Research Catalog

On theater landmarks : [editorial and reply]

Title: On theater landmarks : [editorial and reply] [videorecording] / [produced by] WABC-TV.
Publication: New York, 1982.

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Status	Format	Access	Call Number	Item Location
How do I pick up this item and when will it be ready?	Moving image	By appointment only	NCOX 5356	Offsite

Details

Additional Authors

Description

1 videodisc (DVD) (4 min.) : sd., col.; 4 3/4 in.

Summary

Editorial by WABC-TV editorial director Cliff Love opposing a plan to designate 45 Broadway theaters as landmarks. The designation is sought by the group called the Committee to Save the Theaters, who several months earlier, tried and failed to save two historic theaters from destruction. Editorial is followed by a reply by Lenore Loveman of the Committee to Save the Theaters. She explains why the theaters need and deserve landmark status.

Donor/Sponsor

Gift of the Joseph Papp Public Theater/New York Shakespeare Festival.

Series Statement

Joseph Papp Public Theater/New York Shakespeare Festival Moving Image Collection

Subjects

Genre/Form

Television.

Note

This video separated from the New York Shakespeare Festival collection, *T-Mss 1993-028.
On tape with: On theater landmarks: ABC editorial reply, 7/26/82.
Compilation of segments taped off air.
Title derived from label on source tape container.

Event (note)

Editoral broadcast WABC-TV, New York, N.Y., April 22, 1982. Reply broadcast on April 26, 1982.

Biography (note)

Theatrical producer Joseph Papp was the organizer of a grassroots effort, begun in 1982, called Save the Theaters, to stop the destruction of the Morosco and Helen Hayes Theaters for the construction of the Portman Hotel. Papp recruited Merle Debusky to organize publicity and enlisted dozens of celebrated actors in his campaign, which he conducted from a suite in the nearby Piccadilly Hotel. On March 4, 1982 the U.S. Supreme Court issued a temporary injunction preventing demolition of the theaters, and a nineteen-day "Save the Morosco and the Helen Hayes Theater Vigil" began. New York Shakespeare Festival staffers erected a stage on 45th Street in front of the Morosco, where excerpts from seven Pulitzer Prize-winning plays that had originated in the theaters were read by actors. On March 19 the state Supreme Court rejected a petition to halt demolition and Papp threatened physically block the demolition of the Morosco. On March 22, Papp led a group of 200 people to a lot to block access to the demolition machinery. The "Morosco 200" were arrested on 45th Street and taken to a local police precinct. Demolition began on March 23. On April 20 charges against the group were dropped. Ultimately Papp's intervention had failed to save the theaters. During the next three years the producer spoke with officials and met with city planners about having the Broadway theater zone declared an historic district.

Call Number

NCOX 5356

OCLC

NYPG06-F138

Title

On theater landmarks : [editorial and reply] [videorecording] / [produced by] WABC-TV.

Imprint

New York, 1982.

Country of Producing Entity

U.S.

Series

Joseph Papp Public Theater/New York Shakespeare Festival Moving Image Collection

Event

Editoral broadcast WABC-TV, New York, N.Y., April 22, 1982. Reply broadcast on April 26, 1982.

Biography

Theatrical producer Joseph Papp was the organizer of a grassroots effort, begun in 1982, called Save the Theaters, to stop the destruction of the Morosco and Helen Hayes Theaters for the construction of the Portman Hotel. Papp recruited Merle Debusky to organize publicity and enlisted dozens of celebrated actors in his campaign, which he conducted from a suite in the nearby Piccadilly Hotel. On March 4, 1982 the U.S. Supreme Court issued a temporary injunction preventing demolition of the theaters, and a nineteen-day "Save the Morosco and the Helen Hayes Theater Vigil" began. New York Shakespeare Festival staffers erected a stage on 45th Street in front of the Morosco, where excerpts from seven Pulitzer Prize-winning plays that had originated in the theaters were read by actors. On March 19 the state Supreme Court rejected a petition to halt demolition and Papp threatened physically block the demolition of the Morosco. On March 22, Papp led a group of 200 people to a lot to block access to the demolition machinery. The "Morosco 200" were arrested on 45th Street and taken to a local police precinct. Demolition began on March 23. On April 20 charges against the group were dropped. Ultimately Papp's intervention had failed to save the theaters. During the next three years the producer spoke with officials and met with city planners about having the Broadway theater zone declared an historic district.

Added Author

Love, Cliff, speaker.

Loveman, Lenore, speaker.

WABC-TV (Television station : New York, N.Y.) producer.

Research Call Number

NCOX 5356

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