Empire Theatre (42nd Street) explained

AMC Empire 25
Image Alt:Facade of the AMC Empire 25 multiplex movie theater
Coordinates:40.7567°N -73.9892°W
Address:234 West 42nd Street
City:New York City
Country:United States
Architect:Thomas W. Lamb
Owner:City and State of New York
Tenant:New 42nd Street
Operator:AMC Theatres
Capacity:4,764 (multiplex)
originally 750
Type:Multiplex
Opened:September 11, 1912
Reopened:April 2000
Yearsactive:1912–1931 (Broadway theater)
1931–1942 (burlesque)
1942 – c. 1980s (single-screen movie theater)
2000–present (multiplex)
Rebuilt:1998–2000
Demolished:1998 (original interior)
Othernames:Eltinge Theatre, Laff-Movie, Empire Theatre

The Empire Theatre (originally the Eltinge Theatre) is a former Broadway theater at 234 West 42nd Street in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City. Opened in 1912, the theater was designed by Thomas W. Lamb for the Hungarian-born impresario A. H. Woods. It was originally named for female impersonator Julian Eltinge, a performer with whom Woods was associated. In 1998, the building was relocated west of its original location to serve as the entrance to the AMC Empire 25, a multiplex operated by AMC Theatres, which opened in April 2000.

The facade of the Empire Theatre is made of terracotta and is square in shape, with relatively little ornamentation compared to other theaters of the time. The center of the facade contains a three-story arch, which was intended to resemble a Roman triumphal arch; a fourth story was used for offices. The theater had about 900 seats in its auditorium, spread across three levels. It was decorated with ancient Egyptian and Greek details, as well as a sounding board depicting three dancing women. Most of the original detail was restored when the theater building was repurposed in 1998. The former auditorium serves as a lobby and lounge for the AMC Empire 25.

Woods leased the site in August 1911, and the Eltinge Theatre opened on September 11, 1912, with the play Within the Law. In its early years, the Eltinge was known as a "lucky house", with many long-running plays. The theater was less successful during the 1920s and was leased to various theatrical personalities. During the Depression, when legitimate productions were scarce, the Eltinge was leased for burlesque by Max Rudnick from 1931 until 1942. Bud Abbott and Lou Costello, then burlesque comedians, first performed together at the Eltinge early in 1935. After its tenure as a burlesque house, the Eltinge became the Laff-Movie movie theater operated by the Brandt family and leased to J.J. Mage. The Brandts renamed the theater the Empire in 1954 and continued to present movies there until the late 20th century. The city and state governments of New York acquired the theater as part of the 42nd Street Redevelopment Project in 1990. Forest City Ratner developed an entertainment and retail complex on the site in the 1990s, relocating and renovating the Empire.

Site

The Empire Theatre is on the south side of 42nd Street, between Seventh Avenue and Eighth Avenue near the southern end of Times Square, in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan in New York City.[1] [2] The theater was originally located at 236–242 West 42nd Street, but it has been moved west of its original location. The Empire's modern-day site was formerly occupied by the Lew Fields Theatre, which was demolished in 1997. The theater is part of an entertainment and retail complex at 234 West 42nd Street, which includes the former Liberty Theatre and the Madame Tussauds New York museum. The complex's land lot covers and extends between its two frontages on 41st and 42nd Streets, with a frontage of on 41st Street and on 42nd Street.[3]

The city block includes the Candler Building, New Amsterdam Theatre, and 5 Times Square to the east, as well as Eleven Times Square to the west. The E-Walk entertainment complex is directly across 42nd Street to the north.[4] The Todd Haimes Theatre, Times Square Theater, Lyric Theatre, New Victory Theater, and 3 Times Square are to the northeast. In addition, the Port Authority Bus Terminal is to the west, the New York Times Building is to the south, and the Nederlander Theatre is to the southeast. An entrance to the New York City Subway's and stations, served by the, is just west of the theater.[5]

The surrounding area is part of Manhattan's Theater District and contains many Broadway theaters.[6] In the first two decades of the 20th century, eleven venues for legitimate theatre were built within one block of West 42nd Street between Seventh and Eighth Avenues.[7] The New Amsterdam, Harris, Liberty, Eltinge (now Empire), and Lew Fields theaters occupied the south side of the street. The original Lyric and Apollo theaters (combined into the current Lyric Theatre), as well as the Times Square, Victory, Selwyn (now Todd Haimes), and Victoria theaters, occupied the north side. These venues were mostly converted to movie theaters by the 1930s, and many of them had been relegated to showing pornography by the 1970s.[8]

Design

The Empire Theatre, originally the Eltinge 42nd Street Theatre, was designed by Thomas W. Lamb for the Hungarian-born impresario A. H. Woods.[9] In the late 1990s, the former auditorium was converted into a lobby and lounge for a 25-screen multiplex operated by AMC Theatres. Known as the AMC Empire 25, it was AMC's first theater in New York City.[10] [11] The AMC Empire 25 complex was designed by a joint venture between Benjamin Thompson, Beyer Blinder Belle, Gould Evans Goodman, and the Rockwell Group. The Empire 25 is part of a larger retail and entertainment complex on the south side of 42nd Street, which covers .[12] The theater itself covers and was New York City's largest multiplex movie theater at the time of its construction.[13]

Facade

The square facade of the Empire Theatre is made of terracotta and has little ornamentation compared with other theaters built around the same time. The center of the facade contains a three-story arch, which originally illuminated the rear of the auditorium. The arch was intended to resemble a Roman triumphal arch. It is surrounded by an ornately carved frame. The outermost sections of the facade are slightly projecting piers, which flank the arch.[14] According to Christopher Gray of The New York Times, the facade was typical of Lamb's 1910s theater designs, which "emphasized broad swaths of cream- or white-colored glazed terra cotta with a bit of polychromy and deep dramatic piers, window recesses and other large elements".

In the original design, there were four pairs of doors at ground level, underneath a steel-and-glass marquee that protruded onto the sidewalk. Both the entrance and the stage door were on 42nd Street, in contrast to other theaters along the same block (including the New Amsterdam and Harris), which had their stage doors on 41st Street.[15] On either side of the main entrance, the lowest section of the ground-level facade contained a granite water table, above which were doorways set within a rusticated stone facade. The original water table was removed when the theater was relocated in 1998. The second and third floors are mostly devoid of ornamentation. The center of the arch is topped by a cartouche, and the outer piers also contain cartouches at the third story. A carved cornice runs above the third story.

The fourth story contains six recessed rectangular windows, which overlooked the offices of the theater's manager A. H. Woods and his brother Martin Woods. The theater was topped by a mansard roof. By 1993, the original facade had become so dilapidated that Columbia Pictures covered the original facade with a stucco-and-plywood replica for the film The Last Action Hero.[16] The modern multiplex contains a five-story glass facade that rises above the original Empire Theatre's facade.

Interior

The superstructure of the theater is composed of a steel frame with brick walls measuring thick.[17] The Eltinge Theatre could not contain interior columns because they would obstruct audience members' sightlines, so the side walls and the ceiling were designed to be stronger and more rigid than in a conventional building. Above the auditorium was Woods's office, which had green carpets and walnut-paneled walls.

Original design

The theater had 750 seats on three levels. These were proportioned in "slender", "medium", and "stout" widths for patrons of different sizes. The side walls were steeply angled to give the impression that the auditorium was larger than it actually was. The auditorium was decorated with ancient Egyptian and Greek details. These included a proscenium arch decorated with sphinxes and winged disks. The proscenium was flanked by smaller arches, each of which contained two levels with two boxes each. The boxes stepped down toward the stage, and the fronts of each box were decorated with sculpted medallions, flanked by sculpted figures. The boxes were removed in the 1930s when the theater was converted into a burlesque venue.

The sounding board above the proscenium arch contained a mural, which depicted three robed women dancing to music[18] and was painted by French artist Arthur Brounet. According to The New York Times, the women depicted in the mural may have been based on different outfits Eltinge wore. The auditorium contains a domed ceiling. There was originally a chandelier hanging from the center of the ceiling, but it was removed in the 1930s.

Current design

When the theater building was repurposed in 1998, the steeply-raked balcony levels were replaced with mezzanines that contained restaurants. Escalators pass through the former proscenium arch to the newer multiplex screens above. There are three levels of lobbies, which lead to the screening rooms. The former auditorium comprises the first two stories, while the concession stand is on the third story. The movie screens are spread across five stories, connected by 14 escalators. The multiplex contains an additional six mezzanines, which are connected by elevators. In addition to the proscenium arch, other decorative details remain intact within the multiplex's lobby. A portion of the AMC multiplex is located on a truss above the original Empire Theatre building, which measures deep and is placed above ground level.[19]

The screening rooms originally had 4,916 seats in total,[20] although this had been reduced to 4,764 seats by 2011. Each of the 25 rooms contains a curved screen spanning the width of the room. The rooms contain stadium seating, with each row being higher than the one in front of it. The rooms each contain up to 600 seats.[21] On the sixth story are seven smaller screens, which are used for independent, foreign-language, and art films. Two of the screening rooms include leather seats, which were intended for large gatherings such as business presentations and private parties. In addition, there is a private 60-seat screening room that can be rented out for events. In total, the multiplex had 34 plasma screens and seven projectors when it opened; some of the screens were located within the lobby. When the theater opened, all of its screening rooms contained digital audio systems.[22]

History

Times Square became the epicenter for large-scale theater productions between 1900 and the Great Depression.[23] Manhattan's theater district had begun to shift from Union Square and Madison Square during the first decade of the 20th century.[24] From 1901 to 1920, forty-three theaters were built around Broadway in Midtown Manhattan. Furthermore, A. H. Woods and American actor Julian Eltinge signed a contract in 1909, wherein Woods acted as Eltinge's manager for seven years. Both men earned several hundred thousand dollars from the contract. Eltinge, who gained fame as a female impersonator,[25] [26] never performed there.[27]

Legitimate shows

1910s

In August 1911, Woods announced that he had signed a 21-year lease for an 80feetby100feetft (byft) plot just west of the Liberty Theatre. Woods planned to build a 1,000-seat theater named in honor of Julian Eltinge.[28] [29] It would be the eighth theater to be constructed on 42nd Street, after the New Amsterdam, Liberty, Harris, American, Lyric, Republic, and Victoria theaters.[30] The George A. Just Company received the contract for the theater's structural steel, while the Fleischmann Brothers received the general construction contract.[31] By January 1912, Variety magazine reported that the Eltinge Theatre was nearly completed and was ready to open that April.[32] Woods moved his executive offices from the Putnam Building to the entire upper floor in August 1912.[33] [34]

The Eltinge Theatre opened on September 11, 1912, with Bayard Veiller's melodrama Within the Law.[35] [36] The drama had previously been successful in Chicago,[37] and it ran at the Eltinge for 541 performances through the end of 1913. Many of the Eltinge's early productions were similarly successful. The next hit at the Eltinge was the play The Yellow Ticket, featuring Florence Reed and John Barrymore, which opened in January 1914[38] and ran for 183 performances. Later the same year, Edward Sheldon's play The Song of Songs opened at the Eltinge,[39] running for six months. The theater also hosted Fair and Warmer, which opened in December 1915[40] and transferred to the Harris Theatre after seven months. The Max Marcin play Cheating Cheaters opened at the Eltinge in August 1916,[41] with 286 performances over the next several months. Within five years of its opening, the Eltinge Theatre was known as a "lucky house", in part because Woods often booked or produced popular comedies and melodramas.

The Eltinge screened films in early 1917, such as the documentary Birth[42] and the educational movie Trip Through China.[43] The same year, the Eltinge's stage was enlarged in advance of the 1917–1918 theatrical season.[44] The theater's next hit was Business Before Pleasure, starring Barney Bernard and Alexander Carr, which ran from August 1917 to June 1918.[45] This was followed by the play Under Orders, which opened in September 1918;[46] [47] it ran for several months despite having only two performers, in contrast to many contemporary productions that enjoyed large casts. The Eltinge also hosted Wilson Collison's Up in Mabel's Room, which opened in January 1919,[48] and Collison and Avery Hopwood's The Girl in the Limousine, which opened the same October.[49]

1920s

The Eltinge did not host many long-lasting productions during the 1920s, likely because of the growing popularity of larger theaters and because Woods was busy producing other shows. With only 829 seats in 1919, the Eltinge was smaller than most of the area's other theaters.[50] The play Ladies' Night, which opened in 1920, was the theater's first hit of that decade, running for nearly a year. In July 1921, Samuel Augenblick and Louis B. Brodsky bought the Liberty and Eltinge theaters from the heirs of Charlotte M. Goodridge, although this had no effect on Woods's lease.[51] [52] Later the same year, the theater hosted The Demi-Virgin, which transferred from the Times Square Theatre to finish its 268-performance run.[53] The Demi-Virgin was the subject of a lengthy legal dispute regarding whether it was an "indecent" show, which Woods ultimately won.[54] After The Demi-Virgin closed, most of the Eltinge's productions ran for fewer than 200 performances, including East of Suez in 1922[55] and The Woman on the Jury in 1923.[56] One of the exceptions was Archibald and Edgar Selwyn's comedy Spring Cleaning, which opened in November 1923[57] and ran for seven months.

The firm of Mandelbaum & Lewine, along with Max N. Natanson, bought the Liberty and Eltinge theaters in November 1923[58] [59] and immediately resold the theaters to Maximilian Zipkes.[60] The Eltinge continued to host plays, although they were often not very popular. In early 1925, the theater hosted Leon Gordon's play The Piker,[61] which was so negatively received that its leading performer, Lionel Barrymore, seldom appeared on Broadway again. That September, the Shubert brothers bought a 50-percent stake in Woods's lease. As part of the agreement, all productions staged at the Eltinge Theatre also had to be presented at one of the Shubert family's theaters.[62] The Shubert family withdrew from the theater's operation in February 1926, leaving Woods with complete control over the house's bookings.[63] By then, Woods was busy with other projects, having leased the Martin Beck Theatre and owning a half-stake in the Broadhurst Theatre. In the mid-1920s, Woods continued to produce short-lived plays at the Eltinge, which featured several young actresses. These included Stolen Fruit (1925) with Ann Harding,[64] [65] The Ghost Train (1926) with Claudette Colbert, and Crime (1927) with Sylvia Sidney.[66] [67]

Woods leased the Eltinge in March 1927 to Lester Bryant, who was sponsored by a group of wealthy men.[68] [69] By then, Woods was producing multiple large shows, which the theater's small capacity could not accommodate. The Lambert Theatre Corporation, a venture in which Bryant was a partner,[70] leased the Eltinge during the 1927–1928 theatrical season, hosting seven shows in eight months. Louis I. Isquith leased the theater during mid-1928, presenting a series of plays with low ticket prices.[71] [72] Woods subsequently took back the theater's lease and produced the revue Blackbirds of 1928, which transferred from the Liberty and ran until June 1929.[73] Following the Wall Street Crash of 1929, Woods produced several plays, which all had short runs. The play Murder on the Second Floor, featuring Laurence Olivier, opened in late 1929.[74] This was followed the next year by Love Honor and Betray with Clark Gable;[75] [76] the Theatre Guild's production of A Month in the Country; and the play The Ninth Guest.[77] The theater's last-ever legitimate show was First Night, produced by Richard G. Herndon, which closed in February 1931. By then, there were rumors that the Eltinge could be converted to a movie theater or burlesque house.[78]

Burlesque

Woods subleased the Eltinge Theatre to Max Rudnick in February 1931. (Woods continued to occupy the fourth-floor offices, as his lease did not expire for another two years.) Rudnick converted the Eltinge into a stock burlesque theater,[79] and launched his first burlesque shows there on March 6.[80] [81] The Eltinge was the second theater on 42nd Street to feature stock burlesque, following Minsky's Republic Theater (now the New Victory) which opened a month earlier.[82] The Eltinge's conversion to burlesque was due in part to the Depression and in part to a general decline in the Broadway theater industry in the mid-20th century; from 1931 to 1950, the number of legitimate theaters decreased from 68 to 30.[83] [84]

The Eltinge and the Republic were financially successful by mid-1931, but local business owners opposed burlesque, claiming that the shows encouraged loitering, crime and decreased property values.[85] [86] In New York, theater licenses were subject to yearly renewal,[87] and opponents of burlesque tried to have the licenses revoked.[88] The nearby Republic and other theaters had been raided by police, but these actions only boosted the theaters' popularity. The Eltinge's operating license was temporarily revoked in September 1932,[89] [90] only to reopen the next month.[91] [92] The Eltinge toned down its shows whenever it was raided, but reverted to form soon after. By 1933, Rudnick had taken over the theater building, and Woods relocated his office to the New Amsterdam.

After he was elected mayor in 1934, Fiorello La Guardia began a crackdown on burlesque and appointed Paul Moss as license commissioner.[93] Rudnick, his assistant manager, and several performers were arrested on indecency charges in November 1934,[94] but were ultimately exonerated.[95] The Eltinge continued to operate as a burlesque house for several more years. However, after a series of sex crimes in early 1937, the La Guardia administration ordered all burlesque houses to remove the word "burlesque" from their marquees that June.[96] The Eltinge continued to host burlesque performances, which were billed as variety shows.[97] [98] The theater operated without a permit for several weeks in late 1937 before its license was renewed at the end of that year.[99] Even without burlesque on its marquee, the Eltinge remained popular,[100] although it was only one of three remaining burlesque theaters in the city by 1940.[101] Moss again refused to renew the Eltinge's operating license in early 1942,[102] [103] marking the permanent end of burlesque at the Eltinge.

Movie theater and decline

After the Eltinge's burlesque license expired, J. J. Mage leased the theater from the Brandts. Mage reopened the Eltinge as the Laff-Movie in July 1942,[104] with 759 seats. The new name reflected the fact that it showed only comedic shorts and feature films.[105] The Brandt family took over the Laff-Movie, along with the neighboring Liberty Theatre, in December 1944. By the mid-1940s, the ten theaters along 42nd Street between Seventh and Eighth Avenues were all showing movies; this led Variety to call the block the "biggest movie center of the world".[106] The Brandt family operated seven of these theaters, while the Cinema circuit operated the other three.[107] The Brandt theaters included the Selwyn, Apollo, Times Square, Lyric, and Victory theaters on the north side of 42nd Street,[108] [109] as well as the Laff-Movie and the Liberty Theatre on the south side. Several producers offered to stage legitimate productions in the Brandt theaters, but none of the offers were successful.[110]

William Brandt said in 1953 that any of his 42nd Street theaters could be converted into a legitimate house within 24 hours' notice, but producers did not take up his offer.[111] Brandt announced in August 1953 that he would renovate the Laff-Movie, showing feature films exclusively.[112] The theater was renamed the Empire in 1954; the name had previously been used by a theater on 41st Street that had just been demolished. By the late 1950s, the Empire was classified as a "reissue house", displaying reruns of films and changing its offerings twice a week. Tickets cost 25 to 65 cents apiece, the cheapest admission scale for any theater on 42nd Street. The Empire and the other 42nd Street theaters operated from 8 a.m. to 3 a.m., with three shifts of workers. The ten theaters on the block attracted about five million visitors a year between them.[113]

The 42nd Street Company was established in 1961 to operate the Brandts' seven theaters on 42nd Street.[114] [115] By the early 1960s, the surrounding block had decayed, but many of the old theater buildings from the block's heyday remained, including the Empire.[116] Martin Levine and Richard Brandt took over the 42nd Street Company in 1972. At the time, the Empire was presenting "showcase films".[117] The other six theaters showed a variety of genres, though Levine said none of the company's 42nd Street theaters showed hardcore porn. The Brandts' theaters had a combined annual gross of about $2 million and operated nearly the entire day. However, the area was in decline; the Brandts' theaters only had three million visitors in 1977, about half of the number in 1963.[118] The Brandts' movie theaters on 42nd Street continued to operate through the mid-1980s, at which point the Empire was showing kung-fu and horror films.[119]

Restoration

Preservation attempts

The 42nd Street Development Corporation had been formed in 1976 to discuss plans for redeveloping Times Square.[120] The same year, the City University of New York's Graduate Center hosted an exhibition with photographs of the Empire and other theaters to advocate for the area's restoration.[121] [122] One plan for the site, in 1978, called for razing several buildings in the area, including the Empire, to create a park.[123] [124] Another plan, called the City at 42nd Street, was announced in December 1979 as part of a proposal to restore West 42nd Street around Times Square.[125] Under the plan, five theaters would have been converted back to legitimate use, and the facades of three other theaters, including the Empire, would be restored.[126] The Empire's small capacity made it unsuitable as a legitimate theater, so the interior was likely to be demolished and renovated into a restaurant. Mayor Ed Koch wavered in his support of the plan, referring to it as a "Disneyland on 42nd Street".[127] Subsequently, Hugh Hardy conducted a report on 42nd Street's theaters in 1980. His report, in conjunction with a movement opposing the demolition of the nearby Helen Hayes and Morosco theaters, motivated the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) to survey fifty of Midtown Manhattan's extant theaters in the early 1980s.

The LPC started to consider protecting theaters, including the Empire Theatre,[128] with discussions continuing over the next several years.[129] While the LPC granted landmark status to many Broadway theaters starting in 1987, it deferred decisions on the exterior and interior of the Empire Theatre.[130] Further discussion of the landmark designations was delayed for several decades.[131] In late 2015, the LPC hosted public hearings on whether to designate the Empire and six other theaters as landmarks.[132] The LPC rejected the designations in February 2016 because the theaters were already subject to historic-preservation regulations set by the state government.[133]

Initial plans

The Urban Development Corporation (UDC), an agency of the New York state government, proposed redeveloping the area around a portion of West 42nd Street in 1981.[134] The plan centered around four towers that were to be built at 42nd Street's intersections with Broadway and Seventh Avenue, developed by Park Tower Realty and the Prudential Insurance Company of America.[135] [136] The Brandt family planned to submit a bid to redevelop some of the theaters they owned on 42nd Street.[137] [138] In June 1982, the Brandts' five theaters on the north side of 42nd Street were added to the redevelopment plan. Despite the Brandts' insistence that the Empire and Liberty theaters also be included in the redevelopment, the two theaters were leased to New York Mart Inc. as part of a separate plan.[139] Ultimately, the 42nd Street Redevelopment Project was delayed for several years due to lawsuits and disputes concerning the towers.[140]

The New York Mart plan consisted of a garment merchandise mart on Eighth Avenue between 40th and 42nd Streets, opposite Port Authority Bus Terminal.[141] [142] The project was to be completed by the Times Square Redevelopment Corporation, comprising members of the New York state and city governments. Under this plan, the Empire and Liberty theaters would be renovated, although the extent of the renovations was unclear.[143] David Morse and Richard Reinis were selected in April 1982 to develop the mart, but they were removed from the project that November due to funding issues.[144] Subsequently, the state and city disputed over the replacement development team, leading the city to withdraw from the partnership in August 1983.[145] The state and city reached a compromise on the development team that October, wherein the mart would be developed by Tishman Speyer, operated by Trammell Crow, and funded by Equitable Life Assurance.[146]

The Brandts leased all their movie theaters on 42nd Street, including the Empire, to the Cine 42nd Street Corporation in 1986. Cine 42nd Street subleased the theater to Sweetheart Theatres Inc., which screened pornographic movies. The Empire Theatre was still part of the mart project in 1987.[147] [148] Though the theater was tentatively slated to be used for fashion shows and other events, the city and state governments had not reached an agreement with private developers regarding the mart. The merchandise mart was ultimately never built; the northern part of the site became 11 Times Square, while the southern part became the New York Times Building.

In 1989, The Durst Organization acquired the leases to eight theaters in Times Square, including the Empire. It subsequently announced plans to renovate the eight theaters in February 1990.[149] [150] The New York state government acquired the theater sites that April via eminent domain.[151] [152] The city had planned to buy out the theaters' leases[153] but withdrew after the 42nd Street Company indicated it would lease the theaters to another developer.[154] Although Durst protested the move, a New York Supreme Court judge ruled that the sites could be acquired by condemnation.[155] Government officials hoped that the development of the theaters would finally allow the construction of the four towers around 42nd Street, Broadway, and Seventh Avenue.[156] Even though the Empire Theatre was abandoned, government officials continued to heat the theater to preserve the plasterwork. The exterior of the unused theater was used as the Pandora Theater for the film Last Action Hero in 1993. After Disney committed to restoring the New Amsterdam Theatre in 1994, most of the other theaters around 42nd Street were quickly leased.[157]

Relocation and restoration

By 1995, real-estate development firm Forest City Ratner was planning a $150 million entertainment and retail complex on the site of the Empire, Harris, and Liberty theaters.[158] Madame Tussauds and AMC leased space in the complex that July.[159] Madame Tussauds would occupy the eastern section of the site, using the entrance of the former Harris Theatre; Bruce Ratner wanted to develop a similarly ornate gateway for AMC on the western end of the site. Forest City Ratner was not permitted to destroy or dismantle the Empire, which was protected by historic-preservation regulations.[160] In June 1996, Ratner proposed relocating the theater westward at a cost of $1.2 million, using tracks to move the structure.[161] AMC finalized its lease the same month.[162] According to New 42nd Street president Cora Cahan, news articles about the proposed relocation were largely "filled [...] with wonder", in contrast to the mostly negative characterizations of Times Square.[163] Urban Foundations was hired to relocate the building.

Engineers were preparing to raze several buildings along the south side of 42nd Street by mid-1997, including the Lew Fields Theatre, whose site would be occupied by the relocated Empire. The rear of the theater was braced because workers had to remove the stage and the fly systems, and the removal would undermine the building's structural integrity.[164] Workers installed piles on the adjacent lots to the west, which had previously contained residences with basements. The basements were demolished, allowing the theater building to rest directly on Manhattan's bedrock instead of atop an unstable layer of dirt. There were 430 piles in total,[165] which supported a set of eight parallel tracks. Workers also poured 70 concrete caps inside the theater building. After the tracks had been installed, workers placed a dolly of steel beams above the tracks, which in turn traveled above a series of 250 rollers. The perimeter of the dolly contained load-bearing beams that supported the weight of the theater. The lowest portions of the walls were removed, detaching the theater from the original foundations. The theater was then lifted about so it could be hoisted onto the dolly. Workers used hydraulic jacks to lift the theater.

The theater's relocation required several months of preparation.[166] The entire relocation was supposed to have occurred on February 17, 1998, but this was postponed because New York City officials wanted to perform the relocation on a weekend. As such, the structure was initially moved on February 22, while the rest of the relocation occurred during a five-hour period on March 1.[167] Hydraulic jacks moved the theater in five-minute bursts, moving the theater about during each burst. Two large balloons representing Abbott and Costello, who first performed together at the theater in 1935, were rigged to appear as if they were dragging the theater westward.[168] Large construction markers, referencing Abbott and Costello's "Who's on First?" comedy routine, were placed along the construction fence to mark the move's progress. Two portable heaters continued to heat the empty auditorium as it was being relocated. The event attracted several hundred spectators. Until 2022, the 3700ST structure was the heaviest building in New York City to have been relocated.

After the theater was relocated, Forest City Ratner planned to recreate stonework on the facade, which at several places had been stripped to a layer of brick. At the time of the relocation, its interior was in poor condition, with peeling paint and missing boxes, but the auditorium retained most of its plasterwork.[169] The theater's facade was cleaned, while the interior was adapted to become the lobby of the AMC multiplex. Midway through the project, Forest City Ratner decided to add a 455-room hotel above the new entertainment and retail spaces to the east. The hotel was built atop a large truss, which in turn was supported by reinforced-concrete walls and eight large steel columns, since the hotel was structurally separate from the rest of the development. The large size of the steel columns required the architects to slightly reduce the size of the AMC multiplex.[170]

Multiplex

The AMC Empire 25 opened in April 2000, being the second multiplex to open on the block, after the E-Walk complex.[171] Theatrical insiders claimed that the Empire 25 had cost $70 million, which might have made it the most expensive movie theater ever built, but AMC refused to disclose the construction cost. In its first year of operation, the Empire 25 struggled to compete with the E-Walk; it had not screened many major films in part because of a lack of successful feature films. By 2001, the Empire 25 had become one of the most popular in the world, grossing over $500,000 a week.[172] The Times Square Cafe opened on the multiplex's balcony level in 2001[173] and later closed. The Hollywood Reporter, in 2005, quoted a Focus Features executive as saying that the Empire 25 was "one of the best art houses in the country".[174] A digital IMAX screen, the first in New York City, opened at the Empire 25 in September 2008.

The multiplex remained one of the United States' most profitable movie theaters in the mid-2000s.[175] It was especially popular on holiday weekends; for instance, it hosted 131 screenings of 14 separate films on Christmas Day in 2009.[176] The Hollywood Reporter reported in 2011 that the Empire 25 had two million guests per year or an average of 40,000 guests per week. By contrast, the average multiplex in the United States had a third as many visitors. The Empire 25's success was attributed not only to its central location near Times Square but also because it offered independent and art films in addition to major features. Because of varying patronage throughout the week, the number of employees varied widely, from 20 workers on a typical weekday to nearly 140 during the summer. AMC also rented out the Empire 25's space for various events, such as a showcase of 3D films[177] and an experimental-music festival.[178]

The Empire 25, along with other movie theaters in New York state, was temporarily closed during much of 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[179] The theater reopened in March 2021 after being dark for nearly a year.[180] [181] The Empire 25 remains AMC's flagship multiplex in the 2020s.[182]

Notable productions

Productions are listed by the year of their first performance. This list only includes Broadway shows; it does not include burlesque shows or films.[25] [183]

See also

References

Sources

Notes and References

  1. Web site: 234 West 42 Street, 10036 . March 25, 2021 . . September 28, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220928131211/https://zola.planning.nyc.gov/l/lot/1/1013/12 . live .
  2. 296.
  3. Web site: Site Map. September 30, 2022. New 42nd Street. https://web.archive.org/web/20110707140308/http://www.new42.org/Images/sitemap.pdf. July 7, 2011.
  4. News: Holusha . John . November 10, 1999 . Commercial Real Estate; Cineplex Bringing Back The Movies to 42nd St. . en-US . The New York Times . September 23, 2022 . 0362-4331 . September 24, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220924004447/https://www.nytimes.com/1999/11/10/nyregion/commercial-real-estate-cineplex-bringing-back-the-movies-to-42nd-st.html . live .
  5. Web site: 2018 . MTA Neighborhood Maps: Times Sq-42 St (S) . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210829194031/https://new.mta.info/document/2711 . August 29, 2021 . September 13, 2018 . . Metropolitan Transportation Authority.
  6. New York City, Proposed Times Square Hotel UDAG: Environmental Impact Statement . . 1981 . 4.15 . September 25, 2021 .
  7. October 12, 1917 . Legitimate: New York's Playhouse List Nearing Half Century Mark . Variety. 0042-2738 . 48 . 7 . 14 . .
  8. News: Gussow . Mel . May 23, 1990 . Critic's Notebook; Where Legends Were Born, Ghosts of Glory Linger . en-US . The New York Times . live . January 17, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211016001153/https://www.nytimes.com/1990/05/23/arts/critic-s-notebook-where-legends-were-born-ghosts-of-glory-linger.html . October 16, 2021 . 0362-4331.
  9. May 11, 1912 . That Eltinge Elevator . Variety. 0042-2738 . XXVI . 10 . 11c.
  10. News: Lowry . Tom . July 21, 1995 . Entertaining plans for Times Square . 775 . New York Daily News. 2692-1251 . newspapers.com . September 27, 2022 . September 28, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220928131211/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110297540/entertaining-plans-for-times-squaretom/ . live .
  11. Kramer . Louise . April 10, 2000 . Multiplexes storm city, and you ain't seen nothing yet . Crain's New York Business . 16 . 15 . 4 . .
  12. Amelar . Sarah . Apr 1998 . Times Square tidings . 87 . 4 . 27 . . Architecture.
  13. News: Hornaday . Ann . August 4, 1996 . At Many a Multiplex, Lots Of Screens but Little Choice . en-US . The New York Times . September 23, 2022 . 0362-4331 . September 27, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220927071511/https://www.nytimes.com/1996/08/04/movies/at-many-a-multiplex-lots-of-screens-but-little-choice.html . live .
  14. News: Gray . Christopher . October 10, 2008 . An Architect for Stage and Screen . en-US . The New York Times . September 27, 2022 . 0362-4331 . September 28, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220928131211/https://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/05/realestate/05scap.html . live .
  15. News: August 31, 1924 . The High Cost of Moving "Plain Jane" to the Eltinge . E10 . The New York Herald, New York Tribune . .
  16. News: Gray . Christopher . March 28, 1993 . Streetscapes: The Eltinge/Empire Theater; A Film Restores a Bit of 42d Street – in Faux Decay . en-US . The New York Times . September 25, 2022 . 0362-4331 . September 25, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220925000512/https://www.nytimes.com/1993/03/28/realestate/streetscapes-eltinge-empire-theater-film-restores-bit-42d-street-faux-decay.html . live .
  17. Mar 1998 . No final curtain for New York theater: A 1912 landmark takes on new role as the lobby of a 25-screen cineplex . 39 . 3 . 14 . . Building Design & Construction.
  18. News: Holusha . John . March 24, 2000 . A Theater's Muses, Rescued; Mural Figures Recall Celebrity of a (Well-Painted) Face . en-US . The New York Times . September 23, 2022 . 0362-4331 . September 24, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220924003322/https://www.nytimes.com/2000/03/24/nyregion/a-theater-s-muses-rescued-mural-figures-recall-celebrity-of-a-well-painted-face.html . live .
  19. Hart . Sara . Jun 1999 . Nowhere to go but up . 88 . 6 . 124–127 . . Architecture.
  20. Web site: AMC Empire 25 . Ross . Melnick . June 24, 2013 . . July 5, 2013 . https://web.archive.org/web/20130705163910/http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/255 . live .
  21. Barbour . David . French . Liz . Jul 2000 . Nasdaq marketSite: Times Square greets the digital age in a new themed/broadcast venue . Entertainment Design . 34 . 7 . 32–33 . .
  22. August 1, 2000 . Audio Empire . 103 . 8 . 26, 56 . . Film Journal International.
  23. Web site: Swift . Christopher . 2018 . The City Performs: An Architectural History of NYC Theater . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20200325233910/https://www.arcgis.com/apps/MapJournal/index.html%3Fappid%3Ddbe468bfd33343dc96c23db1da55f803 . March 25, 2020 . March 25, 2020 . New York City College of Technology, City University of New York.
  24. Web site: Theater District – . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20211019151144/https://www.nypap.org/preservation-history/theater-district/ . October 19, 2021 . October 12, 2021 . New York Preservation Archive Project.
  25. Web site: Empire Theatre-IBDB: The Internet Broadway Database . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20130623085056/http://www.ibdb.com/venue.php?id=1142 . June 23, 2013 . June 24, 2013 . ibdb.com . The Broadway League.
  26. News: Holusha . John . February 28, 1998 . The Theater's on a Roll, Gliding Down 42d Street; Fast-Moving Times Square Revitalization Leaves No Stone or Building Unturned . en-US . The New York Times . live . September 23, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160812104127/http://www.nytimes.com/1998/02/28/nyregion/theater-s-roll-gliding-down-42d-street-fast-moving-times-square-revitalization.html . August 12, 2016 . 0362-4331.
  27. Book: Frank Cullen . Frank . Vaudeville old & new: an encyclopedia of variety performances in America, Volume 1 . Hackman . Florence . McNeilly . Donald . 2007 . Psychology Press . 978-0-415-93853-2 . 353–4 . Julian Eltinge . September 28, 2022 . https://books.google.com/books?id=XFnfnKg6BcAC&dq=%22martin+herman%22+%22a+h+woods%22+1912&pg=PA354 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220928012107/https://books.google.com/books?id=XFnfnKg6BcAC&dq=%22martin%20herman%22%20%22a%20h%20woods%22%201912&pg=PA354 . September 28, 2022 . live.
  28. News: August 15, 1911 . Theatre for A.H. Woods; New House in West 42d Street to be Called the Julian Eltinge. . en-US . The New York Times . September 25, 2022 . 0362-4331 . September 28, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220928131212/https://www.nytimes.com/1911/08/15/archives/theatre-for-ah-woods-new-house-in-west-42d-street-to-be-called-the.html . live .
  29. August 26, 1911 . Julian Eltinge Theatre a Surety . The Billboard. 2638-3853 . 23 . 34 . 8 . .
  30. News: October 18, 1911 . New Times Square Theatre; Old Church in Forty-second Street to be Supplanted by a Playhouse. . en-US . The New York Times . September 25, 2022 . 0362-4331.
  31. October 14, 1911 . Contracts Awarded . The Real Estate Record: Real estate record and builders' guide . 88 . 558 . . 2274 . September 28, 2022 . September 28, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220928131213/https://rerecord.library.columbia.edu/document.php?vol=ldpd_7031148_048&page=ldpd_7031148_048_00000640&no=5 . live .
  32. January 27, 1912 . Eltinge Theatre Soon to Open . Variety. 0042-2738 . 25 . 8 . 3 . .
  33. August 15, 1912 . Woods New Quarters . Variety. 0042-2738 . 28 . 11 . 11 [89] . October 5, 2021.
  34. August 17, 1912 . The Vaudeville and Park News of the Week in New York City: Broadway Notes . The Billboard. 2638-3853 . 24 . 33 . 15 . .
  35. News: September 12, 1912 . Within the Law' a Vivid Melodrama; An Injured Shop Girl's Fight for Justice Told Excitingly in Veiller's Play. . en-US . The New York Times . September 25, 2022 . 0362-4331 . July 5, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180705163539/https://www.nytimes.com/1912/09/12/archives/within-the-law-a-vivid-melodrama-an-injured-shop-girls-fight-for.html . live .
  36. News: September 12, 1912 . Jane Cowl's Success: Eltinge's Theatre Opens With a New Play "Within the Law" an Interesting Melodrama, Well Acted . 9 . New-York Tribune . .
  37. News: June 17, 1912 . Early Fall Brings Many New Plays; By Sept. 1 Times Square Will Be Offering as Many as Six to a Block. . en-US . The New York Times . September 25, 2022 . 0362-4331.
  38. News: January 21, 1914 . The Yellow Ticket' With a Star Cast: Good Acting in a Very Uneven and Rather Clumsy Melodrama Russian Variation of the White Slave Play With the Russian Police Foiled by the Girl and a Dashing American Journalist . 7 . New-York Tribune . .
  39. News: December 23, 1914 . Sheldon Play Has Cumulative Force; His Staging of "The Song of Songs" Develops Into a Variation of "Camille." . en-US . The New York Times . September 25, 2022 . 0362-4331 . September 28, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220928131214/https://www.nytimes.com/1914/12/23/archives/sheldon-play-has-cumulative-force-his-staging-of-the-song-of-songs.html . live .
  40. News: November 8, 1915 . Fair and Warmer' is Highly Diverting; Miss Kennedy and Mr. Cumberland Make Much of a Naughty Farce at the Eltinge . en-US . The New York Times . September 25, 2022 . 0362-4331 . September 25, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220925215355/https://www.nytimes.com/1915/11/08/archives/fair-and-warmer-is-highly-diverting-miss-kennedy-and-mr-cumberland.html . live .
  41. News: August 10, 1916 . Cheating Cheaters Most Entertaining; Happiest Attempt at Mixing Farce and Melodrama Since "Seven Keys" . en-US . The New York Times . September 25, 2022 . 0362-4331 . September 25, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220925215356/https://www.nytimes.com/1916/08/10/archives/cheating-cheaters-most-entertaining-happiest-attempt-at-mixing.html . live .
  42. News: April 9, 1917 . New Film Is Shown At Eltinge Theatre: "Birth" Shows Every Phase of the Life of American Infants . 11 . New-York Tribune . .
  43. May 11, 1917 . Moving Pictures: "Trip Through China" at Eltinge . Variety. 0042-2738 . 46 . 11 . 29 . .
  44. June 30, 1917 . Undergoing Alterations . The Billboard. 2638-3853 . 29 . 26 . 4 . .
  45. Web site: The Broadway League . August 15, 1917 . Business Before Pleasure – Broadway Play – Original . September 25, 2022 . IBDB . September 3, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220903234131/https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/business-before-pleasure-7849 . live . Web site: December 14, 2015 . Business Before Pleasure (Broadway, Empire Theatre, 1917) . September 25, 2022 . Playbill . September 28, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220928131215/https://playbill.com/production/business-before-pleasure-eltinge-42nd-street-theatre-vault-0000003937 . live .
  46. September 7, 1918 . The Dramatic Stage: New Plays: Under Orders . The Billboard. 2638-3853 . 30 . 36 . 14 . .
  47. Web site: The Broadway League . August 20, 1918 . Under Orders – Broadway Play – Original . September 25, 2022 . IBDB . May 11, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220511102757/https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/under-orders-8721 . live . Web site: December 14, 2015 . Under Orders (Broadway, Empire Theatre, 1918) . September 25, 2022 . Playbill . September 26, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220926010453/https://playbill.com/production/under-orders-eltinge-42nd-street-theatre-vault-0000003935 . live .
  48. News: January 16, 1919 . "Up in Mabel's Room."; John Cumberland and Walter Jones Shine In Fairly Amusing Farce. . en-US . The New York Times . September 25, 2022 . 0362-4331 . September 28, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220928131214/https://www.nytimes.com/1919/01/16/archives/up-in-mabels-room-john-cumberland-and-walter-jones-shine-in-fairly.html . live .
  49. News: October 7, 1919 . Bedroom Farce to Limit; Old Situations but New and Real Laughs in "Girl in the Limousine." . en-US . The New York Times . September 25, 2022 . 0362-4331 . September 28, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220928131214/https://www.nytimes.com/1919/10/07/archives/bedroom-farce-to-limit-old-situations-but-new-and-real-laughs-in.html . live .
  50. December 26, 1919 . New York Under-theatred? . Variety. 0042-2738 . 57 . 5 . 7 . .
  51. News: July 23, 1921 . Liberty and Eltinge Theaters Bought By Operators: Samuel Augenblick and Louis B. Brodsky Also Buy 500 Riverdale Lots From the Estate of C. M. Goodridge . 13 . New-York Tribune . .
  52. News: July 23, 1921 . Two Theatres Sold; The Liberty and Eltinge Pass From Goodridge Estate to Operators. . en-US . The New York Times . September 25, 2022 . 0362-4331 . September 26, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220926010453/https://www.nytimes.com/1921/07/23/archives/two-theatres-sold-the-liberty-and-eltinge-pass-from-goodridge.html . live .
  53. Web site: The Broadway League . October 18, 1921 . The Demi-Virgin – Broadway Play – Original . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220412045914/https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/the-demi-virgin-12665 . April 12, 2022 . April 12, 2022 . IBDB. Web site: The Demi-Virgin (Broadway, Times Square Theatre, 1921) . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220412021343/https://playbill.com/production/the-demi-virgin-times-square-theatre-vault-0000010998 . April 12, 2022 . April 12, 2022 . Playbill . en.
  54. News: February 21, 1922 . Woods Wins Suit Over 'Demi-Virgin'; Appellate Division Reverses Supreme Court's Refusal to Enjoin Gilchrist. . en-US . The New York Times . September 26, 2022 . 0362-4331 . September 26, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220926010455/https://www.nytimes.com/1922/02/21/archives/woods-wins-suit-over-demivirgin-appellate-division-reverses-supreme.html . live .
  55. News: December 13, 1922 . The Masked Woman' for the Eltinge . en-US . The New York Times . September 26, 2022 . 0362-4331 . September 26, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220926175644/https://www.nytimes.com/1922/12/13/archives/the-masked-woman-for-the-eltinge.html . live .
  56. News: August 19, 1923 . Burns and Lawrence, a Tale of Two Playwrights . en-US . The New York Times . September 26, 2022 . 0362-4331.
  57. News: November 1, 1923 . Emperor Jones" in Paris; Eugene O'Neill's Play Receives a Warm Welcome Abroad. . en-US . The New York Times . September 26, 2022 . 0362-4331 . September 28, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220928131216/https://www.nytimes.com/1923/11/01/archives/emperor-jones-in-paris-eugene-oneills-play-receives-a-warm-welcome.html . live .
  58. News: November 21, 1923 . Syndicate buys Two Theaters In 42d Street: Eltinge and Liberty Playhouses, Assessed at $1,105,000, Sold by Goodridge Family to Operators . 20 . New-York Tribune . .
  59. News: November 21, 1923 . The Bronx Market. Investor Buys New Apartment on the Concourse. . 33 . The New York Times . 0362-4331 . .
  60. December 8, 1923 . Three New York City Houses Change Hands . The Billboard. 2638-3853 . 35 . 49 . 7 . .
  61. News: February 19, 1925 . To Sell Cardigan Chaucer; Stolen Rare MS. Recovered Here Will Be Auctioned in London. . en-US . The New York Times . September 26, 2022 . 0362-4331.
  62. September 19, 1925 . Shuberts Acquire Interest In Eltinge Theater Lease . The Billboard. 2638-3853 . 37 . 38 . 7 . .
  63. February 6, 1926 . Shuberts Withdraw From Eltinge Theater . The Billboard. 2638-3853 . 38 . 6 . 6 . .
  64. Web site: The Broadway League . October 7, 1925 . Stolen Fruit – Broadway Play – Original . September 26, 2022 . IBDB . June 17, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220617012748/https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/stolen-fruit-9924 . live . Web site: December 14, 2015 . Stolen Fruit (Broadway, Empire Theatre, 1925) . September 26, 2022 . Playbill . June 18, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220618171811/https://playbill.com/production/stolen-fruit-eltinge-42nd-street-theatre-vault-0000003918 . live .
  65. News: October 8, 1925 . Triumph for Actors in 'Stolen Fruit'; Ann Harding Leads With a Superb Performance in Play From Italian of Niccodemi. . en-US . The New York Times . September 26, 2022 . 0362-4331 . September 28, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220928131722/https://www.nytimes.com/1925/10/08/archives/triumph-for-actors-in-stolen-fruit-ann-harding-leads-with-a-superb.html . live .
  66. Web site: The Broadway League . February 22, 1927 . Crime – Broadway Play – Original . September 26, 2022 . IBDB . April 16, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220416045431/https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/crime-10244 . live . Web site: December 14, 2015 . Crime (Broadway, Empire Theatre, 1927) . September 26, 2022 . Playbill . September 28, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220928131723/https://playbill.com/production/crime-eltinge-42nd-street-theatre-vault-0000003914 . live .
  67. News: Atkinson . J. Brooks . February 23, 1927 . The Play . en-US . The New York Times . September 26, 2022 . 0362-4331 . September 26, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220926211634/https://www.nytimes.com/1927/02/23/archives/the-play.html . live .
  68. March 12, 1927 . Lester Bryant Leases Eltinge Theater, N. Y. . The Billboard. 2638-3853 . 39 . 11 . 11 . .
  69. News: March 5, 1927 . Eltinge Theater Lease Passes to Young Producer: Syndicate Backing Bryant in $75,000 a Year Deal With Woods, Broadway Hears . 10 . New York Herald Tribune . 1941-0646 . .
  70. June 6, 1928 . Legitimate: Barbour Receiver of Own Firm's "Excess Baggage" . Variety. 0042-2738 . 91 . 8 . 51 . .
  71. News: March 12, 1928 . Takes Eltinge Theatre; L.I. Isquith to Give New Plays This Summer at $2 Top Price. Throng Again Greets Toscanini. Alba Nardone Plays Again. New Sunday Night Entertainments. . en-US . The New York Times . September 26, 2022 . 0362-4331 . March 14, 2018 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180314111834/https://www.nytimes.com/1928/03/12/archives/takes-eltinge-theatre-li-isquith-to-give-new-plays-this-summer-at-2.html . live .
  72. News: April 21, 1928 . Theater News: "The High Hatters" to Open Isquith's Series of Plays . 10 . New York Herald Tribune . 1941-0646 . .
  73. News: June 10, 1929 . "Blackbirds" Run to End.; Negro Revue to Quit Saturday After Engagement of More Than Year. . en-US . The New York Times . September 26, 2022 . 0362-4331 . September 28, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220928131727/https://www.nytimes.com/1929/06/10/archives/blackbirds-run-to-end-negro-revue-to-quit-saturday-after-engagement.html . live .
  74. News: Atkinson . J. Brooks . September 12, 1929 . The Play . en-US . The New York Times . September 26, 2022 . 0362-4331 . September 28, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220928131729/https://www.nytimes.com/1929/09/12/archives/the-play.html . live .
  75. Web site: The Broadway League . March 12, 1930 . Love, Honor and Betray – Broadway Play – Original . September 26, 2022 . IBDB . September 26, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220926213132/https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/love-honor-and-betray-11075 . live . Web site: December 14, 2015 . Love, Honor and Betray (Broadway, Empire Theatre, 1930) . September 26, 2022 . Playbill . September 28, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220928131731/https://playbill.com/production/love-honor-and-betray-eltinge-42nd-street-theatre-vault-0000003901 . live .
  76. News: Atkinson . J. Brooks . March 13, 1930 . The Play; Where She Buries Her Dead. . en-US . The New York Times . September 26, 2022 . 0362-4331 . September 28, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220928131732/https://www.nytimes.com/1930/03/13/archives/the-play-where-she-buries-her-dead.html . live .
  77. News: Atkinson . J. Brooks . August 26, 1930 . The Play . en-US . The New York Times . September 26, 2022 . 0362-4331.
  78. News: February 8, 1931 . Rialto Gossip; Two More Theatres to Pass?--Affairs on the Bayes Roof—A Possible Revival of "Show Boat"--Sundry Broadway Gleanings . en-US . The New York Times . September 26, 2022 . 0362-4331 . September 28, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220928131733/https://www.nytimes.com/1931/02/08/archives/rialto-gossip-two-more-theatres-to-passaffairs-on-the-bayes-roofa.html . live .
  79. News: February 26, 1931 . Burlesque for Eltinge; A. H. Woods Subleases Theatre to Max Rudnick for Two Years. . en-US . The New York Times . September 26, 2022 . 0362-4331 . September 28, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220928131724/https://www.nytimes.com/1931/02/26/archives/burlesque-for-eltinge-a-h-woods-subleases-theatre-to-max-rudnick.html . live .
  80. News: March 7, 1931 . News of the Theater: Richman May Be in 'Follies' Shows Close Tonight; Gilbert Miller Returning . 14 . New York Herald Tribune . 1941-0646 . .
  81. News: March 6, 1931 . Theatrical Notes . 30 . The New York Times . 0362-4331 . .
  82. News: May 16, 1931 . Minsky Plans to Open Burlesque Circuit; Thirty Theatres in Key Cities Between New York and Chicago to Be Linked. . en-US . The New York Times . live . September 21, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220924232625/https://www.nytimes.com/1931/05/16/archives/minsky-plans-to-open-burlesque-circuit-thirty-theatres-in-key.html . September 24, 2022 . 0362-4331.
  83. Reilly . James F. . January 3, 1951 . Legitimate: the Disappearing Theatre . Variety. 0042-2738 . 181 . 4 . 266, 268 . .
  84. News: Pihodna . Joe . January 21, 1951 . 30 Theaters a Far Cry From Abundant Old Days: But They're Enough to Fill Our Needs, People Claim, Despite TV's Inroads . D3 . New York Herald Tribune . .
  85. News: April 26, 1932 . Civic Groups Rush 42d St. Clean-up; Many Leaders Unite in Attack Against License Renewals for Burlesque Houses . en-US . The New York Times . live . June 12, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220613212136/https://www.nytimes.com/1932/04/26/archives/civic-groups-rush-42d-st-cleanup-many-leaders-unite-in-attack.html . June 13, 2022 . 0362-4331.
  86. News: April 26, 1932 . 42d Street Rises In Moral Wrath At Burlesque: Banks, Business Firms and Legitimate Theaters Protest at License Hearing Vice Open, Says Priest Property and Loan Values Held Sharply Affected . 12 . New York Herald Tribune . .
  87. Grace . Deborah . February 27, 1993 . Reversal of fortune . 57 . 12 . 42 . . Opera News.
  88. News: April 7, 1932 . Prepare New Attack on Burlesque Shows; 42d St. Owners Seek to Have Licenses Revoked, Indecency Charges Having Failed. . en-US . The New York Times . live . September 21, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220924232625/https://www.nytimes.com/1932/04/07/archives/prepare-new-attack-on-burlesque-shows-42d-st-owners-seek-to-have.html . September 24, 2022 . 0362-4331.
  89. News: September 20, 1932 . McKee Closes Two Burlesques in 42d St.; Not a "Reformer" But Demands Clean Stage . en-US . The New York Times . live . September 21, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20180314133213/https://www.nytimes.com/1932/09/20/archives/mckee-closes-two-burlesques-in-42d-st-not-a-reformer-but-demands.html . March 14, 2018 . 0362-4331.
  90. News: September 21, 1932 . Two Burlesque Houses Closed Pending Appeal: Justice Shientag to Hear Mandamus Action Today for Republic and Eltinge 13 Mothers Visit McKee Protest in Vain at Ban on Children in 'Vanities' . 2 . New York Herald Tribune . 1941-0646 . .
  91. News: October 13, 1932 . Burlesque Shows Reopen as 'Revues'; Dances Complained Of Remain at Houses That Got Licenses After McKee Closed Them . en-US . The New York Times . live . September 21, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220924232625/https://www.nytimes.com/1932/10/13/archives/burlesque-shows-reopen-as-revues-dances-complained-of-remain-at.html . September 24, 2022 . 0362-4331.
  92. News: October 12, 1932 . Burlesque Back On 42d Street, Face Washed: City Renews Republic and Eltinge Licenses, Nude Posters Are Eliminated Productions Are 'Revues' But It's Same Old Show, Minsky Manager Says . 3 . New York Herald Tribune . 1941-0646 . .
  93. News: Bovsun . Mara . May 20, 1998 . Big town, big time . 33 . New York Daily News. 2692-1251 . newspapers.com . live . September 21, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220924232625/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109948398/big-town-big-timemara-bovsun/ . September 24, 2022 .
  94. News: November 17, 1934 . Nine Are Arrested in Raid on Burlesque; Manager and Aide and Seven Women Performers Seized at Eltinge Theatre. . en-US . The New York Times . September 26, 2022 . 0362-4331 . September 28, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220928131720/https://www.nytimes.com/1934/11/17/archives/nine-are-arrested-in-raid-on-burlesque-manager-and-aide-and-seven.html . live .
  95. News: December 27, 1934 . Policeman Dances for Court in Vain; 200-Pounder Gravely Imitates Hawaiian Manoeuvres, but 9 Are Freed in Burlesque Raid . en-US . The New York Times . September 26, 2022 . 0362-4331 . September 26, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220926221707/https://www.nytimes.com/1934/12/27/archives/policeman-dances-for-court-in-vain-200pounder-gravely-imitates.html . live .
  96. News: June 24, 1937 . Burlesque Theaters Strip Word From Lobby Signs . 19 . New York Herald Tribune . 1941-0646 . .
  97. July 24, 1937 . General News: Gaiety, New York, Calls It Quits . The Billboard. 2638-3853 . 49 . 30 . 5 . .
  98. News: July 13, 1937 . Burlesque' Bows in Its New Attire; Old Label and Risque Features Are Gone, but Audiences Find the Flavor Familiar . en-US . The New York Times . September 26, 2022 . 0362-4331 . September 28, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220928131720/https://www.nytimes.com/1937/07/13/archives/burlesque-bows-in-its-new-attire-old-label-and-risque-features-are.html . live .
  99. News: December 11, 1937 . 3 Theatres Get Licenses; Moss Acts on Permits for Former Burlesque Houses . en-US . The New York Times . September 26, 2022 . 0362-4331.
  100. News: Gross . Alexander S. Jr. . August 21, 1938 . Burlesque Sheds Its Name but Not Its Habits . E2 . New York Herald Tribune . 1941-0646 . .
  101. News: July 4, 1937 . Girl Shows Ask For Right to Use Burlesque Title: Unions Join Operators in Appeal to LaGuardia, Citing Drop in Business . 7 . New York Herald Tribune . 1941-0646 . .
  102. News: February 1, 1942 . Moss Orders Two Burlesque Houses Closed: Applications for Renewal of Licenses by 42d Street Theaters Are Rejected . 30 . New York Herald Tribune . 1941-0646 . .
  103. News: February 1, 1942 . Moss Denies Licenses to 2 'Follies' Houses; Says Republic and Eltinge Had Been Warned Repeatedly . en-US . The New York Times . live . September 21, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220924232628/https://www.nytimes.com/1942/02/01/archives/moss-denies-licenses-to-2-follies-houses-says-republic-and-eltinge.html . September 24, 2022 . 0362-4331.
  104. July 8, 1942 . Laff, Crowd, Laff, Slogan of NY's Newest Film Spot: Eltinge Reopened, House of Comedy . The Hollywood Reporter . 68 . 50 . 9 . .
  105. News: June 24, 1942 . Laffmovie to Open . 234 . New York Daily News. 2692-1251 . newspapers.com . September 26, 2022 . September 28, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220928131720/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110259929/laffmovie-to-open/ . live .
  106. February 26, 1947 . Pictures: Even 42d St., With Its Unique Films, Faces Shortages . Variety. 0042-2738 . 165 . 12 . 27 . .
  107. News: December 22, 1944 . Brandt Acquires 2 More Theatres; Adds the Liberty and Eltinge on West 42d St. Through Holding Co. Purchase . en-US . The New York Times . live . April 9, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220409204855/https://www.nytimes.com/1944/12/22/archives/brandt-acquires-2-more-theatres-adds-the-liberty-and-eltinge-on.html . April 9, 2022 . 0362-4331.
  108. News: April 9, 1944 . Extends Holdings in Times Sq. Area: Theatre Group Now Controls Half of Frontage in 42d and 43d Street' Blocks . RE1 . The New York Times . 0362-4331 . .
  109. News: March 20, 1944 . State Liquor Authority Rents Broadway Offices . 21A . . .
  110. News: Cooper . Lee E. . June 9, 1946 . Brandt Assembles Big Theatre Plot in Times Sq. Area; Five Buildings May Give Way to a Tall New Structure Under Pending Deals . en-US . The New York Times . live . April 9, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220409204856/https://www.nytimes.com/1946/06/09/archives/brandt-assembles-big-theatre-plot-in-times-sq-area-five-buildings.html . April 9, 2022 . 0362-4331.
  111. News: Zolotow . Sam . April 3, 1953 . Movie Man Scoffs at Playhouse Jam; Brandt Invites Bookings at 42d St. Theatres at Guarantee – 'The Bat' Fluttering . en-US . The New York Times . live . April 9, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220410024512/https://www.nytimes.com/1953/04/03/archives/movie-man-scoffs-at-playhouse-jam-brandt-invites-bookings-at-42d-st.html . April 10, 2022 . 0362-4331.
  112. August 24, 1953 . N.Y. 43rd St. House Reverts to Brandts . The Hollywood Reporter . 125 . 42 . 5 . .
  113. January 30, 1957 . 42d St. Grinds' $5-mil Gross . Variety. 0042-2738 . 205 . 9 . 3, 20 . .
  114. September 11, 1972 . Levine, Brandt Partners In the 42nd Street Co. . Boxoffice . 101 . 22 . E1 . .
  115. September 4, 1972 . Levine & Brandt Top 42nd St. Co. . The Independent Film Journal . 70 . 7 . 21 . .
  116. News: Reed . Henry Hope Jr. . October 28, 1962 . Beneath the Squalor, Yesterday's Glamor: the Names of the Astaires, of Barrymore and Belasco, Lawrence and Lillie, Cling to the Cheap Movie Houses of 42nd Street . SM2 . . .
  117. Albarino . Richard . July 18, 1973 . 'Main Drag' Of U.S.A.--42d Street; 5,000,000 Cheapie Tickets Yearly . Variety. 0042-2738 . 271 . 10 . 1, 111 . .
  118. News: Horsley . Carter B. . June 19, 1977 . A Critical Time For the Old Theaters Along 42d Street . en-US . The New York Times . live . April 10, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220408173029/https://www.nytimes.com/1977/06/19/archives/a-critical-time-for-the-old-theaters-along-42d-street-theaters.html . April 8, 2022 . 0362-4331.
  119. . New York Entertainment: 42d St. Grindhouses: Alternative Outlet For Dusty Subruns Facing Extinction . McDonough . Jimmy . 321 . 7 . December 11, 1985 . 94, 116 . Variety. 0042-2738.
  120. News: Morehouse . Ward III . November 9, 1977 . A 'Little White Way' for tawdry 42nd St. . 1 . The Christian Science Monitor. 0882-7729. .
  121. News: Williams . Lena . November 7, 1977 . Can Photos Return Gloss to Times Square? . en-US . The New York Times . live . October 15, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211016222246/https://www.nytimes.com/1977/11/07/archives/can-photos-return-gloss-to-times-square.html . October 16, 2021 . 0362-4331.
  122. News: October 19, 1977 . 42d St. Show on Theaters is a Tragedy . 336 . New York Daily News. 2692-1251 . newspapers.com . live . October 15, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211016222249/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87144593/42d-st-show-on-theaters-is-a-tragedy/ . October 16, 2021 .
  123. News: November 19, 1978 . Changing cityscape: $170M smile planned for face of W. 42d St. . 423 . New York Daily News. 2692-1251 . newspapers.com . live . October 15, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211016222249/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87144674/changing-cityscape-170m-smile-planned/ . October 16, 2021 .
  124. News: August 25, 1978 . City Considers Park Plan For Times Square . 14 . Newsday. 2574-5298 . newspapers.com . live . October 15, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211016222248/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/87144869/city-considers-park-plan-for-times/ . October 16, 2021 .
  125. News: December 23, 1979 . Architecture View; Redeveloping New York . en-US . The New York Times . live . January 17, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220117014228/https://www.nytimes.com/1979/12/23/archives/architecture-view-redeveloping-new-york.html . January 17, 2022 . 0362-4331.
  126. News: Prial . Frank J. . April 18, 1982 . Can 42nd Street Regain Its Showbiz Glamour? . en-US . The New York Times . September 27, 2022 . 0362-4331 . May 24, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150524110645/http://www.nytimes.com/1982/04/18/theater/can-42nd-street-regain-its-showbiz-galmour.html . live .
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  128. News: Dunlap . David W. . October 20, 1982 . Landmark Status Sought for Theaters . en-US . The New York Times . live . October 29, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211029222429/https://www.nytimes.com/1982/10/20/nyregion/landmark-status-sought-for-theaters.html . October 29, 2021 . 0362-4331.
  129. News: Shepard . Joan . August 28, 1985 . Is the final curtain near? . 462, 464 . New York Daily News. 2692-1251 . newspapers.com . live . September 16, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210921174705/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/85456704/is-the-final-curtain-near/ . September 21, 2021 .
  130. News: Dunlap . David W. . November 22, 1987 . The Region; The City Casts Its Theaters In Stone . en-US . The New York Times . live . October 16, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211016164623/https://www.nytimes.com/1987/11/22/weekinreview/the-region-the-city-casts-its-theaters-in-stone.html . October 16, 2021 . 0362-4331.
  131. Web site: Rajamani . Maya . February 23, 2016 . 7 Theaters Among Midtown and Hell's Kitchen Sites Up for Landmarking . https://web.archive.org/web/20201128103935/https://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20160223/midtown/7-theaters-among-midtown-hells-kitchen-sites-up-for-landmarking/ . November 28, 2020 . September 30, 2021 . DNAinfo New York.
  132. Web site: Bindelglass . Evan . November 9, 2015 . 42nd Street Theaters, Osborne Interior, More Round Out First Manhattan Landmarks Backlog Hearing . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20210930182930/https://newyorkyimby.com/2015/11/42nd-street-theaters-osborne-interior-more-round-out-first-manhattan-landmarks-backlog-hearing.html . September 30, 2021 . September 30, 2021 . New York YIMBY . en-US.
  133. Web site: February 23, 2016 . 7 Theaters on 42nd Street Fail to Make Cut for Landmark Consideration . https://web.archive.org/web/20201129201803/https://www.dnainfo.com/new-york/20160223/midtown/7-theaters-on-42nd-street-fail-make-cut-for-landmark-consideration/ . November 29, 2020 . September 30, 2021 . DNAinfo New York.
  134. News: Prial . Frank J. . April 6, 1982 . City Names Main Builders in Times Sq. Redevelopment . en-US . The New York Times . live . January 17, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211001152839/https://www.nytimes.com/1982/04/06/nyregion/city-names-main-builders-in-times-sq-redevelopment.html . October 1, 2021 . 0362-4331.
  135. Stephens . Suzanne . Mar 2000 . Four Times Square . live . 188 . 92 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210929213251/https://usmodernist.org/AR/AR-2000-03.pdf . September 29, 2021 . October 1, 2021 . Architectural Record.
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  137. News: Wellisz . Christopher . August 30, 1981 . Reality News . en-US . The New York Times . April 10, 2022 . 0362-4331 . April 10, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220410034546/https://www.nytimes.com/1981/08/30/realestate/reality-news.html . live .
  138. Hummler . Richard . April 7, 1982 . Legitimate: Name Nederlander To Convert New Amsterdam, Harris, 42d St.; Brandt Firm Is Still Negotiating . Variety. 0042-2738 . 306 . 10 . 85, 90 . .
  139. News: Prial . Frank J. . June 13, 1982 . Five Theaters Added to 42d St. Revival Plan . en-US . The New York Times . September 27, 2022 . 0362-4331 . April 10, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220410033547/https://www.nytimes.com/1982/06/13/nyregion/five-theaters-added-to-42d-st-revival-plan.html . live .
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  141. News: August 4, 1981 . Deadline Extended On N.Y. Mart Plans . 142 . 2 . Women's Wear Daily . 24 . .
  142. News: Prial . Frank J. . April 6, 1982 . City Names Main Builders in Times Sq. Redevelopment . en-US . The New York Times . live . October 1, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211001152839/https://www.nytimes.com/1982/04/06/nyregion/city-names-main-builders-in-times-sq-redevelopment.html . October 1, 2021 . 0362-4331.
  143. News: Prial . Frank J. . April 7, 1982 . Redevelopment in Times Sq. Unlikely Till '84 . en-US . The New York Times . September 27, 2022 . 0362-4331 . May 24, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150524104557/http://www.nytimes.com/1982/04/07/nyregion/redevelopment-in-times-sq-unlikely-till-84.html . live .
  144. News: Goodman . George W. . November 4, 1982 . Mart Developers in Times Sq. Plan Dropped by City . en-US . The New York Times . live . October 1, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211001152837/https://www.nytimes.com/1982/11/04/nyregion/mart-developers-in-times-sq-plan-dropped-by-city.html . October 1, 2021 . 0362-4331.
  145. News: Gottlieb . Martin . August 11, 1983 . Koch Abolishes Times Sq. Pact With the State . en-US . The New York Times . live . October 1, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211001152834/https://www.nytimes.com/1983/08/11/nyregion/koch-abolishes-times-sq-pact-with-the-state.html . October 1, 2021 . 0362-4331.
  146. News: Barbanel . Josh . October 20, 1983 . Agreement Reached by Cuomo and Koch on Times Sq. Mart . en-US . The New York Times . live . October 1, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211001154332/https://www.nytimes.com/1983/10/20/nyregion/agreement-reached-by-cuomo-and-koch-on-times-sq-mart.html . October 1, 2021 . 0362-4331.
  147. News: Lueck . Thomas J. . September 17, 1987 . Nonprofit Status Urged For Times Sq. Theaters . en-US . The New York Times . September 27, 2022 . 0362-4331 . November 1, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20171101091650/http://www.nytimes.com/1987/09/17/nyregion/nonprofit-status-urged-for-times-sq-theaters.html . live .
  148. DuVal . Herb . August 14, 1987 . W. 42nd Street Projects Beginning To Take Shape . Back Stage. 0005-3635 . 28 . 33 . 1A, 4A, 10A, 16A . .
  149. News: O'Haire . Patricia . February 2, 1990 . The Great White Way Makes a Comeback . 42 . New York Daily News. 2692-1251 . newspapers.com . live . January 17, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220119013701/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92768311/the-great-white-way-makes-a/ . January 19, 2022 .
  150. Walsh . Thomas . February 9, 1990 . New Plans For 42nd St. Theatres Arrive, & So Does A New Battle . Back Stage. 0005-3635 . 31 . 6 . 1A, 6A . .
  151. News: Levine . Richard . April 19, 1990 . State Acquires Most of Times Square Project Site . en-US . The New York Times . live . January 17, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150525201713/http://www.nytimes.com/1990/04/19/nyregion/state-acquires-most-of-times-square-project-site.html . May 25, 2015 . 0362-4331.
  152. Cohn . Lawrence . September 24, 1990 . Legit: Gotham 'takes back' West 42nd Street . Variety. 0042-2738 . 340 . 11 . 92 . .
  153. News: Marinaccio . Paul . Berkowitz . Harry . March 6, 1989 . City Buying Out 42nd St.: $2M would buy theater leases in crime-ridden area . 2 . Newsday. 2574-5298 . newspapers.com . April 10, 2022 . April 10, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220410043641/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99448184/city-buying-out-42nd-st-2m-would-buy/ . live .
  154. News: Fisher . Patricia . Marinaccio . Paul . April 14, 1989 . City Gives Up on Buying Theater Leases . 69, 71 . Newsday. 2574-5298 . newspapers.com . April 10, 2022 . April 10, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220410043641/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/99448267/city-gives-up-on-buying-theater-leases/ . live .
  155. Walsh . Thomas . April 27, 1990 . 42nd St. Project Earns OK For Condemnation And Restoration Of Area's Historic Theatres . 31 . 17 . 1A, 33A, 37A . . Back Stage. 0005-3635.
  156. Jun 1989 . 42nd Street: No beat of dancing feet- yet . live . 177 . 85 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210903010833/https://usmodernist.org/AR/AR-1989-06.pdf . September 3, 2021 . January 19, 2022 . Architectural Record.
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  159. News: Pulley . Brett . July 16, 1995 . Tussaud's and Movie Chain Join Disney in 42d Street Project . en-US . The New York Times . September 27, 2022 . 0362-4331 . May 26, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150526143838/http://www.nytimes.com/1995/07/16/nyregion/tussaud-s-and-movie-chain-join-disney-in-42d-street-project.html . live .
  160. Apr 1998 . 42nd Street Project Advances with Move of Historic Theater . Architectural Record . 186 . 4 . 38 . September 28, 2022 . September 23, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220923185443/https://usmodernist.org/AR/AR-1998-04.pdf . live .
  161. News: Lueck . Thomas J. . June 5, 1996 . New 42d St., Old Theater: You'll Find It Up the Block . en-US . The New York Times . September 23, 2022 . 0362-4331 . September 27, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220927232414/https://www.nytimes.com/1996/06/05/nyregion/new-42d-st-old-theater-you-ll-find-it-up-the-block.html . live .
  162. News: June 13, 1996 . 25 screens for 5,000 film fans . 328 . New York Daily News. 2692-1251 . newspapers.com . September 23, 2022 . September 24, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220924003252/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/110083002/25-screens-for-5000-film-fans/ . live .
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  165. Sawyer . Tom . March 9, 1998 . Landmarked Empire Theater on a Slow Roll in New York City . 240 . 10 . 17 . . Engineering News-Record.
  166. News: June 9, 1996 . In the Works; A Dramatic Change of Address . en-US . The New York Times . September 27, 2022 . 0362-4331 . May 26, 2015 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150526162700/http://www.nytimes.com/1996/06/09/nyregion/in-the-works-a-dramatic-change-of-address.html . live .
  167. News: March 2, 1998 . Historic Empire Theater is Relocated . 30 . Chicago Tribune. 1085-6706 . newspapers.com . September 23, 2022.
  168. News: March 2, 1998 . Theater Slides Into a New Home . A08 . The Washington Post . 0190-8286 . .
  169. News: Holusha . John . November 30, 1997 . Commercial Property/A 1912 Playhouse on 42d Street; 3,700-Ton Theater to Move to New Role, and Address . en-US . The New York Times . September 23, 2022 . 0362-4331 . December 7, 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20191207071055/https://www.nytimes.com/1997/11/30/realestate/commercial-property-1912-playhouse-42d-street-3700-ton-theater-move-new-role.html . live .
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  174. Melnick . Ross . September 20, 2004 . Bringing Down the Houses . The Hollywood Reporter . 385 . S12-S13 . .
  175. Gurliacci . David . March 29, 2004 . Locating, locating, locating . 43 . 13 . 1 . . Westchester County Business Journal.
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  177. DiOrio . Carl . September 27, 2010 . At confab, glasses are half full . The Hollywood Reporter . 416 . 7 . .
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  180. Web site: Goldsmith . Jill . March 6, 2021 . New York City Cinemas Reopen Today After A Year; What To Expect As Tickets On Sale From 'Raya' To 'Tenet'- Update . September 27, 2022 . Deadline . September 28, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220928131720/https://deadline.com/2021/03/new-york-cinemas-open-what-to-expect-amc-regal-1234707773/ . live .
  181. Web site: March 6, 2021 . New York cinemas reopen after a year on pause – but will film fans return? . September 27, 2022 . the Guardian . en . May 16, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210516125519/https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2021/mar/06/new-york-movie-theaters-cinemas-reopen . live .
  182. News: Cinemark is AMC's more restrained competitor. It's in a much better position for the coming reopening of movie theaters. . en-US . Washington Post . September 27, 2022 . 0190-8286 . September 9, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220909143629/https://www.washingtonpost.com/business/2021/03/19/cinemark-pandemic-reopening-future/ . live .
  183. Web site: Eltinge 42nd Street Theatre (1912) New York, NY . Playbill . December 12, 2019 . March 28, 2023.
  184. Web site: The Broadway League . September 11, 1912 . Within the Law – Broadway Play – Original . September 25, 2022 . IBDB . February 21, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200221214403/https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/within-the-law-7012 . live . none.
    Web site: December 14, 2015 . Within the Law (Broadway, Empire Theatre, 1912) . September 25, 2022 . Playbill . September 25, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220925211952/https://playbill.com/production/within-the-law-eltinge-42nd-street-theatre-vault-0000003944 . live .
  185. Web site: The Broadway League . January 20, 1914 . The Yellow Ticket – Broadway Play – Original . September 25, 2022 . IBDB . September 25, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220925182701/https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/the-yellow-ticket-7967 . live . none.
    Web site: December 14, 2015 . The Yellow Ticket (Broadway, Empire Theatre, 1914) . September 25, 2022 . Playbill . September 24, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220924235431/https://playbill.com/production/the-yellow-ticket-eltinge-42nd-street-theatre-vault-0000003943 . live .
  186. Web site: The Broadway League . December 22, 1914 . The Song of Songs – Broadway Play – Original . September 25, 2022 . IBDB . September 25, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220925175654/https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/the-song-of-songs-8107 . live . none.
    Web site: December 14, 2015 . The Song of Songs (Broadway, Empire Theatre, 1914) . September 25, 2022 . Playbill . September 28, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220928131722/https://playbill.com/productions/the-song-of-songsbroadway-empire-theatre-1914 . live .
  187. Web site: The Broadway League . September 2, 1915 . See My Lawyer – Broadway Play – Original . September 25, 2022 . IBDB . September 28, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220928131723/https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/see-my-lawyer-8189 . live . none.
    Web site: December 14, 2015 . See My Lawyer (Broadway, Empire Theatre, 1915) . September 25, 2022 . Playbill . September 28, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220928131722/https://playbill.com/productions/see-my-lawyerbroadway-empire-theatre-1915 . live .
  188. Web site: The Broadway League . November 6, 1915 . Fair and Warmer – Broadway Play – Original . September 25, 2022 . IBDB . September 25, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220925182701/https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/fair-and-warmer-8233 . live . none.
    Web site: December 14, 2015 . Fair and Warmer (Broadway, Empire Theatre, 1915) . September 25, 2022 . Playbill . September 28, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220928131722/https://playbill.com/production/fair-and-warmer-eltinge-42nd-street-theatre-vault-0000003939 . live .
  189. Web site: The Broadway League . August 9, 1916 . Cheating Cheaters – Broadway Play – Original . September 25, 2022 . IBDB . September 25, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220925181157/https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/cheating-cheaters-8392 . live . none.
    Web site: December 14, 2015 . Cheating Cheaters (Broadway, Empire Theatre, 1916) . September 25, 2022 . Playbill . March 9, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220309174231/https://playbill.com/production/cheating-cheaters-eltinge-42nd-street-theatre-vault-0000003938 . live .
  190. Web site: The Broadway League . January 15, 1919 . Up in Mabel's Room – Broadway Play – Original . September 25, 2022 . IBDB . September 26, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210926201440/https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/up-in-mabels-room-8818 . live . none.
    Web site: December 14, 2015 . Up in Mabel's Room (Broadway, Empire Theatre, 1919) . September 25, 2022 . Playbill . September 25, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220925211955/https://playbill.com/production/up-in-mabels-room-eltinge-42nd-street-theatre-vault-0000003934 . live .
  191. Web site: The Broadway League . October 6, 1919 . The Girl in the Limousine – Broadway Play – Original . September 25, 2022 . IBDB . January 26, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220126171911/https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/the-girl-in-the-limousine-6700 . live . none.
    Web site: December 14, 2015 . The Girl in the Limousine (Broadway, Empire Theatre, 1919) . September 25, 2022 . Playbill . September 28, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220928131723/https://playbill.com/production/the-girl-in-the-limousine-eltinge-42nd-street-theatre-vault-0000003933 . live .
  192. Web site: The Broadway League . August 9, 1920 . Ladies' Night – Broadway Play – Original . September 25, 2022 . IBDB . April 8, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220408173601/https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/ladies-night-8900 . live . none.
    Web site: December 14, 2015 . Ladies' Night (Broadway, Empire Theatre, 1920) . September 25, 2022 . Playbill . September 25, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220925211958/https://playbill.com/production/ladies-night-eltinge-42nd-street-theatre-vault-0000003930 . live .
  193. Web site: The Broadway League . August 30, 1921 . Back Pay – Broadway Play – Original . September 25, 2022 . IBDB . September 25, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220925201611/https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/back-pay-12616 . live . none.
    Web site: December 14, 2015 . Back Pay (Broadway, Empire Theatre, 1921) . September 25, 2022 . Playbill . September 25, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220925201613/https://playbill.com/production/back-pay-eltinge-42nd-street-theatre-vault-0000003928 . live .
  194. Web site: The Broadway League . Blood and Sand – Broadway Show – Play . IBDB . September 20, 1921 . February 16, 2024.
    Web site: Blood and Sand (Broadway, Empire Theatre, 1921) . Playbill . December 14, 2015 . February 16, 2024.
  195. Book: Hischak, Thomas S.. https://books.google.com/books?id=GzeiySJZXF4C&dq=%22Blood+and+Sand%22+September+20,+1921&pg=PA48. Blood and Sand. Broadway Plays and Musicals: Descriptions and Essential Facts of More Than 14,000 Shows Through 2007. 2009. 9780786453092. McFarland & Company.
  196. Web site: The Broadway League . September 21, 1922 . East of Suez – Broadway Play – Original . September 25, 2022 . IBDB . January 5, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220105173215/https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/east-of-suez-9116 . live . none.
    Web site: December 14, 2015 . East of Suez (Broadway, Empire Theatre, 1922) . September 25, 2022 . Playbill . September 24, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220924234137/https://playbill.com/production/east-of-suez-eltinge-42nd-street-theatre-vault-0000003927 . live .
  197. Web site: The Broadway League . August 15, 1923 . The Woman on the Jury – Broadway Play – Original . September 25, 2022 . IBDB . October 27, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211027222614/https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/the-woman-on-the-jury-8356 . live . none.
    Web site: December 14, 2015 . The Woman on the Jury (Broadway, Empire Theatre, 1923) . September 25, 2022 . Playbill . September 28, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220928131723/https://playbill.com/productions/the-woman-on-the-jurybroadway-empire-theatre-1923 . live .
  198. Web site: The Broadway League . November 9, 1923 . Spring Cleaning – Broadway Play – Original . September 25, 2022 . IBDB . September 25, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220925210119/https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/spring-cleaning-9314 . live . none.
    Web site: December 14, 2015 . Spring Cleaning (Broadway, Empire Theatre, 1923) . September 25, 2022 . Playbill . June 18, 2017 . https://web.archive.org/web/20170618063416/http://www.playbill.com/production/spring-cleaning-eltinge-42nd-street-theatre-vault-0000003923 . live .
  199. Allen . Kelcey . November 12, 1923 . "Spring Cleaning" At Eltinge Scores With Quiet Humor: Comedy Marked by Amusing Situations and Brilliant Dialogue—Byron, Violet Heining and Estelle Winwood Act Well. . Women's Wear . 27 . 111 . 31 . .
  200. Web site: The Broadway League . March 10, 1925 . The Fall Guy – Broadway Play – Original . September 25, 2022 . IBDB . December 15, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211215184834/https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/the-fall-guy-9756 . live . none.
    Web site: December 14, 2015 . The Fall Guy (Broadway, Empire Theatre, 1925) . September 25, 2022 . Playbill . June 15, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20210615222452/https://www.playbill.com/production/the-fall-guy-eltinge-42nd-street-theatre-vault-0000003920 . live .
  201. Web site: The Broadway League . August 25, 1926 . The Ghost Train – Broadway Play – Original . September 25, 2022 . IBDB . September 25, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220925204615/https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/the-ghost-train-10103 . live . none.
    Web site: December 14, 2015 . The Ghost Train (Broadway, Empire Theatre, 1926) . September 25, 2022 . Playbill . September 25, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220925212004/https://playbill.com/production/the-ghost-train-eltinge-42nd-street-theatre-vault-0000003916 . live .
  202. Web site: The Broadway League . January 24, 1927 . The Love Thief – Broadway Play – Original . September 25, 2022 . IBDB . October 29, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211029234731/https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/the-love-thief-10215 . live . none.
    Web site: December 14, 2015 . The Love Thief (Broadway, Empire Theatre, 1927) . September 25, 2022 . Playbill . September 28, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220928131723/https://playbill.com/production/the-love-thief-eltinge-42nd-street-theatre-vault-0000003915 . live .
  203. Web site: The Broadway League . September 11, 1929 . Murder on the Second Floor – Broadway Play – Original . September 25, 2022 . IBDB . March 10, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220310171623/https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/murder-on-the-second-floor-9423 . live . none.
    Web site: December 14, 2015 . Murder on the Second Floor (Broadway, Empire Theatre, 1929) . September 25, 2022 . Playbill . February 16, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20200216232813/http://www.playbill.com/production/murder-on-the-second-floor-eltinge-42nd-street-theatre-vault-0000003905 . live .
  204. Web site: The Broadway League . March 17, 1930 . A Month in the Country – Broadway Play – Original . September 25, 2022 . IBDB . December 28, 2021 . https://web.archive.org/web/20211228014846/https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/a-month-in-the-country-11077 . live . none.
    Web site: December 14, 2015 . A Month in the Country (Broadway, Empire Theatre, 1930) . September 25, 2022 . Playbill . November 29, 2020 . https://web.archive.org/web/20201129031033/https://www.playbill.com/production/a-month-in-the-country-eltinge-42nd-street-theatre-vault-0000003900 . live .
  205. Web site: The Broadway League . August 25, 1930 . The Ninth Guest – Broadway Play – Original . September 25, 2022 . IBDB . September 28, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220928131726/https://www.ibdb.com/broadway-production/the-ninth-guest-11139 . live . none.
    Web site: December 14, 2015 . The Ninth Guest (Broadway, Empire Theatre, 1930) . September 25, 2022 . Playbill . September 28, 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220928131725/https://playbill.com/production/the-ninth-guest-eltinge-42nd-street-theatre-vault-0000003898 . live .

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