A Titanic survivor, the Tonight Show and porn

March 29, 2017 7:49 AM

The New York Post covers the history of the recently re-opened Hudson Theatre on Broadway.
posted by roomthreeseventeen (12 comments total)

It's a beautiful restoration, and I think the Harrises would be pleased to see it come back to life.
posted by easily confused at 8:29 AM on March 29, 2017

A beautiful restoration for sure but I need to know more about the several generations of the Breen family that squatted in the huge apartment upstairs for 50 years.
posted by chococat at 8:48 AM on March 29, 2017 [3 favorites]

A Titanic survivor, the Tonight Show and porn

What is a sinker, a stinker, and a winker?
posted by Greg_Ace at 8:57 AM on March 29, 2017 [15 favorites]

[obsequiously heart laugh] YES! You are correct, sir!
posted by entropicamericana at 9:08 AM on March 29, 2017 [7 favorites]

I worked in this building when the Hotel Macklowe was being built. Macklowe used it for the construction offices. The mysterious Mrs. Breen was still living upstairs and was treated with the utmost courtesy. Only a few people had any interactions with her so the rest of us sometimes wondered if she actually existed. There were plans then to restore the theater after the hotel was finished - always wondered what happened.
posted by lagomorphius at 9:49 AM on March 29, 2017

In response to people's interest in the Breens, which I shared, there is an interesting story. Read this summary on the digital page for Robert Breen's fonds at the George Mason University Library. It includes info about his wife Wilva and their own contribution to the NYC theatre scene.
posted by westmorelander at 9:59 AM on March 29, 2017 [1 favorite]

I remember the Hudson when it had live sex BD/SM shows.
posted by Splunge at 10:08 AM on March 29, 2017

"Squatted" appears to be the NY Post's unsurprisingly pro-landlord spin on it. Given they won every legal battle involved, and Robert Breen didn't die until 1990 (I couldn't find when his wife died on a quick google), it appears that stripped of NYPostese, it's "the Breen family were the legal tenants up until the 1990s".
posted by tavella at 11:39 AM on March 29, 2017

Turns out Wilva Breen didn't die until 2003 so yes, "squatted" is NYPostese for 'dared to annoy a landlord by having an favorable lease and not giving it up'.
posted by tavella at 11:47 AM on March 29, 2017

They plastered over the Tiffany mosaics.

WHO DOES THAT?
posted by The Underpants Monster at 2:14 PM on March 29, 2017 [1 favorite]

A Titanic survivor, the Tonight Show and porn

What is a sinker, a stinker, and a winker?

A soaker. A joker. A midnight stroker.
posted by Kabanos at 2:56 PM on March 29, 2017 [10 favorites]

I was there, literally yesterday. It's beautiful. You should also see the revival of Sunday in the Park with George which is quite moving.
posted by aureliobuendia at 8:44 AM on March 30, 2017