New Victory Theatre

Another stunning restoration on 42nd street (along with the New Amsterdam right across the street). Actually, this restoration preceded Disney's restoration of the New Amsterdam by a year or two. The theater is a gorgeous little jewel-box that serves as a year-round center for children's and family oriented entertainment. We take the kids in to about 4 or 5 shows here each year and have never been disappointed. Hard to imagine that this was once a porno theater.

A historical note: Not only was this Broadway's first burlesque house, but it was the home of the fabled "Minsky's Follies" until then Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia shut it down during his very public crackdown on vice in the City during the 1940's. It was renamed Victory in a nod to the groundswell of patriotism felt across the nation during the 2nd World War.

This was not Broadway's first burlesque theatre. The Columbia Burlesque Theatre opened in 1910 at Broadway & 47th Street, and presented burlesque shows well into the 1920s.

The Victory of the 50s & 60s, pre-porn, had some of the most fun programming on the Deuce. They did show a lot of re-released Republic action films, especially the John Wayne ones (Sands of Iwo Jima, Wake of the Red Witch. I do recall a Bowery Boys double feature with a 3 Stooges short (unfortunately during the Joe Besser era.)One of the premier action film houses of the time. Jerry the K

What a nice grand theater, this type of architecture I hope to design after I go to college. A stunning restoration. Great job to the people who make this happen. I hope I cna visit it one day.

Is it really only 499 seats?

The seating capacity may have been reduced from the original. I believe that New York stage theatres with fewer than 500 seats operate under less expensive union rules than bigger houses do, thus the 499 figure.

Two views of the New Victory's interior can be seen here.

The Film Daily Yearbook 1950 gives a seating capacity of 982 for the Victory Theatre. Later this was reduced to 769 with the closure of the 2nd balcony during its latter days as a grind & porn house.

When it first opened as Theatre Republic on September 27, 1900, the seating capacity was 982, according to William Morrison's "Broadway Theatres." The same was reported in the 1954 Film Daily Year Book.

Going off-topic, does anyone know the name of the theatre that is show in the background during the opening sequence of Saturday Night Fever?

Most of the old 42nd St movie theaters can currently be seen on a Travel Channel show focusing on Times Square. The clips of the Deuce are during the mid-70s and current timeframes. It was shown on December 26. So it should be still in its rotation. The old (xxx rated) Victory and new Victory can be seen.
Jerry 42nd Street Memories

Is there any way to retrieve the bookings information on the 42nd Street Theaters, back in the 50s-60s, especially the Empire, Anco, Times Sqaure, Victory, Liberty? I went through the NY Times microfiche at the library and found some mention of the more mainstream New Amsterdam, Lyric, Harris, Selwyn but nothing on the others. Thanks for any info. Jerry 42nd Street Memories

A great late 60s view of the Victory's marquee at night (along with its neighboring movie houses) can be seen here.

Bryan, another great shot. Where did you get this one?
I put the image at 1970, the year that Chisum (Selwyn) and The Losers (Lyric) opened. I can also make out War Lord & Firecreek at the Times Square. Did I miss any? Jerry 42nd Street Memories

Who was it who handled the booking of the occasional concerts, plays, etc., which were presented in some of the old 42nd Street theatres (specifically the Victory, Lyric, Liberty, and Selwyn come to mind as such venues) between the time they stopped screening films on a regular basis and their renovations and/or conversions into other uses? The city, I know, came to eventually own all the Deuce moviehouses, but did they assume control of each of them as soon as each individual theatre closed for regular business?

I just found a beautiful color clip of the Victory and entire north side of 42nd Street from 1956 on the gettyimages.com website. The Selwyn is showing (3 Coins in the Fountain & Love is a Many Splendid Thing), Apollo (Naked Night & Divided Heart), Times Square (Best of the Badmen & Badman's Territory), Lyric (Man in the Grey Flannel Suit & Magnificent Roughnecks), Victory (Purple Heart & Guadalcanal Diary, usually an action house, and since the Times Square was 100% westerns, Victory usually had war and adventure films in the 50s). Here's the link http://creative.gettyimages.com/source/Film/filmresultsmain.aspx?source=general&masterID=561-55&brandID=14&detailView=1

Jerry 42nd Street Memories

Here is a 1942-dated photo of the Victory's marquee displaying a double feature of B-movies.

The cherubs and the ornimental work remind me of the St James Theatre in Wellington, New Zealand. The St James Theatre was built in 1912 and it's desginer was Henry Eli White here is it's website http://www.stjames.co.nz/ it's a lovely theatre. I think the New Victory is lovely too.

photo of 1902 rebuilding:
http://www.andreas-praefcke.de/carthalia/usa/usa_nyc_newvictory.htm

Here is a 1966 shot of the Victory and a partial view of some of the other theaters on The Deuce. Nice program of two 42nd St favorites of the time UA's Satan Bug & AIP's Time Travelers. I won the item on ebay and will be loaded it on to my website soon. Here's the temporary link:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=6166608315

Note the cameraman on the neon sign above the marquee. At night, the display was animated with the camerman cranking the projector.

For those interested, the films showing are:
HARPER & SWINGER'S PARADISE (Lyric), OUT OF THE PAST & TENSION AT TABLE ROCK (Times Square), TROUBLE WITH ANGELS & MYSTERY OF THUG ISLAND (Selwyn), WEEKEND AT DUNKIRK & THAT MAN IN ISTANBUL (New Amsterdam); Apollo appears to have a Gina Lollobrigida film.

They occasionally show movies here. I haven't been in recent years, but do remember attending films here as part of some film festivals. One of them Reginald Hudlin, the filmmaker, was involved with.

I can attest to the beauty of this theatre. In '96 I caught Kurosawa's "Red Beard" here and "Sugar Cane Alley" as part of the same fest. I haven't been back since.

I wish the management would better publicize the films shown at the New Victory, no matter how seldom the screenings are. I've never been inclined to attend any of the family-geared productions presented there (to my loss, I suppose, based on what I've heard and read about them) but would feel differently about catching a flick, knowing what I do about the theatre.

Restoration information & photos:
http://www.hhpa.com/projects/project_details.php?section=theaters&ID=157

1971 porno on a showcase run
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a13/ChmnofBrd/SexfreedomInGermany.jpg

An old photo of the Republic Theater can be seen here:
http://web.bvu.edu/faculty/whitlatch/42nd/pictures/repub1.jpg

Some shots from 1966:

http://photobucket.com/albums/a56/42ndStreetMemories/?action=view¤t=42VictoryTheSwap1966.jpg

http://photobucket.com/albums/a56/42ndStreetMemories/?action=view¤t=42Victory1966Sexperts.jpg

http://photobucket.com/albums/a56/42ndStreetMemories/?action=view¤t=42northside1966.jpg

A great 1967 pic
http://photobucket.com/albums/a13/ChmnofBrd/Movie%20Theatres/?action=view¤t=Victory1967.jpg

Here is a night view of 42nd St with the Victory Theater showing "The Filthy 5".

This is a link to the company that did some of the facade restoration on the New Victory Theater.

Here is another late 60s view of the Victory, Apollo, Rialto, etc.

Here is a 2003 photo of the New Victory Theater.

Another modern photo of the New Victory Theater is here.

I wonder why the 1968 movie "The Night They Raided Minsky's" wasn't filmed here, since the Victory was home to Minsky's Follies back in the days? There is a post on the Village East page that claims the movie filmed its interiors there. Was the Village East vacant at the time and therefore easier to settle into for a long shoot? Perhaps the erotic fare at the Victory was too lucrative at that time for the owners to let it close for filming.

This is the "checkerboard motif" discussed at the listing for the Lyric Theatre on 12/20/05: www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/burlcheck.jpg

I attended a show here on Friday with the kids and snapped the following series of interior photos:

Lower Lounge
Foyer
Foyer ceiling detail
Stairway to loge
Left side boxed
Pair of cherubs
Right side boxes
Loge facade fixture
Proscenium
Dome view
Dome long view
Back of house
Seat row end cap

I was never in the Victory during its '70's and '80's porn days so I don't know what the interior was like back then. The lower lounge area looks like it was created with the 1990's renovations (and there is an extension into space under an adjacent building for an concession stand, additional lounge space and a kids "activity" center where children can engage in event-related hands-on play). It is possible that the restrooms were always downstairs, however, since the ground level foyer (as seen in the photo above) is guite small.

You have to walk up a few steps to enter the foyer from the ticket lobby and there are identical staircases leading up to the loge area on either side. It appears that some alterations were made to this space with the renovations (probably to build the twin stairs that lead down to the lounge) as is evidenced in the "foyer" photo above where some original ceiling molding detail can be found mixed in with the obviously modern plain walls and ceilings.

Up the stairs the loge foyer is also quite small, with much of it taken up with the open shallow stairwell that leads to the upper exit doors (these lead to the ornate outer staircase seen in exterior photos, which had been shorn off the building many years ago before being reproducted for the 1995 renovation). The ticket lobby exists under these outer stairs. One must have walked practically right into the auditorium from the sidewalk in the grind house days!

Another set of stairs on either side of the theater takes you from the loge foyer to the balcony foyer. My seats were in the orchestra, and I didn't venture up to photograph the other levels. Next time I'm seated in the balcony, I'll be sure to bring the camera along and post some photos here, unless someone else does so before I get the chance.

I've been a member of the New Victory for about 5 years now and can't recall any film series in that time. There was one event that featured a small orchestra accompanying vintage Warner Brothers cartoons, but that's as much as I can recall. Even so, if you have kids (or are close to someone else's), I must recommend this affordable and excellent venue for family entertainment. The bookings are from all over the world and are usually excellent. Even if you don't have kids, some of the fare (particularly the dance ensembles and acrobatic circuses) should prove of great interest to adults as well.

Are the opening night tickets free? :) Maybe the whole block should be submitted for landmark status and then negotiate it down to just the theater itself. All of the buildings on that block were built around the same time. I don't know the exact size of the two floors above the entrance but I remember that the pool hall on the second floor was kind of cramped.

I'm not sure how the above message was saved to this theater but it belongs in the Ridgewood theater.

Since I'm in here, I'll post something about this theater. The Internet Broadway Database website shows the architect for this theater as Albert Westover. Maybe he was the original architect. Their website is here.

Three sources name Albert Westover as architect;
'The City and The Theatre' by Mary C. Henderson
'Lost Broadway Theatres' by Nicholas Van Hooganstraten
'Broadway Theatres - History and Architecture' by William Morrison
which also mentions the 1902 remodeling by architects Bigelow, Wallis & Cotten.

In the book 'Broadway-An Encyclopedic Guide to the History, People and Places of Times Square' by Ken Bloom he states that J.B. McElfatrick & Co were the architects.

I also found that Philadelphia Architects and Buildings, associates Albert Westover with this theater on 1/17/1900 and makes no mention of J.B. McElfatrick. Will the real architect please stand up. :)

I was at the New Victory this past Thursday for a show and took this detail shot of the stone banister at the bottom of one of the balcony stairways:

Banister carving

The rough carving is a bit hard to read precisely. It might read "1995" or this could be a remnant from the peak of this theater's most seedy incarnation in "1975". I can't imagine how someone would have had the time to pull this off in the theater's current well patrolled state of existence.

I'm reorganizing my photobucket albums, so none of the links I posted back on February 26th are still working. If anyone is interested in seeing those photos, here is a link to the Victory Theater album I just added:

42nd Street Victory photo album

Nice shots, Ed!

There was a Loew's Victory on 155th Street and 3rd avenue open in the 40's that does not appear to be listed here. Does anyone have any info on that one?

Here's a shot I took in the fall of 1993 showing the Lyric and Victory at a time when most of the Duece theaters were shuttered (the Harris and Harem were still kicking around) and their marquees and facades subject to public art and poetry:

1993 marquee poetry

I also snapped these two photos in 2002 while attending a show with the kiddies at the New Victory:

2002 Facade detail
2002 side boxes

I also have these images from the NY Post in December 1980 and March 1982 reavealing that the Post did include 7 of the Duece grind houses in their "Movie Clock" listings. Aside from the Cine 42, they are all clustered together in the 2nd column in each image below:

Movie Clock 12/11/80
Movie Clock 3/10/82
Full Movie Clock 3/10/82

The last shot is a full view of the 3/10/82 Movie Clock that reveals all the porn theaters that were listed - inlcuding the Harem, making it 8 Duece theaters on the list. Not listed are the New Amsterdam (which was on the verge of closing down in '82), Harris, Anco and Rialto Theaters. I also checked contemporary copies of the News and Newsday I have and none of these theaters are listed at all. Meanwhile, the Apollo was flirting with legitimacy:

News Theater Directory 12/9/80

The other feature both the Post and News ran in those days was something called the Neighborhood Movie Guide. The Post ran nearly a full page listing, while the News' version barely filled a single column (and in those abbreviated versions seemed mostly filled with XXX Porn listings). Here are a couple of samples to jog some memories:

Post Nabe Movie Guide 12/11/80
Post Nabe Movie Guide 3/9/82
News Movie timetable 12/15/80
Mews Movie Directory 12/9/80

Ed, The FRISCO and NIGHT SHIFT TWIN in the Movie Clock above are two Manhattan porn houses I had never heard of before 3/10/82 .

Yeah, Al... I didn't notice the Night Shift Twin, but I was going to inquire here about the Frisco. I have some of those block porno ads that the Post and News would cluster at the bottom of the mainstream movie ads that I plan on posting at the appropriate theater pages here on CT and was going to pose the question. I don't see the Frisco listed in any of those blocks, but I do see the Night Shift, which was apparently an all male adult cinema carved out of office space on the two floors above theHollywood Twin on 8th Ave near 47th. I'll post the ad for it on that theater's page since it lists the very same address of 777 8th Ave.

Great ads Ed. They have helped me remember what theaters I originally saw some of the films advertised. (Ordinary People and Altered States at the Loew's Astor Plaza and The Seduction at the Loew's State). Thanks for taking the time to post.

Here's an ad from the good-old bad-old days:

Sylvia - NY Daily News 1/25/78
Three adult Duece bookings all in a row! Though I wonder if the film advertised at the Times Square was really a hardcore flick.

I posted this about 18 months ago so forgive me for doing so again.
But this film clip has a great shot of the north side of 42nd Street, the way that I like to remember it. 1956 is the date. jerry

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-4822905487797574844&q=vintage+NYC&hl=en

Marquee shot from circa 1962

http://s9.photobucket.com/albums/a56/42ndStreetMemories/?action=view¤t=426blackhorses.jpg

I was back to the New Victory last Friday for another show... which can only mean more excessive photography on my part:

View from 2nd floor of McDonalds across the street
Looking out the porthole window in the balcony stairwell
A pair of cherubs
Dome centerpiece
Proscenium from balcony
Side box view from balcony
Dome view
Detail of motif over proscenium
Detail of valance curtain and proscenium
Ceiling from side balcony
Left side of house and boxes
Proscenium view from dead-center balcony
Molding detail
View from the top (elevator landing/usher station)
Main lobby from landing of mezzanine stairs

You see... I have this new digital SLR with an 18-135mm telephoto zoom lens so I had to break it in. For the next show we're attending, we have seats that are actually on the New Victory stage, so I hope to get a shot of the house from that unique vantage point.

Excellent pictures of the auditorium, Ed. Thanks for sharing them with us.

Here is another recent photo of the New Victory Theater.

As I mentioned would happen in an earlier post, I took the kiddies to a show at the New Vic just the other night, where our seats were right on the stage. After the performance, I snapped a few photos of the house from this vantage point and thought I'd share them here...

Full view from the stage
Stage right
Stage left

The folks managing the theater that night were pretty strict about not allowing photographs, so these were all I could manage without drawing much attention to myself. I would have grabbed a shot looking up into the fly space or into the riggings off in the wings, but it was quite dark and I didn't have an opportunity.

A few more pictures - mostly interiors here:-

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12494104@N00/423195296/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12494104@N00/423195287/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12494104@N00/423195285/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12494104@N00/423195284/

I am sorry that I didn't see the theater while it was still showing porn. It would have been interesting to say the least.

I am a bit confused about the now famous steps that protrude onto 42nd street. In many photos they don't seem to be there, yet in person they seem quite authentic to the building. Can someone tell me about them?

The current staircase is copied from the original, which had to be removed in 1910 to conform with the city's widening of 42nd Street.

Thank you Warren, The staircase was so authentically and beautifully redone it seems like it's been there forever.

A different angle of the marquee change that I posted above, shows another double feature booking in 1962. Not too long before The Victory went to adult fare. j

http://s9.photobucket.com/albums/a56/42ndStreetMemories/?action=view¤t=42VictoryLostContinent.jpg

Looking west on 42nd St. in 1997:
http://i85.photobucket.com/albums/k79/hollywood90038/NYCNewVictory1997.jpg

I may have posted this before, but does anyone know what NYC theater might be depicted in this photo? I found this on the web listed as a "Times Square Burlesque" circa 1942 - and I'm sure I've seen this image before in a book on the area, but I've never seen it specifically identified. Seems to me that the Victory is a likely candidate.

A 1970 night-time view of the Victory can be seen here. That's a capture from a video clip on YouTube which is a segment from an A&E documentary on Times Square.

Here are two photos from Nicholas Van Hoogstraten's book "Lost Broadway Theatres":

The Republic theatre in 1901
http://www.flickr.com/photos/41894180030@N01/1802695513/

and the Victory theater in 1989
http://www.flickr.com/photos/41894180030@N01/1803504342/

Interesting to see a shot of the Victory's marquee advertising mainstream features after so many years on the porn grind! Great shot... I've been looking to pick up a copy of this book for some time now.

Ed, I was thinking the same thing. When did the Victory revert back to mainstream features? jerry

Jerry... I'm thinking that was a last ditch effort to keep the Victory going while the City was ramping up efforts to clean up the strip - probably around 1988/89? It didn't last long as the Victory was shuttered by 1990.

Last time I saw a movie on the Duece was early 1988 and I recall that the Victory was still showing XXX porn. The other grinders had mostly gone mainstream - with new Hollywood product topping the bill and an older genre flick in support. One or two of the theatres were still showing Kung Fu flicks - I think the Cine 42 was one, maybe the Rialto II. The Harem was still in full porn swing and if I recall, the Empire was already shuttered. In fact, the Liberty may have also been closed at the time - but I can't remember for sure.

My Duece swan song was a double bill of "Action Jackson" with Carl (Apollo Creed) Weathers supported by a cheapo Billy Dee Williams actioner called "Love You to Death" (or something like that) co-starring Prince "find" Vanity and the immortal Morgan Fairchild. The theatre reeked of marijuana and urine (I'm almost positive it was the Selwyn, but could have been the Times Square) and, while I soldiered on through both features, I pretty much knew about 20 or 30 minutes in to the first flick that this would be my last trip to one of the old 42nd Street grind houses.

Just occured to me that the actress Vanity - whom Prince had "discovered" for his movie "Purple Rain" in 1984 - was the female lead in both of those flicks I reported seeing on the Duece in Feb or March of '88. That must have been the programmer's "theme" when he booked the supporting feature (since "Action Jackson" was a new or recent major release). At least there was still an attempt at creativity - even though I recall some disappointment that the theatre entrances and outer foyers were no longer adorned with the colorful and hyperbolic advertising paraphernalia that had long been the custom up and down the street.

Much as I miss those days (well, before the urine odor set in)... there is no denying that the restoration job on the New Victory is a stunning acheivement - almost as much as the magnificent job that Disney performed on the New Amsterdam across the street (much as I hate to pay them any credit)!

Near the end there some deuce houses ran double feature first-runs. I recall many of the Cineplex Odeon National Twin films both playing double-bill around the corner and at half the price, as long as they did not advertise.

This may have been the result of martial arts and porn product drying up or going straight to video.

Exactly, Al... That's what I was referring to with the lack of the supporting genre & exploitation flicks on those bills. You might find one or two programs on the block with an old fashioned B title under the main feature by the late '80's, but for the most part it was a twin bill of major Hollywood product. Sometimes it would be two current films or maybe a current release backed up with an older title from the earlier in the year or the previous season - as evidenced by the 1989 shot of the Victory marquee above with the new "Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade" backed up with the 1988 release, "Naked Gun."

Here's a 1930s view as Billy Minsky's Republic: www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/repburley.jpg

Here's a much later view, with the Victory second from right and with part of its name unlighted: www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/undatedW42.jpg

[http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b110/GuanoReturns/Manhattan%20Movie%20Theaters/42nd%20Street%20Rialto/600x580ft.opener1.jpg]Here's a somewhat sharper version[/url] of that same image, Warren. I dated the photo to early summer of 1985 based on some of the titles playing along the block. It appears that RAMBO, FIRST BLOOD PART II is playing at the Lyric, and further down, LIFEFORCE is at the Apollo. RAMBO opened in May of '85 and LIFEFORCE that June.

Sorry... {url=http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b110/GuanoReturns/Manhattan%20Movie%20Theaters/42nd%20Street%20Rialto/600x580ft.opener1.jpg]Here's that image[/url].

Ugh! Let's try it again!!! I have to get into the habit of using that PREVIEW button!

Thanks! I've removed the photo from my scrapbook. No need for duplication.

Night view of the New Amsterdam and New Victory, 1/23/08

A new direct link to a 1930s view as Billy Minsky's Republic:
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/repburley.jpg

I'm glad I found this site and page... I was the Architect who, after researching historical photos proposed to the lead Architect (HHPA) and the Times Square Development Agency, that we try and get the stoop rebuilt as it was along with the entire facade. There was a bit of concern over the idea, but after convincing them that the sidewalk could handle pedestrian traffic, that 'this was the first rehabilitation for Times Square Theaters' and that it would help us with the interior program elements, especially the ticket booth and exiting of patrons, they jumped on board and got city approvals. With that I created a very detailed drawing of the stoop and facade which was incorporated into the construction documents.

The current seating count is as we found it except that I had to reduce 2 rows at the top of the balcony (approx 15 seats) to accommodate spot lighting stations.
You can view my photo of the New Victory Theater here: http://www.archonline.com/njba/100Port/Pages/66a.html and on the next page. I'll see if I can dig up my reconstruction drawing of the stoop and facade. There used to be a beautiful interior office and a roof dance hall, kind of cabana style entertainment.

Glad you found this site also, Nicholas. Before the rebuilt stoop, and the small box office lobby it now houses, how was the entrance lobby set up at the New Victory when you guys started work? It looks to me as if the rear wall of the auditorium and the stairway going down to the lower level are new. There seems to be some original ceiling molding detail that is still in use in the lobby - or was that a recreation added with the restoration?

And, one last question, if I might impose... Are the marble staircases leading to the mezzanine level original? The one on the left (as you enter the lobby from the street) seems to have a small bit of vandalism preserved in the banister - a rough carving of letters that looks to be dated "1975" - though it could also read "1995".

Here's a shot of the banister. It'd be great if you would share any memories you have of the theatre's condition at the time you began your great work there. This is one of the few theaters on the Deuce that I never patronized back in the days... so I only know it as it currently exists.

The second floor exit (at the top of the stoop is the exit for people after a show) was boarded up. There was a little anxiety as to what we would discover when floors/walls were opened, but as you can see everything turned out great. As you can imagine, when the stoop was removed some time ago and a marquee put up with a store front entrance below, the distance between the front door and the seating inside was very minimal, greatly reducing the lobby area. This was one of the side purposes of putting the stoop back in place, to allow the lobby to function again as a gathering place.

I'm sure your photo of the banister is original... the conservationist in charge (Jay Cardinal was the lead conservationist) made sure that all the colors were as in the original structure (they microscopically peeled back the layers of paint for every surface). The ceiling is also original... it is a relatively thin layer of plaster suspended from the roof structure by wires. Unfortunately a worker stepped on this ceiling and fell through during the renovation even though that area was fenced in (there's a cat walk that spans across above the dome).

I know we took great care to preserve the architecture while incorporating modern features like lighting, a better stage pit, etc. You may not be aware but there is another building attached to the Victory at the rear, which fronts onto 43rd Street. It is used for dressing, stage props, etc. The existing dressing rooms where no more than a mirror and table top in corridors flanking the stage at different levels.

The original condition: well everything was painted a dark maroon, the carpet was sticky and I wouldn't sit in any of the seats... lol. I wouldn't say it was in shambles, that is, it could function safely although it wouldn't meet ADA Handicap or for that matter restroom facility requirements. I believe the balcony was closed as were the upper offices. It was my idea to put the bathrooms, coat check and the like in the basement to give those functions the room they needed. As you know the ground floor is spaciously very tight.

Last, I believe I remember right that the theater was named 'Victory Theater' in the 40's, as part of our WWII heritage. I'd have to search to find previous name(s). It was renamed 'New Victory Theater' for what you see today. I have a report somewhere where I outline the history of the Victory along with photos, and our planning, etc.

Thanks, Nicholas. Very informative!

sure, my pleasure. I read again some of the posts above and indeed they're very informative as well. This is a great site and resource.

In the spring of 1952, the Victory became a House of Horrors with this reissue package.
At left, the Lyric had the current "Five Fingers" and "Return of the Texan":
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/horror1952.jpg

The year given for this photo is 1969.

Here is a 1952 photo from Life Magazine:
http://tinyurl.com/6e56dr

I couldn't re-find the NY theatre where the relevance of posting old theatre phone numbers was questioned.

I for one relish the little tidbits of information like that. As much as the various organ makes, year of installation, etc.

In Chicago, the phone numbers used to sometimes corrolate to the neighborhoods. Mohawk4-2700, etc.
Seeing those style numbers for instance sparked my memory that Chicago's Esquire was once Whitehall7-1111. One famous local defunct carpet company was Bouchelle. Who's number Hudson3-2700 was sung in commercials by a booming bass voice that went so low on the 700 part, it was copied for years.

I guess my point is that seeing those old numbers posted for any theatre, might wake up memories in some that could end up being relevant to other theatres, and so on. Especially when it comes to the surrounding neighborhood of the theatre's in their past.

P.S. My point was just proved on the Peerless Theatre page.

Here's a 1940s view as the Victory with some of its "Deuce" neighbors:
http://www.rebeccalepkoff.com/2/FortysecondSt1940s.jpg

Renewing link.

A couple photos of the New Victory I took last week:

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b79/theseos/NYC161.jpg
http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b79/theseos/NYC162.jpg

Here is a nice shot of 42nd street in the 1980s. This is from another angle.

seen here in a photo i took in 1991 prior to refurbishment
not sure what ROMEO refers to on the marquee if the theatre was open at this point
http://www.flickr.com/photos/woody1969/3507330655/sizes/l/

Here is a 1973 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/clvc8b

Here is a January 1967 shot from the NY Daily News:
http://tinyurl.com/nhbn53

Here is a May 1965 photo from the Daily News:
http://tinyurl.com/m839xx

Why aren't either of the photos on the Daily News website?

Here is an undated photo:
http://tinyurl.com/lun4sx

To revive the discussion that took place in April, 2006, about the architect of this theater, at least one author (architectural historian Gerard R. Wolfe) credits both Albert E. Westover and John B. McElfatrick for the design of the Republic Theatre. The 3rd edition of Wolfe's "New York: 15 Walking Tours" says that Westover designed the theater in 1899, and McElfatrick was responsible for the renovation of the house the following year. Wolfe does not mention the remodeling for David Belasco, which some sources say was done by Bigelow, Wallis & Cotton. He does mention that the 1995 restoration was done by Hardy Holzman Pfeiffer.

For what it's worth, the Wikipedia article on the New Victory also credits Westover (but only Westover) for the design, and cites the 4th edition of the "AIA Guide to New York City", by Norval White and Eliot Willensky as a source. I don't have the AIA Guide, but from the snippet views available at Google Books, it looks like the 4th edition doesn't mention either McElfatrick or Bigelow, Wallis & Cotton in connection with this theater at all.

But another vote for McElfatrick & Sons comes from a PDF of a 1987 document from New York's Landmarks Preservation Commission (available here) which is about the Hudson Theatre, but which mentions the Republic as one of the theaters designed by McElfatrick. This paper gives the building date as 1900, but both Wolfe's Guide and the AIA Guide date the original construction to 1899.

Interestingly, the Hudson's architectural pedigree was once in question as well, and the Preservation Commission researcher checked the theater's plans on file at the New York Buildings Department and found that while McElfatrick did the early drawings, most of the Hudson's design was attributable to the firm of Israels & Harder. Somebody will probably have to check the building records for the Republic as well, before we can be sure who did what to it and when.

1957 nighh shot from LIFE Magazine -
http://images.google.com/hosted/life/f?q=behind+source:life&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dbehind%2Bsource:life%26ndsp%3D18%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26start%3D162&imgurl=4dfa35cf9bc001a1

From LIFE comes this undated photo of Lillian Gish standing before a 42nd Street & Belasco posters,
http://images.google.com/hosted/life/l?imgurl=a735f4fef69f38f6&q=gish%20source:life&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dgish%2Bsource:life%26ndsp%3D18%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN%26start%3D72

ken mc - where did you find those great Daily News images?

They were on the Daily News site a couple of weeks ago.

And now their in his Photobucket.LOL

Those LIFE photos of Lillian Gish linked above on 8/29/09 are incorrectly identified, and were actually taken in Shubert Alley, which runs between West 44th and 45th Streets alongside the Shubert and Booth Theatres. Here's a more recent image of Shubert Alley: http://www.december.com/places/nyc/images/shalley.jpg