theaters on the block (not counting the stripped down and presumably unsalvageable Anco) that were touted to be held by either the State or the 42nd Street Development Corp for preservation and restoration, we really only have three theaters that remain in a state of preservation: the Selwyn, New Amsterdam and New Victory (another gem).
On a secondary tier of preservation, the shell of the Empire Theatre remains as a lobby to the AMC multiplex that bears its name, and the Lyric and Apollo Theatres were disassembled with only segments of historical interior elements (mostly from the Apollo) used in the reconstructed theater that now sits within their combined footprint.
The Times Square still sits there with its future up in the air and reports are that the Liberty’s auditorium – which sat vacant but largely intact for many years – has recently been stripped away. And most unforgiveably, the Harris Theatre – which was in as good a shape as any of the theatres on the block – wasn’t even given any consideration for preservation, having been completely demolished for the Madame Tussaud’s project.
While I celebrate the survival of the Selwyn, New Amsterdam and New Victory, I bemoan the loss of the Lyric and Harris and feel saddened as the slim hopes for the Times Square and Liberty seem to be slipping away.
Agreed Ed, from what I’ve read about the Beacon, it is truly spectacular. But I still came away disappointed from the Selwyn nonetheless. That said, there is no doubt that the Selwyn was never in the same league as its more celebrated brethren. I’m still very happy that the theater was saved.
In all fairness, I’m sure Disney had a significantly bigger budget for their restoration of the New Amsterdam (which was also in a poorer state of disrepair) than the Roundabout had for its clean-up of the old Selwyn. The New Amsterdam sparkles like the crown jewel that it is. I haven’t been inside the Beacon Theatre since its multi-million dollar overhaul by Cablevision, but I imagine it is on a par with the work done at the New Amsterdam.
I have to say that I have to agree. The New Amsterdam is a stunning achievement where this theater renovation was disappointing (imo). Granted, the New Amsterdam was one of the most beautiful theaters ever built so perhaps it is unfair to compare the two, but I guess I just did. :–)
If you compare it to what Disney did across the street they actually did a pretty half-assed job. The murals are badly faded or covered in dust and many of the wood finishes are damaged or rotting away.
They did a fabulous job rejuvenating this gem.
I don’t know why but this was my favorite heater on the block.
That’s the 42nd Street I remember and loved as a teenager. In fact, I clearly recall seeing the double feature of the British action flick “The Final Option” and the awful horror pic “The Beast Within” at the Times Square Theatre (the marquee of which is partially seen at far right in this image) in October of 1983, which is when I would date this photo. Turned out I had already seen that supporting feature about a year or so earlier when it was the top billed feature somewhere along the block – and when I realized this, about 15 or 20 minutes into the showing, I got up and walked out. One of the few times I ever walked out on a supporting feature anywhere.
Thanks for the heads up. That slip of the Selwyn would be 1956. I found it nostalgic because around this time the WB catalogue was being re-released and I saw quite a few on 42nd Street.
In “THE JAMES DEAN STORY”, there are some great shots of Times Square. At 27 minutes and 24 seconds into the film, there is a quick shot of the Selwyn ;on the marquee: “ADVENTURES of ROBIN HOOD” plus “COLORADO TERRITORY”. At the 54 minute mark, there is a great shot of the Fox theatre in Hollywood. Really nice and unique marquee; theatre is showing “CURUCU, BEAST OF THE AMAZON” plus “THE MOLE PEOPLE”. Can be seen- for free- at Hulu.
In the summer of 1952,
The Apollo was most probably presenting a double feature of foreign nudie nonsense sold as art, as the pre-porn house really always was.
In Ruth Orkin’s photo, the rounded marquee in the foreground with the man on the ladder belongs to the Apollo Theatre, but the view is too close to make out what program was being presented. But it was probably a double-bill of “foreign” imports.
Warren G. Harris provided this link to a 1952 photo by Ruth Orkin of the Selwyn. An extremely fine image.
View link
1944 Selwyn view from LIFE -
View link
The Selwyn is on the left in this February 1954 photo from the NY Daily News:
http://tinyurl.com/m26jpw
Just saw The Philanthropist at this theater last night. I haver to admit that I was was too scared to have ever seen a single film on the Deuce back in it’s prime decadent period of the 70’s through early 90’s so this was my first time in the theater and I have to say that it is a very handsome Broadway playhouse; a beautiful restoration and a joy to see a play in as the chairs had ample legroom.
That said, it didn’t have that “movie palace” feeling and obviously it wasn’t built as a movie palace but that didn’t stop the New Amsterdam or Radio City from feeling like palaces even though they too were built for legit and not movies. Still a great theater though!