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London Palladium
The London Palladium in 2004, with Chitty Chitty Bang Bang posters
Address
Argyll Street
City
Westminster, London
Designation Grade II* listed
Architect Frank Matcham
Owned by Really Useful Theatres
Capacity 2,286
Type West End theatre
Opened 1910
Previous names Corinthian Bazaar
National Skating Palace
The Palladium
Production The Sound of Music
http://www.rutheatres.com/venueinfo/pal.htm
Coordinates: 51°30′54″N 0°08′27″W / 51.514944, -0.140806

The London Palladium is a 2,286 seat West End theatre located off Oxford Street in the City of Westminster. The City of Westminster ( is a borough of London with city status. London ( ˈlʌndən is the capital and largest urban area in the United Kingdom. A listed building in the United Kingdom is a building or other structure officially designated as being of special architectural historical or cultural significance Frank Matcham (22 November 1854 Newton Abbot, Devon – 17 May 1920 Southend-on-Sea, Essex) was a famous English theatrical The Really Useful Group (RUG is an international company set up in 1977 by Andrew Lloyd Webber. West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London 's "Theatreland" The Sound of Music is a musical with music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, and a book by Howard Lindsay A geographic coordinate system enables every location on the Earth to be specified in three coordinates using mainly a spherical coordinate system. West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre staged in the large theatres of London 's "Theatreland" Oxford Street is a major thoroughfare in London, England in the City of Westminster. The City of Westminster ( is a borough of London with city status.

Contents

Building

The grade II* listed building dates from 1910, although the facade (originally that of Argyll House which is why the pub opposite is called The Argyll Arms) dates back to the 19th century. It was originally a temporary wooden building called Corinthian Bazaar, which featured an aviary and aimed to attract customers from the recently closed Pantheon Bazaar (now Marks and Spencers) on Oxford Street. Marks & Spencer Group plc (also M&S, Marks and Sparks, and Marks) is a British Retailer with 843 stores in more than 30 Oxford Street is a major thoroughfare in London, England in the City of Westminster. The theatre was rebuilt a year later by Fredrick Hengler, the son of a tightrope walker, as a circus venue that included an aquatic display in a flooded ring. Next it became the National Skating Palace - a skating rink with real ice. However the rink failed and the Palladium was redesigned by Frank Matcham, a famous theatrical architect who also designed the London Coliseum, for a site that previously housed Hengler’s Circus. Frank Matcham (22 November 1854 Newton Abbot, Devon – 17 May 1920 Southend-on-Sea, Essex) was a famous English theatrical An architect is a licensed individual who leads a design team in the Planning and Design of buildings and participates in oversight of Building Construction The Coliseum Theatre (also known as the London Coliseum) is on St The building now carries Heritage Foundation commemorative plaques honouring Lew Grade and Frankie Vaughan. Lew Grade Baron Grade (25 December 1906&ndash13 December 1998 born Lev Winogradsky, was an influential Showbusiness Impresario and Television Frankie Vaughan, CBE ( 3 February 1928 - 17 September 1999) was a Singer of Traditional pop music in the

The theatre retains many of its original features and was Grade II* listed by English Heritage in September 1960[1]. A listed building in the United Kingdom is a building or other structure officially designated as being of special architectural historical or cultural significance English Heritage is a Non-departmental public body of the United Kingdom government ( Department for Culture Media and Sport) with a broad remit of

History

Pre-war

The theatre started out as The Palladium, a premier venue for variety performances. From 1928 it was managed by George Black and was even a cinema for three months. Year 1928 ( MCMXXVIII) was a Leap year starting on Sunday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. During the 1930s became the regular home for The Crazy Gang. The 1930s were described as an abrupt shift to more radical and conservative lifestyles as countries were struggling to find a solution to the Great Depression. For the nickname of Wimbledon football teams of the 1980s see Crazy Gang For the fictional criminal group in the Excalibur The ‘London’ part of the name was added in 1934. Black controlled the large Moss Empires group of theatres. Moss Empires was a British company formed from the merger of the theatre empires owned by Sir Edward Moss and Sir Oswald Stoll in 1898 Responsible for bookings at the London Palladium was Val Parnell. Valentine Charles Parnell ( 14 February 1892 &ndash 22 September 1972) best known simply as Val Parnell, was a British television

The Val Parnell era

Val Parnell took over as Managing Director in 1945. Year 1945 ( MCMXLV) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display the full calendar He adopted a controversial, but very successful, policy of presenting high-priced big-name acts, including Petula Clark, Judy Garland, Sophie Tucker, Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis, Jr., Frankie Laine, Johnnie Ray, and Norman Vaughan. Petula Clark, CBE (born 15 November 1932 is an English singer actress and Composer best known for her upbeat popular international hits Judy Garland (born Frances Ethel Gumm; June 10 1922 – June 22 1969 was an American actress and singer Sophie Tucker ( January 13, 1884 &ndash February 9, 1966) was a Singer and Comedian, one of the most popular entertainers Harry Lillis “Bing” Crosby ( May 3, 1903 &ndash October 14, 1977) was an Academy Award winning American Popular Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April 25 1917 &ndash June 15 1996 also known as " Lady Ella " and the "First Lady of Song" is considered one of the most influential Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra (December 12 1915 &ndash May 14 1998 was an American singer and actor Samuel George “Sammy” Davis Jr (8 December 1925 &ndash 16 May 1990 was an American Entertainer. Frankie Laine, born Francesco Paolo LoVecchio ( Chicago, March 30, 1913 – San Diego, February 6, 2007) John Alvin Ray ( January 10 1927 &ndash February 24 1990) was an American Singer, Songwriter, and Norman Vaughan may refer to Norman D Vaughan (1905-2005 an American dogsled driver and explorer Norman Vaughan (comedian (1927-2002 a

From 1955-1967 the theatre was the setting for the top-rated ITV variety show Sunday Night at the London Palladium hosted first by Tommy Trinder, then by Bruce Forsyth. Independent Television (generally known as ITV) is a public service network of British commercial television broadcasters set up under the Independent Sunday Night at the London Palladium was a British Television Variety show made by ATV for the ITV network originally Thomas Edward Trinder CBE ( 1909 - 1989) known as Tommy Trinder, was an English stage screen and radio comedian of the pre and Bruce Forsyth, CBE (born Bruce Joseph Forsyth Johnson on 22 February 1928) is a British BAFTA award-winning The programme was broadcast live every week by ATV, which was owned by the famous theatrical impresario Lew Grade. Associated TeleVision Limited, best known simply as ATV, was a British ITV company from 1955 until 1981 Lew Grade Baron Grade (25 December 1906&ndash13 December 1998 born Lev Winogradsky, was an influential Showbusiness Impresario and Television Production was by Val Parnell.

Val Parnell became associated with a property development company and began to sell Moss Empires' theatres for redevelopment. When it became known in 1966 that this fate awaited the London Palladium, The Victoria Palace and even the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, Prince Littler organised a take-over to save the theatres and Val Parnell retired to live in France. The Victoria Palace Theatre is a West End theatre in Victoria Street, in the City of Westminster, opposite Victoria Station. The Theatre Royal Drury Lane is a West End theatre in Covent Garden, in the City of Westminster, a borough of London. Prince Frank Littler CBE (1901-1973 was an influential British Theatre Impresario.

In 1968, Sammy Davis, Jr. starred in Golden Boy, the first book musical to be produced in the venue [1]. Samuel George “Sammy” Davis Jr (8 December 1925 &ndash 16 May 1990 was an American Entertainer. For other uses see Golden Boy. Golden Boy is a musical with a book by Clifford Odets and William Gibson The book musical is a form of musical theater that became the dominant production form during the mid-20th century period that is now considered the "golden age" of the Broadway

Post-Parnell

In January 1973, glam rock band Slade played a gig in the theatre which resulted in the venue's balcony nearly collapsing. Year 1973 ( MCMLXXIII) was a Common year starting on Monday (link will display full calendar of the 1973 Gregorian calendar. Slade are an English Glam rock band Slade were one of the most recognizable acts of the glam rock movement and were at their peak the most commercially popular In 1976, and released in 1977 Marvin Gaye recorded his live concert on a Double LP Entitled Live at the London Palladium in which is considered Gaye at his finest while recording a live album, it also included his number one hit "Got to Give It Up". Marvin Pentz Gay Jr, known as Marvin Gaye ( April 2, 1939 – April 1, 1984) was an American Singer-songwriter Live at the London Palladium is a live Double album by soul musician Marvin Gaye, released March 15, 1977 " Got to Give It Up " is a 1977 hit single recorded by American Soul music legend Marvin Gaye.

In the late 1980s the venue was once again the setting for the popular ITV1 variety show, Live From the Palladium, compered by Jimmy Tarbuck. This article deals with the ITV1 brand name as it is broadcast at present Live From Her Majesty's was a Sunday night variety show which ran on ITV for three seasons from 1982 to 1985 Jimmy Tarbuck OBE is an English comedian and the father of actress and television presenter Liza Tarbuck.

During this time, the theatre was under the ownership of the Stoll Moss Theatres Group.

Really Useful era

In 2000, ownership of the theatre changed once again when it was acquired by Andrew Lloyd Webber's Really Useful Group, and in 2002, the famous (but outdated) revolving stage was removed to make way for more modern technology. Andrew Lloyd Webber Baron Lloyd-Webber (born 22 March 1948 is a British Composer of Musical theatre, the elder son of William Lloyd Webber The Really Useful Group (RUG is an international company set up in 1977 by Andrew Lloyd Webber.

From April 2002 to 4 September 2005, the Palladium played host to a theatrical version of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang with songscore by the Sherman Brothers. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, also known as Chitty the Musical, is a stage musical based on the 1968 film produced by Cubby Broccoli The Sherman Brothers are Academy Award -winning American Songwriters who specialize in Musical films. Throughout its three and a half year run at the venue, the production starred many celebrities (see below). This show proved to be the most successful show to date, in the theatre's long history and reunited, 50 years later, the show's choreographer Gillian Lynne with the theatre in which she appeared as the Palladium's Star Dancer during the early 50s. Gillian Lynne CBE (b February 20 1926 Bromley, Kent, England is a British ballerina dancer actor theatre director, television director

For Christmas 2005-6, the venue staged Bill Kenwright's production of Scrooge - The Musical which closed on 14 January 2006. Bill Kenwright CBE (born 4 September, 1945, in Liverpool, Merseyside, England) is an Actor and Theatrical The show starred Tommy Steele, making a return to the Palladium. Tommy Steele OBE (born 17 December 1936 in London England) is an English entertainer From February 2006, the theatre played host to a new musical production entitled Sinatra At The London Palladium, which featured a live band, large screen projections and dancers performing Frank Sinatra's greatest hits. Francis Albert "Frank" Sinatra (December 12 1915 &ndash May 14 1998 was an American singer and actor

Andrew Lloyd Webber and David Ian's new production of The Sound of Music opened at the Palladium in November 2006. Andrew Lloyd Webber Baron Lloyd-Webber (born 22 March 1948 is a British Composer of Musical theatre, the elder son of William Lloyd Webber The Sound of Music is a musical with music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, and a book by Howard Lindsay Rufus Wainwright held two sold out Judy Garland tribute concerts at the theatre on the 18th and 25th of Febuaray 2007.

On 20 May 2007, the London Palladium was also the setting for the 2007 BAFTA awards, which were broadcast on BBC television. Events 325 - The First Council of Nicaea &ndash the first Ecumenical Council of the Christian Church is held Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA is a British charity that hosts annual awards shows for film television television craft video games and forms of animation Television ( TV) is a widely used Telecommunication medium for sending ( Broadcasting) and receiving moving Images, either monochromatic

Recent and present productions

Trivia

References

  1. ^ English Heritage listing details accessed 28 Apr 2007

External links

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