Landmark Theatre
Description
The historic Landmark Theatre... a national treasure in the heart of downtown Syracuse. When silent movies arrived in Syracuse, Salina Street had the Empire, the Strand, Keith’s, Temple (later Paramount) and Eckel theatres to draw patrons downtown for movie-stage shows. The latest and grandest was Loew’s State Theatre.
Marcus Loew attempted to buy the Empire Theatre but negotiations failed. Real Estate developers found him the building side at the northwest corner of Salina Street, occupied by the Jefferson Hotel, along with frontage for a block along Jefferson St.
Thomas Lamb was commissioned as architect. He had already designed the Strand, Temple, and Keith’s. He planned the city’s largest theatre, 3,000 seats, with an eight-story office tower.
Site acquisitions, costing $1.9 million, began on March 29, 1926.
Groundbreaking for construction began on March 15, 1927. Construction took eleven months and three days, involved more than 300 workers and cost $1.4 million.
Loew’s State’s opening was announced February 18, 1928. The new theatre was advertised as “the last word in theatrical ornateness and luxuriousness.” By mid-morning on that first day, hundreds had formed lines outside the new Theatre. For 25 cents admission, patrons were directed by uniformed ushers through the lobbies, absorbing the wealth of colors and materials – marble, terrazzo, tapestries, filigrial chandeliers, and exotic furnishings. They were ushered into Lamb’s exotic world through the main lobby, which boasted a chandelier designed by Louis Tiffany for Cornelius Vanderbilt’s mansion, and the grandest of the theatre’s several huge murals. The Musician’s Gallery, located over the front doors, featured quartet serenades as intermission entertainment during the 1930’s. Patrons who ascended the grand staircase reached the promenade lobby, where they delighted in finding a fishpond with a Japanese pagoda fountain. The main auditorium, which houses 2900 seats, was decorated in rich reds and golds and accented with wall ornaments throughout. The 1,400-pipe Wurlitzer organ offered its own exotic flavor flavor, treating patrons to such sounds as a glockenspiel, marimba, bird whistles, hoof beats and surf sounds.
For more than a year, Loew’s showed only silent films. It shows its first “talkie,” “The Broadway Melody” on March 30, 1929.
The Depression thirties provided some of the Theatre’s finest hours. In the cultural style of the times:
• A uniformed doorman or “barker” greeted patrons out front
• Three cashiers staffed the outdoor box office kiosk
• Uniformed ushers, overseen by uniformed captains, directed waiting patrons into lines between
velvet ropes, then to seats as they became available
• Sharply dressed “candy girls” graced the concession counters
• A basement carpenter shop created signs and stage props to order
In 1933 Loew’s presented its first public demonstration of television In 1934 it introduced double features. About the same time, color arrived. In the early 1940’s Hollywood presented war films, complemented by newsreels which patrons scrutinized for glimpses of friends or relatives in uniform. Veterans were paraded across the stage. Intermissions were devoted to war bond sales.
In 1947, Loew’s State box office receipts peaked. But after WWII, staffing, maintenance and tax costs all rose, with enormous negative impact.
Soon, the Loew’s Corporation began to diversify, resulting in a perception that downtown theatres were corporate liabilities. It reduced staffing, maintenance, and systems upgrading. Mechanical plants failed. Decorative fabrics, walls, carpeting, and seating, once fastidiously maintained, fell victim to vandalism.
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facebook.comUnfortunately, we've almost reached the end of summer! The Landmark Theatre will be closed on Monday, September 2nd, for Labor Day. The box office will open at 10 am on Tuesday, September 3rd. This also signals the end of our summer hours. Beginning Tuesday, the box office will now be open from 10 am-5 pm, Monday through Friday.
We're just a day away from celebrating the 80th anniversary of the Wizard of Oz! In addition to a showing of the film on the big screen, we're also hosting a costume contest, and one lucky winner will take home a gift card, courtesy of Oh My Darling! Hope you can join us!
Construction begins on downtown food market, grocery
We're so excited to have a new neighbor-can't wait for the grand opening!
We hope you'll be joining us this Sunday to watch the Wizard of Oz, but, more importantly, we hope you'll be competing in the costume contest! We have some amazing prizes for this event, so make sure to check our page to see what you could win! First up is a one-year household membership from the Museum of Science & Technology - MOST! And, since the MOST is a member of the Association of Science-Technology Centers (ASTC), this membership can be used to visit hundreds of other science and technology centers as part of the ASTC passport program. Will you be the lucky winner? Hope to see you here!
#Tuesdaytrivia contest! Answer the following question correctly for a chance to win 4 tickets to see the movie The Wizard of Oz at the Landmark Theatre on Sunday, August 25th! Leave your answer in the comments section below before 11:59 pm on Thursday, August 22nd, for a chance to win! Winner will be drawn at random and notified via Facebook message and in the comments below. Good luck! Question: An article of clothing that originally belonged to Wizard of Oz author L. Frank Baum was actually used in the film. What was it, and which character wore it?
Coming to see Darci Lynne at the Landmark Theatre this Saturday, August 17th? Here's a few things to know: -Please be aware in advance of our standard security measures for all events. Backpacks, over-sized bags, outside food and beverages (with the exception of one half liter, sealed, plastic water bottle per patron) and weapons of any kind are not permitted in the building. - Upon entry, coats and bags must be open and ready for inspection by our security team. -There will be no re-entry for this event.
Just a reminder, ticket holders from the originally scheduled Darci Lynne show in January should retain those tickets as they will be honored for the upcoming August 17th performance. There is no need to exchange them. Ticket holders will have their original seating assignments.
#Tuesdaytrivia contest! Answer the following question correctly for a chance to win 4 tickets to see the movie The Wizard of Oz at the Landmark Theatre on Sunday, August 25th! Leave your answer in the comments section below before 11:59 pm on Thursday, August 15th, for a chance to win! Winner will be drawn at random and notified via Facebook message and in the comments below. Question: When the movie The Wizard of Oz first premiered at the Loew's State Theater in 1939, how much did a matinee ticket cost?
Tickets for Jesus Christ Superstar are on sale NOW! Call (315) 475-7979 or click here: https://www.ticketmaster.com/artist/1424796?venueId=168
#throwbackThursday: The Syracuse Herald Journal ad for the Syracuse premiere of the Wizard of Oz, held at the Landmark (then the Loew's State Theater) in 1939. We're so glad to still be a part of the Syracuse community, 80 years later, and we owe it to all of you! What great films have you seen at the Landmark over the years? Let us know in the comments!
Jesus Christ Superstar launches its new tour at the Landmark Theatre this October, and tickets go on sale Monday, August 12th, at 10 am! Qualifying Landmark members get access to an online-only pre-sale starting Thursday, August 8th; learn more about becoming a member here: www.landmarktheatre.org/support/membership/
New Pictures Of Martin Scorsese's Film The Irishman Released By Netflix
Comedian Sebastian Maniscalco adds acting to his resume when he appears in this film, slated for release in a few months! Don't forget-he'll be here at the Landmark for 3 shows October 25-26!
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