Hollywood Theatre

You sound just like the children’s matron at the Oasis Theatre in the Glendale/Ridgewood section of Queens.

Isn’t he able to do his own research? If he can attend multiplexes on 42nd Street, he’s certainly capable of going to Lincoln Center. And he won’t be required to pass a literacy test before using the library’s facilities.

Those questions could be answered through research at the Billy Rose Theatre Collection at the Performing Arts Library at Lincoln Center. Admission is free, and you don’t need to be a member of the New York Public Library to use the facilities. Visiting hours can be found at www.nypl.org

Warren, Your post (about the Hollywood/Mark Hellinger) AND my post in response to yours turned up on both “blogs” – the one for the theater in Dormont/Pittsburgh and the one you intended on West 51st Street in NYC. Interesting electronic glitch.

The Hollywood had a brief cinematic life of just over nine months after being re-named the Warner Theatre for the August 1947 world premiere engagement of WB’s eagerly-awaited filmization of “Life With Father,” which had been the longest running of any Broadway stage play (straight or musical) up until that time. “Father” stayed until Christmas at the Warner, when it was replaced by WB’s film version of another Broadway smash, “The Voice of the Turtle.” UA’s “A Miracle Can Happen” (later re-titled “On Our Merry Way”) followed on February 3rd, 1948, and gave way on March 10th to a revival of WB’s “The Adventures of Robin Hood.” What turned out to be the Warner Theatre’s final movie, WB’s “Winter Meeting” (Bette Davis-Jim Davis), opened on April 7th and closed on May 16th. After the shuttering, the Warner was put up for sale, with a stipulation that it could not be used for movies. Financier Anthony B. Farrell, who dreamed of becoming another Florenz Ziegfeld, purchased it for $2 million for conversion into a playhouse named for his friend, Mark Hellinger, the legendary journalist and producer who’d also been a leader in helping to raise money for health charities like the Heart Fund and March of Dimes. Details of the Mark Hellinger’s “legit” history can be found at www.ibdb.com …Here’s an ad for the Warner Theatre’s opening with “Life With Father”:
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Perhaps some new “categories”…….
Changed into a church (or other not-so-performing arts but not gutted) could be, for example, “converted” or something like that.
Something else could be used for when it’s been turned into retail or office, but not torn down—“gutted” might be appropriate. It would differentiate from a theater that is “closed” and just sitting there empty.

I think that it’s a very short-sighted policy. The building is one of the few ex-movie palaces in Manhattan that not only still stands, but also boasts an interior that’s close to the original. Anyone finding it listed here as “closed” is likely to think it’s inaccessible, which is hardly the case. One can visit during church services, and admission is free.

Well, in that case, “The lunatics have taken over the asylum!”

The “Status” in the introduction needs to be changed. The building is very much “open” during church services and admission is free. One of the best bargains in the midtown entertainment district!

The Disney Company was very interested in the Mark Hellinger but the Church would have to be interested in selling the theatre which they are not. The Mark Hellinger is very desirable for large scale Musicals due to its capacity of over 1500, there is a line waiting to bring musicals into New York due to the lack of Available theatres of this size. Most of the larger theatres are tied up in multi year runs such as the Winter Garden,Majestic,Broadway,Minskoff,Gershwin,Palace,Lunt-Funtanne,Neil Simon,New Amsterdam,Hilton,Shubert,Al Hirhsfield,Marquis and few others. The very desirable St James was suppose to have “Young Frankenstein” but the producers switched to the larger Hilton when the show playing at the Hilton closed early.Many times producers are forced to bring musicals into the smaller theatres such as the Shoenfield,Barrymore,August Wilson,Eugene o'Neil, Ambassador and a few others. Large scale musicals require seating capacity of at least 1400 to make economic sense. Disney was forced to open “Tarzan” at the Richard Rogers which seats less than 1400 due to the lack of available theatres. This has been a problem for the last few years. The Minskoff which was considered the ugliest theatre on Broadway had to due an extensive renovation before Disney would move “The Lion King” over, but had a seating capacity of over 1600. There is a huge demand for the “Mark Hellinger” but at what price and the church would have to be willing to sell.brucec

The Shubert gang needs to work out a deal with the church and find them a new location and take over the Hellinger and bring back live theatre. Also if the Shuberts don’t have the cash let the Disney movie theatre division take it over like they have at The El Capitian in Hollywood CA. Bring in the Disney films with live stage shows with a pipe organ. The El Capitain is the best selling movie theatre in the USA many weeks out of the year.

The Hollywod(Mark Hellinger) is the most beautiful theatre still standing in Times Square. Im glad the church has taken such good care of this theatre. Despite being a legit theatre for so many decades it still looks like a movie palace.brucec

Listing the theatre as “Closed” might discourage people who read about it at Cinema Treasures from visiting what is the midtown area’s only remaining movie palace in much of its original splendor.