"Cradle Will Rock" Filming Locations

BUMP no one knows??

I think only the exterior of Webster Hall was used, as the exterior for the Venice Theatre. (BTW, the Venice was later renamed the New Century. Both Cole Porter's Kiss Me Kate and Out of this World Opened there.)

The then-distressed exterior of the Biltmore was also used for one of Bill Murray's scenes.

No idea what was used for the interiors for the Venice or Maxine Elliott's.

I didn't remember Webster Hall, having worked on the film, but here's what I do remember: (interesting horror story about doing extra work)

I got the call to show up at the armory at 3:30 am that coming morning. I got there and learned that there were over 900 extras for that shoot. Each and every one of us had to go through wardrobe, hair and makeup. The wardrobe-there were racks and racks of 30's dresses, and since these were not private fittings, you wore the dress that was handed to you, no matter the size. And the shoes - never mind a size. You picked a pair out of a huge mountain of shoes on the floor, hoping they'd fit. Even if they did sort of fit, these were actual 1930's shoes, dainty and pointy, and tight.

Then we sat for hair and makeup, which was major, if you at all know the styles of the day. Putting 900+ actors through wardrobe hair and makeup took several hours, so while we waited, we already were in pain fro the tight dresses, hats and shoes. Since it was 85 degrees in mid August, it was torture. Our makeup was already running because of course there was no A/C in the armory.

Finally we went outside. The scene was a march through the streets on the way down to Webster Hall. So imagine wobbling in those tight shoes, tight dresses and hats, down the streets with 900 people in that heat and humidity.

It wasn't long before people started to drop out and go home. There were girls sitting on the curb with bleeding feet. There were extras leaving the line and ducking into delis. People were calling friends and telling them to come and join in. If you didn't know better, you wouldn't think this was a movie shoot. It was mass chaos.

I don't remember breaking for lunch, or even craft services, but I made it to the end. Tim Robbins was the director. he must have realized that hundreds of extras dropped out, because he made this announcement "Anyone who shows up tomorrow gets a chance for a color TV."

I never saw the film. I'm sure it's been edited to delete all the signs of torture, lol!

I'm pretty sure I'm not seen. I wisely used to stay to the back of these things, for so many reasons!

Updated On: 1/24/17 at 10:12 AM