Fox Theater
foxtheater.jpg
Approximate size: 5" x 4.75" x .75"
Price: $18.00

History of Fox Theater:

The Fox Theatre is a grand, beautifully ornate, historical theatre that opened on the eve of the Depression as a 5,042 seat movie house and vaudeville theatre. Words cannot adequately describe this magnificent structure. The Fox was painstakingly restored with great attention to detail and re-opened in 1982 as a performance hall for main-line touring attractions. It is know as "The Fabulous Fox"and in every way lives up to this nickname.

William Fox was a theatre promoter, developer, and founder of 20th Century Fox who built the St. Louis Fox Theatre, along with five others, as flagship theatres. Two of these were destroyed in the 1960s as a part of urban renewal. The other three, including the Fox in Saint Louis, have been restored and are fully functioning.

The architect C. Howard Crain, from Detroit, designed the Fox. His skill as a designer of interior spaces is evident in the ingenious lobby and stair layout. Large numbers of theatergoers can move easily through a elaborately decorated labyrinth that gives them unexpected views of the auditorium and foyer.

The fabulous and highly ornate interior design has been labeled as Siamese-Byzantine and includes Moorish, Far Eastern and Indian influences. William Fox‘s wife Eve, was very influential in decorating the interior. She traveled the world looking for decorative ideas for her husband‘s theatres.

The Fox was designated a city landmark in November 1975 and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in October 1976. Even so, it fell into decline and closed in 1978.

In 1981 a newly formed partnership named Fox Associates purchased the Fox Theatre with the goal of restoring it to the 1929 greatness. The furnishings of the interior were restored whenever possible. If restoration was not possible, reproductions were made. A notable example of this was the 7,300 yards of elephant carpet that was reproduced with the original pattern. A modern sound system was installed along with new stage equipment and the mechanical systems were updated.

The newly renovated Fox re-opened in September 1982 and is now used for performances of Broadway musicals, concerts, and other entertainment venues.

Building tours are offered for this treasured, St. Louis landmark and are another "must see" for visitors.