What Times Square Area Buildings Use To Be Theaters?- Page 7

[Smaxie]

Posted: 2/28/09 at 2:38pm

On the subject of the demolished, here was one of my favorite oddball Broadway theatres when it was originally Lou Walters' nightclub, the Latin Quarter. In the 70s and early 80s, it was a Broadway theatre that had three names: 22 Steps, the Princess Theatre and then the Latin Quarter again. It housed a lot of disasters, like Coquelico, Censored Scenes from King Kong, Animals, The Babe, Fearless Frank, but also housed the successful Tony-nominated Pump Boys and Dinettes.

It was a VERY strange building. I also remember the entire exterior of the building being painted black. It sort of looked like the charred remains of a building that had been set on fire. The Hotel Renaissance stands on this site now.

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 2/28/09 at 2:40pm

Roxy and Smaxie you guys are the reason im on Broadway world, its great to hear the stories and the history.

[Smaxie]

Posted: 2/28/09 at 2:41pm

Here's the Winter Garden when the billboard used to run the length of the block.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 2/28/09 at 2:42pm

Re the Latin Quarter, on one side of the Marquee was a little stor that specialized in printing phony headlines on newspapers.Ah a lost art.

[Smaxie]

Posted: 2/28/09 at 2:43pm

A spooky shot of the late, lamented Morosco Theatre...

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 2/28/09 at 2:49pm

Great shot.

[Smaxie]

Posted: 2/28/09 at 2:57pm

This was the entrance on Broadway for the Globe Theatre, later renamed the Lunt-Fontanne. That entrance was abandoned for years and switched to the West 46th Street side. That building was used for various stores and also I think part of the Lunt's bar occupied some of the space. The building was just recently demolished for the new construction that has gone up on the corner ... I think for a clothing store going in?



While on the subject of the Lunt, it used to look like this when it was the Globe.

[Actor 7]

Posted: 2/28/09 at 10:51pm

I remember the tragedy of losing the Morosco and Helen Hayes Theatres back in the early 1980's. We demonstrated and tried to prevent the loss of these two beautiful theatres but they demolished them anyway. There's one theatre that I am very curious about. I know it is still standing and I wonder if it might still be restored? It was called The MANHATTAN OPERA HOUSE and it's located at 322 West 35th Street. It had three balconies. Does anyone know what its' current use is and if there are any plans to save it? I haven't heard anything about this theatre for many years. I believe it's only five blocks south of the Nederlander Theatre.

[snowskittle]

Posted: 3/1/09 at 12:48am

Is there a Broadway Museum anywhere? Seems like one of these abandoned theaters would be a perfect place for something like that.

[RentBoy86]

Posted: 3/1/09 at 3:13am

So the Lunt use to had two balconies? When did it switch over? Seems like major construction. I don't think it's too pretty inside, but I find the lay-out to be so interesting. The dressing rooms/offices are on the street entrance, and it has all these roped off areas. It seems like an odd layout.

Also, so the New Victory could be a Broadway house if it added one more seat? I mean, I know it won't ever be, but that's interesting to know. Is it worth venturing inside?

[Smaxie]

Posted: 3/1/09 at 6:40am

Manhattan Opera House is now called Manhattan Center. The Hammerstein Ballroom space inside is used a lot for concerts and TV specials. It's quite beautiful inside. I think the building is owned by the Moonies, who also operate the nearby New Yorker Hotel.

[Smaxie]

Posted: 3/1/09 at 8:41am

The Lunt originally opened as the Globe in 1910 and was a legit house until the early 30s, when it was used for movies. Around 1958, the interior was gutted into the configuration you see now, and it returned as a legit house and was renamed the Lunt-Fontanne. From 1958 until around 1994, the interior was powder blue, with ceiling murals of cherubs flying around. Tacky, but sort of charming in a kitschy '50s way. Right before The Best Little Whorehouse Goes Public, it was painted a hideous Milk of Magnesia shade of blue. It was absolutely the ugliest theatre on Broadway during that period - and maybe the ugliest Broadway theatre of all time. Right before Beauty and the Beast moved from the Palace, the interior got a makeover, which is what it looks like now ... probably the best it has looked since I've been going there. I think there's a massive disconnect between the building's exterior and interior. The facade promises that rococo style that you see in the 1910 interior photo, but that the "new" interior doesn't deliver. It's the same disorientation in reverse that you feel with the horrendous new exteriors for the Palace and the Broadway. But what can you do? The damage has been done.

[BlueforBroadway]

Posted: 3/1/09 at 10:35am

Thank you so much for all the wonderful pictures and posts in this thread. I am very interested in this type of info and you've made me go on a quest to find out more. Next time I am in the city, I'll be looking at the theaters with even more reverence.

[snowskittle]

Posted: 3/1/09 at 10:37am

Smaxie thanks so much for all the great posts and information. Since you seem to be such a good source, I was wondering if you might have any information or sources for the early (or even later) building layouts, archibects plans, revisions of any of these theaters. I don't mean the seating plan, but plans for the layout of the whole building.

I've always been especially curious about the parts of the theater that the audicned doesn't get to see. Everything I've seen seems to indicate that the backstage/dressingroom/ workshop, etc. areas are a convoluted maze of oddball tiny spaces carved (and later recarved) out of some murky bedrock.

If you've got any sources for building plans, I'd love to see how the backstage spaces are organized, or may have been reorganized over time, since I'm sure they have been, probably over and over.

Again, thanks so much for all your posts.

[gvendo2005]

Posted: 3/1/09 at 11:28am

More importantly, can anyone specifically pinpoint the entrance to the Liberty Theater? Is it easy to get to? Anyone who's been in there, is the seating still good sight line wise, etc.? I have an idea...

[Smaxie]

Posted: 3/1/09 at 11:38am

> Everything I've seen seems to indicate that the backstage/dressingroom/ workshop, etc. areas are a convoluted maze of oddball tiny spaces carved (and later recarved) out of some murky bedrock.<

The dressing rooms for most of the Broadway theatres are stacks of floors usually adjacent to the stage area. They are usually 3-6 floors of dressing rooms that can range a lot in size and configuration, but the basic set-up for dressing rooms is fairly consistent. The spaces under the stage for wardrobe, wig electrics, properties and carpentry is where things frequently get a bit more unusual.

[Neverandy]

Posted: 3/1/09 at 12:09pm

"Is there a Broadway Museum anywhere? Seems like one of these abandoned theaters would be a perfect place for something like that."


It's amazing that no one has put a museum together. It seems like it would be such a no-brainer for something like this to be done. What better subject than a Truly American Artform. and what better exhibits than iconic sets costumes and other acoutrement of the trade. You could house it in one of the abandoned theaters(the Liberty seems like the obvious choice) and that would give the patrons the opportuunity to see what its like to stand on astage and to see the backstage and dressing rooms as well.
Shouldn't this have happened already?

[Smaxie]

Posted: 3/1/09 at 12:15pm

There used to be a Broadway museum that was located in the breezeway at the Minskoff. Gone for some time, but it was attempted before.

I've read that the Liberty now has no backstage or dressing rooms because of the other stores and properties that are occupying space that used to belong to the theatre. Also, with no lobby or dedicated entrance and exit, it must be considered a potential fire hazard.

[PiraguaGuy2]

Posted: 3/1/09 at 12:16pm

The Gershwin has sort of a museum.

[Smaxie]

Posted: 3/1/09 at 12:19pm

Yes, the Gershwin is a museum of bad '70s architecture.

[Tom's Cat]

Posted: 3/1/09 at 12:20pm

Maybe that would be a viable use for the Times Square Theatre? The issue of load in space wouldn't be much of a problem and the central location would be fabulous for theatre fans.

[snowskittle]

Posted: 3/1/09 at 12:20pm

I would love to see one of the unused theaters become a museum to Broadway. Seems like there might be a lot of people that would visit it.

[Neverandy]

Posted: 3/1/09 at 12:24pm

Yeah. It seems that TDF or BC/EFA would be all over this. What a way to raise funds.Exhibits could be rotating, reflecting the ephemeral nature of the business. Also,if the space could be successfully fitted for performance use every once in a while, you could have benefit concerts and viewings.

[Actor 7]

Posted: 3/1/09 at 12:40pm

Smaxie: Thank you for your great knowledge of theatre history. Thank you for the beautiful color photograph that you posted of The Manhattan Opera House (now called Manhattan Centre). Wow! It is beautiful. Does it still have an operational stage? I heard the stage was large and almost anything could be done on it but I didn't know if it had been preserved or torn out like so many former theatre spaces. Very curious about this space. I wish it would return to legit. status. They should award a Tony to people like you, Smaxie, as your knowledge is invaluable!

[Byron Abens]

Posted: 3/1/09 at 12:54pm

We did at least get one good thing out of the demolition of the Roxie. Those images of Gloria Swanson provided the inspiration for Follies.