Volume I: Narrative History

Chapter 7 (1914): Business on Broadway

Finally, the much-delayed opening of the Broadway Rose Gardens took place, as reported in The Moving Picture World: Note

New York was introduced to a novel entertainment on the night of Tuesday, September 14. New York abounds in novel entertainment, but the program furnished by the Broadway Rose Gardens and Theatre are surely entitled to a new record. The character of the entertainment is unique, the environments of the show are unique and the degree of comfort provided for the patrons is unique.

The Broadway Rose Gardens and Theatre are located at 1680-1684 Broadway and 810-814 7th Avenue. New Yorkers who remember the place as a skating rink with a modest and narrow exterior would scarcely recognize it in its glorious transmutation. A very pretty and dressy lobby, elegant in its studied simplicity, leads into the first section of this unique place of entertainment, which consists of one of the daintiest and coziest of motion picture theatres. The prevailing light effect is that of amber, judiciously distributed by an artist in light effect. It helps entirely in creating the atmosphere of refinement and restfulness which meets you as you enter. There are 600 seats, Note so you see the theatre is small, but this only adds to the manifest charm of exclusiveness. One of the features of the theatre is the ceiling, a network of lattice most artistically arranged, giving one a pleasant and charming impression. It fits in wonderfully with the general atmosphere of daintiness and refinement, suggesting in its decorative effects the harbor and park with its cool evening breezes. Art here goes hand in hand with usefulness, for this cleverly contrived lattice effect incidentally secures a perfect ventilation. You feel that the place will be extremely comfortable at all seasons of the year, and that in the stress of a hot wave in New York there will be one place of cooling shelter right on Broadway.

In the upper tier of seats a veritable haven of comfort and elegance is provided for the patrons. Gilt chairs with plenty of space between them and railings which secure privacy and exclusiveness are the dominating characteristics. It is an ideal place for men and women of breeding and refinement to see a high-class entertainment. The upper tier has been aptly named, by the way, The Golden Horseshoe. The Golden Horseshoe will become a much sought after spot when New York gets acquainted with all the charms which lie treasured here.

The entertainment itself is of the great feature, Thirty Leagues Under the Sea. Note It is, as all will testify, who were fortunate enough to see it, much more than a "great feature." It is a conquest of a new field in kinematography; it shows the camera at work in the depths of the sea and shows with what ingenuity and with what clever devices and with what marvelous daring this camera did its work among the mysteries and beauties of the unknown deep, now unknown no longer.

The pictures have been described with a wealth of detail in these columns, and it is scarcely necessary to enter into a very full description of them; but the report would be incomplete if it failed to record the enthusiastic reception which some of the "numbers" on the final program received from the large and delighted audience. The shark fishing was watched with keenest interest, of course, but the piece de resistance was a scene showing the combat between shark and man. This is indeed a genuine triumph of submarine photography and will probably stand unequaled for many a day to come. There were bursts of applause all through this scene, but the climax, "The Man Wins," brought down the house. The perils of deep sea diving, the wonders of the life beneath the waves, and revelations which the camera gave us of the life of plants and animals Thirty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea [sic] will never fail with any audience.

If you have come for an evening's entertainment which provides all the pleasures of a modern metropolis in addition to motion pictures, there is much in store for you after you have watched the marvels of the screen to your heart's content. A short step brings you into a magic bower of perpetual roses. Set in this bower of roses is a modern dancing floor flanked on its four sides by a small table where the best is provided for the comfort and delight of the inner man. The sight which meets you as you gaze about you is impressive and overpowering in its superb beauty. You feel that decoration is indeed a fine art. Leaves of dark green are there in profusion wound into and about the lattice work in natural grace and beauty. And amid this artistic profusion of green are the flowers which have always appealed to the human imagination with a peculiar charm: roses. The tint is perfect, no rose ever grew on any stalk with a lovelier pink. The roses seem everywhere, and yet they have been distributed with a cunning hand. All through the room close to the ceiling are huge garlands of roses, or at least magnificent imitations of the rose and its glorious color. Darken the house but for a moment and the effect is like a scene in fairyland. A myriad of fireflies seem to be swarming about between the green leaves and the glowing roses; the pale familiar sphere of the moon appears above and she comes accompanied by her eternal satellites. There is nothing prettier in the fabled gardens of Arabia.

Two orchestras are discoursing such music as one would expect to hear in such surroundings. One of the orchestras is that of Frank McKee, playing a dreamy waltz, something about The Million Dollar Mystery. Frank McKee's orchestra is fresh from the Castle House, and very popular. The other orchestra is the Imperial Russian Balalaika Orchestra. Its members are dressed in rose-colored costumes and add much to the attractiveness of the floor.

Work on this wonderful new creation, which was one of the favorite projects of the late Charles J. Hite, had begun as early as last February and had been going steadily up until the night of the informal opening. The Broadway Rose Gardens and Theatre are under the control and management of the Delta Theatre Corporation. Dr. Wilbert Shallenberger is the president, and George F. Kerr is the vice president and general manager. W.R. Johnston is the treasurer. The Great White Way has been much enriched since the opening of the Broadway Rose Gardens and Theatre.

Unfortunately, the enthusiasm of the Moving Picture World reporter was not matched by the general public, and it was only a matter of time until this notice appeared: Note

ROSE GARDENS FAIL: The Broadway Rose Gardens, in which the late C.J. Hite was prominently concerned, failed last week when the Delta Theatre Corporation made an assignment to Edward E. Pidgeon, who took over the management of the place a few weeks ago. A petition in bankruptcy was also filed against the place by Addison E. Jones, Dr. Wilbert Shallenberger, and the estate of the late C.J. Hite, each claiming $1,000 for loans.

Many suits against the corporation are pending in the city and municipal courts, but a restraining order against the claimants was issued Saturday by Judge Hough. The Delta Theatre concern was incorporated on January 22 of this year with a capital stock of $50,000. The company spent $25,000 in remodeling an old skating rink at 1680 Broadway, and it was opened last month.