Ed Sullivan Theater facts for kids
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The Ed Sullivan Theater with The Late Show with Stephen Colbert marquee
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| Address | 1697 Broadway Manhattan, New York United States |
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| Coordinates | 40°45′49.8″N 73°58′58″W / 40.763833°N 73.98278°W |
| Owner | Paramount Global |
| Type | Television studio (Former Broadway) |
| Capacity | 457 |
| Current use | Television studio |
| Production |
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| Opened | November 30, 1927 |
| Years active | 1927–1936 (Broadway theater) 1936–present (broadcasts) |
| Tenants | |
| The Late Show | |
| Designated | November 17, 1997 |
| Reference no. | 97001303 |
| Designated entity | Theater |
| Designated | January 5, 1988 |
| Reference no. | 1381 |
| Designated entity | Lobbies and auditorium interiors |
The Ed Sullivan Theater is a famous building in New York City. It's located in the Theater District of Manhattan, between 53rd and 54th Streets. This theater was first built in 1926–1927 as a Broadway theater and was called Hammerstein's Theatre. It was named by Arthur Hammerstein to honor his father, Oscar Hammerstein I.
The theater was designed by Herbert J. Krapp and originally had over 1,500 seats. Today, it has about 370 seats. The inside of the theater looks like an old cathedral with a domed ceiling and stained glass windows. This unique design makes it a special place in New York City. It is even a New York City landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
Over the years, the Ed Sullivan Theater has been known by many names, including the Manhattan Theatre and CBS Studio 50. It became a place for CBS radio shows in 1936 and then for TV shows in 1950. From 1953 to 1971, it was home to The Ed Sullivan Show, a very popular TV program. Since 1993, it has been the home of The Late Show, first with David Letterman and now with Stephen Colbert.
Contents
Discovering the Theater's Location
The Ed Sullivan Theater is found at 1697 Broadway in the busy Theater District of Manhattan, New York City. It sits on the west side of Broadway, between 53rd and 54th Streets. The building has a unique L-shape and covers a large area. It's surrounded by hotels and other commercial buildings. Some well-known places nearby include Studio 54 and the Broadway Theatre.
How the Theater Was Designed
The Ed Sullivan Theater was created by architect Herbert J. Krapp and built by Arthur Hammerstein between 1926 and 1927. The building has two main parts: a 13-story office tower facing Broadway and the main theater area (auditorium) at the back on 53rd Street. This design was chosen because of building rules in New York City during the 1920s, which didn't allow offices to be built directly above theaters.
The Building's Outside Look (Facade)
The outside of the theater is made of brown brick and terracotta. The Broadway side, where the main entrance is, has a Gothic-style design with fancy terracotta decorations. The entrance has four sets of bronze-and-glass doors. Above the entrance, there's a modern sign (marquee) that currently advertises The Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
The 53rd Street side of the building has three parts. The office section is 13 stories tall. In the middle, there's an exit area that is three stories high. The main theater part on the west side is seven stories tall.
Inside the Ed Sullivan Theater
The inside of the Ed Sullivan Theater is designed in a neo-Gothic style, made to look like a grand cathedral. This was very unusual for a Broadway theater at the time. The theater also had advanced heating and cooling systems for the 1920s.
The main entrance from Broadway leads into a small vestibule and then into two lobbies. These areas have marble floors, stone walls, and Gothic-style decorations. The outer lobby once had a ticket booth. The inner lobby has staircases that lead up to the balcony.
The Main Auditorium
The auditorium has a main floor (orchestra level) and one balcony. It was originally designed with 1,265 seats, but today it has 370 seats. The theater is known for its ten beautiful stained glass windows, which show scenes from Oscar Hammerstein I's opera productions. These windows were removed for a while but were put back in 2015.
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The stage area is in front of a large archway. The original stage had special equipment to lift sets. Today, the stage is set up for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. Stephen Colbert has a special desk, and the show's band, Louis Cato and the Late Show Band, has its own area.
The ceiling of the auditorium has a large dome with 30 ribs. This dome was covered up for many years but was uncovered and restored in 2015 when Stephen Colbert took over The Late Show. Now, the dome can be lit up with digital projections, showing different patterns and images.
The Theater's History
The area around Times Square became a major spot for theater shows in the early 1900s. Arthur Hammerstein wanted to build a special theater to honor his father, Oscar Hammerstein I.
Building and Early Years
In 1926, Arthur Hammerstein bought land on Broadway and 53rd Street. He announced plans for a "Temple of Music" designed in the Gothic style. The theater was later named "Hammerstein's Theatre" because the longer name wouldn't fit on playbills. Construction began in March 1927.
The Hammerstein's Theatre officially opened on November 30, 1927. The first show was a musical called Golden Dawn, which featured the American debut of actor Cary Grant. Critics loved the theater's beautiful design, comparing it to a "vaulted temple." However, Golden Dawn didn't make much money.
After a few more shows, Arthur Hammerstein faced financial difficulties, especially after the Wall Street Crash of 1929. He lost the theater in 1931.
Changes and New Uses
After Hammerstein lost the theater, it was leased to different groups and renamed the Manhattan Theatre. It hosted a few more musicals, but none were very successful.
In 1934, the theater was changed into a "restaurant and music hall" called Billy Rose's Music Hall. The seats were removed, and tables were placed on the orchestra and balcony levels. It offered meals and entertainment like vaudeville acts. However, this venture also faced challenges and closed in 1936.
Becoming a Playhouse for Radio and TV
CBS Radio Playhouse No. 3
In 1936, the Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) leased the Manhattan Theatre to use as a radio playhouse. They made some changes to the inside, adding insulation to block noise from nearby trains. It became known as CBS Radio Theater No. 3. Famous radio shows like the Major Bowes Amateur Hour and The Fred Allen Show were broadcast from here. Teenagers would often gather outside to hear stars like Frank Sinatra.
CBS Studio 50 and Ed Sullivan
In 1949, the theater was changed again, this time for television broadcasts, and became CBS-TV Studio 50. The first TV show to air from Studio 50 was Arthur Godfrey's Talent Scouts in 1950. Later, The Jackie Gleason Show also started broadcasting from here.
In January 1953, Toast of the Town, hosted by Ed Sullivan, moved to Studio 50. This show was later renamed The Ed Sullivan Show and became incredibly popular. It hosted many famous acts, including the first national television appearances by Elvis Presley.
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One of the most famous moments was The Beatles' debut performance in the United States in 1964. The theater was updated for color broadcasts in 1965. In 1967, Studio 50 was officially renamed the Ed Sullivan Theater in his honor. The Ed Sullivan Show ran until 1971, becoming one of the longest-running TV shows ever.
After The Ed Sullivan Show ended, the theater hosted other game shows like The $10,000 Pyramid and Musical Chairs.
Reeves Entertainment Era
In 1982, Reeves Entertainment took over the Ed Sullivan Theater, turning it into a facility called Teletape Studios. They made the stage larger and updated the dressing rooms. During this time, the theater hosted the sitcom Kate & Allie (1984–1989) and other shows like The Great Space Coaster.
In 1988, the inside of the Ed Sullivan Theater was officially named a city landmark. In 1989, David Niles leased the theater for his HDTV studio and a new Broadway show. The theater was renovated for HDTV broadcasts, and it hosted tapings for various specials, including an MTV interview with Paul McCartney.
The Late Show Era
Late Show with David Letterman
In 1993, when David Letterman moved his talk show to CBS, the network bought the Ed Sullivan Theater for his new program, Late Show with David Letterman. The theater underwent a big renovation. Workers spent twelve weeks changing the space. The number of seats was reduced to about 400, and the beautiful stained-glass windows were removed and stored away.
The Late Show with David Letterman premiered at the Ed Sullivan Theater on August 30, 1993. The show's success helped bring new life to the surrounding neighborhood. In 1997, the Ed Sullivan Theater was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert
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In 2014, David Letterman announced his retirement, and Stephen Colbert was chosen to take over The Late Show. Before Colbert's show started, the theater had another major renovation. The dome in the auditorium, which had been covered for years, was uncovered and restored. The original stained-glass windows were also put back in place.
The new set for The Late Show with Stephen Colbert was designed to be "intimate" and uses lots of LED lighting and video projections. The audience seats were also replaced with larger ones, making the capacity 370.
The Late Show with Stephen Colbert began broadcasting from the Ed Sullivan Theater on September 8, 2015. During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, the show temporarily broadcast remotely. It returned to the theater with a studio audience in June 2021.
Other Productions at the Theater
Besides The Late Show, the Ed Sullivan Theater has hosted other productions. In 1996, The Rosie O'Donnell Show was broadcast from the theater for a week. CBS This Morning also used the theater for a week in 1995.
In the early 2000s, the top of the theater's marquee became a stage for concerts by famous musicians like Bon Jovi, Dave Matthews Band, Paul McCartney, Eminem, and Jay-Z.
The theater has also hosted the finales for the reality game show Survivor since 2003. In 2014, on the 50th anniversary of The Beatles' first performance on Ed Sullivan, CBS News held a special discussion at the theater.
See also
