Ziegfeld Theatre
1341-47 6th Avenue,
New York,
NY
10105
1341-47 6th Avenue,
New York,
NY
10105
14 people
favorited this theater
Showing 1 - 25 of 58 comments
DavidZornig, thank you for taking the time to post the link.
Marcy Starnes, below is the Zeigfeld Theatre you worked and saw those films at. It was located at 141 W. 54th Street and opened in 1969.
http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/12
Not at this house
The Ziegfeld Theatre was one of the premier theaters of its day. I have very fond memories of working there, and also seeing films there. The last being, The Wall, Pink Floyd. What a film!
The original Ziegfeld can be seen in “Sweet Smell Of Success” in a lenghty scene with Burt Lancaster, Tony Curtis (who enters from the stage door), and Martin Milner (Adam-12) who comes in through the front door, lobby features seen as well as carpeting (great shots) and the auditorium showimg orchestra, balcony with three exit doors at different levels and a sidewall decorative grill. The stage was being used for a TV taping of a columnists' report Burt’s “J.J.” character. The scene lasts 15 minutes so you can’t miss it. I don’t know if this has been posted before.
1956 NBC-TV marquee with The Perry Como Show photo added. Bronx native Gloria Walker June 1956 Playboy Playmate, photo credit Herman Leonard.
My father told me that it was difficult to demolish The Ziegfeld theater due to its solid construction. I don’t recall exactly what he said made it so difficult but it had to do with some kind of reinforced concrete (something more elaborate than the steel reinforcement that was/is used). My father worked for Burlington Industries in the 1960s and I believe the construction of its headquarters building was one of the reasons for the old Ziegfeld being demolished so it would make sense that he would know about this.
Not necessarily 1933, Mike, but throughout the early thirties as the live shows closed, the cheaper movie options were more attractive to audiences as well as less risky to put on.
Wasn’t 1933 the year a lot of the 42nd Street playhouses — including Ziegfeld’s Follies' home the New Amsterdam — converted to first-and-second run grindhouses?
Here’s a direct link to hdtv’s terrific site discovery.
It seems you have to manually sign up for alerts now; simply posting a comment doe not automatically register you. (Signing up is easy, though — just click the link at the bottom of the page.)
Let’s get some photos of this house posted, quick. That office building now showing is dreadful.
The last movies at the Ziegfeld were “Once Upon a Time” and “Shadows in the Night” in August 1944.
Wowie Zowie, what a find! Thanks for the link!
A limestone head of a goddess, alleged to be from the facade of this theater, was recently spotted on E. 80th St. View link
I could cry after looking at the historic photos of the Ziegfeld.
I always celebrate Mr. Ziegfeld’s birthday by screening the 1936 (Best Film) “The Great Ziegfeld.” The revolving stage scene with the magnificent waterfall curtain takes my breath away each and every time.
Perhaps, if I go to the “big theater in the sky”, I’ll have the honor of meeting Florenz… meanwhile, may those who greedily decided to destroy his wonderful palace rot in hell!
Ziegfeld’s daughter died recently. There was an obit in today’s LA Times.
Thanks Howard,
Am familiar with the site and its great collection of snapshots.
845Frank
For historic photos, click on the exterior photo for a gallery. Each photo can then be clicked to enlarge:
http://www.ibdb.com/venue.aspx?id=1393
Warren’s 10/26 photo above is a dandy. I am trying to taylor it for my screen-saver. Another of my favorite houses is the Cosmopolitan, aka, Majestic,International and Columbus Circle. This was also another hard luck house that after its premier in 1903 with the Wizard of Oz its luck scooted precipitously downward until after being a TV studio in 1954 it met the wreckers ball. Even after Ziegfeld took over in 1925, until his own house was built, and a redesign by Joseph Urban the longest running show only managed a 300 performance run (Louis XIV). The Depression and its far northern district location kept the theatre lonely and dark.
845Frank
Great Photo Warren! Was this from the Billy Rose Theatre Library collection? The Marquee addition I am talking about must have been after the retun to legit from the Television studion use. It probably existed from the engagements of Maurice Chevalier till closing in 1966. I will have to review the BR collection.
845Frank
I found that online. If the mural finds a home, as it hopefully will, and there’s a news item about it that I see, I certainly will post it.
For HowardBHaas
Has anything happened with the disposition of the mural. I regret that I have missed seeing it this time around,unless it is for Feb 2008 display?. Please keep the site posted as to its disposition and thank you for the info. I had an opportunity to take a piece from the site but I was too young at the time to realize its artistic value for the future. I visite the site during demolition every weekend in hopes of being able to carry something away.
845frank
Warren
Its an item on my list of things to do. I have not been there in 30 years. I have collected the entire volume of Theatre Worlds from 1944 on up to be able to view what may be the only photos of the productions that played the Ziegfeld. Additionally, I have a program from each and every show that played the house from Rio Rita on till the end. The professional photo I recently purchased was from the NYC Dept of Buildings which has microfiche of all NYC buildings from 1940 survey but as you know this is when it was still a movie theatre. How many times had you been in the Ziegfeld?
Thank you,
845Frank
You are correct but that covers its initial Ziegfeld ownership. When Billy Rose took over in 1944 through 1965 there was a regular theatre sign board on each side of the glass and bronze overhand. If you examine Nathan Silversteins “Lost New York” the Ziegfeld is listed as in danger with a foot note stating it is to be torn down. In this photo from sometime after 1959 ,as a 59 cadillac is pictured making a turn on 6th ave in front of the theatre, you can see the bronze/brass and glass overhang or entrance canopy. I remember the marquee for ANYA in red lit up on the evening I saw it, but have never seen a photo of the theatre when “Foxy” or “Kismet” played there. There must be some vintage newsreel that captures one of the impportant shows that were tenants at the Ziegfeld.
Your comments are appreciated.
845Frank