Author Ted Fox gives a thorough account of the Apollo Theater’s rich history.
By: Jim Boyle
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Story: Legends are Made
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When the Beatles first arrived in America, it was the first place they wanted to visit. When Elvis Presley came to New York in 1956 for his television debut, he stopped there nightly. It was the launching pad for the Jackson 5, Billie Holiday and Sarah Vaughan. And in the late 1970s, the legendary Apollo Theater almost disappeared forever.
"The worst time for the Apollo was in the late ’70s," says author Ted Fox. "It was the worst time for New York City. It was on the verge of going bankrupt, and Harlem suffered the most."
Mr. Fox recounts the Apollo’s darkest hour in Showtime at the Apollo: The Story of Harlem’s World Famous Theater (Mill Road Enterprises, $18.95). The Schiffmans, who owned the theater since patriarch Frank bought the building from Sidney Cohen in 1935, sold the lease to Percy Sutton after going bankrupt in 1978. The Apollo was granted landmark status in 1983, celebrated its 50th anniversary with a grand reopening gala in 1985 and is now managed by a nonprofit organization, The Apollo Theater Foundation Inc.
"It had been a struggle through the ’80s and early ’90s," says Mr. Fox. "They now have a very solid and prestigious board and good administrators. It’s in the most solid and positive situation ever."
Mr. Fox’s book was originally printed in 1983 but is being updated with a new afterword and cover in time for the Apollo’s 70th anniversary. For Mr. Fox, who lives in upstate New York, it’s a continuing tribute to a place he cherishes.
"I grew up in Westchester," says Mr. Fox. "By the time I was old enough to go to the Apollo, it was starting to wane. My high school years were spent in New Hampshire, so I caught the tail end of the first Apollo era. But I was related to the Schiffmans. Bobby was my step-uncle, once removed, and I used to hear stories from him about golfing with Marvin Gaye or hunting with Redd Foxx."
After graduating Columbia University with a bachelor’s in journalism, Mr. Fox knew that his first subject for a book was going to be the Apollo’s history. He was even shocked when he found that nobody had written one already. After intensive research and numerous interviews, Mr. Fox pieced together the Apollo’s long and eventful past.
The building was constructed in 1913 and opened as a burlesque theater by Jules Hurtig and Harry Seamon, who did not allow black patrons. Bill Minsky and Joseph Weinstock took over the same year and renamed it the 125th Street Apollo Theater.
Sidney Cohen bought the theater in 1932 after Minsky’s death and began marketing the entertainment to an African-American audience in 1934 after New York Mayor Fiorello La Guardia began campaigning against burlesque theater. Mark Schiffman purchased the lease from Cohen, kept the Apollo’s signature Amateur Night intact, and guided the theater to its position as the leading venue for black entertainment in America.
"There’s never been a place like this in America," says Mr. Fox. "There are great black theaters all around the country, but none that survived for so many decades and so many changes of taste. The Apollo has been able to maintain itself and stay at the top of its game."
Any chance he gets, Mr. Fox likes to take in a show at the Apollo. He not only enjoys the first-rate entertainment, but the positive attitudes and personalities in the audience.
"I like to watch the crowd when I go up there," he says. "The place just oozes history, and there’s a sort of wide-eyed wonderment when you look around. People are smiling when they walk in. It’s the best audience in the world, they have so much fun."
The Apollo audience can also be the most demanding in the world. They expect the best out of their entertainers and are not afraid to let them know when they are failing. On the flipside, when someone belts out a good performance, the audience sweeps them up in thunderous applause and approval.
"They appreciate anybody who goes up and gives it their all," says Mr. Fox. "One time, an opera singer got up and knocked them out. It’s a very discerning crowd, mostly because it has to protect a reputation that’s built for 70 years now."
With an identity so closely related to African-Americans, it may be intimidating for other cultures to attempt to break through. The fact is, however, that the Apollo has always accepted all forms of entertainment. Latin stars such as Tito Puente and Mongo Santamaria lit up the stage numerous times, while George Carlin made frequent visits on stage. In 1999, Korn became the first rock band to perform there, and Tom Jones will make another stop at the Apollo in March.
"The Apollo always had a mystical allure for white entertainers," says Mr. Fox. "When Tom Jones first came to New York, he was walking down the street and ran in to Dionne Warwick. He asked her where she was going, and she told him the Apollo. He begged her to take him along. He was star struck when he got there, but he performed for them and they loved him."Related
Story: Legends are Made
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When the Beatles first arrived in America, it was the first place they wanted to visit. When Elvis Presley came to New York in 1956 for his television debut, he stopped there nightly. It was the launching pad for the Jackson 5, Billie Holiday and Sarah Vaughan. And in the late 1970s, the legendary Apollo Theater almost disappeared forever.
"The worst time for the Apollo was in the late ’70s," says author Ted Fox. "It was the worst time for New York City. It was on the verge of going bankrupt, and Harlem suffered the most."
Mr. Fox recounts the Apollo’s darkest hour in Showtime at the Apollo: The Story of Harlem’s World Famous Theater (Mill Road Enterprises, $18.95). The Schiffmans, who owned the theater since patriarch Frank bought the building from Sidney Cohen in 1935, sold the lease to Percy Sutton after going bankrupt in 1978. The Apollo was granted landmark status in 1983, celebrated its 50th anniversary with a grand reopening gala in 1985 and is now managed by a nonprofit organization, The Apollo Theater Foundation Inc.
"It had been a struggle through the ’80s and early ’90s," says Mr. Fox. "They now have a very solid and prestigious board and good administrators. It’s in the most solid and positive situation ever."
Mr. Fox’s book was originally printed in 1983 but is being updated with a new afterword and cover in time for the Apollo’s 70th anniversary. For Mr. Fox, who lives in upstate New York, it’s a continuing tribute to a place he cherishes.
"I grew up in Westchester," says Mr. Fox. "By the time I was old enough to go to the Apollo, it was starting to wane. My high school years were spent in New Hampshire, so I caught the tail end of the first Apollo era. But I was related to the Schiffmans. Bobby was my step-uncle, once removed, and I used to hear stories from him about golfing with Marvin Gaye or hunting with Redd Foxx."
After graduating Columbia University with a bachelor’s in journalism, Mr. Fox knew that his first subject for a book was going to be the Apollo’s history. He was even shocked when he found that nobody had written one already. After intensive research and numerous interviews, Mr. Fox pieced together the Apollo’s long and eventful past.
The building was constructed in 1913 and opened as a burlesque theater by Jules Hurtig and Harry Seamon, who did not allow black patrons. Bill Minsky and Joseph Weinstock took over the same year and renamed it the 125th Street Apollo Theater.
Sidney Cohen bought the theater in 1932 after Minsky’s death and began marketing the entertainment to an African-American audience in 1934 after New York Mayor Fiorello La Guardia began campaigning against burlesque theater. Mark Schiffman purchased the lease from Cohen, kept the Apollo’s signature Amateur Night intact, and guided the theater to its position as the leading venue for black entertainment in America.
"There’s never been a place like this in America," says Mr. Fox. "There are great black theaters all around the country, but none that survived for so many decades and so many changes of taste. The Apollo has been able to maintain itself and stay at the top of its game."
Any chance he gets, Mr. Fox likes to take in a show at the Apollo. He not only enjoys the first-rate entertainment, but the positive attitudes and personalities in the audience.
"I like to watch the crowd when I go up there," he says. "The place just oozes history, and there’s a sort of wide-eyed wonderment when you look around. People are smiling when they walk in. It’s the best audience in the world, they have so much fun."
The Apollo audience can also be the most demanding in the world. They expect the best out of their entertainers and are not afraid to let them know when they are failing. On the flipside, when someone belts out a good performance, the audience sweeps them up in thunderous applause and approval.
"They appreciate anybody who goes up and gives it their all," says Mr. Fox. "One time, an opera singer got up and knocked them out. It’s a very discerning crowd, mostly because it has to protect a reputation that’s built for 70 years now."
With an identity so closely related to African-Americans, it may be intimidating for other cultures to attempt to break through. The fact is, however, that the Apollo has always accepted all forms of entertainment. Latin stars such as Tito Puente and Mongo Santamaria lit up the stage numerous times, while George Carlin made frequent visits on stage. In 1999, Korn became the first rock band to perform there, and Tom Jones will make another stop at the Apollo in March.
"The Apollo always had a mystical allure for white entertainers," says Mr. Fox. "When Tom Jones first came to New York, he was walking down the street and ran in to Dionne Warwick. He asked her where she was going, and she told him the Apollo. He begged her to take him along. He was star struck when he got there, but he performed for them and they loved him."