Ziegfeld Theatre
1341-47 6th Avenue,
New York,
NY
10105
1341-47 6th Avenue,
New York,
NY
10105
14 people
favorited this theater
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RKO opened the Radio City Music Hall and the RKO Roxy (Center), so that means that these two theatres should be listed with the RKO preceding the theatre name. Cinema Treasures should list theatres as they were named at opening with the first operater under the statistics. Subsequent operators should be listed in the theatre discription or biography. This should include the original name even if was changed within months of the opening just like the Piccadilly Theatre in Brooklyn whose name was changed some months after opening to the Avalon. N'est-pas?
Regarding my post above: Warren is absolutely correct…The Ziegfeld should not be called “Loews
Ziegfeld” on this website. Not in the headline. The theater started as the Ziegfeld and ended its life as the Ziegfeld, hence it should be referred to as that. Period. Anything else is an “insult” and misinformation, to add “insult to injury.”
It may be an “insult” to call it “Loew’s Ziegfeld,” but that’s the way it was when Loew’s leased the theater in the 1930s. They even erected a “Loew’s” style marquee and I have the photos to prove it. When Loew’s gave up the lease, the “Loew’s” marquee was dismanted and the name of the theater became “The Ziegfeld” once again. That is, until NBC leased the theater and it was known as the NBC Ziegfeld for a few years.
(The original) ZIEGFELD THEATRE on 54th & Sixth Avenue.
Opened: Feb. 2, 1927 with Florenz Ziegfeld’s production of “Rio Rita.” Seating: 1628.
This was not a typical Broadway playhouse. Situated east and uptown of the concentration of most of the Broadway playhouses, the Ziegfeld was deco, inside and out. Joseph Urban, Ziegfeld’s favorite designer, built it in conjunction with Thomas Lamb, the architect who specialized in movie palaces.
After Ziegfeld’s death, the theater became LOEW’S ZIEGFELD in 1933. It was a second run movie house. The first film to be screened was “Rasputan and the Empress.” When Loew’s gave up it’s lease, a final celebratory stage show featured Jimmy Durante, the Frank & Milt Britton Band and Senator Huey Long. In 1944, Billy Rose bought the theater and returned it to legit with Cole Porter’s “Seven Lively Arts.” “Gentleman Prefer Blondes” and “Kismet” were among the hits to open at the theater when it was owned by Rose. Refitted by NBC in 1955 for color television, Perry Como’s Saturday night variety program originated here among several other programs. Converted back to legit in 1963 for “An Evening With Maurice Chevalier,” this show was followed by Bert Lahr in the musical “Foxy” and then a special appearance by Jack Benny, and then personal appearence by Danny Kaye were mong the last attractions before the flop musical, “Anya,” directed by George Abbott, closed the theater in 1965. A new Ziegfeld, which was only a movie theater, was built a few hundred feet west on 54th Street, and it is still showing movies today.
The Loew’s Ziegfeld Theatre was torn down in 1966.
The NEW Ziegfeld Theatre is operated by Clearview Cinemas.
Ziegfeld Theatre
141 W. 54th Street
New York, NY 10019
(212) 777-FILM #602
Did you also know that the Ziegeld can also be seen in the infamous “Skyscaper Lunch” photo?
The photo, which shows a dozen steelworkers eating lunch on a steel beam seemingly suspended in mid-air, was taken in 1932 from the top of the RCA Building while it was still under construction. The Ziegfeld is clearly visible in the bottom center of the image.
In the Jack Lemmon movie “How to Murder Your Wife” from 1965. You can see a shot of the Ziegfeld Theatre in the background when Terry Thomas is on the balcony, talking about is boss during the opening credits.
Dear Ziegfeld Theatre,
i was wondering how i would be able to buy a ticket for a premier at your theatre? Harry Potter and the chamber of secrets.
Thank you, BJM