Hollywood Theatre
237 W. 51st Street,
New York,
NY
10019
237 W. 51st Street,
New York,
NY
10019
14 people
favorited this theater
Showing 126 - 150 of 153 comments found
Yes, the Mark Hellinger is still an eye-popper. Last month on a Sunday afternoon at 2:30 pm my car ride from upstate dropped me off just outside the theater as it was filling up with church-goers. I went inside and marveled at the wonderfully bright preservation of the lobby. Ushers were not letting visitors into the auditorium, but I peered through one of the sheer-curtained glass doors and saw that the interior is as splendid as the lobby. It’s very close to what I remember from the days between “My Fair Lady” (‘56) and “Coco” ('69), right down to the sheer-curtained doors. Warren has mentioned an article on the City Section of the NYTimes on 4 December 2005. The color picture of the rear balcony looks wonderful. Bravo!
The key word is service. As entertaining as it may be, that is not the main goal-obviously. It still is a church. It would be nice someday to see the place return as a fully functional theatre as it was intended to be.
The status should be changed to “open.” If you go during a service, it’s one of the best shows in town, and admission is FREE!
Here’s a 1940 view of the original entrance on Broadway. Curiously, the marquee gives credit to the movie’s author, but fails to mention the star, who by that time was developing into “boxoffice poison.” The restaurant to the left was the legendary Lindy’s, whose corner site is now occupied by a McDonald’s:
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/131-3147_IMG.jpg
Looks like the musical “Times Square Church” is playing. I think “Legs Diamond” with Peter Allen was one of the last big shows here.
A night view
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The last movie to play at the theatre under its original name of Hollywood was WB’s “Possessed” (Joan Crawford & Van Heflin), which opened on May 29, 1947…The Hollywood was built on part of the corner site of the famous Hotel Albany, which was demolished starting in October, 1928. The site was shared with a new office building that fronted on Broadway. The theatre was actually behind it, but had an entrance lobby on Broadway that cut through the office building. The Hollywood’s boxoffice and marquee were directly opposite the Warner-Piccadilly, which was on the east side of Broadway. The current entrance shown in the introductory photo was originally just a side exit from the Hollywood.
The Hollywood’s name switched to Warner Theatre on August 15, 1947, with the opening of WB’s film version of “Life With Father,” a play that was then considered the most successful in the history of the American stage, with a run of nearly eight years (3,224 performances). In fact, the play’s New York engagment had ended only a month before (July 12). The movie might have seemed an ideal booking for Radio City Music Hall, but WB could earn more by presenting it at its own theatre.
The Lyric 42nd St.
Someone above mentions “Taxi Driver” and the other night it was on (it’s on a lot lately on cable). Anyway…does anyone know what movie theater Travis takes Betsy to when the go to the porn movie? Just curious what it is now..
If the theatre marquee said “Hollywood,” it was probably the Hollywood Twin Cinemas on Eighth Avenue. Check out the listing here for that theatre.
Don
No that is the Hollwywood Twin Cinema on 8th Avenue, which is not that far away from this theatre.
In the movie “Taxi Driver” you can see the Hollywood marquee in the background when DeNiro is walking. Is this the same theatre?
Divinity
I agree, aside from performance venues churches have saved many great theatres.
Robert,
This theater is obviously a success, since it has become a place for people to worship the good lord in such a heavenly atmosphere. At least it wasnt destroyed as the Paramount and Roxy were. The best part is that it is now open for all to see.
If this theatre could have hung on a few years the Broadway boom of the ninties would have probably made it a success.
Last week they re-lamped the lobby chandelier.
They have been doing work in the auditorium and lobby areas on the ceilings in the last two months. They have been doing a few youth programs (music & speakers) and two film screenings (youth church type). I live right next door to the theatre.
I noticed that the style of this theatre is given as “art deco”. The facade is in that style, but the interior is done in the same sort of gorgeous french baroque that Thomas Lamb used in San Francisco’s Fox Theatre, and the Loew’s Midland in Kansas City.
Someone recently asked if the nearby Roseland, at 239 West 52nd Street, was ever a theatre. The answer is “no.” Roseland is a conversion of the Gay Blades Ice Skating Rink. The original Roseland, a purpose-built dance hall that opened in 1919, was on the east side of Broadway, in the same block as the Piccadilly Theatre, between 51st and 52nd Streets. Everything on that site was demolished to make way for the City Squire Hotel. Roseland moved to its current location in 1956.
This beautiful theatre is the last movie palace still standing in the Broadway area. Hopefully, the building can eventaully be returned to presenting shows. A producer with creative vision could do so much with it.
Mark Hellinger was a beloved Broadway character, a newspaper columnist and writer before becoming a Hollywood movie producer. The theatre re-opened as the Mark Hellinger on January 22, 1949, with the musical revue, “All For Love,” which lasted only 141 performances. The playhouse never had a smash hit until “My Fair Lady,” which opened in March, 1956.
This theatre deserves to be listed under its original name of Hollywood. The Times Square Church is not a theatre…The Hollywood first opened on April 22, 1930, with the WB movie, “Hold Everything.” Although it had stage facilities, the Hollywood never used them while it was a movie house. The original entrance was on Broadway, with a narrow art nouveau lobby that cut through an office building. This lobby opened into the oval grand foyer. The current entrance on 51st Street was originally just exit doors with a plain marquee as protection from bad weather.
There is a severe shortage of musical theatres of this size in the theatre district. It would be nice if this theatre could be brought back on line and a new and larger home found for the church who have taken such good care of it.I heard a rumor that Disney was very interested in this theatre. brucec
The movie version of Chorus Line was filmed here in the middle 80’s. I saw my first Broadway show here around 1963, “Sound Of Music” which I think ended its run here after it moved over from the Lunt Fontaine Theatre.