Thomas W. Lamb
Encyclopedia
Thomas White Lamb was an American architect
, born in Scotland. He is noted as one of the foremost designers of theaters
and cinemas
in the 20th century.
school in New York and initially worked for the City of New York as an inspector. His architecture firm, Thomas W. Lamb, Inc., was located at 36 West 40th Street in Manhattan, New York.
Lamb achieved recognition as one of the leading architects of the boom in movie theater
construction of the 1910s and 1920s. Particularly associated with the Fox Theatres, Loew's Theatres
and Keith-Albee chains of vaudeville and film theaters, Lamb was instrumental in establishing and developing the design and construction of the large, lavishly decorated theaters, known as "movie palaces", as showcases for the films of the emerging Hollywood studios. His first theater design was the City Theatre, built in New York in 1909 for film mogul William Fox
. His designs for the 1914 Mark Strand Theatre, the 1916 Rialto Theatre and the 1917 Rivoli Theatre, all in New York's Times Square, set the template for what would become the American movie palace. Another early design was the Pantages Theatre
in downtown Toronto, opened in 1920.
Among his most notable theaters are the 1929 Fox Theatre in San Francisco and the 1919 Capitol Theatre
in New York, both now demolished. Among his most noted designs that have been preserved and restored are the B.F. Keith Memorial Theatre in Boston (1928) (now the Boston Opera House
), Warner's Hollywood Theatre
(1930) in New York (now a church), and the Loew's Ohio Theatre (1928) in Columbus, Ohio. The Cinema Treasures website, which documents the history of film theaters, lists 174 theaters designed by Lamb's company.
Aside from movie theaters, Lamb is noted for designing (with Joseph Urban
) New York's
Ziegfeld Theatre
, a legitimate theater, as well as the third Madison Square Garden (1925)
and the Paramount Hotel
in midtown Manhattan.
Lamb died in 1942 in New York City at the age of 71. His architectural archive is held by the Drawings and Archives Department of Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library
at Columbia University
.
. The house, which is still extant as a residence, is situated on the Boquet River. The eight-bedroom manor, referred to today as Cobble Mountain Lodge, is a shingle and cobble stone design marked by the whimsy of a stone turret.
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
, born in Scotland. He is noted as one of the foremost designers of theaters
Theater (structure)
A theater or theatre is a structure where theatrical works or plays are performed or other performances such as musical concerts may be produced. While a theater is not required for performance , a theater serves to define the performance and audience spaces...
and cinemas
Movie theater
A movie theater, cinema, movie house, picture theater, film theater is a venue, usually a building, for viewing motion pictures ....
in the 20th century.
Career
Born in Dundee, Scotland, Thomas W. Lamb came to the United States at the age of 12. He studied architecture at the Cooper UnionCooper Union
The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art, commonly referred to simply as Cooper Union, is a privately funded college in the East Village neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City, United States, located at Cooper Square and Astor Place...
school in New York and initially worked for the City of New York as an inspector. His architecture firm, Thomas W. Lamb, Inc., was located at 36 West 40th Street in Manhattan, New York.
Lamb achieved recognition as one of the leading architects of the boom in movie theater
Movie theater
A movie theater, cinema, movie house, picture theater, film theater is a venue, usually a building, for viewing motion pictures ....
construction of the 1910s and 1920s. Particularly associated with the Fox Theatres, Loew's Theatres
Loews Cineplex Entertainment
Loews Theatres, aka Loews Incorporated , founded in 1904 by Marcus Loew and Brantford Schwartz, was the oldest theater chain operating in North America until it merged with AMC Theatres on January 26, 2006. From 1924 until 1959, it was also the parent company of Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios. The...
and Keith-Albee chains of vaudeville and film theaters, Lamb was instrumental in establishing and developing the design and construction of the large, lavishly decorated theaters, known as "movie palaces", as showcases for the films of the emerging Hollywood studios. His first theater design was the City Theatre, built in New York in 1909 for film mogul William Fox
William Fox
William Fox may refer to:* William Fox , Irish international footballer active in the 1880s.* William Fox , Paymaster of the Forces of England* William Johnson Fox , British politician* William F...
. His designs for the 1914 Mark Strand Theatre, the 1916 Rialto Theatre and the 1917 Rivoli Theatre, all in New York's Times Square, set the template for what would become the American movie palace. Another early design was the Pantages Theatre
Canon Theatre
-History:The Canon Theatre began as the Pantages Theatre in 1920 as a combination vaudeville and motion picture house. Designed by the great theatre architect Thomas W. Lamb, it was the largest cinema in Canada and one of the most elegant.The Pantages was built by the Canadian motion picture...
in downtown Toronto, opened in 1920.
Among his most notable theaters are the 1929 Fox Theatre in San Francisco and the 1919 Capitol Theatre
Capitol Theatre (New York City)
The Capitol Theatre was a movie palace located at 1645 Broadway, just north of Times Square in New York City, across from the Winter Garden Theatre. Designed by Thomas W. Lamb, the Capitol seated 4000 and opened October 24, 1919. It was one of the first of the large lavish movie theaters that...
in New York, both now demolished. Among his most noted designs that have been preserved and restored are the B.F. Keith Memorial Theatre in Boston (1928) (now the Boston Opera House
Boston Opera House (1980)
The Boston Opera House is a performing arts venue located at 538 Washington St. in Boston, Massachusetts. Originally built as a movie palace, it opened on October 29, 1928 and was rededicated in 1980 as a home for the Opera Company of Boston...
), Warner's Hollywood Theatre
Mark Hellinger Theatre
The Mark Hellinger Theatre is a generally used name of a former legitimate Broadway theater, located at 237 West 51st Street in midtown Manhattan, New York City. Since 1991, it has been known as the Times Square Church...
(1930) in New York (now a church), and the Loew's Ohio Theatre (1928) in Columbus, Ohio. The Cinema Treasures website, which documents the history of film theaters, lists 174 theaters designed by Lamb's company.
Aside from movie theaters, Lamb is noted for designing (with Joseph Urban
Joseph Urban
Joseph Urban Born in Vienna, Austria, died in New York City, trained as an architect, known also for his theatrical design and his early illustrations of children's books....
) New York's
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
Ziegfeld Theatre
Ziegfeld Theatre
The Ziegfeld Theatre was a Broadway theater located at the intersection of Sixth Avenue and 54th Street in Manhattan, New York City. It was built in 1927 and, despite public protests, was razed in 1966....
, a legitimate theater, as well as the third Madison Square Garden (1925)
Madison Square Garden (1925)
Madison Square Garden was an indoor arena in New York City, the third of that name. It was built in 1925 and closed in 1968, and was located on Eighth Avenue between 49th and 50th Streets in Manhattan on the site of the city's trolley car barns. It was the first Garden that was not located near...
and the Paramount Hotel
Paramount hotel
The Hotel Paramount in New York City is a hotel located at 235 West 46th Street, to the west of Broadway. Designed by Thomas W. Lamb, construction was completed in 1928. In 1988, the hotel was closed for an 18-month remodelling project. In 1990, the hotel, under the ownership of Ian Schrager and...
in midtown Manhattan.
Lamb died in 1942 in New York City at the age of 71. His architectural archive is held by the Drawings and Archives Department of Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library
Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library
The Avery Architectural and Fine Arts Library is one of twenty-five libraries in the Columbia University Library System and is located in Avery Hall on the Morningside Heights campus of Columbia University in the City of New York. It is the largest architecture library in the world...
at Columbia University
Columbia University
Columbia University in the City of New York is a private, Ivy League university in Manhattan, New York City. Columbia is the oldest institution of higher learning in the state of New York, the fifth oldest in the United States, and one of the country's nine Colonial Colleges founded before the...
.
John J. McNamara
During the last ten years of his practice, Lamb's associate was the architect John J. McNamara. After Lamb's death, McNamara continued as an architect of theaters under his own name. McNamara was responsible for renovating some of Lamb's older New York theaters, and among his original designs was one for the 1969 Ziegfeld Theatre in Manhattan, which replaced Lamb's original building.Selected theater designs
- United StatesUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
-
- Academy of Music, New York City, 1927 (later became the Palladium nightclub)
- B.F. Keith Memorial TheatreBoston Opera House (1980)The Boston Opera House is a performing arts venue located at 538 Washington St. in Boston, Massachusetts. Originally built as a movie palace, it opened on October 29, 1928 and was rededicated in 1980 as a home for the Opera Company of Boston...
, Boston, Massachusetts, 1928 - Capitol TheatreCapitol Theatre (New York City)The Capitol Theatre was a movie palace located at 1645 Broadway, just north of Times Square in New York City, across from the Winter Garden Theatre. Designed by Thomas W. Lamb, the Capitol seated 4000 and opened October 24, 1919. It was one of the first of the large lavish movie theaters that...
, New York City, 1919 - Capitol TheaterCapitol Theater (Port Chester, New York)Capitol Theater is a historic movie theater located at Port Chester, Westchester County, New York. It was designed by noted theater architect Thomas W. Lamb and built in 1926. It consists of two parts: a two story section containing three storefronts, the theater entrance, and second story office...
, Port Chester, New YorkPort Chester, New YorkPort Chester is a village in Westchester County, New York, United States. The village is part of the town of Rye. As of the 2010 census, Port Chester had a population of 28,967...
, 1926 - Cort TheatreCort TheatreThe Cort Theatre is a legitimate Broadway theatre located at 138 West 48th Street in the Theatre District of midtown Manhattan in New York City...
, New York City, 1912 - Fox TheatreFox Theatre (San Francisco)The Fox Theatre was a 4,651 seat movie palace located at 1350 Market Street in San Francisco, California. It was designed by the noted theater architect, Thomas W. Lamb...
, San Francisco, California, 1929 - Hanover Theatre for the Performing ArtsHanover Theatre for the Performing ArtsThe Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts in Worcester, Massachusetts, United States was originally built in 1904 as the Franklin Square Theatre regularly scheduling burlesque shows, Broadway touring shows and headline acts transitioning to showing silent films by 1912 when vaudeville magnate...
, Worcester, Massachusetts, 1927 - HippodromeNew York HippodromeThe Hippodrome Theatre, also called the New York Hippodrome, was a theatre in New York City from 1905 to 1939, located on Sixth Avenue between 43rd and 44th Streets in the Theater District of Midtown Manhattan. It was called the world's largest theatre by its builders and had a seating capacity of...
, New York CityNew York CityNew York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, 1923 redesign - Keith-Albee TheatreKeith-Albee TheatreKeith-Albee is a theatre located along Fourth Avenue in downtown Huntington, West Virginia in the United States of America. The Keith-Albee was named after the Keith-Albee-Orpheum Corporation, one of the leading vaudeville performance chains at that time, to convince the directors of...
, Huntington, West Virginia, 1928 - Landmark TheatreLandmark Theatre (Syracuse, New York)The Landmark Theatre, originally known as Loew's State Theater, is an historic theater from the era of "movie palaces", located on South Salina Street in Syracuse, New York, United States. Designed by Thomas W. Lamb, it is the city's only surviving example of the opulent theatrical venues of the...
, originally Loew's State Theatre, Syracuse, New York, 1928 - Loew's 72nd Street Theatre, New York City, 1930
- Loew's Grand TheatreLoew's Grand TheatreLoew's Grand Theater, originally DeGive's Grand Opera House, was a movie theater at the corner of Peachtree and Forsyth Streets in downtown Atlanta, Georgia, in the United States...
, Atlanta, 1932 - Loew's State Theatre, Times SquareTimes SquareTimes Square is a major commercial intersection in the borough of Manhattan in New York City, at the junction of Broadway and Seventh Avenue and stretching from West 42nd to West 47th Streets...
, New York City, 1924 - Madison Square GardenMadison Square GardenMadison Square Garden, often abbreviated as MSG and known colloquially as The Garden, is a multi-purpose indoor arena in the New York City borough of Manhattan and located at 8th Avenue, between 31st and 33rd Streets, situated on top of Pennsylvania Station.Opened on February 11, 1968, it is the...
, New York City, 1925 - Madison Theater, Albany NY 1928
- RKO Keith's TheaterRKO Keith's Theater (Flushing, New York)RKO Keith's Theater is a historic RKO Pictures movie theater located in the Flushing section of the New York City borough of Queens. It was designed by noted theater architect Thomas W. Lamb and built in 1928. It has a plain three story exterior facade, but the auditorium interior was once...
, Flushing, QueensFlushing, QueensFlushing, founded in 1645, is a neighborhood in the north central part of the City of New York borough of Queens, east of Manhattan.Flushing was one of the first Dutch settlements on Long Island. Today, it is one of the largest and most diverse neighborhoods in New York City...
, New York - The Majestic Theatre, Bridgeport, Connecticut
- Mark Hellinger TheatreMark Hellinger TheatreThe Mark Hellinger Theatre is a generally used name of a former legitimate Broadway theater, located at 237 West 51st Street in midtown Manhattan, New York City. Since 1991, it has been known as the Times Square Church...
, New York City, 1930 - Mark Strand TheaterMark Strand TheaterThe Mark Strand Theatre, also called the Strand Theatre, was an early movie palace located at 1579 Broadway,at the northwest corner of 47th Street and Broadway in Times Square, New York City. Opened in 1914, the theater was later known as the Warner Theatre and the Cinerama Theatre...
, New York City, 1914 - Maryland Theater, Hagerstown, 1915
- Midland TheatreMidland TheatreThe Midland Theatre is a 3,573-seat theater located in the Power & Light District of Kansas City, Missouri, USA.The National Collegiate Athletic Association under Walter Byers had its headquarters in the building from the 1950s until it moved to 6299 Nall Avenue at Shawnee Mission Parkway in...
, Kansas City, Missouri, 1927 - Municipal AuditoriumBoutwell Memorial AuditoriumThe Boutwell Memorial Auditorium is a 5,000-seat multi-purpose arena in Birmingham, Alabama, USA. It was built in 1924, as Birmingham's Municipal Auditorium, on a site near City Hall, facing Capitol Park ....
, Birmingham, Alabama, 1924 - Ohio Theatre, Playhouse Square, Cleveland, Ohio, 1921
- Ohio Theatre, Columbus, Ohio, 1928
- Orpheum TheatreOrpheum Theatre (Boston, Massachusetts)The Orpheum Theatre is a music venue located at 1 Hamilton Place in Boston, Massachusetts. One of the oldest theaters in the United States, it was built in 1852 and was originally known as the Boston Music Hall, the original home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. The concert hall was converted for...
, Boston, Massachusetts - Palace Theatre, Bridgeport, Connecticut (now defunct, with renovations starting).
- Palace Theatre (Columbus, Ohio)Palace Theatre (Columbus, Ohio)The Palace Theatre is a 2,827-seat restored movie palace located at 34 W. Broad Street in Columbus Ohio. It was designed by Thomas W. Lamb and was built in 1926 as a part of the American Insurance Union Citadel complex. Today the theater functions as a multi-use performing arts venue...
, 1926 - Pitkin Theatre, Brooklyn NY, 1928
- Pythian TemplePythian Temple (New York City)The Pythian Temple is an historic Knights of Pythias building at 135 West 70th Street between Columbus Avenue and Broadway in the Lincoln Square neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City. It was built in 1927 to serve as a meeting place for the 120 Pythian lodges of New York City...
, Manhattan, 1927, the spacious theater the building once housed is gone; the facade remains. - Palace TheatreStamford Center for the ArtsThe Stamford Center for the Arts in downtown Stamford, Connecticut, USA, actually consists of two facilities on Atlantic Street: the restored Palace Theatre, and the Rich Forum, both within four blocks of each other:-Performance and other facilities:...
, Stamford, Connecticut, 1927 - Proctor's TheatreProctor's TheatreProctor's Theatre is a former vaudeville house located in Schenectady, New York, United States. Many famous artists have performed there, notably Mariah Carey , Britney Spears, Hal Holbrook, Ted Wiles, and George Burns, as well as many others...
, Schenectady, New York, 1926 - Regent TheatreRegent TheatreThe Regent Theatre is the name of several theatres in various cities.These include the following:-In Australia:*The Regent Theatre in Ballarat, now home to Regent Cinemas*The Regent Theatre *The Regent Theatre, Melbourne...
, New York City, 1913 - Rivoli Theatre, New York City, 1917
- RKO Proctor's 59th Street Theatre, Manhattan, NY, 1928
- RKO Proctor's 86th Street Theatre, Manhattan, NY, 1927
- RKO Keith's Theatre, Flushing, New York, 1928
- Stanley Theater (Utica, New York), 1928
- Strand Theater, Lakewood, NJ
- State Palace Theatre (New Orleans, Louisiana)State Palace Theatre (New Orleans, Louisiana)State Palace Theatre is a performing arts venue located in New Orleans, Louisiana. Constructed in 1926 for the Loew's Theatre circuit, it had a seating capacity of 3,335 and also contained a 3/13 Robert Morton organ....
, Canal Street, New Orleans, Louisiana, 1926 - State Theatre, Playhouse Square, Cleveland, Ohio, 1920
- State Theatre (New Brunswick, New Jersey), 1921
- State Theatre Center for the Arts, Uniontown, Pennsylvania, 1922
- Tivoli Theatre, Washington, DC, 1924
- United Palace TheaterUnited Palace TheaterThe United Palace Theater, originally known as Loew's 175th Street Theatre, is a church and live music venue located at 175th Street and Broadway in Washington Heights in New York City.-History:...
, New York City (originally Loew's 175th Street Theater), 1930 - Victoria TheaterVictoria Theater (New York City)Located on 125th Street in Harlem, New York City, the Victoria Theater was designed in 1917 by Thomas W. Lamb, a notable and prolific theater architect of the era, for the Loew’s Corporation....
, New York City, 1917 - Warner TheatreWarner Theatre (Torrington, Connecticut)The Warner Theatre is an Art-Deco style movie palace located at 68-82 Main Street in Torrington, Connecticut. It opened on August 19, 1931 as part of the Warner Bros. chain of movie theaters. Today it operates as a mixed-use performing arts center...
, Torrington, Connecticut, 1931 - Ziegfeld TheatreZiegfeld TheatreThe Ziegfeld Theatre was a Broadway theater located at the intersection of Sixth Avenue and 54th Street in Manhattan, New York City. It was built in 1927 and, despite public protests, was razed in 1966....
, New York City (with Joseph UrbanJoseph UrbanJoseph Urban Born in Vienna, Austria, died in New York City, trained as an architect, known also for his theatrical design and his early illustrations of children's books....
), 1927 - Ridgewood Theatre, Ridgewood, New York
- CanadaCanadaCanada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
-
- Capitol Theatre and Arts Centre, Windsor 1920; later as arts centre (now closed)
- Uptown TheatreUptown Theatre (Toronto)The Uptown Theatre was a historic movie theatre in Toronto, Ontario which was demolished in 2003. The entrance to the theatre was located on Yonge Street just south of Bloor. Like many theatres of the time it was constructed so that only the entrance was on a major thoroughfare while the main...
, Toronto 1920; demolished 2003 - Capitol Theatre, Hamilton 1920, all but lobby demolished 1973
- IndiaIndiaIndia , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
- Metro Cinema, MumbaiMumbaiMumbai , formerly known as Bombay in English, is the capital of the Indian state of Maharashtra. It is the most populous city in India, and the fourth most populous city in the world, with a total metropolitan area population of approximately 20.5 million...
1938
- Metro Cinema, Mumbai
Residential Architecture
In 1920, Lamb designed for himself a private summer home in the Adirondacks in the village of Elizabethtown, New YorkElizabethtown, New York
Elizabethtown is a town in Essex County, New York, United States. The population was 1,315 at the 2000 census. The county seat of Essex County is a hamlet also called Elizabethtown. The name is derived from Elizabeth Gilliland, the wife of an early settler....
. The house, which is still extant as a residence, is situated on the Boquet River. The eight-bedroom manor, referred to today as Cobble Mountain Lodge, is a shingle and cobble stone design marked by the whimsy of a stone turret.
External links
- Cinema Treasures' List of theatres designed by Thomas W. Lamb.
- Theatre Historical Society of America
- Gray, Christopher, Streetscapes: Thomas W. Lamb’s Theaters, An Architect for Stage and Screen, Wired New York, October 5, 2008