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backward glances by Louis Botto WHAT'S IN A NAME? "Can you please tell me what a Lunt is?" That rather odd question was once asked of Wallace Munro, Director of Planned Giving at the Actors Fund of America, by an out-of-towner who had just seen a show at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre. While the playgoer was somewhat less than savvy about one of the theatre's greatest acting duos, it's not unusual for theatergoers to wonder about theatre names whose origins may not be quite as obvious. Who was Martin Beck? From where did the Broadhurst or the Cort get their names? What follows is a brief review of some of the theatre folk and theatre lovers whose names grace Broadway marquees. The Lunts, of course, were Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne, the leading husband-wife acting team of the American Theatre from the 1920's to 1960. In 1958 they were honored by the City Investment Company when it bought the former Globe Theatre on W. 46th St., beautifully restored it and renamed it the Lunt-Fontanne. The Lunts opened there on May 5, 1958 in one of their greatest hits - Friedrich Duerrenmatt's The Visit. It was their last appearance on Broadway. The theatre is now owned by the Nederlander Organization. Other actors who have had theatres named for them are Ethel Barrymore, Helen Hayes and Edwin Booth. Esteemed drama critics Brooks Atkinson and Walter Kerr - who were both critics for The New York Times - received similar honor. The Shubert Theatre was built in 1913 by Lee and J.J. Shubert as a memorial to their brother Sam, who died in a train crash in 1905. It is still owned by the Shubert Organization. In 1924 vaudeville mogul Martin Beck built the house that bears his name. It had two distinctions: It was the only theatre in America built in the Byzantine style, and - being just west of Eighth Ave. - it was located farther west than any other Broadway house. It is now a Jujamcyn Theatre. John Cort, a West Coast theatre impresario who came East, built the Cort Theatre in 1912 in the style of Louis XVI. He opened it on Dec. 20, 1912 with the great Laurette Taylor in Peg o' My Heart, which ran for 607 performances - the longest run of any dramatic play up to that time. The Cort is now a Shubert Organization theatre. Another playwright-producer, George Broadhurst, opened the Broadhurst Theatre with the Shubert Brothers in 1917. In 1921, Broadhurst presented his own play here: Tarzan of the Apes featured live lions and monkeys onstage and lasted 13 performances. The Broadhurst is still a prime Shubert house. Actor/producer/playwright/director Henry Miller opened his theatre on W. 43rd St. in 1918, and for many years, under his management and that of his son Gilbert, the house was a glittering success. In later years it deteriorated into a porno house, a disco and a supper theatre until it presented the hit revival of Cabaret in 1997. It now houses the hit musical Urinetown. Other theatres that are named for playwrights include the Eugene O'Neill, the David Belasco and the Neil Simon. Two theatres are named for composers - the Richard Rodgers and the Gershwin, for George and his brother Ira, lyricist. The Virginia Theatre is named for Virginia M. Binger, who with her husband owns the Jujamcyn Theatres; the Vivian Beaumont was named for the prominent New York philanthropist who financed its building. Perhaps the most curious theatre of all was named for the famed female impersonator Julian Eltinge. When it opened on 42nd St. in 1912, it featured seats in three sizes. When you ordered tickets you could specify if the seats were for fat, medium or skinny patrons. One wonders what happened when a fat man took a skinny lady to a show. [[advertisement]] GO BACKSTAGE WITH THE ON-LINE PLAYBILL THEATRE CLUB PRESENTED BY AMERICAN EXPRESS Over 290,000 theatre-lovers are already enjoying special access to our year-round selection of: - Theatre tickets - Travel packages - Theatrical memorabilia, - And much more ... All at substantial savings! JOIN TODAY PLAYBILL.COM AOL Keyword: Playbill AMERICAN EXPRESS CARDS AMERICAN EXPRESS IS THE OFFICIAL CARD OF PLAYBILL ON-LINE [[/advertisement]]
