Remembering the Old Helen Hayes Theatre Through Pictures

Another victim of the hideous Marriott Hotel, it was built as the Folies-Bergeres dinner theater in 1911, soon renamed the Fulton. In the 50s it became the Helen Hayes Theatre, a name it kept until its demolition.

Some interior shots:

As it appeared early on in its life:

Some color shots of its crazy intricate facade:

A hotel proposal preserving the facade, possibly the entire theatre:

And finally, a heart-wrenching shot mid demolition:

Updated On: 6/17/15 at 12:56 AM

I remember standing across the street in front of the Lunt-Fontanne and stood transfixed as the partially demolished Helen Hayes Theatre remained. I can still see the ropes attached to the wall in the wings of the stage and thought how absolutely sad this is.

I think they were going to salvage the terra cotta facade, but the facade collapsed into rubble. (Wasn't there a post here not too long ago about the city finally auctioning off this rubble?) When the Ritz Theater on 48th was refurbished and rechristened the Walter Kerr, an ornamental mask was installed on the west side of the theater. It's since been removed. I always wondered if it had come from Helen Hayes. It certainly looked like the ornamentation on the top of that theater.

I loved this theatre. It was really beautiful and there were no bad seats, except those recessed boxes that faced into the theatre and I always assumed were just decorative. My first show there was Mary! Mary! I was 14 and it was a totally stupid show to take me to, but I enjoyed just being there. Saw The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie there when I was 17; a fun play with a performance for the ages from Zoe Caldwell. Probably saw another 15 shows there before it was torn down. I remember seeing Crown Matrimonial (I believe) just after the TKTS booth opened. The only seats they had were in the second balcony, which was fine. I think we paid about $2 for them, including service charge. Gone are the days.

Kind of curious to know where they kept the rubble all those years before it was auctioned off.

I've looked at that photo of the partially demolished Helen Hayes a lot. But studying it again, can anyone confirm: in the top right corner of the image, that must be the back of the Piccadilly Hotel and one wall of the stacks of staircases and dressing rooms from the Morosco, no?