The Adelphi Theatre (1934–1940 and 1944–1958), originally named the Craig Theatre, opened on December 24, 1928. The Adelphi was located at 152 West

54th Street 54th Street is a two-mile-long (3.2 km), one-way street traveling west to east across Midtown Manhattan. Notable places, west to east Twelfth Avenue *The route begins at Twelfth Avenue (New York Route 9A). Opposite the intersection is the New ...

Manhattan Manhattan (), known regionally as the City, is the most densely populated and geographically smallest of the five boroughs of New York City. The borough is also coextensive with New York County, one of the original counties of the U.S. state ...

, with 1,434 seats.

Internet Broadway Database The Internet Broadway Database (IBDB) is an online database of Broadway theatre productions and their personnel. It was conceived and created by Karen Hauser in 1996 and is operated by the Research Department of The Broadway League, a trade assoc ...

''Adelphi Theatre''
(Retrieved on November 30, 2007) The theater was taken over by the

Federal Theater Project The Federal Theatre Project (FTP; 1935–1939) was a theatre program established during the Great Depression as part of the New Deal The New Deal was a series of programs, public work projects, financial reforms, and regulations enacted by ...

in 1934 and renamed the Adelphi. The theater was renamed the Radiant Center by The Royal Fraternity of Master

Metaphysicians Metaphysics is the branch of philosophy that studies the fundamental nature of reality, the first principles of being, identity and change, space and time, causality, necessity, and possibility. It includes questions about the nature of conscio ...

in 1940. It was then the Yiddish Arts Theater (1943), and renamed the Adelphi Theater on April 20, 1944, when it was acquired by

The Shubert Organization The Shubert Organization is a theatrical producing organization and a major owner of theatres based in Manhattan, New York City. It was founded by the three Shubert brothers in the late 19th century. They steadily expanded, owning many theaters ...

. It became a

DuMont Television Network The DuMont Television Network (also known as the DuMont Network, DuMont Television, simply DuMont/Du Mont, or (incorrectly) Dumont ) was one of America's pioneer commercial television networks, rivaling NBC and CBS for the distinction of being ...

studio, known as the Adelphi Tele-Theatre in the 1950s. The "Classic 39" episodes of ''

The Honeymooners ''The Honeymooners'' is an American television sitcom which originally aired from 1955 to 1956, created by and starring Jackie Gleason, and based on a recurring comedy sketch of the same name that had been part of Gleason's variety show. It fol ...

'' were filmed in this facility by DuMont using their Electronicam system for broadcast on CBS later during the 1955–56 television season. The theater returned to legitimate use in 1957, was renamed the 54th Street Theater in 1958, and finally the George Abbott Theater in 1965. The building was demolished in 1970 for the

New York Hilton Midtown The New York Hilton Midtown is the largest hotel in New York City and world's 101st tallest hotel. The hotel is owned by Park Hotels & Resorts and managed by Hilton Worldwide. At 1,929 rooms and over 150,000 sq ft of meeting space, the hote ...

hotel after hosting several expensive flops. Some interiors were decorated with murals painted by Joseph

Mortimer Lichtenauer Mortimer Lichtenauer (May 11, 1876 – May 30, 1966) was an American painter. His work was part of the Art competitions at the 1932 Summer Olympics#Painting, painting event in the Art competitions at the 1932 Summer Olympics, art competition ...

. The artistic cycle was dismembered after its demolition.

Notable productions

*''

Revolt of the Beavers ''Revolt of the Beavers'' was a children's play put on by the Federal Theater Project by Oscar Saul and Louis Lantz. It was originally directed by Peter Hyun, but he was replaced when his actors refused to go Broadway with him, insisting on a nam ...

'' (May 20, 1937 – June 19, 1937) *'' On the Town'' (December 28, 1944 – February 6, 1945) *'' Around the World'' (May 31, 1946 – March 8, 1946) *'' Street Scene'' (January 1, 1947 – May 17, 1947) *''

Life Is Worth Living ''Life Is Worth Living'' is an inspirational American television series which ran on the DuMont Television Network from February 12, 1952, to April 26, 1955, then on ABC until April 8, 1957, featuring the Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen. Similar ser ...

'' *''

'' (October 1, 1955 – September 22, 1956) *''

Damn Yankees ''Damn Yankees'' is a 1955 musical comedy with a book by George Abbott and Douglass Wallop, music and lyrics by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross. The story is a modern retelling of the Faust legend set during the 1950s in Washington, D.C., during ...

'' (May 6, 1957 – December 10, 1957) *''

Bye Bye Birdie ''Bye Bye Birdie'' is a stage musical with music by Charles Strouse and lyrics by Lee Adams, based upon a book by Michael Stewart. Originally titled ''Let's Go Steady'', ''Bye Bye Birdie'' is set in 1958. The short story "Dream Man", authored ...

'' (October 24, 1960 – January 14, 1961) *''

13 Daughters ''13 Daughters'' was a short-lived Broadway musical with book, music and lyrics by Eaton Magoon, Jr, starring Don Ameche. It played for 28 performances in 1961. The story was influenced by the life of Magoon's great-grandparents Chun Afong and his ...

'' (March 1, 1961 – March 25, 1961) *''

No Strings ''No Strings'' is a musical theatre, musical drama with book by Samuel A. Taylor and words and music by Richard Rodgers. ''No Strings'' is the only Broadway theatre, Broadway score for which Rodgers wrote both lyrics and music, and the first musi ...

'' (March 15, 1962 – September 29, 1962) *''

What Makes Sammy Run? ''What Makes Sammy Run?'' (1941) is a novel by Budd Schulberg inspired by the life of his father, early Hollywood mogul B. P. Schulberg. It is a rags to riches story chronicling the rise and fall of Sammy Glick, a Jewish boy born in New York's L ...

'' (February 27, 1964 – December 6, 1965) *''

Any Wednesday ''Any Wednesday'' is a 1966 American Technicolor romantic comedy film starring Jane Fonda, Jason Robards, and Dean Jones. It was directed by Robert Ellis Miller from a screenplay by producer Julius J. Epstein based on the Broadway play of the sa ...

'' (February 15, 1966 – June 26, 1966) *''

Wait Until Dark ''Wait Until Dark'' is a play by Frederick Knott, first performed on Broadway in 1966 and often revived since then. A film version was released in 1967, and the play was published in the same year. Synopsis Susy Hendrix is a blind Greenwich V ...

'' (October 3, 1966 – November 26, 1966) *''

Darling of the Day ''Darling of the Day'' is a musical with a book by Nunnally Johnson, lyrics by E. Y. Harburg, and music by Jule Styne. It is based on Arnold Bennett's novel ''Buried Alive'' and his play '' The Great Adventure''. The show closed after only 31 perf ...

'' (January 27, 1968 – February 24, 1968) * ''

Gantry A gantry is an overhead bridge-like structure supporting equipment such as a crane, signals, or cameras. Devices and structures *Gantry (medical), cylindrical scanner assembly used for medical 3D-imaging or treatment *Gantry (transport), an over ...

'' (February 14, 1970) Musical theater star

William Gaxton William Gaxton (né Arthur Anthony Gaxiola, December 2, 1893 – February 2, 1963) was an American star of vaudeville, film, and theatre. Gaxton was president of The Lambs Club from 1936 to 1939, 1952 to 1953, and 1957 to 1961. He and Victor ...

referred to it as "the dump of dumps".Dietz, Dan. "1945-1946 Season," ''The Complete Book of 1940s Broadway Musicals'', Rowman and Littlefield Publishers, p. 319.

References

{{coord, 40, 45, 45, N, 73, 58, 46, W, type:landmark_region:US-NY, display=title Former Broadway theatres Former theatres in Manhattan Demolished theatres in New York City Demolished buildings and structures in Manhattan Buildings and structures demolished in 1970 Theatres completed in 1932