Earl Carroll Theatre

The Earl Carroll Theatre was a large Broadway theater and entertainment venue at 753 Seventh Avenue, near 50th Street in Manhattan's Theater District. It was created by theatrical impresario Earl Carroll and designed by architect George Keister. The first venue opened on February 25, 1922, and became successful during its early years, reflecting Carroll's position in New York's theatrical and revue scene. Carroll later undertook a major rebuilding project intended to make the venue substantially more lavish. The reconstructed theater reopened in August 1931 with Carroll promoting it as the "largest legitimate theater in the world." The scale of the new facility, however, generated extremely high operating expenses. The business entered foreclosure in early 1932, and the property was subsequently acquired by producer Florenz Ziegfeld. Ziegfeld renamed it the Casino Theatre, and the venue hosted a successful 1932 revival of Show Boat. Ziegfeld's own business affairs deteriorated soon afterward, and he also became bankrupt. The property was sold at a foreclosure auction on August 18, 1933, to Mutual Life Insurance Company for $1 million. In 1934, a consortium comprising Louis F. Blumenthal, Charles H. Haring, and Jack Shapiro acquired and refurbished the theater. It reopened on December 30, 1934, as the French Casino, a dinner-and-cabaret nightclub whose opening revue was Revue Folies Bergeres. The French Casino became a successful nightlife operation for several years, combining meals with a Broadway-style stage presentation. In 1937, the French Casino closed, and Broadway producer Billy Rose acquired the building. Rose renamed the venue Casa Manana, borrowing the name from an earlier entertainment project at the Frontier Centennial in Fort Worth, Texas. The New York Casa Manana opened with Let's Play Fair and operated until June 1939. The French Casino organization reacquired the theater later in 1939, but its return was unsuccessful; the venue closed again in 1940. After the final closure as an entertainment venue, the building was converted to retail use and became a Woolworth store. The former theater structure survived in commercial use for decades before being demolished in 1990. The Earl Carroll Theatre is therefore best understood as a historical venue identity that passed through several theatrical and nightclub incarnations rather than as a continuing operating brand.

The Earl Carroll Theatre originated as a Broadway venue established by theatrical impresario Earl Carroll at 753 Seventh Avenue near 50th Street in Midtown Manhattan. Architect George Keister designed the building, which combined a theater wing with a six-story office and retail frontage. The street-facing structure was built of dark brick, with stores at ground level and offices above. A large sign bearing the theater's name appeared between the fourth and fifth floors, while the theater entrance was marked by a marquee over the entrance through the office building. A second marquee served the theater wing. The first Earl Carroll Theatre opened on February 25, 1922. It enjoyed considerable success for a number of years, benefiting from its location in the expanding Theater District and Carroll's experience as a producer and impresario. Carroll later rebuilt the property on a much more lavish scale. The reconstructed venue reopened in August 1931, accompanied by Carroll's claim that it was the largest legitimate theater in the world. The expanded operation proved financially difficult to sustain, however. Its operating expenses became exceptionally high, and the theater went into foreclosure in early 1932. Producer Florenz Ziegfeld subsequently acquired the property and changed its name to the Casino Theatre. The renamed venue achieved an important theatrical success in 1932 when it presented a revival of Show Boat. That success did not resolve the broader financial problems surrounding the property, and Ziegfeld went bankrupt not long afterward. The building was auctioned in foreclosure on August 18, 1933, with Mutual Life Insurance Company purchasing it for $1 million. A consortium made up of Louis F. Blumenthal, Charles H. Haring, and Jack Shapiro later acquired and refurbished the property. On December 30, 1934, it reopened as the French Casino. Unlike its original identity as a legitimate Broadway theater, the French Casino emphasized nightlife, offering dinner alongside a Broadway-style cabaret show. Its first revue was Revue Folies Bergeres, and the venue operated successfully for several years before closing in 1937. Broadway producer Billy Rose then acquired the building and renamed it Casa Manana, using a name associated with a previous entertainment venture at the Frontier Centennial in Fort Worth, Texas. The New York venue opened with Let's Play Fair and operated until June 1939. The French Casino organization reacquired the theater later that year, but the renewed operation was unsuccessful and closed in 1940. The building subsequently lost its theatrical function. It was converted into retail space and became a Woolworth store. The former theater and its associated building remained in commercial use for decades, but the structure was ultimately demolished in 1990. Its history illustrates the volatility of large-scale Broadway real estate and the way a single Manhattan venue could be repeatedly repositioned between legitimate theater, cabaret, nightclub entertainment, and retail use.

• 1990

  Building demolished

  [1]Earl Carroll Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  The former theater building is demolished after decades as commercial retail space.

• 1940

  Final entertainment closure

  [1]Earl Carroll Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  The French Casino's unsuccessful return ends, and the building is converted to retail use.

• 1937

  Casa Manana period begins

  [1]Earl Carroll Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  Billy Rose acquires the building after the French Casino closes and launches the Casa Manana identity.

• 1934

  French Casino opens

  [1]Earl Carroll Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  Following refurbishment, the property reopens on December 30 as the French Casino nightclub.

• 1933

  Foreclosure auction

  [1]Earl Carroll Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  Mutual Life Insurance Company purchases the property at auction on August 18 for $1 million.

• 1932

  Foreclosure and Casino Theatre period

  [1]Earl Carroll Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  High operating costs lead to foreclosure, followed by acquisition and renaming by Florenz Ziegfeld.

• 1932

  Show Boat revival

  [1]Earl Carroll Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  The renamed Casino Theatre presents a highly successful revival of Show Boat.

• 1931

  Lavish reconstruction reopens

  [1]Earl Carroll Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  The rebuilt venue reopens in August and is promoted by Earl Carroll as the largest legitimate theater in the world.

• 1922

  Original theater opens

  [1]Earl Carroll Theatreen.wikipedia.org

  The Earl Carroll Theatre opens on February 25 at 753 Seventh Avenue in Manhattan's Theater District.

A large-scale Manhattan theatrical and nightlife venue positioned around spectacular Broadway entertainment, revue programming, cabaret, and dining. Under Earl Carroll, it emphasized architectural grandeur and scale; under later operators, it was repositioned as the Casino Theatre, French Casino, and Casa Manana.

• Broadway theater · 1922

  Earl Carroll Theatre

  The original and rebuilt theatrical venue founded by Earl Carroll. It presented legitimate theater and revue entertainment and was marketed as a large, prestigious Broadway facility. The rebuilt theater reopened in 1931 with an emphasis on spectacular scale, but its operating costs contributed to foreclosure.

• Broadway theater · 1932

  Casino Theatre

  The name used after Florenz Ziegfeld acquired the former Earl Carroll Theatre in 1932. Its most notable documented presentation was a successful revival of Show Boat during the same year.

• Dinner nightclub and cabaret venue · 1934

  French Casino

  A refurbished incarnation that reopened in December 1934. The French Casino combined dinner service with Broadway-style cabaret entertainment and presented the opening revue Revue Folies Bergeres. It operated through 1937 and briefly returned in 1939 before closing in 1940.

• Entertainment venue · 1937

  Casa Manana

  Billy Rose's renamed version of the property, opened after the French Casino's first closure. It began with Let's Play Fair and operated in New York until June 1939.

• 1940

  End theatrical operations and convert to retailStrategy

  Background

  The French Casino's attempted return after reacquisition was unsuccessful.

  Action taken

  Entertainment operations ended and the building was converted into retail space, later becoming a Woolworth store.

  Aftermath

  The property no longer functioned as a theater or nightclub and was ultimately demolished in 1990.

  Source

• 1937

  Launch the Casa Manana identityStrategy

  Background

  After the French Casino closed, Billy Rose acquired the building and sought to operate it under a new entertainment concept.

  Action taken

  Rose renamed the venue Casa Manana and opened it with Let's Play Fair.

  Aftermath

  The venue operated until June 1939 before the French Casino organization reacquired the property.

  Source

• 1934

  Convert the theater into the French CasinoStrategy

  Background

  A consortium acquired and refurbished the property after its 1933 foreclosure auction.

  Action taken

  The venue reopened as the French Casino, shifting its emphasis from legitimate theater toward dinner and cabaret entertainment.

  Aftermath

  The nightclub became successful for several years before closing in 1937.

  Source

• 1932

  Rename the venue as the Casino TheatreStrategy

  Background

  Following foreclosure, producer Florenz Ziegfeld acquired the property.

  Action taken

  Ziegfeld changed the theater's name to the Casino Theatre and continued presenting theatrical programming.

  Aftermath

  The venue hosted a successful Show Boat revival, but Ziegfeld became bankrupt soon afterward and the property was auctioned in 1933.

  Source

• 1931

  Rebuild and upscale the theaterGeneration change

  Background

  Earl Carroll sought to transform the successful 1922 venue into a much larger and more lavish theatrical facility.

  Action taken

  The theater was extensively rebuilt and reopened in August 1931 with a claim of exceptional size and scale.

  Aftermath

  The enlarged venue incurred extremely high operating expenses and entered foreclosure in early 1932.

  Source

1. 1Earl Carroll Theatreen.wikipedia.org