Last theatre performance of Billy Rose’s Jumbo
On This Day in History: August 16: Curtains for a Fantastic Theater
MANHATTAN — It was on August 16, 1939 that the lights dimmed on the last performance of Billy Rose’s great show with a circus theme, Jumbo, at the Hippodrome on Sixth Avenue between 43rd and 44th Streets. Demolition of the giant theater began the next day. When the Hippodrome opened on April 12, 1905, the show was also one of circus acts and ballets: A Yankee Circus on Mars.
What happened between the opening and closing shows at The Hippodrome were not the best things that could happen in showbiz. The Hippodrome was inspired by Frederic W. Thompson and Elmer S. Dundy, who created the great Luna Park amusement center at Coney Island. Advertised as the “world’s largest playhouse,” the Hippodrome claimed statistics for itself that were staggering. It accommodated over 5,000 customers at one time. The depth of its stage from footlights to back wall was 110 feet, while in length the stage exceeded 200 feet, nearly equal to a whole city block.
The Hippodrome stage was lit by 5,000 incandescent lights and 53 calcium lights. The staff of over 1,000 required to run the house included 78 electricians and 22 engineers. It employed a permanent ballet of 200 as well as 400 chorus girls and 100 chorus boys. The vastness of the house precluded ordinary entertainments. John Golden, who wrote words for some of the songs presented there, said in despair: “The Hippodrome was so big that audiences could never hear the lyrics.” Nor could they hear most of the dialogue.
Spectacle was all the house could properly offer and, in its hey-day, all it presented. After a few theater seasons, Thompson and Dundy found themselves bankrupt. In spite of the huge seating capacity, the house was insufficient to underwrite the costs of producing the extravaganzas which took place.
After the failure of Thompson and Dundy, such experienced producers as the Shuberts and Charles Dillingham tried in vain to make The Hippodrome pay. Eventually, the theater was taken over by the Keith-Albee vaudeville chain, which presented a combination of movies and vaudeville acts. The Hippodrome stood vacant from 1930 to 1935 until Billy Rose moved in with his lavish Jumbo. For his production, the orchestra level was gutted and rearranged to make it resemble a circus tent. The book by Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur allowed for a large number of circus acts. The music composed by Rodgers and Hart was fantastic. Jimmy Durante was the star. Paul Whiteman, who made an entrance on a large white horse, conducted the orchestra. Hundreds of animals, acrobats, clowns, and other circus standbys cavorted in the gigantic old theater. In spite of all that, not enough theatre-goers were attracted and the gigantic initial outlay did not recoup more than about half of the investment.
Razing of the theater began the day after Jumbo closed, but the site was not developed until 1952, when a garage and skyscraper were built there.
In 1962 Billy Rose’s Jumbo was released as a motion picture and Jimmy Durante was back as the star, supported by Martha Raye and Doris Day. The same great Rodgers and Hart music was also back.
Article by Brooklyn Eagle - please visit:
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Illustrations found online
Jumbo dies.
The Hippodrome:
http://www.nyc-architecture.com/GON/GON027.htm
