Fox Theatre
527 N. Grand Boulevard,
St. Louis,
MO
63103
527 N. Grand Boulevard,
St. Louis,
MO
63103
37 people
favorited this theater
Showing 126 - 150 of 157 comments
THe St. Louis Fox is a beautiful Place. I Remember back in the 1940s we would ride the street cars to go to movie row on Grand Ave. It was the first movie palace I was in that had air- cond. it was like going to heaven on a hot Missouri day. Viva la Fox. Paul Andrews 2;44 P.M.March 14th 2005…
The United States designates its ‘National Treasures’ in buildings in two ways: first is the National Register of Historic Places, and this must be started by locals who can mount an effort to get their State Historic Preservation Officer to designate a building a state landmark according to the guidelines published by the History Div. Of the National Park Service which administers the program. Then, the state must complete forms to petition the Park Service to grant National Register status, but this is largely contingent upon locals being able to get behind the property, and if the owner protests — as often happens — then the designation will often fail. There are a number of technicalities and politics, local, state and national, do figure into the granting of the placement on the Register, which is to document LOCAL and STATE significance, but not necessarily any truly nation-wide significance. In contrast, the NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARKS program is designed to recognize structures that had a national impact, rather than merely local or state importance. A site would have to be first admitted to the Register in order to be considered for the NATIONAL LANDMARKS listing, and then the promoters would have to do far more documenting to convince the feds of the national scope and significance. When I wrote the Nomination documentation for the PABST THEATER in Milwaukee, it went to 800 pages and some 20 pounds sent off to the Park Service, which granted the designation unanimously in 1991. Such documentation is then sent to the National Archives, and a plaque is designed for the premises.
If someone is to get behind the FOX, they must do the research to convince the property owner and other notables of its importance; that will get the officer at the state capitol to grant state recognition, and then one can fill out the Nomination to the National Register. After that is granted, one can attempt to get the more restricted designation of National Historic Landmark. See: www.NationalParkService.gov/history
The reason the Ambassadore was a problem was that it was only part of a huge office building that was run down and there was no way to seperate it from the building since it was part of it. The office buildeing was not usable without HUGE sums of money and the land was very valuable
JamesGrebe
Good question and perhaps someone from the Fox camp(s) will give us all an answer, in time. I’ve not been to the Fox theatres in Detroit and St. Louis, but I have seen to the Fox in Atlanta and it is breathtaking!
St. Louis does recognize the national treasure they have in there city. Too bad they didn’t recognize the Ambassador the same way. One thing that has always puzzled me is why the Fox Theatre in Atlanta and the Fox Theatre in Detroit are National Historic Landmarks, and yet the one in St. Louis is only on the National Register of Historic Places. You would think that if the twin Detroit Fox is a National Landmark, the St. Louis one would be worthy too!
The lady who gave you the tour sensed that you had more than just a passing interest in old theatres so she then took the time to show you around. Hopefully you can thank her again, in person! When one sees interest in a person who takes the time to stop and ask to see the inside of a particular theatre then they immediately are left with a sense of importance in regards to ‘their’ theatre.
Ziggy: Thanks for such the nice Fox story and I, too, hope that the folks in St. Louis realize that they have a national treasure! I recently spoke to some folks from Richmond VA who have 2 national treasures in their city and one of the them is an Eberson/atmospheric!! I even took the time to print out the links on this site for them to read and to learn about 2 theatres in their ‘backyard’!
I stopped in St. Louis while on my way to New Mexico (where I now live, alas!), and made a special side trip to see the outside of this theatre. While parking the truck my friend and I noticed a couple of people at the stage door. When we asked if we could see the inside of the theatre they not only said “yes”, they gave us a personal tour! What a spectacular building! It’s always amazing to me how much photography utterly fails to convey anything but the slightest suggestion of the magnificence of a place like this. I want to return and see a show (preferably a silent movie). I hope the folks in St. Louis realize what a national treasure is sitting in their back yard.
I don’t remember the woman’s name who gave us the tour. I wish I did so I could thank her again.
Back in the 1980’s when Marlin Mackley was restoring the Fox 4m/36r he had asked me to tune the piano in the chambers. The Fox organ piano is a standard 52" Wurlitzer player piano , minus the player roll assembly. The piano sits on a platform with it’s back right in front of the swell shades. The piano was about a quarter step flat, as who knows if the piano had ever been tuned before, since it’s instalation. The ivory keytops were still snow white as the chamber was almost perfectly dark all the time since it’s placing there. It is light that causes ivoery to turn yellow. The piano came up to standard pitch without a hitch. That was in the 1980’s and I have not tuned it since, though I have volunteered to tune it at no cost again. This year for our upcoming “Extravaganza” I will volunteer to tune again to the powers that be. for the upcoming Kay McAbee and Stan Kann concert. For some reasons people think player pianos sound better when they are out of tune. To an organist, it just means that you do not use it, as it does not blend with the organs' pipes. It is like only using 36 out of 37 possible ranks.
JamesGrebe
I have a study print of the site beforre the Fox was there and a church was on the site.
JamesGrebe
Current view of the theater, a bit obscured by some trees:
View link
The pic I have is what is called a study print from the society , which means it is a copy from a copy machine of the photo. It also means that it cannot be published, only studied. At that time a copy in picture form that can be published cost $75 from the Mo. Hist. Soc. and it can be published.
JamesGrebe
That very photo of the plane in the lobby is reporduced on page 160 of David Naylor’s GREAT AMERICAN MOVIE THEATRES, to be seen at many libraries, and sometimes available from such as www.Amazon.com
In 1929 on display in the Fox lobby, right in line with the steps, was a Curtis-Wright airplane. The single engine aircraft was there in recognition of National Aircraft Month. I have a 8X10 B& W from the Mo Hist. Society showing the same.
JamesGrebe
James: Thanks for your ‘slave’ input!
Hi Patsy,
You are right on the slave clocks. I just happened to read an article a few days ago on the clocks used in public schools. They, too, were slave clocks so all the clocks in the building showed the same time.
On slave consoles, usually they did not have the stop tabs connected but worked the combo action. This is different from the instalations with dual consoles like the Radio City Music Hall Wurli in NY.
James: You mentioned ‘slave console’ and it reminds of the fact that there used to be ‘slave clocks’ for certain bank clocks that hung on the outside of buildings, but were regulated on the inside by a ‘slave clock’ so the term is universal, it seems.
THe third organ referred to probably was not an organ but the slave console ( for the 36r)that once was in the building. None of the stop keys worked but the combo action did. The console was bought by John Ferguson of Indiana. The Fox lobby Wurli is from the Majestic in E. St. Louis. Norm Kraemer, local organist bought it form the theatre and later the St. Louis ATOS bought it from him The organ speak from different location than the original Moller did. The Wurli is up around 10 ranks now and is maintained by St. Louis ATOS
JamesGrebe
Interesting Fox organ history through the life of this theatre!
I also believe that the Fox Theatre marquee should be restored to its original appearance. I also believe that the roof top sign should be restored, especially since you can see the grid it went on from the Interstate. But we must also remember that the marquee wasn’t that much more exciting that the one that is currently on the theater, at least not compaired to the other theaters of its time.
How come the current marquee has not been restored or upgraded after all these years. The Fox is more successful now than at anytime in its history. I feel the marquee on the Atlanta Fox and the Detroit Fox are more spectacular and the St Louis Fox leaves something to be desired. Maybe they can charge an extra dollar on tickets sold to restore the marquee.I have stated this before when a grand movie palace is restored the marquee should should also be restored or at least improved to match its history from the 1920’s,1930’s,1940’s and 1950’s.brucec
Charles: Thanks for the additional Fox information. Charlotte is having First Night downtown tonight with a huge lighted dance floor at the intersection of Tryon and Trade Streets along with fireworks!
I just took a virtual tour of the Fox/St. Louis and it is breathtaking. I’ve been to St. Louis, but at the time didn’t know a thing about this theatre so only saw the arch and the ballpark. :–(
Charles: Decided to check out this other ‘fabulous Fox’ that is in St. Louis and remembered you say you are in that city and Hawaii…then read that you are a commercial pilot based out of St. Louis so now beginning to ‘connect the dots’! I figured I’d see some posts from you after I made the St. Louis/Fox connection to you so have been reading what you have to say about this other Fab Fox!Interesting that this other Fox was saved, too. So the Fox in Atlanta and the Fox in St. Louis are surely ‘soulmates’!
That web page makes no mention of the “Fox Special” but it does refer to the organ as being commonly called a “Crawford Special”, even though Mr. Crawford had nothing to do with the design.