| Knickerbocker Theatre | |
|---|---|
 The Knickerbocker Theatre in 1908, during the run ofGeorge M. Cohan'sThe Yankee Prince | |
 Interactive map of Knickerbocker Theatre | |
| General information | |
| Location | Manhattan,New York City |
| Opened | 1893 |
| Closed | 1929 |
| Demolished | 1930 |
TheKnickerbocker Theatre, previously known asAbbey's Theatre andHenry Abbey's Theatre, was aBroadwaytheatre located at 1396 Broadway (West 38th Street) inNew York City. It operated from 1893 to 1930. In 1906, the theatre introduced the first moving electrical sign on Broadway to advertise its productions.
The 1500-seat theatre was designed by the architectural firm of J. B. McElfatrick & Co. It opened as Abbey's Theatre, named after Broadway theatre manager and producerHenry Eugene Abbey, on November 8, 1893, with a production of the melodramaThe Countess Valeska. In the mid-1890s,Lillian Russell starred at the theatre, including inThe Queen of Brilliants, a flop.
Following Abbey's death in 1896,Al Hayman and theTheatrical Syndicate group took control of the theatre and rechristened it the Knickerbocker. In its early years, the theatre hosted productions ofShakespeare's plays andEdwardian musical comedy. Several ofVictor Herbert's operettas premièred there. In 1906, the theatre introduced the first moving electrical sign on Broadway with an advertisement for its production of Herbert'sThe Red Mill. Operettas by European composers, such asThe Dollar Princess andThe Merry Widow also played there.
In 1905,Variety opened its first office at the theatre.[1]
AfterWorld War I, the theatre continued to present a mixture of musicals, new plays and classics. Following theWall Street crash of 1929, the theatre closed. It wasdemolished in 1930, along with the nearbyCasino Theatre, to make way for the expandingGarment District.[2]
40°45′9.5″N73°59′13.5″W / 40.752639°N 73.987083°W /40.752639; -73.987083
