The Savoy Theatre was a

Broadway theatre Broadway theatre,Although ''theater'' is generally the spelling for this common noun in the United States (see American and British English spelling differences), 130 of the 144 extant and extinct Broadway venues use (used) the spelling ''Th ...

that opened in 1900 (for its first few months as Schley Music Hall). It converted to a cinema around 1910, until it was closed in early 1952 and then demolished.

History

George Krause, a manager of other theatres, with financial backing of

Tammany Hall Tammany Hall, also known as the Society of St. Tammany, the Sons of St. Tammany, or the Columbian Order, was a New York City political organization founded in 1786 and incorporated on May 12, 1789 as the Tammany Society. It became the main loc ...

politician Timothy D. Sullivan, built Schley Music Hall at 112 West 34th Street, on the south side of the street, and west of Broadway.Brown, Thomas Alston
A history of the New York stage from the first performance in 1732 to 1901, Vol. 3
(1903) The site adjoined the Herald Square Hotel. It had a frontage of 18 feet on 34th Street, and 50 feet on 33rd Street. It seated about 840, but the floor chairs were folding chairs.(28 January 1917)

''

The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid ...

'' It opened on February 26, 1900, aiming to show vaudeville and burlesque fare. Kraus immediately sold out his stake to

New York Yankees The New York Yankees are an American professional baseball team based in the Boroughs of New York City, New York City borough of the Bronx. The Yankees compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Amer ...

owner

Frank J. Farrell Frank J. Farrell (c. 1866 – February 10, 1926) was an American baseball executive. He and William S. Devery were the first owners of the New York Highlanders (now New York Yankees). They purchased the Baltimore Orioles on January 9, 1903 fo ...

, and the venue closed on April 29. Under a new lease by Alfred Aarons, the house reopened on October 8, 1900, as the Savoy Theatre. Aarons only lasted until early February 1901, and Hyde and Behman then leased it, followed by

Charles Frohman Charles Frohman (July 15, 1856 – May 7, 1915) was an American theater manager and producer, who discovered and promoted many stars of the American stage. Notably, he produced ''Peter Pan'', both in London and the US, the latter production ...

and Frank McKee, who started performances on September 21, 1901. Notable runs included '' Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch'' (Sept. 1903-Jan. 1905, 150 perf.), and ''The Man of the Hour'' by

George Broadhurst George Howells Broadhurst (June 3, 1866 – January 31, 1952) was an Anglo-American theatre owner/manager, director, producer and playwright. His plays were most popular from the late 1890s into the 1920s. Biography Broadhurst was born in Wal ...

(Dec. 1906-Jan. 1908, 479 perf.) starring

Douglas Fairbanks Douglas Elton Fairbanks Sr. (born Douglas Elton Thomas Ullman; May 23, 1883 – December 12, 1939) was an American actor, screenwriter, director, and producer. He was best known for his swashbuckling roles in silent films including '' The Thie ...

.Hancock, Ralph and Letitia Fairbanks
Douglas Fairbanks: The Fourth Musketeer
p. 80 (2019) Around late 1910, play performances ceased. The venue was leased by

Walter Reade ''Walter Reade'' was the name of a father and son who had an extensive career in the United States motion picture industry. Walter Reade Sr. Walter Reade, Sr. (1884–1952) was the man behind a chain of theatres which grew from a single theatre ...

Sr. (then Walter Rosenberg), who eventually ran a large chain of movie theatres, and became a movie house. It operated until 1952 (when Reade Sr. also died), and soon the building was demolished.Savoy Theatre
Cinematreasures.org, Retrieved 4 December 2020(14 March 1926)

''

'' (Frank Farrell died in 1926, and his widow Anna E. Farrell received the Savoy in his will)(6 April 1920)
Sullivan Equity in Court. Receiver Seeks to Sell "Big Tim's" Interest in Savoy Theatre
''

'' (some years after Sullivan died, it appears that Farrell bought his estate's 50% interest)Savoy Theatre
nycago.com, Retrieved 7 December 2020(5 February 1952)
Walter Reade Dies in New York
''Kingston Daily Freeman''

Selected productions

* ''Soldiers of Fortune'' by

Augustus Thomas Augustus Thomas (January 8, 1857 – August 12, 1934) was an American playwright. Biography Born in St. Louis, Missouri and son of a doctor, Thomas worked a number of jobs including as a United States House of Representatives Page, page in the 4 ...

(Mar.-May, Aug.-Oct. 1902) * ''The Girl with the Green Eyes'' by

Clyde Fitch Clyde Fitch (May 2, 1865 – September 4, 1909) was an American dramatist, the most popular writer for the Broadway stage of his time (c. 1890–1909). Biography Born in Elmira, New York, and educated at Holderness School and Amherst College (cl ...

(Dec. 1902-Mar. 1903, 108 perf.) * '' Mrs. Wiggs of the Cabbage Patch'' (Sept. 1903-Jan. 1905, 150 perf.) * ''The Walls of Jericho'' by

Alfred Sutro Alfred Sutro OBE (7 August 1863 – 11 September 1933) was an English author, dramatist and translator. In addition to a succession of successful plays of his own in the first quarter of the 20th century, Sutro made the first English translation ...

(Sep. 1905-Feb. 1906, 157 perf.) * ''Mr. Hopkinson'' (Feb.-Apr. 1906, 113 perf.) * ''The Man of the Hour'' by

(Dec. 1906-Jan. 1908, 479 perf.) * ''The Battle'' by

Cleveland Moffett Cleveland Moffett (April 27, 1863 – October 14, 1926) was an American journalist, author, and playwright. Cleveland was born in Boonville, New York, the son of William Henry Moffett and Mary Jane (Cleveland). After an education at St. Paul's ...

(Dec. 1908-Apr. 1909, 144 perf.) * ''

The Awakening of Helena Richie ''The Awakening of Helena Richie'' is a novel by the American writer Margaret Deland (1857 - 1945) set in the 19th century fictional locale of Old Chester, a Western Pennsylvania rural village just a few miles outside the city of Pittsburgh, then ...

'' (Sep. 1909-Jan. 1910, 120 perf.)

References

Notes Citations

External links

*
NY Public Library photograph
{{coord, 40.74983, -73.98872, type:landmark_globe:earth_region:US-NY, display=title Former theatres in Manhattan Theatres completed in 1900 Demolished buildings and structures in Manhattan Buildings and structures demolished in 1952 1900 establishments in New York City 34th Street (Manhattan) Midtown Manhattan