Biltmore Theater Completed 1925-26 Architect Herbert J Krapp Renovated 2003 Architect Polshek Partnership Built by Irwin Chanin during the heyday of Times Square theater construction in the '20s—the Chanins alone built six theaters in three years—the Biltmore has been dark since being hit by an arson fire in late 1987, shortly after the interior was landmarked. The unseen interior is laid out in a horseshoe shape and architect Krapp used his usual 'Adamesque' plaster and paint stylings for ornamentation The Biltmore opened on December 7, 1925 with a production of Easy Come Easy Go. It remained a legitimate Broadway venue for all but 10 years of its active life, in the '50s and early '60s, when it was used as a CBS studio. In what appears to be an unusual move, the Nederlander's, with partner Stewart Lane, purchased the Biltmore in 1993. Restoring a supposedly fire-ravaged interior under Landmark Preservation Commission guidelines would seem to be a daunting and expensive task Throughout 1999, controversy raged when developer Joseph Moinian tried to purchase the theater from the Nederlander Organization. Mr Moinian planned to refurbish the theater and open it with a one hour 'Best of Broadway' revue. The Nederlanders cancelled the sales contract, saying that the theater's landmark designation required it to operate as a legitimate Broadway house if reopened. After a judge ruled in the Nederlander's favor in late '99, the Organization announced a renovation project. No details are settled Well, they got something settled. The Biltmore is due to reopen in the Fall of 2003 as the new home of the Manhattan Theatre Club 1936 Eddie Albert and Jose Ferrer appear in Brother Rat. George Abbott directs this comedy through 575 performances 1940 George S Kaufman directs My Sister Ellen, the Joseph Fields-Jerome Chodorov comedy that stars Shirley Booth, Morris Carnovsky and Jo Ann Sayers 1943 Richard Widmark plays opposite Joan Caulfield in the huge comedy hit Kiss and Tell, by F Hugh Herbert 1947 Ruth and Augustus Goetz authored The Heiress, featuring Wendy Hiller and Basil Rathbone 1961 Take Her She's Mine says Art Carney. And take the Tony Elizabeth Ashley did in this comedy co-authored by Phoebe and Henry Ephron 1963 Elizabeth Ashley is back, this time opposite Robert Redford in the first of 1,532 performances of Neil Simon's Barefoot in the Park. Mike Nichols makes his Broadway directing debut with this comedy that also features Mildred Natwick 1968 Do you remember that Diane Keaton and Melba Moore were two of the cast that "Let the Sun Shine?" The Galt MacDermot-Gerome Ragni-James Rado musical Hair shone 1,750 times 1978 This is theater: Rex Harrison, Claudette Colbert and George Rose appearing in The Kingfisher 1987 The Mitchell Parrish revue Stardust is the last show to play the Biltmore, closing May 17th 2003 The Biltmore is to come back as a legitimate venue under the auspices of the Manhattan Theatre Club
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