Winter Garden Theatre
1634 Broadway,
New York,
NY
10019
1634 Broadway,
New York,
NY
10019
13 people
favorited this theater
Showing 1 - 25 of 77 comments
Hello-
I recently watched Noah’s Ark and as hokey as it was really enjoyed it. just out of curiosity when it had its New York premiere at this theater was it the original 2hr. 15min. cut or the shortened 1hr. 45min. cut?
1946 picture posted in Photos section. The Winter Garden is in the background, not sure about theatre in front. Rivoli maybe?
I heard that “Cats” will become a feature film soon, this was old news from awhile ago…should be pretty interesting. They should have the US premiere here.
In one of the docs about early cinema on you tube there is pretty spectacular film footage of Noah’s Ark opening night outside this theater(I could swear it was the Winter Garden though I couldn’t see the name.) Even in black and white you can tell these marquees and billboards with dazzling moving neon effects were wondrous to behold.
A bit sad though to see a very old Dolores Costello reminiscing. You want these people to be able to hold on to some vestige of their great beauty. Instead they turn into everyone else if they live long enough.
From a New York Times review dated October 4, 1945:
In returning to the cinema fold last night after a span of thirteen years, the Winter Garden opened another chapter in its distinguished theatrical history on a gay and frivolous note, for in film form Noel Coward’s amusing spoof on spiritualism, “Blithe Spirit,” comes through as a generally delightful divertissement…
Not ALL Broadway theatres showed movies.
All Broadway theaters operated as movie theaters at one time. All the Broadway house have photo’s of Broadway shows. If you look at the Palace it has more stage shows than movies. I think it’s cool that a theater that once operated as a movie theater and is now a legit theater shows all photos. If it was in the CT guidelines they would be deleting thousands of pictures. Happy New Year all. Looking forward to another great year here on CT
I think my dad went to this theater years ago when he saw Cats…i was way too young to see it as it was kinda adult for a family musical. Seeing the commercials i thought the cats looked scary and the yellow eyes filling the screen gave me nightmares. Thankfully i saw the musical on video and enjoyed it. That recording is from a London show.
“Live On Stage” on the banner is a pretty good clue. Any bookings or photos of such at any theatres, at any time on CT are relevant. Because they add to that given theatre’s complete history, and going forward. Not limited only to it’s “cinema history”. Nowhere in the Community Guidelines does it say that that is a criteria. Some theatres converted back & forth from live events to film several times. Cinema Treasures = the theatre’s buildings.
By your logic, no photos should ever be posted of any theatres that have since converted to live events only. Which would be most of them, if they survived at all. How many theatres opened as vaudeville houses, and then converted to film? Should all their early history be omitted as well, because it is not “cinema history”? Photos of specific bookings or events whether film or not, can sometimes jar the memories of members and encourage them to post again about that given theatre. Particularly when years pass in between comments. Also, some members like to see any alterations to the buildings that may have occurred over the years. I only comment when I add photos, because it sometimes helps keeps CT active. Usually in a positive manner…
1977 photo added of Beatlemania at the Winter Garden. Photo credit Herb Silverman.
Circa 1958 photo added courtesy of Stephen P Talaga.
As a kid, I always wanted to see “Cats” on broadway based on the memorable ads on tv with the yellow cats' eyes and the footage from the musical. When I saw it on tv, i thought it was silly.
Looks like someone already “corrected” the street view so it can’t be adjusted to the proper main entrance around the block on Broadway.
Lots of great photos and history on this page.
I recall my grandfather telling me that “Hellzapoppin” was, without doubt, the funniest live performance of any kind he had ever attended. I don’t know if he saw it at the Winter Garden or the 46th Street Theater. “Hellzapoppin” moved over to the Majestic for its last month or so, presumably to clear the Winter Garden for rehearsals of “Sons O'Fun.” You have to wonder how O & J found time to film the cinematic version of “Hellzapoppin,” which was released in time for Christmas of 1941.
Just to complete the circle, “Sons of Fun” eventually moved out of the Winter Garden and transferred to the 46th Street Theatre to complete its very successful 21-month run.
This photograph and this photograph of the Winter Garden Theatre were taken in 1940 by George Mann of the comedy dance team, Barto and Mann.
“GRAND SLAM” was a one week run.
Going back to IBDB.COM, “The Greenwich Village Follies” closed at the Winter Garden on July 28, 1928 and was the last live stage presentation until the musical comedy “Hold Your Horses” opened here on September 25, 1933. Not sure how long the cinematic engagement of “Grand Slam” lasted, but seems like the theater stood vacant for quite a while before re-opening as a live venue in ‘33 (at the height of the Depression, no less).
It’s nice to see a little action on a thread other than the usual suspects.
Registering.
And the last film to ever play the Music Hall, “The Promise” was also a Universal release.
Re: RobertR’s comment about being surprised that Universal would four-wall a house. They apparently continued that practice from time to time. In 1970 they four-walled Radio City for the engagement of “Airport”, which led to 70mm equipment being installed to satisfy a request by Ross Hunter. (While they may not have actually four-walled the house after that, they came to the venue’s rescue on a couple of occasions. In order to give the theatre product, in 1977 they played a re-run of “The Sting”, “Smokey and the Bandit” and “MacArthur” back to back there. In addition, the last Christmas feature to play the Hall “Caravans” was picked up by Universal for distribution just so the Hall would have a Christmans film.)
Here they are, Ed. Please note that opening dates are not exact as I compiled the info by week.
9/23/1928 THE SINGING FOOL
3/17/1929 NOAH’S ARK
6/2/1929 ON WITH THE SHOW
9/1/1929 GOLD DIGGERS OF BROADWAY
11/24/1929 SHOW OF SHOWS
12/29/1929 SALLY
2/16/1930 THE GREEN GODDESS
4/13/1930 UNDER A TEXAS MOON
5/4/1930 SHOWGIRL IN HOLLYWOOD
5/25/1930 COURAGE
6/8/1930 NUMBERED MEN
7/13/1930 THE DAWN PATROL
9/14/1930 BIG BOY
9/28/1930 THE OFFICE WIFE
11/9/1930 LIFE OF THE PARTY
12/7/1930 MOTHER’S CRY
¼/1931 THE LASH
1/18/1931 ILLICIT
2/22/1931 SIT TIGHT
3/15/1931 MY PAST
3/29/1931 FIFTY MILLION FRENCHMEN
4/12/1931 THE MILLIONAIRE
5/17/1931 PARTY HUSBAND
5/31/1931 THE MALTESE FALCON
6/21/1931 SMART MONEY
8/9/1931 THE STAR WITNESS
9/13/1931 FIVE STAR FINAL
11/8/1931 THE RULING VOICE
11/29/1931 HER MAJESTY LOVE
12/27/1931 MANHATTAN PARADE
1/17/1932 UNION DEPOT
2/7/1932 THE HATCHET MAN
3/6/1932 ALIAS THE DOCTOR
3/27/1932 THE CROWD ROARS
4/24/1932 THE MOUTHPIECE
5/22/1932 TWO SECONDS
6/12/1932 THE DARK HORSE
7/3/1932 THE MYSTERY RANCH
7/10/1932 STRANGER IN TOWN
7/17/1932 RADIO PATROL
7/24/1932 CONGORILLA
8/14/1932 HOLLYWOOD SPEAKS
8/21/1932 THE CROONER
8/28/1932 A PASSPORT TO HELL
9/11/1932 BIG CITY BLUES
9/25/1932 TIGER SHARK
10/23/1932 THEY CALL IT SIN
11/6/1932 SCARLET DAWN
11/20/1932 YOU SAID A MOUTHFUL
12/11/1932 CENTRAL PARK
12/18/1932 AFRAID TO TALK
1/1/1933 LAUGHTER IN HELL
1/15/1933 HYPNOTIZED
1/22/1933 THE VAMPIRE BAT
1/29/1933 FRISCO JENNY
2/5/1933 FOLLOW THE LEADER
2/12/1933 THE KING’S VACATION
2/19/1933 ?
2/26/1933 GRAND SLAM
(Legit)
According to IBDB.COM, the last stage production prior to the U-I/UA movie bookings was a musical comedy called “Marinka” that ran from July 18th, 1945, until September 29, 1945, when it was transferred to the Ethyl Barrymore Theatre. That means it took little more than a week to strike the sets at the Winter Garden and install the movie screen. I wonder if the projectors were still in the booth from the last period when the Winter Garden was converted to a cinema from 1929 – 1933?
Al… do you have the movie bookings from that earlier period, as well?
Also, as per IBDB, the show that returned the Winter Garden to legitimate theater, was another musical comedy titles “As the Girls Go.” The opening date was November 13th, 1948, which doesn’t include previews which likely began in October. It is also noted that the show had a nine-week lay-off during the summer of 1948 due to the illness of its star, Bobby Clark. I wonder if this accounts for the lack of programming from August 1st through September 5th. Perhaps the reconversion back to live theater was scheduled to occur after “Man-Eater of Kumaon” finished its run, but had to be suspended after rehearsals due to Clark’s illness. That might make the engagement of the film “Larceny” a one-off booking by the Winter Garden to collect some revenue while the musical was pre-empted.
Just one more interesting throw-away fact about “As the Girls Go”… according to IBDB, the setting was 5 years in the future – January, 1953 in Washington, DC!
From the bookings it looks like Universal used UA films as filler during this period of heavy product outflow.
10/7/1945 BLITHE SPIRIT United Artists
11/18/1945 JOHNNY IN THE CLOUDS United Artists
12/2/1945 THE MAN IN GREY Universal
12/16/1945 ADVENTURE FOR TWO Universal
12/30/1945 THE SEVENTH VEIL Universal
2/24/1946 TOMORROW IS FOREVER RKO
5/5/1946 SO GOES MY LOVE Universal
5/26/1946 MADONNA OF THE SEVEN MOONS Universal
6/9/1946 THE RUNAROUND Universal
6/23/1946 SHE WROTE THE BOOK Universal
6/30/1946 DEAD OF NIGHT Universal
7/28/1946 THEY WERE SISTERS Universal
9/1/1946 THE KILLERS Universal
11/17/1946 NOTORIOUS GENTLEMAN Universal
12/22/1946 THE WICKED LADY Universal
1/27/1947 SWELL GUY Universal
2/22/1947 I’LL BE YOURS Universal
3/15/1947 STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN (Popular prices) Universal
4/12/1947 BUCK PRIVATES COME HOME Universal
5/3/1947 CARNEGIE HALL (dated with Park Ave.) United Artists
6/21/1947 NEW ORLEANS United Artists
7/19/1947 SLAVE GIRL Universal
8/9/1947 GREEN FOR DANGER Eagle-Lion
8/30/1947 SOMETHING IN THE WIND Universal
9/20/1947 SINGAPORE Universal
10/11/1947 RIDE THE PINK HORSE Universal
11/8/1947 THE UPTURNED GLASS Universal
11/22/1947 THE LOST MOMENT Universal
12/6/1947 CAPTAIN BOYCOTT Universal
12/27/1947 THE EXILE Universal
1/18/1948 SECRET BEYOND THE DOOR… Universal
2/1/1948 A WOMAN’S VENGEANCE Universal
2/22/1948 JASSY Universal
3/7/1947 BLACK BART Universal
3/28/1948 MAN OF EVIL United Artists
4/18/1948 ARE YOU WITH IT? Universal
5/9/1948 DEAR MURDERER Universal
5/23/1948 RIVER LADY Universal
6/13/1948 BAD SISTER Universal
7/4/1948 MAN-EATER OF KUMAON Universal
8/1/1948 (No program)
8/8/1948 (No program)
9/5/1948 LARCENY Universal
10/3/1948 (Reconverted to legit)