Beacon Theatre

Theater was designed by same architect as the Roxy. Since its small rotunda somewhat resembles (greatly reduced scale) the rotunda of the Roxy, theater enthusiasts sometimes refer to it as the "Little Roxy" even though the inside in no way resembles the original Roxy

A great old neighborhood second run house programmed by Brandts when I was a child in the late 50s early 60s - I saw the original That Darn Cat here on a post Music Hall run and now a serious concert theater

One of the most beautiful theaters in Manhattan...it had a gorgeous fountain in the lobby with a cupid or nymph. It was Brandt's Beacon when I was a child.

I was a projectionist at The Beacon in the early 70's and remember having to climb many stairs, past the second balcony, to get to the projection booth.

Theater is located on Broadway between 75th and 76th streets. It is well maintained, with all most of the architectural elements intact, however, there are some incredibly large murals over the exit doors on either side of the proscenium that have been obscured by what must be decades of dust and smoke from cigarettes, pipes and self-rolled materials of all origin. I would love to see these restored so that I could discern just exactly what it is they are supposed to depict! A gorgeous theater, nonetheless. The best place in NYC to see a concert, in my humble opinion.

The Beacon was originally supposed to be part of a Roxy circuit throughout the Greater New York area, funded by William Fox after he acquired control of the 6,000-seat Roxy (Seventh Avenue & 50th Street). Ground was also broken for the Roxy Mansion on Lexington Avenue between 58th & 59th Streets (opposite Bloomingdale's), but construction never got started due to Fox's bankruptcy. The completed Beacon sat vacant for at least a year before Warner Brothers took it over with a policy of a first-run movie and vaudeville. But WB also had the Strand and Hollywood Theatres in the Broadway/Times Square area, and they got the best of the studio's product, and the Beacon usually the leftovers. WB soon gave up on the Beacon and the lease was taken over by Brandt Theatres, which converted it to double features. Due to the dominance of the Loew's and RKO circuits in Manhattan, Brandt could only get neighborhood secon-run status for the Beacon, which continued until the 1960s when saturation "Premiere Showcase" release started. But by that time, the Beacon had become faded and decrepit, and business did not improve much with first-run movies. Due to its size and expense of upkeep, it closed as a movie house and eventually re-opened as a "live" concert house. Even then, it went through several losing managements before reaching its current and apparently stabilized condition. About two years ago, it acquired a new marquee with computer-operated attraction boards.

On two different occasions I was denied a peak into the Beacon's auditorium. I think both times I got the "song & dance routine" about since the theatre was dark their insurance prohibited anyone prowling around the auditorium. The second time I walked around to the stage door and it was open. The stagehands were setting up for a Billy Idol concert. I gave myself a great tour and before leaving stood on the stage, imagined the applause and gave a couple of bows. I decided an encore wasn't necessary. The Beacon's a great theatre and my only regret is that I never saw a movie there

In the mid-60's I went to a special Gloria Swanson evening at the Beacon. The diva herself was on hand to introduce the silent QUEEN KELLY, including outtakes that were in her personal collection. Also shown was her early talkie THE TRESPASSER. What a great and memorable evening in a great and beautiful theatre! I still have photos I took of Swanson.

Back in the 80's the Beacon occasionally showed movies. This is a great house for films with a wonderful screen. I saw Some Like it Hot and Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.
Blondes was spectacular with that amazing Technicolor. A full house loved it and with that many people enjoying a movie I could only envy those people of years ago in the great downtowns who every week saw these films with almost stadium sized audiences. No wonder people were movie mad and there were so many theaters. It also helped that movies were fun. Not grossly fun, not stupidly fun, and there was only Hitchcock to torment you and that was ok because he was a genius.

In the Early 80's the 25th anniversary re-release of "Giant" played here with a new print. Like you said there is nothing like seeing a movie in a huge auditorium with a full house. I wish places like the Beacon and Radio City Music Hall would show films on nights the theatre is dark from live shows.

The name of this theatre is Beacon, not The Beacon.

I'm afraid Robert you and I would be the only ones in the audience so it wouldn't really be quite the same thing.
Warren both Robert and myself used the lower case article so don't be too harsh.

I was complaining about the heading which reads "The Beacon." In normal parlance, you need "the" before Beacon, but it's not part of the theatre's name.

In the newly released set of Pink Panther films, the disc of "A Shot in the Dark" contains a photo of this theater hosting the premiere. The marquee reads Brandt's Beacon.

Brandt was the circuit that ran the Beacon at the time of "A Shot in the Dark." Brandt took over the theatre in the early 1930s, after it had been opened by Warner Brothers. WB lost a bundle trying to run the Beacon by offering stage shows plus a first-run movie. But it was too far from the midtown entertainment zone, and not near major shopping either, so attendance was sparse and Depression conditions didn't help...If I recall correctly, the Beacon was the first Manhattan theatre to be included in a "Premiere Showcase," which United Artists started in 1962 with "Road to Hong Kong." None of the first-run theatres in the Broadway-Times Square area would participate because the concept threatened to destroy the longheld system whereby movies ran exclusively in one midtown theatre before moving on to neighborhood houses. "Premiere Showcase" started with one theatre in each of the five boroughs, plus some suburban theatres, but gradually increased to more and more theatres in each borough.

The Times Square theater owners were correct. The showcasing of films which started at this time helped lead to the decline of Times Square and the neglect and ultimate destruction of these magnificent New York buildings. The prestige however limped along to the end of the 60's but by 1970 Times Square, then seedy and depressing, no longer had the glamour it had even two years before when all the houses had roadshow product. I remember the marquees from that Christmas of '68 and there was still an air of exitement among the the Square's movie and theater going crowds.

I still have a rain check given to me by the manager of the Beacon Theatre way back in the early 70's. The ticket would have entitled me to see and hear the newly renovated theatre organ, but it was not to be. The concert was cancelled.

The lobby is a 1/4 scale version of the original Roxy'x Grand Foyer. This was the only space completed when the Roxy people ran out of money. The layout is the same as the original Roxy but much smaller.

An article in the March, 1930 issue of Moving Picture Review and Theatre Management claims that when Warner Brothers took over the as yet unused theatre, it completely gutted the auditorium and built a new one with Rapp & Rapp as contractors and Stanly C. Zoest in charge of the project, which took six weeks to complete by 200 workers on a day-and-night schedule. The new auditorium, which was eight stories high from ground floor to the dome in the ceiling, was described as a mixture of Byzantine and Moorish styles. Murals along the side walls were painted by the famous Danish artist, Valdemar Kjoldgaard.

Saw George Carlin's HBO special back around '98 or so there, and it was his pinnacle, at least so far. His anti-religiosity and excoriation of the worship of children in this society were (and are) electrifying. Carlin usually does his HBO shows at the Beacon. His 2001 show wasn't remotely as good as the one before, or the one before that, but perhaps 9/11 occurring shortly before had something to do with that.

Camden

I found an ad for the very first "Premiere Showcase" booking, which eventually changed the distribution system in the Greater New York area. It started June 27, 1962, with UA's "Road to Hong Kong" opening simultaneously and exclusively at these theatres:
Manhattan: Beacon and Trans-Lux 85th Street
Brooklyn: Kingsway
Bronx: Luxor
Queens: Meadows
Westchester: Brandt's Yonkers, Elmsford DI, Peekskill Paramount
Nassau: Green Acres (Valley Stream), Plainview
Suffolk: Huntington, Regent (Bayshore), Rialto (Patchogue).
In the next few years, most distributors joined the bandwagon, and also expanded the idea by adding more and more theatres per borough or county.

Broadway side of the building, and was directly above (albeit 5 stories up) the Beacon Theatre's marquee. My friend was usually too lazy to take out his trash, so he would often just open his living room window and drop his bag of trash out-- which would land on the top of the marquee. Needless to say, there was quite a load of garbage on top of the marquee, though it was not visable to street level passers-by. We frequented the theatre at least once a wekk in those days-- it usually showed second run films, or first-runs of low-budget exploitation and/or cult films.

Of all the films saw there, the one I remember most is Russ Meyer's "Vixens". ...and I occasionally wonder if the hotel ever discovered the source of the many bags of trash that topped the theatre marquee.

Is the Beacon set to close? I heard a rumor.

Beacon Theatre has a fairly full calender of events scheduled for 2005.

aaahh the Beacon!!!

so much has been left out in the above comments. although it is indeed true that those beautiful murals have become quite blackened by the smoking of what can be rolled by hand. the Beacon is, probably the only place in New York, and probably the US, where smoking marijuana is not only legal, but practicaly a requirment.

anyway, the Beacon... or should i say Beacon Theatre, is, and has been, the home of the cream of mid size rock concerts since the close of the Fillmore in the early 1970's. Beacon, along with the old Academy of Music on 14th Street were run by the same promoter (whose name fails me at the moment). sometime in the late 1970's John Scher of Metropolitan Entertainment took it over until sometime in the 1980's when Ron Delsner became the promoter. today Clear Channel have there hand in there although Metopolitan continue to promote shows there.

but what is probabaly most important is that it is without a doubt the finest venue to enjoy a "rock concert". Beacon audience... best audience anywhere.

the room has been our little club house for the psychedelic experence since the demise of the 60's. acts such as the Grateful Dead and Hot Tuna being among the highlights. the Beacon continues to present surviving members of such acts. the energy of those bygone days haunt the auditorium to this day.

originally being from NYC myself i attended concerts there from the inception. nights... chaos would rein. i was personally held up at gunpoint by the bouncers at the door. a peace was brokered over time and my friends and i were allowed in without tickets for a good two decades. we saw (without seats) nearly every act to come through the joint. but forget about the scene at the door (if one were a cute young lady she might be permitted entrance without a ticket as well) utter pandemonium would break out as the acts would rock the auditorium to it's foundations.

The Beacon's current seating capacity is 3,154, according to the boxoffice reports for concert venues in Billboard Magazine. On 2/03/05, a single performance by the rock band, Queensryche, did a sell-out $160,710, with tickets priced at $45 and $65.

To Whom It May Concern,
The marketing/promotional team at MAKE MY CAKE BAKERY (MMYCAKE@MAKEMYCAKE.COM)would like to communicate with the management team at the BEACON THEATRE(NYC). We would like to provide our baked goods to the Staff of the Beacon and to Steve Harvey at no charge.Saturday ,the 26th of Febuary, is the schedualed date of Mr.Harvey's performance. Today is the 24th,MAKE MY CAKE is 'ready-set'. We await the BEACON'S 'go'!

Wayyy back in 2003 - when I first discovered this wonderful web-site - I posted about this theater and the sad state of those murals just over the exits at the side of the stage. I wonder if anyone has information as to what it is they are supposed to depict. I read in these posts that they were painted by a Danish artist named Valdemar Kjoldgaard... but I can find nothing on their content. The images rendered upon them are murky at best. A proper cleaning and restoration is in order. And as for rumors of this theater's impending demise, I can't invest much stock in those. The upcoming concert calendar is as full as it's ever been, including the annual stretch of shows performed each spring by The Allman Brothers Band.

On May 9, 1967 the Beacon Theatre did a gala tribute to actress Gloria Swanson. Swanson addressed the fervent packed house. Two of her films were shown: Von Stroheim's "Queen Kelly" (including unseen out-takes fron Swanson's collection) and Edmund Goulding's 1929 "The Trespasser." For the silent "Queen Kelly," organ accompaniment was provided by Lee Erwin. Here are two photos I took.
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y60/italiangerry/Beacon-NYC-1960s.jpg
http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y60/italiangerry/Beacon-NYC-1960s-GloriaSwanson.jpg

I haven't seen any films here, but have attended several jazz concerts and I noticed on my tickets stubs that I was being charged a $1 "facility fee" on top of the ticket price. Maybe they could use the proceeds from this "facility fee" to clean up the murals. I did see that Rolling Stones giant screen film back in the eighties or nineties or whenever it came out. I remember they temporarily ripped out some seats to put in equipment.

During ten shows in March at the Beacon, the Allman Brothers Band grossed $1,958,645, according to the latest issue of Billboard Magazine. Total attendance was 28,123, and nine of the ten shows were sell-outs. Tickets were priced at $104; $79; $74.49; and $49.49. One wonders why they didn't round out the cents to the nearest dollar. And how much of a difference could there be between seats priced at $79 and $74.49?

I have an ad from April 22,1972 for Brandts Beacon. They were advertising "The Return of the Greatest Family Entertainment of All Time".....The Ten Commandments. All seats were $1 Monday to Thursday and $1.50 Friday to Sunday. Was commandments coming of a re-release or did the Beacon just revive it for the Easter holiday?

What's coming up this Summer at the Beacon? What are the concert dates?

The Beacon along with Trans-Lux 85th St. were the Manhattan outlets for the first Premiere Showcase in 1962.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a13/ChmnofBrd/RoadtoHongKong.jpg

any chance that perhaps someone has a photo of the interior...must have been beautiful

Here are a few more photos...

http://www.virtualnyc.info/photo_album/beacon/beacon_the.htm

The Beacon's interior tends to be a mishmash of styles. Its most striking feature is the oval first lobby, which is reportedly a mini-version of the Roxy's grand rotunda. The Beacon was originally named the Roxy Midway and was supposed to be the first theatre in a city-wide Roxy Circuit owned by William Fox. However, before it opened, Fox went bankrupt and the theatre just sat there for about two years, waiting for someone to take it over. Warner Brothers finally did, but changed the name to Beacon. Stories in the trade press said that WB was unhappy with the theatre's interior and completely re-built it before opening. This started one of the greatest unsolved mysteries of cinema architecture, as no one has ever been able to find pictures of the original Roxy Midway to make a comparison with the WB Beacon.

the four photos are fine, however does anyone have a photo of the interior including the "golden goddess staues flanking the stage"

"Art Deco" is probably the last phrase I'd use to describe any of the architectural styles or motifs of the Beacon. The interior is certainly far too baroque to be termed Art Deco, as described in those virtualnyc photos. I've always thought of those statues on either side of the stage more like sentries than Godesses. Aren't they each holding a long spear in front of them and maybe even a sheild close to their breasts? It's been a couple of years since I last took a close look.

The comments in the opening are a bit misleading... the Beacon is still very much set up as a theater rather than a nightclub. When I think of a nightclub, I think of a tables and chairs with a dance-floor. The stage has a rounded lip that might have meant the removal of seats in the first few center rows of the orchestra, but other than this the interior seems to be intact. The local opposition had more to do with rowdy rock-concert crowds streaming through the neighborhood back to their cars then it did with any alterations to the theater itself.

When Howard Stein decided to get out of the promotions gig and left the Academy of Music on 14th street some of us that worked for him moved uptown to the Beacon. This was about 1974. Don't shoot me if I am wrong on the year. Ron did leave the Beacon for a short period when he took over the Academy of Music and changed the name to Palladium. Ron left there and came back to the Beacon again. When I was working the shows there was an elevator that went to the top floor dressing rooms. In the 70's it was not working. It was a real pain having to find someone when most of the lower dressing rooms were being occupied. From what I gather the elevator is now running. The stage is also at an angle where it is narrow on stage right and deeper stage left. The whole building is on an agle. This was another theatre where road cases had to get unpacked and then rolled back on to the trucks. Although I can't play anything but the radio I did have a chance to play around on the "Mighty Wurlitzer" when it was it under going regular maintainance. I wish I did know how to play it. I also in my life ha the chance to mess around on both of the consoles at Radio City as well.

The theatre did leave a marlk on me though. During a multi day performance of Genisis post Peter gabrial days i was in the back stage alley and was asked to pick up some beer cans that were under a wrought iron fire escape stairs. As i was picking one up I stepped back and hit a can and I then hit my head on the stairs and had to get about 20 stitches.

1974 - I am pretty sure the Beacon was still doing movies then, I could be off. I was one of the organists there at the "end". There were several of us, I played every two-three weeks for about a year. We would play at the intermission around 8 or 9 when the last Saturday movie started, then return to close the house. The organ, yes a 'mighty Wurlitzer' was a major pain to play. The pipe chambers are way up above the stage and speak straight out into the balcony (which is huge) so by the time the sound gets down to you at the organ its like three days later. LOL. Try that after going out drinking and then coming back to play the close. Whoever was doing the organ maintenance was really doing a great job, the organ in those days had nearly everthing working, even Radio City couldnt say that in those days. Riding the lift up while playing was a real treat too.
I was glad to see above that WB redid the interior cause i could never figure out how that place could have been a 'little Roxy'. It is definately a Rapp & Rapp atmospheric. The stage is flanked by two massive figures which are Moorish guards, holding spears. (I cant recall if they were male or female, sorry.) The spears at the top held open a tent, which formed the proscenium over the stage. (The organ chambers were up there behind the I think red and white striped "tent"). I too recall the murals as being totally obscured. The effect out in the house was like sitting out in the open air looking into a tent.
The only movie i recall playing for was "Cinderella Liberty". I cant forget that cause while sitting at the organ waiting with the lift near the top, near the end of the movie, a pregnant character's water breaks, and it was right over my head. My wife has never stopped laughing at me for nearly jumping off the console for that one.
The Beacon had a 'contour curtain' like the Music Hall. The stage hands would set the curtain up to frame the organist while you played. Really cool! Oh, and some roaches lived in the console, every so often one would come out while playing, that was fun too.
It all ended with the world premier of "The Three Musketeers" starring Rachel Welch, Michael York, Richard Chaimberland. The new management was nice enough to give the organists tickets for that night, but sadly they stopped using the organ not long after that.

Hi NJshore. I was posting over at the RCMH forum with DenPiano. who works there. The man who used to maintain the Beacons Mighty "W" his name was/is Mel Robinson. He also used to maint ain the "W"s at the Sports complex that used to be the Brooklyn Paramount as well ass The NY Academy of Music. When I was working for Ron Delsener they were no longer showing movies. One day when I have the time and money I want to drive up to the city and just soak in some old memories but every time I turn around things i used to remember when I lived there are gone.

hey east coast - We're on LBI, where are you?
As soon as I saw the name I remembered hearing of Mel...I never met him. I knew Leibert, Jack Ward, and Jimmy Paulin at RCMH in those days, used to visit a lot.
Ron Delsener - I remember hearing that on WABC in those days a lot. Remember the ads for Murry the K shows at the Brooklyn Fox? I used the think they were saying Brooklyn Box, sad misguided surburan Jersey kid. dave.

I caught a couple of the recent Phil Lesh & Freinds shows at the Beacon earlier this month and took the opportunity to grab a few photos of this fantastic venue:

Marquee
Outside ticket booth
Outer vestibule fixture
Rotunda ceiling
Rotunda wall
These windows look onto Rotunda from loge and balcony foyers
Stairwell to upper tiers from Rotunda
Rotunda painting over ticket-lobby entrance
Rotunda chandelier
Lobby torchier at Rotunda/Foyer entryway
Main foyer light fixture
Lower Lounge ceiling medallion
Lower Lounge light fixture
Rotunda ceiling detail (from loge foyer overlook)
Rotunda chandelier (from loge foyer overlook)
View of left side wall from upper balcony
Proscenium from upper balcony
Right side wall from upper balcony
Ceiling over upper balcony
Upper balcony fixture
Ceiling centerpiece from mid balcony
Lion/Mural over loge exit
Proscenium Goddess (from orchestra floor)
Left orchestra exit archway
Ceiling centerpiece from orchestra floor
Balcony tiers & projection booth from dead center stage
Longer view of tiers & projection booth
Ceiling centerpiece looking up from lip of stage
Loge facade bas relief
Loge overhang from rear orchestra
Right orchestra exit archway from loge
Exit archway detail
Left side wall & proscenium from loge
Proscenium Goddess (right side)
Balcony overhang from loge

As you can see, I took a pretty exhaustive photo-tour of the place (at least its public spaces) while there those two nights. You will also see from the photos that feature the projection booth that the booth is not off center - as some have claimed. Or, if it is, it is ever slightly so. I took those two photos from deadcenter 1st row in front of the stage and it looks like a dead-on shot to the portholes (it is one hell of a steep projection angle, however). The thing that makes it look uneven is that the backwall of the balcony area is not symmetrical. This is due largely to the catty corner orientation of the auditorium within the trapezoidal city block on which the theater is situated.

Great theater and a great couple of shows (particularly Wednesday night). This is my current favorite place to see a live show. Never saw a movie here.

NIce pics Ed. Really nice. One thing I can sauy is that I never say the Beacon so bright on the inside when I was working shows back in the mid 70's. As i stated in another post I love the place but the stage and the rest of the theatre is at an angle. The stage Left side is not as deep as the stage right side and because of that most live concerts have to have equipment loaded in and out during set changes.

I was watching a feature on the Fox Movie Channel earlier today about the premier of last year's "Walk the Line" - which was held here at the Beacon Theater. I wonder if that might explain why the place appeared a bit cleaner and brighter when I attended those concerts last month. The paint certainly appeared to be a fairly fresh coat and there was a bit more luster than I recall from my last visit back in 2003. I also got to wondering about how many times the Beacon has been host to movie premiers over the years... particularly in recent decades since movies have been pushed aside in favor of live concerts at the theater.

Anyone have any information about that?

This is a 1997 photo of the Beacon theater during a Yes concert.

Here is another photo of the Beacon from 1999 with the newer style marquee. It appears that the marquee was changed sometime between 1997 and 1999.

Great photos, Lost Memory. I remember that old marquee, but haven't seen it in close to 10 years.

Here are the original marquee and vertical sign:
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/Beacon.jpg

That's a nice photo. It looks to be from around 1930. So far, the Beacon had at least three different marquee's. I was trying to figure out when the marquee in the 1997 photo was replaced. The 1997 photo was taken on 10/29/97 and the 1999 photo was taken on 12/7/99. That narrows it down a little.

If you look carefully in both photos, just above where the marquee meets the building facade, you will see one of the cables that holds up the marquee anchored to the masonry. I would say that - as with so many other theaters - the 1950's or 1960's era boxy marquee in the 1997 photo was built out over the original seen in the 1930 shot. I wouldn't be at all surprised if the original frame is still there supporting the current marquee.

Thanks for the great photos Edsolero. Is the paint job in the rotunda touched up? I had a hard time telling whether the color scheme looked original or not. Some parts looked like they were still the original color, and other areas I couldn't tell. Next time I visit New York I'll have to check and see if I can't get into this place. I had heard a lot about how the rotunda in this theatre was supposed to be a smaller version of the Roxy rotunda, but, other than the chandeliers being similar in style, I don't see any resemblance.

As I stated earlier, I think the place might have been recently repainted for the premier of "Walk the Line" this past November. The place is certainly cleaner and brighter than I can recall from concerts I attended a couple of years ago. I was actually there again last night for the Allman Brothers. I couldn't say how closely the color scheme adheres to the original, but it seems pretty authentic to me. Lots of earth tones plus the red hues of the carpet and tent effect in the auditorium and green in the rear ceiling over the upper balcony. Of course, to be off by even just a shade or two can make a significant difference in ambience.

After looking at these photos I have to say that Mr. Ahlschlager was quite the architect. Did he design any other theatres besides the Roxy, the Belmont, and the Beacon? His treatment of theatre interiors is completely different from most movie palace architects. His theatres (at least the three that I'm aware of) all seem to have a sense of solidity, and almost solemnity, combined with a large helping of romance. They seem more dreamlike than other theatres. I admire the way the Beacon's auditorium is designed to look like some sort of tent-roofed pavilion, with the columns flanking the stage and lining the sidewalls disappearing into the "canvas" above, reaching up to heights that can only be imagined since they can never be actually seen.

Children's Saturday Matinee Club (1947). I wonder whatever became of that Technicolor version of "Cinderella" with kid actors?:
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/beacon47.jpg

Ziggy: Very likely the Archive of the Theatre Historical Society can help you as to other works by Ahlschlager, since he was a Chicago native; they are at: www.historictheatres.org

I do know of one job of his that never got off the ground here in Milwaukee; he is listed by the Wisconsin Architectural Archive as the "Consultant" on a proposed job by the local firm Eschweiler and Company in the 1920s. It is their file #011235, in case you might want to contact them as to what drawings or renderings might be in that file or what they may have otherwise found under Ahlschlager's name since I learned of this file circa 1990. They are in our Central Library building, on the second floor off of the rotunda entry at: 814 W. Wisconsin Ave., Milwaukee, WI 53233 (414) 286-3897. They are often closed, so a phone call may not work as well for you as might a letter of inquiry. Were it not for my failing health, I would go the 15 miles there and do the looking for you. They also have the blueprints/drawings of some 80 other theatres in 4 other states and Canada as well, and can have any print copied/mailed for you for a fee. Best Wishes.

There is a very good chance that Ahlschlager was only PARTIAL architect of the Beacon. The rotunda lobby is almost certainly his, but the original Roxy Midway did not open as scheduled due to "Roxy"'s financial problems. When Warner Brothers finally took over and re-named the theatre as the Beacon, there were reports in the trade press that WB totally gutted the auditorium and re-built it. Theatre historian Andrew Corsini had been researching this mystery, but had not solved it by the time he died a few years ago. Unfortunately, no one has ever been able to find photos or drawings of the Roxy Midway's auditorium, so it is impossible to make comparisons with what exists of the Beacon's.

I used to go to the Beacon when I was a little girl, to watch a double bill of movies. Here is my question... What happened to the large marble fountain containing a cupid or nymph? I am talking about the early to mid 1960's and later. Anyone?

Jean... Can't say I've ever seen it, but then I've only been going to the Beacon as a concert venue since the '80's. Do you remember where it was? Was it in the rotunda? Or beyond that in the foyer perhaps against the back wall where the stairs leading to the lower lounge are located?

I don't recall the exact location but do seem to recall it was on the right side somewhere on the main floor. Anyone else?

Next time I'm there, I'll have to poke around the lobby a bit. I wonder if it was located in the rotunda on the right wall (as you come in) between the opening for the mezzanine stairs and the main entrance doors?

You may be right about the liocation. Perhaps you can even ask someone who works there. ( Who isn't a teenager! ) :)

I found a C/O from Sept. of 1928 and another from Oct. of 1928. The builder is listed as Havemeyer Construction Co. The architect shown is Rapp and Rapp. I am only telling you what the C/O reads. I don't want to get into a debate over who the architects of this theater were. If you have another architect or firm for this theater, feel free to use that one and just ignore this message. Seating at that time was:

Orchestra----1414
Mezzanine-----544
Balcony------1081

I was in the Beacon in 1979, and we were able to play the mighty Wurlitzer, which I found to be the best theatre organ in manhattan--fantastic. The entire console was coated in coca-cola, a horrible sticky mess. The week before a dance troupe was performing there, They came in, "tested" the floor and pronounced it "too slippery". They sent a lackey out to get 64 oz. (they weren't 2 liter bottles then)bottles of coke, which they poured out on the stage and raised pit apron. The coke rained on the Wurlitzer console and everything was sticky. I sat on a paper grocery bag so that my pants wouldn't stick to the bench. Some cretin had climbed down into the large ceiling centerpiece with a white spray bomb (aersol spray paint can) and painted some very rude, large grafitti on the ceiling. I have a photo of that I'll post someday.

The 1962 full-page New York Times ad that started a revolution:
www.i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/premshow.jpg

I reorganized my photobucket albums and the links to photos I posted back in February no longer work. Those photos are now located in this Beacon Theater album.

Wow, great photos of the Beacon Theater, it is still a treasure. I recall seeing a couple of retro films here, first Giant, and then I believe a Marilyn Monroe double feature. I've seen several concerts over the years too.

Thanks for sharing EdSolero.

The Dolan's of Cablevision & MSG fame have have finished talks and will take-over the operation of the Beacon Theatre on a long term lease soon. They plan to do some restoration work on the house. So look for some of the cost passed on to the ticket prices. In their plans they will use the house for corperate events and awards shows and concerts.

This is a 1995 ticket to see Bruce Springsteen at the Beacon Theater. Show starts at eight so don't be late. LOL

The Beacon is my favorite concert venue in NYC. I hope the Cablevision deal doesn't mean certain artists or types of bands will no longer perform there. I find that ticket prices tend to vary from performer to performer. Fan friendly bands such as Dave Matthews, Phil Lesh and the Allmans tend to keep tickets in the $45-50 range while more commercial artists (ironically usually on corporate sponsored tours) spike that up towards $100 or more. I'd hate to see bands book elsewhere because of excessive fees and surcharges.

On the other hand, I'd love to see those murals on the auditoriums side walls restored to their original clarity. Legit theater owners get away with charging a nominal $1.00 fee on tickets to cover maintenance and renovation costs... but then, they have a chain of theaters and an eight-times-a-week performance schedule on which to draw revenue.

Thanks, "mediaeaterIII," for uploading that image. If I hadn't looked closely, I might have thought that "Lost Memory" actually contributed it. He seems to have a habit of encroaching on other people's "flickr" scrapbooks. I guess that he doesn't have anything of his own to display.

Those a public photos "Warren". Anyone can link to them. You have a problem with that? Thats your problem not mine.

Well fella do you actually take the photo's that you post. All you post lately are off topic and nasty comments. Perhaps you should take up a new hobby such as collecting butterfly's.

I would, "mikemovies," except that the net is already being used to catch you for commitment to a mental institution. Your "big lie" tactics are increasingly ridiculous. I have never posted an off-topic photo or image, and I defy you to find one in the more than 500 that are currently on display. If I ever do, it will be a photo of "mikemovies" swinging from the gallows.

Another off topic "bilge" comment. No wonder people have difficulty finding theater related comments on this site.

Really, Warren. Now who's being childish? Lost posted a link to a flickr photo, as many of us have on this site, and you decided to go on the attack here. That was completely un-provoked. Not to mention that you're imbecillic comments towards mikemovies might be construed as something of a threat. What rot! What rubbish! What bilge! I'm appalled and disgusted! And boggled! Harumph!

Since he enjoyed the other photo so much, here is another Beacon Theater ticket from 1991.

Of course, I meant "your imbecilic comments" not "you're imbecillic." Bad enough my classroom deportment is called into question by Warren, I don't need my academic achievements belittled as well.

This is another modern photo of the Beacon Theater.

A story in today's New York Times about MSG Entertainment's acquisition of the Beacon says that the theatre will be closed for seven to nine months in 2008 for a $10 million "restoration." MSG is also considering a name-change for the Beacon, and may increase its seating capacity as well during the 2008 work, according to Matthew Sweeney's report, which includes a small B&W photo of the Beacon's auditorium.

The Beacon is to receive a $10MM renovation beginning in 2008! The theater will be closed for up to 9 months while restoration is completed. The following appeared in Crain's New York Business web site yesterday, 11/15/06. Great News!

From Crain's:

Come January, the famed Beacon Theater will join the Cablevision
family of music venues, adding a relatively intimate 2,800 seat house to a performance space selection that includes the vastly larger Radio City Music Hall and Madison Square Garden.

“The Beacon completes our product line,” said Cablevision Systems Corp. Chief Executive James Dolan, at a press conference Wednesday at the Beacon.

News of Cablevision’s deal to sign a long-term lease for the theater was first reported in Crain’s New York Business.

Cablevision’s plans for the Beacon include broadening the range of offerings to include corporate events, and a minimum $10 million restoration that will begin in 2008. The Beacon will close its doors for the seven to nine months required for the work.

The landmark theater opened as a vaudeville house in 1928, and was last restored in 1974.

“[A renovation] is due,” Mr. Dolan said.

Terms of the lease were not disclosed. Mr. Dolan said Cablevision was not required by the lease to keep the Beacon name, but that no decision has been made to change it.

Mr. Dolan was joined at the press conference by legendary singer Gregg Allman, whose Allman Brothers Band has played the Beacon every year since the early 1990s.

“It’s not too big and it’s not too little,” Mr. Allman said of the theater, which is one of the last mid-sized venues left in New York.

Asked what he’d most like to see restored, Mr. Allman said, “The dressing rooms. They’re four flights up.”

The usual trade-off... a lavish restoration in exchange for a new name that will either prove to be an exercise in vanity (the "Charles F. Dolan Theater") or corporate advertisement ("Anheuser-Busch Auditorium"). I hope they keep the Beacon name, but I'll accept the trade for a loving restoration job.

Even today, $10 million will not go very far in "restoring" the Beacon, and by 2008 it will buy even less. "Restoration" is a very abused word, and I doubt that MSG is really interested in restoring the original architecture of the Beacon. More likely, MSG is planning a "rejuvenation," with an emphasis on "state of the art" technology that will make the Beacon more competitive with other "live" venues.

I think the Nokia Theatre is cutting into the MSG concert pie. With the Beacon Theatre in their line-up, that gives them the Garden, Radio City and the Theatre next to the garden (the Paramount). It sounds like what Warren just said it a "rejuvenation" for state of the art broadcasting.

I hope the Beacon theater fares better then the former electronics store chain called "The Wiz" that Cablevision also purchased a few years ago. Their motto was, Nobody Beats The Wiz. Well, Cablevision beat them into extinction!

Maybe, I'm being naive, but since I was introduced to this site just over a year ago, I have read many a plea for people, corporations, cities, anyone who has money, to restore our old theaters; our old treasures. The reality is that there is not enough money to go around. Not enough of the old theaters are economically viable to warrant the investments needed. So I am thrilled that a corporation has stepped in with a long term lease and has agreed to spend "at least $10MM" on a renovation. It is $10MM more than anyone has offered and an upgrade is desperately needed. Again, maybe I'm naive, but I want to give the new leaseholders the benefit of the doubt. Who knows, maybe they'll include a screen and schedule movies as part of the rotation of concerts and corporate events. I can dream and I will always remain an optimist.

Does anyone know what happen to the organ? Is it still in the theatre? The 1st time I played the Beacon organ was back in the late 60's. At the time, I was a student of Ashley Miller. We played it for a good part of the afternoon. As I remember(40 years ago)Ashley had a appearance coming up there. The organ did have a very delayed sound but was in excellent playing condition. The decor of the theatre I could never forget. To bad that the NY theatre scene has changed so much.

Since MSG is taking over, Ron Delsener's concert productions will be moving uptown to a theatre near the George Washington bridge. Anyone know which theatre?

Organizer, The Wurlitzer is still in place and I think *somewhat* playable. The NY Theater Organ Society is trying to negotiate access to the instrument with the new operators for repair, maintainence, and hopefully to eventually have the instrument played *somewhat* regularly. I played the wurlitzer back in '71 and it has a wonderful unique sound that would be a shame to lose in it's orignal theater. It would not sound the same anyplace else. Oh, BTW, the organ had work done before I played it and the delay in sounding was reduced considerably.

I wonder if the Dolans posess sufficient cultural awareness and interest in preservation to restore the organ to full functionality. I hope the NYTOS is successful in their negotiations.

The only large theatre near the George Washington Bridge that would be suited to Ron Delsener's concert productions is the ex-Loew's 175th Street, which is available for rent whenever the Reverend Ike is not using it for church services.

Is Rev. Ike indiscriminate about the kind of acts that are allowed to play at the theater? I wonder what the congregation would make of the traveling freak show that accompanies annual runs by the Allman Brothers Band or Phil Lesh and Friends! As a member of that crowd, I can say that I would definitely look forward to seeing shows at the old 175th! Somehow, I'm skeptical that this will ever come to pass.

I too wonder Ed, if these people know what it is that they have. Although I am not going to discuss how I got into the RKO Hamilton, sometimes these people do listen.
As for Rev. Ike, he does know what a treasure they have. According to a church employee I spoke to years ago Rev Ike restored the paint color scheme to opening day colors.
I believe that there are people out there with huge corporate money who will listen and take the time to hear what it is they own besides a piece of real estate.

As has been pointed out a couple of times above, the Beacon is a theatre built on a bias: the axis of the auditorium and stage are at an angle to the facade. One Saturday morning in the 1980s I went around back to the scene loading door which was open because a concert was being loaded in. I had never been in the theatre so when I looked through the door I got disoriented-- the balcony front was not where I thought it should be! The famous Roxy was also built on a bias, as is the Ambassador Theatre, the legit house on W. 49th St.

This was done to maximize seating capacity on oddly shaped or small lots. The skeletons of the Roxy and the Beacon were very much the same (except that the Roxy was 4 times larger). The center line of the stage did not meet the point of the triangle, which was pretty much the shape of the stage. The Ambassador has a similar situation. The stage of the Ambassador can be seen in it's listing in the book Broadway Theaters by William Morrison.

Not sure when this photo was taken, but Hall & Oates did perform at the Beacon Theater in Feb. of 1991.

A couple of pictures from 2000 here :-

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12494104@N00/423187188/

http://www.flickr.com/photos/12494104@N00/423187175/

LM - I saw that Hall & Oates concert! I still have my tour shirt!
Other concerts I saw there include:

- ALAN PARSONS, 1995
- FOREIGNER, 1995
- STING, 2000
- ALLMAN BROTHERS BAND, 2001
- BAD COMPANY, 2002
- HEART, 2002
- HALL & OATES (again), 2003

I have been attended many concerts (and one wrestling match) at the Beacon since 1974. I was there last night (08/09/07) for the Crowded House concert. Sat in the upper balcony. With the upcoming $10 million renovation looming next year, I went with an eye towards what the theater may be in need of. Certainly not any renovation, but rather a refurbishment.
The artwork seems to be in good, perhaps not great shape. Some of the walls in the theater need to be repainted or resurfaced as there is some peeling. The lighting needs to be improved (within the original fixtures, of course) and the large chandelier was not turned on at all during the evening. That would be a starting point.
All in all, I would expect the place to be much brighter and newer looking when the work is done.

as far as the organ goes, my boss at rcmh Rich Bishop& yhe Dolans will make a final answerto its restoration, & we willdothe job if they decide period.

As been stated before the former Loew's 175th St is the second largest theatre in Manhattan which also books many concerts and may compete with the Beacon in the future.brucec

Today, NBC Inside Weekend, TV, showed the marquee and inside, the party for Hillary Clinton's 60th birthday.

I watched 3 DAYS OF THE CONDOR last night. There is a scene where Robert Redford runs past the entrance of the theater, circa 1975.

Ed Solero's excellent photoset no longer works from the links above for some reason. But it can be accessed here:

http://s18.photobucket.com/albums/b110/GuanoReturns/Manhattan%20Movie%20Theaters/Beacon%20Theater/

Thanks, LTS... I thought I reposted that link here after I reorganized my photobucket albums. Anyway, there are a ton of newer images in the album (and many more theatres) since I first posted the links above.

It appears that you did. Anyway, it is an excellent photoset. Nobody should be bothered by links to it from two different points in the Beacon conversation.

The whole collection is excellent actually. You capture well the phases of life for some of New York's greatest theatrical sites, both famous and infamous.

Thanks, Life. I must share credit with various other CT members because not all of the photos (particularly the "vintage" ones) are my own - I culled them from other collections to flesh out mine.

I just hope and pray that cablevision doesn't screw this place up, like they do to everything else they get their hands on.

I don't know anything about them. What assets have they screwed up?

Here are two views of promotional displays outside the Beacon in 1930, when the theatre was still being run by Warner Brothers. The movies were from minor-league First Division, which suggests that WB was getting desperate for bookings for its uptown palace:
www.18.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/nycbeacon.jpg

The brief answer, Life's Too Short, is the NY Knicks in their current and existing state; the NY Rangers, to a certain degree; the management of Madison Square Garden; The Wiz chain of electronic stores, which went out of business in 2002, not long after Cablevision took control of ownership; Cablevision customer service in general (and their rapidly spiraling service charges); Cablevision, in 2003, refusing to carry the YES (Yankees Entertainment and Sports) Network until the New York state government, in April of 2004, stepped in and negotiated a temporary deal, which eventually led to a long-term carriage contract. Sadly, I could go on, but all of this should give you some idea why movie534 and others who have long enjoyed and appreciated the Beacon Theatre have their fingers crossed.

On a more optimistic note, the Beacon would benefit from a Radio City-type restoration. It was Cablevision who wrote quite a large check for it.

Though a few people do it, THIS website isn't a forum to rail against Cablevision's operation of sports! or electronic stores. This website is about movie theaters.

Two of our fellow members, movie534 and Life's Too Short, posted a concern about the future of the Beacon Theatre and the ways Cablevision have mismanaged several of their other properties is a source of concern. Howard, with all due respect, much as is true with you (and I'm not one to toot my own horn), I have contributed quite a bit of information which has helped enrich this site by providing a broader historical context on several of the theaters featured on this site. There are people who post on this site who abuse the mission of CinemaTreasures.org, but I can say in all introspection and honesty that I am not one of those individuals and I am confident the further you consider the context of my post from yesterday, you will concur.

I have to agree with br91975. While no one wants to see this site become a forum for unfounded trash talk (as it has flirted with on several occasions), I believe movie534 and Life's Too Short raise legitimate concerns regarding the well being of the Beacon Theatre and other theatrical properties under the stewardship of Cablevision. Should such discussions be kept in reserve until after a theatre has been lost to neglect? I'm not saying that the Beacon is in any imminent danger, but surely to raise the issue would fall within the scope of reasonable discussion on a site whose motto is "Discover. Preserve. Protect."

The Beacon has an official website at www.beacontheatrenyc.com I wonder why it isn't inlcuded in the introduction?

I finally found an exact address for the Roxy Mansion Theatre, which was planned as an East Side sibling of the Beacon when it was built as the Roxy Midway. The Roxy Mansion was supposed to encompass the addresses of 731-733 Lexington Avenue and 141-155 East 58th Street. This site is currently part of the block-square Bloomberg Tower. The entrance to the Roxy Mansion would have been at the spot now occupied by a branch of The Container Store. Construction of the Roxy Mansion never got beyond a groundbreaking ceremony. Designed by Walter Ahlschlager, it would have included a 3,500-seat auditorium built on a diagonal to the entrance to achieve that large capacity.

Opening this Friday on IMAX and regular 35mm screens around the country will be Martin Scorsese's "Shine a Light" concert film of the Rolling Stones shot at the Beacon Theatre.

Still kicking myself that I never headed for the Beacon when it was a moviehouse.

Here's a new link to a 1929 view of the Beacon's marquee and vertical sign on Broadway. I believe that the Beacon also had signage on Amsterdam Avenue at the time, but I can't swear by that:
http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/Beacon.jpg

Very impressive marquee, Warren. Never saw that one, so I gather it was replaced quite a number of years ago. The last time I walked past the Beacon, it still had a relatively interesting marquee by today's lower (trim and dull and/or electronic) standards.

Beautiful shot of the Beacon. I never saw one of those old marquees but they were definately designed to give a a feeling of excitement before you entered the theater. They really must have been something at night especially when you had one after the other.

By the way I wonder how many of you have seen all that remains of the 1rst Goldiggers movie playing there. I saw the technicolor finale once at the Film Forum and it was great. Though shot pretty much head on it is wonderfully designed and staged(I'd like to know who the brilliant person was who designed that amazing set.) This is the kind of spectacle that I wish could be staged at the Music Hall.
You can see it on You Tube but of course it has none of the impact of seeing it in 35mm on a screen.

beacon reno starts in august

Check out the New York Times metro section for 9/9/08 for a comprehensive story on the current renovation project and some excellent photos of the process.

That NYT article can be read here: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/09/nyregion/09beacon.html?_r=1&scp=5&sq=Glenn%20Collins&st=cse&oref=slogin

Post-renovation grand reopening...
(news item condensed from the Beacon Theatre NYC Offical Web Site)

TWO NEW YORK ICONS -- ONE HISTORIC MOMENT

Paul Simon will "reopen" Manhattan's historic Beacon Theatre with two concerts next month.

The February 13-14th performances follow a seven-month, $15 million restoration.

The 2,800-seat landmark theater was built in 1928 in the art deco style. Then Warner Bros. purchased the venue and gave it Moroccan and Greek influences.

MSG Entertainment acquired it in November 2006.

Simon first performed at the Beacon in 1990 alongside Paul McCartney and returned for a three-night run in December 2000. He also appeared there in 2003 for Willie Nelson's nationally televised 70th birthday celebration.

Event URL: http://www.beacontheatrenyc.com/events/paul-simon-0209.html

Restoration photos can be viewed here: http://www.beacontheatre.com/restoration.html

NYT article on the re-opening.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/12/nyregion/12beacon.html

As per the NY Times article, it appears that the current seating at the Beacon is 2,829.

The original number of 3154 seats may have been reduced possibly by the instalation of wider seats. That would make it a loss of 325 seats. I have not been there in years but from the new seating chart there are 80 wheel chair accseable spaces and another 16 for aodio and lighting consoles. Although when I did shows there back in 1975 I was under the impression the seating was under 3000. May have been one of the reason Ron Delsener decided to move downtown to the Academy of Music and rename it the Palladium a 3500 seat venue and no conflict with other shows at the Beacon he did not promote.

http://www.beacontheatre.com/media/global/beacon_seating.pdf

ECR....If you scroll down to the bottom of the seating chart page and magnify it, it states that there are 2,800 seats.

Also from the Beacon home page it self. So what they say conflicts with the Intro at the top for landmark status as well as the seating information in the NY Times article. The Becon site says it is 2894 but at the same time it says 2600 as shown below.

http://www.beacontheatre.com/about/history.html

•In 1979, the historic venue was designated a national landmark and is on the National Register of Historic Places.


•A 1986 proposal to convert the 2,600-seat, three-tiered theatre into a disco was blocked when a judge ruled the change would irreparably damage the building's architecture

If you have some free time and a calculator, use the seating chart to figure out how many seats there are. :)

Feb 13th is an exciting day for all of us interested in the preservation of movie palaces from the great days of Hollywood.
Only wish I could be there to see this wonderful old "palace" brought back to life again. It's the closest we will ever get to experiencing the now legendary New York Roxy, although quite different in many ways, (and of course smaller) I think it may be the only survivor of the architect Walter Ahlschlager's contribution to the movie palace phenomenom.

I added up all of the numbers given on the seating chart page and unless I missed some, the total is 2894.

Originally, Cablevision stated it would spend "at least" $10MM for the restoration. As Warren correctly pointed out, that was not nearly enough for a true restoration, but luckily, Cablevison's pockets were deep enough to do a job that, from what I can see and have read, is nothing short of spectacular. Kudos to Cablevision.

Manhattan now has 5 of the most beautifully restored Palaces ever built in America:

Radio City
Hollywood
Loews 175th Street
New Amsterdam
Beacon

Now, if we coud only find a Corporate parent for the Loews Kings in Brooklyn!!!!!

Don't forget the Paradise in the Bronx. Hopefully it will get into the right hands and return to entertaining the public again.

A list of New York's restored Palaces would include the following:

Radio City
Hollywood
Loews 175th Street
New Amsterdam
Beacon
Apollo
Ziegfeld
Loews Paradise
Loews Valencia
St. George
Hudson

and also the 2 Jersey City palaces (which is so close to NY that you have to include them:
Loews Jersey
Stanley

In my opinion, this bounty is the country's best collection of RESTORED Palaces, which only Los Angeles would be able to dispute. I am aware that LA has a good number of restored beauties, but do they have them in this number and quality? That would make an interesting discussion. I listed 13 above, but, of course, there are other Broadway Legit houses that operated for decades as movie venues and, of course, there are the diamonds in the rough that await restoration like the Loews Kings, the Brookln Paramount, The RKO Keiths Flushing, RKO Keiths Richmond Hill, even the Ridgewood.

I know that LA compares in the quality of their restored palaces, but does it compare in sheer quantity?

Gee Lost why should I do that when you went and done did it for me.

Also the NY Times stated that the renovation cost $16 million as oppesed to the Beacon site that says $15 Million

Another piece of interest is the Fords Theatre in Washington DC
The theater where Lincoln was assassinated is celebrating its reopening after an 18-month renovation. The $25 million facelift includes new seats, a modern lobby and new dressing rooms.

Another amazing fact:
Exxon Mobil Corp. Chairman and CEO Rex Tillerson, who led fundraising for the theater, said officials have garnered more than $49 million for the renovation and ongoing projects. Organizers expect to raise more beyond their $50 million goal, he said.

Exxon Mobil contributed $5 million to the project, and the District of Columbia government gave $10 million.

When gas prices were going up you see where where some of that money was going to. Thats why I aviod Exxon and Mobil.

Here's a review of the first re-opening show, which, not surprisingly, ended with a reunion between Paul Simon and Art Garfunkel: http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/16/arts/music/16simon.html?_r=1&scp=2&sq=Paul%20Simon&st=cse

And from the New York Daily News: http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/music/2009/02/14/2009-02-14_sounds_of_simon_hello_beacon_my_old_frie.html

Glad to see this one back up and running. Hey LuisV, although nothing is happening now, the Ritz in Elizabeth N.J. also has been restored.

Here's a new link to a 1929 image with "The Gold Diggers of Broadway" on the marquee. The movie's "Natural Color" would be considered grotesque today: http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a18/Warrengwhiz/Beacon.jpg

YOU GOTTA TAKE A LOOK AT THIS, in case you missed it! This is a really a great 360 degree CINERAMA photo of the Beacon. Move the cursor around and the photo will move from ceiling to the floor.

http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/02/12/nyregion/20090212-beacon-pano.html

Are photos like this available for any other theaters?

Wow - that restoration look amazing.

The Beacon panorama is the work of the New York Times website. I don't know of any other theatres so honored by that newspaper. However, some websites operated by theatres do use that technique for a "visual tour" of the building. You might find them most easily by checking out the "Theatre Links" section at www.historictheatres.org

Any news about the organ or projection booth? About 20 years, they could still run 35mm and the organ was under the stage.

Wow the Panorama picture is AWESOME. I did notice that the stage lookes like it has been extended. In my recolection the lip of the stage was a straight line. The orchestra pit looks like it has been covered over. Not sure if it is now a permanant deal or if the decking can be removed if needed. I was told recently by someone from the NYTOS that the Organ is fully functional. The same person told me about the passing of Mel Robinson until his death about 3 years ago did the maintainance on the organ as well as many other theater organs in the NY NJ and Ct areas. He worked on many of the ones still in use in NYC including the Brooklyn Paramount which I was told is still usable/playable but there is some water damage in some of the lofts.

I don't get a picture when I click on the link, just a paragraph about the theatre. How do I get to view the photo?

If you connect to this link, the images should already be in motion. There are instructions beneath on how to pause at any point: http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/02/12/nyregion/20090212-beacon-pano.html

EVERYONE... I forgot to mention in my 6:16am post, click FULL SCREEN ... WOW!

ZIGGY... I don't know why you have a problem, I tried it again and it still works for me, such is the mysteries of computers.

Here is another way to try and see this great photo. Go up to the post on February 12, 2009 at 3:20am, click on the New York Times article. Skip the large photo, skip the Aisle 4 Slide Show and click on the photo at Interactive Feature. You should get the same thing. Good Luck.

Nope. I get nothing. Guess I'll have to look on someone else's computer. Thanks for the help anyway.

Ziggy are you on a Real PC or a Mac? Somethings like this panorama will work on a PC but not always work on a mac.

I'm on a PC. I'll just have to try a library computer, or a friend's, and see what happens.

Maybe it's your video/graphics card. Who knows.

Make sure that you have the Adobe Flash Player installed or you will only see text.

http://www.adobe.com/products/flashplayer/

Hey Lost have you ever been in the Beacon? How about the Kingsway Cinema in brooklyn?

Wow, what a gorgeous interior. I take it this theater won't show movies, again? What a shame, it looks a helluva lot better inside than the Ziegfeld.

BTW, the 360 view works great fullscreen on my Mac. You should have the latest flash install for your platform.

JodarMovieFan....The interior of the Beacon is indeed beautiful, but I don't think you can compare The Beacon and palaces like The New Amsterdam and Loew's Wonder Theaters to modern palaces like The Ziegfeld and even the Art Deco splendor of palaces like Radio City and The Center. They are totally different styles that should stand on their own as magnificent examples of their genre.

LuisV, with respect, I disagree. Pre-WW2 movie palaces had different styles, ranging from neoclassic styles to atmospheric or exotic, to Art Deco. The New Amsterdam was built before the movie palace era, as Art Nouveau. The current Ziegfeld Theatre's interior (the exterior being plain) clearly a neoclassic style. And, JodarMovieFan is right on the button- the Ziegfeld isn't nearly as grand, as ornate, as palatial, as the Beacon. The Ziegfeld does have its own important history of film presentation and premieres, but judging from the photos, the Beacon has way more awesome architecture. Lamb's Hollywood Theatre (which I have visited) is also more awesome.

Thanks Howard, I very much value your opinion and I would totally agree that theaters with architecture such as The Hollywood, Roxy, New Amsterdam, Beacon, and all of the Loew's wonder theaters were more beautiful and opulent than The Ziegfeld. However, the Ziegfeld's interior, in my opinion, is beautiful in its own right. I don't compare it to the other styles that preceeded it. I feel the same way about Radio City. No one can say that Radio City isn't one of the most beautiful and spectacular theaters ever built, but I would be hard pressed to compare it to The Roxy for example. I just find them so different. We don't need to pick one over the other. We can apprecate them as the best of their type.

Yes, yes, I am thrilled with the Ziegfeld's beauty each time I enter to see a movie and very happy to have the experience. I just don't say "Oh my!" there as much as I do when I visit the Loew's Jersey in Jersey City.

Agreed!!!!!!!

p.s. Howard, how do you feel about a potential landmarking of the Ziegfeld as a premier example of a palace of its time in addition to its long history of movie premieres in New York?

Not going to happen.

Ziegfeld exterior is plain.

Landmarking the interior won't ensure movies being shown- they could change it to restaurant, retail, etc.

If the owner wanted to donate it to a nonprofit foundation....then the economics of continued movie use might be better over time.

I agree that the exterior is not worthy, but i believe that the interior is; especially when combined with the history of move premieres held here over the years and its status as the lone theater continuing to show movies. As I understand it, the theater is under long term lease to Clearview and is owned by the billionaire owner of the Alliance/Bernstein tower next door. I wouldn't be surprised if he would go along with a landmarking.

Sorry, to other readers....I realize this is the Beacon's page and not The Ziegfeld.

Beacon seating - LuisV is correct, the beacon does have 2,829 seats. The incorrect 2,600 number came from previous mgnt (not cablevision).

Article in today's NYTimes Arts section on the Allman Brothers annual residency at the newly refurbished Beacon. It marks their 40th year together and the 20th playing at the Beacon. http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/09/arts/music/09allman.html?_r=1&scp=1&sq=allman&st=cse

The March 16, 2009 issue of The New Yorker has a great color photo on page 14 that shows Labelle performing before a packed house at a recent concert. It doesn't seem to be displayed at www.newyorker.com, but perhaps I didn't search hard enough.

Paul Simon's two concerts at the newly reopened Beacon on February 13-14 were both "sellouts" and grossed $843,310, according to the March 28 issue of Billboard Magazine. Attendance totaled 5,570, with tickets priced at $260, $185, $160, and $75. On February 19, singer-composer Leonard Cohen gave one "sellout" performance at the Beacon and grossed $313,120. Attendance was 2,475, on a price scale from $260 to $65, Billboard reported.

Renewing link.

Van Morrison has earned the dubious honor of being the first performer to do "less than sell-out" business at the newly re-opened Beacon Theatre, according to a report in the April 4th issue of Billboard Magazine. For two concerts on March 3-4, Morrison sold 4,700 tickets out of a possible 5,414. One of the reasons might have been the high price of tickets, which were scaled at $350, $300, $200, and $80. The total gross for the two concerts was $1,002,970.

A restoration slideshow can be viewed here:
http://www.msg.com/photos/beacon-theatre-a-new-york-city-landmark-restored/slide/1/

FYI. Van Morrison had just complete two sold out shows at the Wamu Theater a few day before. This was just a continuation of that engagement.

Tonight, Thursday at 10pm on MSG Network, there is a 1 hour special on the restoration of this beauty. Should make for interesting viewing. I'll be watching.

I waited with much anticipation for the MSG show. But, as is typical with MSG "docs", it was mostly talking heads. And the era covered was mostly the last 15 years. Not only was there barely a mention of the entire history, they barely even touched on any of the rock shows presented there in the 70's. Hello, the Beacon didn't open in 1989, but that was about as much history covered. The writers of this show would have done well to read every single post above, and then present a more balanced approach to the entire history of the building. The same rock stars saying the same things over and over was pretty much what you got. But it certainly doesn't hurt to promote the beautiful restoration going forward. Looks like they did a fantastic job on the renewel. I want to go to a show now just to see what they did in person.

Bravo, Al, for your observations about the short-sightedness and lack of research and information in faux documentaries. I've seen few "documentaries" in theaters in the past 20 years that weren't simply love letters to their subjects.

And by the way, it never had good acoustics, contrary to what was said. They even admitted as much when showing how they've now put speakers practically everywhere to shore up the acoustical shortcomings. It was always distorted on the low end to my ears. But it looks like the modern technology will help.

i turned off the TV half way through the show - i was looking for more detail on the forenics and research of the restoration. I always loved the accoustics at the beacon ...to each their own.

In its lifetime as a cinema, the Beacon was a flop and regarded as just another "nabe," so the makers of the documentary probably wanted to avoid that negative portion of its history.

I too was disappointed that there wasn't more emphasis on the "history" of the theater and I also turned it off about half way through because I got tired of all the old people saying the same thing over and over. I taped it so I will see the rest of it, but I'm sure it won't get better.

I understand that this is produced by MSG and that they probably had a very small budget, but I still think it should have had more history and less yapping.

That said, it appears that MSG has done an exemplary job at the Beacon and I tip my hat to James Dolan and his staff. Personally, I think the Dolans have practically driven Cablevision , the Knicks, the Rangers, and the Garden into the ground, but the one business line where I feel they have done a great job is at Radio City and The Beacon. Now, if we could only get Jimmy Dolan to visit the Loew's Kings in Brooklyn!

if
I ever recover from this cursed stroke,i'm gonna talk with Mr. Dolan about other theatres of interest for sure.

Here is a 1967 photo:
http://tinyurl.com/dfoygg

Another classic shot
http://americanclassicimages.com/Default.aspx?tabid=141&txtSearch=CATAdvancedSearch1%2c32%2c3%2c-1&catpageindex=112&ProductID=30939

The Beacon is seeking to hire a Vice President & General Manager. For details, go to http://beacontheatre.com/, click on "Employment" at the bottom of the homepage, and enter job #2009-68.

Bryan Adams gave two "sell-out" performances at the Beacon Theatre on April 3rd and 4th, according to the May 2 issue of Billboard Magazine. Adams's two shows sold a total of 5,590 tickets, for a gross of $301,576. Tickets were priced at $89.50 and $49.50.

Here's an ultra-rare view of three vertical signs that the Beacon originally had in addition to the one at the Broadway entrance above the marqee. One is on 75th Street and the other two are on the Amsterdam Avenue side of the building. The one at left on Amsterdam Avenue was partly hidden by shadow at the time of photography. They stand at opposite ends of the fire escape section: http://nyc75.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/beacon-theatre.jpg

Allmans will move uptown to the United Palace: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/06/arts/music/06allmans.html?scp=1&sq=Allmans&st=cse