View source for Savoy Theatre (New York City)

{{Infobox Theatre
|name           = Savoy Theatre
|image          = File:Savoy Excerpt Herald Square, New York c1907 LC-USZ62-13195.jpg
|caption        = ''The Man of the Hour'' by [[George Broadhurst]] playing at the Savoy c. 1907
|address        = 112 W. 34th St.
|city           = [[New York City]]
|country        = [[United States of America]]
|designation    =
|longitude      =
|latitude       =
|architect      = 
|capacity       = 841
|type           =
|opened         = 1900
|closed         = 
|demolished     = 1952
|othernames     = 
|currentuse     = Demolished
}}

The '''Savoy Theatre''' was a [[Broadway theatre]] at 112 West [[34th Street (Manhattan)|34th Street]] in [[Midtown Manhattan]], New York City. It opened in 1900 (for its first few months as '''Schley Music Hall''').  It was converted to a cinema around 1910, until it was closed in early 1952 and then demolished.{{r|group=nb|r=A different Broadway theatre, at 1195–1203 Broadway, on the southwest corner of 29th Street, was called Savoy Theatre from December 14, 1896 to October 1897.<ref name="brown1"/>{{rp|222}}}}

==History==
[[File:Sanborn Manhattan V. 5 Plate 24 publ. 1911 (cropped).jpg|thumb|upright|left|The Savoy Theatre on a map published in 1911]]

George Krause, a manager of other theatres, with financial backing of [[Tammany Hall]] politician [[Timothy Sullivan|Timothy D. Sullivan]], built Schley Music Hall at 112 West 34th Street, on the south side of the street, and west of Broadway.<ref name="brown1">Brown, Thomas Alston. [https://books.google.com/books?id=Zu_FDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA578 A history of the New York stage from the first performance in 1732 to 1901, Vol. 3] (1903)</ref>{{rp|578}} 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.<ref name="nyt17">(28 January 1917). [https://www.nytimes.com/1917/01/28/archives/to-sell-savoy-theatre-wellknown-amusement-house-in-34th-street-in.html To Sell Savoy Theatre.  Well-Known Amusing House in 34th Street in Foreclosure Sale], ''[[The New York Times]]''</ref>  

It opened on February 26, 1900, aiming to show vaudeville and burlesque fare.  Kraus immediately sold out his stake to [[New York Yankees]] owner [[Frank J. Farrell]], 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]] 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]] (Dec. 1906-Jan. 1908, 479 perf.) starring [[Douglas Fairbanks]].<ref name="fair">Hancock, Ralph and Letitia Fairbanks. [https://books.google.com/books?id=4Oh8DwAAQBAJ&pg=PA80 Douglas Fairbanks: The Fourth Musketeer], p. 80 (2019)</ref>

Around late 1910, play performances ceased.  The venue was leased by [[Walter Reade]] 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.<ref name="cinemat">[http://cinematreasures.org/theaters/3387 Savoy Theatre], Cinematreasures.org, Retrieved 4 December 2020</ref><ref name="widow">(14 March 1926). [https://www.nytimes.com/1926/03/14/archives/fj-farrells-will-filed-former-owner-of-yankees-bequeathed-savoy.html F.J. Farrell's Will Filed], ''[[The New York Times]]'' (Frank Farrell died in 1926, and his widow Anna E. Farrell received the Savoy in his will)</ref><ref name="sullyequ">(6 April 1920). [https://www.nytimes.com/1920/04/06/archives/sullivan-equity-in-court-receiver-seeks-to-sell-big-tims-interest.html Sullivan Equity in Court.  Receiver Seeks to Sell "Big Tim's" Interest in Savoy Theatre], ''[[The New York Times]]'' (some years after Sullivan died, it appears that Farrell bought his estate's 50% interest)</ref><Ref name="ago">[http://www.nycago.org/Organs/NYC/html/SavoyTheatre.html Savoy Theatre], nycago.com, Retrieved 7 December 2020</ref><ref name="readeobit">(5 February 1952). [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/9586967/the-kingston-daily-freeman/ Walter Reade Dies in New York], ''Kingston Daily Freeman''</ref>

==Selected productions==
[[File:A scene from the stage play "The Battle" (SAYRE 12239).jpg|thumb|upright=1.2|[[E. M. Holland]], Josephine Victor, Gerald Griffin, [[H. B. Warner]], [[Wilton Lackaye]] and [[Grace Filkins]] in ''The Battle'' (1908)]]
* ''Soldiers of Fortune'' by [[Augustus Thomas]] (Mar.-May, Aug.-Oct. 1902)
* ''The Girl with the Green Eyes'' by [[Clyde Fitch]] (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]] (Sep. 1905-Feb. 1906, 157 perf.) 
* ''Mr. Hopkinson'' (Feb.-Apr. 1906, 113 perf.)
* ''The Man of the Hour'' by [[George Broadhurst]] (Dec. 1906-Jan. 1908, 479 perf.) 
* ''The Battle'' by [[Cleveland Moffett]] (Dec. 1908-Apr. 1909, 144 perf.)
* ''[[The Awakening of Helena Richie]]'' (Sep. 1909-Jan. 1910, 120 perf.)

==References==
'''Notes'''
{{Reflist|group=nb}}

'''Citations'''
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{Commons category|Savoy Theatre (New York City)}}
*{{IBDB venue|1494}}
*[https://digitalcollections.nypl.org/items/510d47e1-ff03-a3d9-e040-e00a18064a99 NY Public Library photograph]

{{Midtown South, Manhattan}}
{{Broadway theatres}}

{{coord|40.74983|-73.98872|type:landmark_globe:earth_region:US-NY|display=title}}

[[Category:Former theatres in Manhattan]]
[[Category:Theatres completed in 1900]]
[[Category:Demolished buildings and structures in Manhattan]]
[[Category:Buildings and structures demolished in 1952]]
[[Category:1900 establishments in New York City]]
[[Category:34th Street (Manhattan)]]
[[Category:Midtown Manhattan]]