Built by famous Broadway producer Henry B. Harris, the Hudson Theatre is one of Broadway’s oldest surviving playhouses.
The Hudson Theatre, located at 141 West 44th St., opened Oct. 19, 1903 with a production called COUSIN KATE, starring 24-year old Ethel Barrymore. The theatre, according to the New York Dramatic Mirror newspaper, was “one of the handsomest theatres in the country.” Elegant Tiffany skylights, Tiffany tile stage trim, backlit Tiffany windows, etc combined with the latest in electric lights, fireproofing, sprinklers and 28 exits made the Hudson the safest theatre in New York. Patrons entered on W. 44th St, while actors and staff entered thru W. 45th St. which was a first. Also the lobby is 100 feet long which adds to the feel of grandeur as one enters.
In 1912 Henry and his wife Irene were returning from Europe on the TITANIC after seeing many new shows in London and shopping for new fashions in Paris. Mrs. Harris had fallen and injured herself the day before in her state room, so Henry carried Irene and carefully placed her in the last lifeboat to leave the TITANIC. Her last view of Henry was him waving goodbye from the deck of the doomed ship.
Four months after the tragedy, Irene decided to become one of the first women to produce shows and made a go of running the Hudson theatre. She gave Barbara Stanwyck and Judith Anderson their first Broadway roles in the 1920’s. Other stars who would play the Hudson included Douglas Fairbanks, William Holden, Helen Hayes, Edward G. Robinson, Dorothy Gish and Louie Armstrong. In 1929, Irene was offered $1,000, 000 for the theatre and TURNED IT DOWN. A few months later, the stock market crashed and she was wiped out. She lost the Hudson Theatre in foreclosure in 1933 and it was purchased at auction for $100,000. Over the years, it’s had 18 owners and became a radio & TV studio which was the original home of the TONIGHT SHOW starring Steve Allen and later Jack Paar. Elvis Presley, Gypsy Rose Lee, Betty White and many others appeared there onstage before the TONIGHT SHOW moved to L.A.
Today the Hudson Theatre has been beautifully and lovingly restored after many years as a Times Square porno theatre. It's now connected to the Broadway Millenium Hotel next door which uses the theatre as an event space and conference center. Recently, the Broadway League held it's annual meeting there and various charities such as the Actor's Fund and the Trevor Project have also used the theatre.
