Theater programs -- New York (State) -- Buffalo.
Alfred Lunt and Lynn Fontanne, married Broadway stars, acted in more than 20 productions together. "Reunion in Vienna" at the Erlanger Theatre was one of many times they appeared in Buffalo.
Erlanger Theatre (Buffalo, N.Y.)
Buffalo Theater and Music Program Collection
Buffalo & Erie County Public Library (Publisher of digital)
Sherwood, Robert E. (Robert Emmet), 1896-1955
Lunt, Alfred
Fontanne, Lynn
Gildea, Mary
Wood, Stanley
Watson, Minor, 1889-1965
Theatre Guild
Miner, Worthington, 1900-1982
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Mid-Twentieth Century (1925-1975)
Actress Katharine Cornell was regarded as the "First Lady of the Theatre." Her hometown of Buffalo was the first stop on Cornell’s 1933-34 national tour, and also marked the American stage debut of 18 year-old Orson Welles. This was the first time Cornell and her husband, theater director Guthrie McClintic, participated in a Shakespearean production. The country-wide tour rotated three plays, "Romeo and Juliet," "The Barretts of Wimpole Street," and "Candida".
Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616
Cornell, Katharine, 1893-1974
Rathbone, Basil, 1892-1967
Welles, Orson, 1915-1985
Moran, Francis
Waldron, Charles, 1877-1946
McClintic, Guthrie, 1893-1961
Buffalo actress Katharine Cornell was regarded as the "First Lady of the Theatre." Her performance in Saint Joan was heralded as "magnificent" and "matchless" by local critics.
Shaw, Bernard, 1856-1950
Byron, Arthur, 1872-1943
Aherne, Brian, 1902-1986
Evans, Maurice, 1901-1989
Movie stars Lillian Gish and Burgess Meredith performed in this theatrical production directed by Guthrie McClintic, actress Katharine Cornell's husband. The Erlanger theatre, a successful venue in the 1930s, hosted many talents of stage and screen.
Anderson, Maxwell, 1888-1959
Gish, Lillian, 1893-1993
Meredith, Burgess, 1907-1997
Collins, Russell, 1897-1965
Bissell, Whit, 1909-1996
This production was one of a handful of times Katharine Hepburn appeared in Buffalo. The Erlanger theatre, a successful venue in the 1930s, hosted many talents of stage and screen. Hepburn has other local connections--her maternal grandparents lived here, and her mother, Kit, was born in Buffalo.
Hepburn, Katharine, 1907-2003
Barry, Philip, 1896-1949
Nugent, Elliott, 1896-1980
Kerrigan, J. M. (Joseph M.), 1884-1964
Christie, Audrey
Sinclair, Robert B., 1905-1970
Concert programs -- New York (State) -- Buffalo.
The Guido Chorus was a male choral group of business and professional men, founded by Seth Clark in 1904 and active to 1965. The group was one of many popular singing societies in Buffalo's music history.
Guido Chorus, Buffalo
Spencer, Janet, 1874-1948
Le Breton, Prescott
Clark, Seth (Organist)
Early Twentieth Century (1900-1925)
One of several visits to Buffalo by famed conductor Damrosch and the New York Symphony Orchestra.
Music Hall (Buffalo, N.Y.)
New York Symphony Orchestra
Damrosch, Walter, 1862-1950
Reno, Morris
Pevny, Irene
Brodsky, Adolph, 1851-1929
Buffalo Music Festival Association
Late Nineteenth Century (1850-1900)
Maude Adams was one of the most popular and successful actresses of early 20th century theater. She starred in plays by J.M. Barrie, including Peter Pan and The Little Minister. Buffalo's Star Theatre (W. Genesee and Pearl Streets) was a vibrant theatre venue from 1888 to 1919. The original owner of this program was clearly a fan of Maude Adams, as they clipped magazine photos of her and pasted them inside.
Star Theatre (Buffalo, N.Y.)
Barrie, J. M. (James Matthew), 1860-1937
Adams, Maude, 1872-1953
Johnson, Orrin
Jepson, Eugene, -1908
Jones, W. G.
Irving, George, 1874-1961
Frohman, Charles, 1860-1915
Helena Modjeska was an acclaimed Polish-born actress known for her Shakespearean roles. Buffalo's Star Theatre (W. Genesee and Pearl Streets) was a vibrant theatre venue from 1888 to 1919.
Modjeska, Helena, 1840-1909
Herman, Charles D.
Pratt, Lynn
Lonergan, Lester, 1869-1931
Fielding, Marguerite
Fisher, John C., approximately 1854-1921
Maude Adams was one of the most popular and successful actresses of early 20th century theater. She starred in plays by J.M. Barrie, including Peter Pan and The Little Minister. Buffalo's Star Theatre (W. Genesee and Pearl Streets) was a vibrant theatre venue from 1888 to 1919.
Morries, Mildred
Wren, Jane
Lawford, Ernest E.
Henderson, Grace, 1860-1944
Francoeur, J. M.
The Statler Hotel Ballroom hosted many musical performers, including French composer and conductor Maurice Ravel. Buffalo Morning Express drama critic and playwright Marian de Forest managed the Buffalo Musical Foundation and presented this concert.
Statler Hotel (Buffalo, N.Y.)
Ravel, Maurice, 1875-1937
Torpadie, Greta
Bogue-Laberge Concert Management, Inc
Buffalo Musical Foundation
De Forest, Marian, 1864-1935
Buffalo actress Katharine Cornell was regarded as the "First Lady of the Theatre." Her husband, Guthrie McClintic, directed this production. The Teck Theatre, also known as the Schubert-Teck, was located at 760 Main Street from 1900 to 1934.
Teck Theater (Buffalo, N.Y.)
Barnes, Margaret Ayer, 1886-1967
Sheldon, Edward, 1886-1946
Lister, Francis, 1899-1951
Harvey, Paul, 1882-1955
Bonanova, Fortunio, 1895-1969
Fallows, Ruth
Miller, Gilbert
Actress Rosalind Russell performed as a member of Buffalo's "Teck Players" theater ensemble prior to her movie career. The Teck Theatre, also known as the Schubert-Teck, was located at 760 Main Street from 1900 to 1934.
Scott, Allan, 1906-1995
Russell, Rosalind
Haight, George
Buckler, Hugh
Clarke, John
West, Iris
Temple, Elaine
Liddle, James Whiting
Rosalind Russell performed as a member of Buffalo's "Teck Players" theater ensemble prior to her movie career. The Teck Theatre, also known as the Schubert-Teck, was located at 760 Main Street from 1900 to 1934.
Fletcher, Lawrence, 1904-1970
Meskyl, Kathryn
Paget, Violet
Roland, Frederick
Buffalo drama critic Marian de Forest wrote the first stage play of the novel Little Women. She and Jessie Bonstelle, an actress and theatre manager, received permission from Louisa May Alcott's family to write and stage the story. This production opened to rave reviews and became the hit of the 1912 Broadway season. The Teck Theatre, also known as the Schubert-Teck, was located at 760 Main Street from 1900 to 1934.
Alcott, Louisa May, 1832-1888
Hammond, Lynn
Berkeley, Gertrude
Brady, Alice, 1892-1939
Pavey, Marie
Hulette, Gladys
Brady, William A., 1863-1950
Bonstelle, Jessie
Harrison, Bertram
McCray, Riccardo.
Murderer--New York (State)--Buffalo.
Murder investigation--New York (State)--Buffalo
One of the most horrific crimes in Buffalo history unfolded in the early morning hours of August 14, 2010. A gunman shot four people to death, execution style, and wounded four others. It happened at the City Grill restaurant on Buffalo’s Main Street. The shootings followed an argument inside the restaurant. One of the victims who were shot to death had been celebrating his first wedding anniversary. The gunman escaped, and during the days that followed, many Buffalo inner city residents lived in fear that there would be more bloodshed. Although there were more than a hundred patrons in the restaurant at the time of the shootings, authorities said they were having a hard time locating people willing to cooperate. Buffalo police had arrested a suspect less than 12 hours after the shootings, but he turned out to be the wrong man. Eleven days later, as authorities were closing in on another man who had emerged as the main “person of interest,” 23-year-old Riccardo McCray decided he would rather surrender peacefully than risk a showdown with Buffalo Police. On August 25, 2010, community activists Darnell Jackson and Bishop Perry Davis brought McCray to WIVB-TV studios in North Buffalo. Jackson had contacted the station’s senior correspondent, Rich Newberg, the night before, indicating McCray was seeking a safe haven to surrender. Newberg had a long history of reporting on the struggles of inner city residents, and had provided nightly updates following the City Grill shootings. While McCray waited for his attorney to arrive, Newberg interviewed the suspect, who volunteered the fact that he had been at the City Grill at the time of the shootings, but denied being the shooter. McCray was then peacefully taken into Buffalo Police custody and charged with first and second-degree murder and possession of a weapon. At McCray’s trial, Newberg was called as a witness for the prosecution. His entire interview of McCray was played for the jury in a packed courtroom. McCray was found guilty of first-degree murder, attempted murder and criminal possession of a weapon. He is serving a life sentence without the possibility of parole.
FEATURED REPORTS CITY GRILL MASSACRE RETROSPECTIVE 1. WIVB-TV Anchor/Reporter Dave Greber’s retrospective dating back almost ten years includes footage from the City Grill massacre that had never been made public before. Greber interviews former WIVB-TV Senior Correspondent Rich Newberg who reflects on the day Riccardo McCray was brought to him to surrender. McCray was later convicted of murder, attempted murder, and criminal possession of a weapon. February 17, 2020 (Runs: 6:18) SURRENDER OF RICCARDO MCCRAY 2. Shortly after handling the surrender of Riccardo McCray, the primary suspect in the City Grill shootings, WIVB-TV Senior Correspondent Rich Newberg gave a first hand account of how it all unfolded. It was posted on the WIVB-TV website. Newberg would later testify at McCray’s trial. He was a witness for the prosecution. His entire interview of McCray was played for the jury. August 2010 (Runs: 4:05) FIRST TELEVISED REPORTS OF MCCRAY’S SURRENDER WIVB-TV / News 4 Buffalo August 25, 2010 (Runs: 13:44) 3. Reports begin with “Breaking News” cut-in to programming followed by Rich Newberg’s first reports on McCray’s surrender, McCray being charged with the City Grill shootings, community reaction, and potential use of Newberg’s interview with McCray as evidence by prosecutors. MCCRAY ARRAIGNMENT WIVB-TV / News 4 Buffalo August 26, 2010 (Runs: 2:05) 4. Riccardo McCray is arraigned on charges including murder attempted murder, and weapons possession. EXPERTS REVIEW MCCRAY SURRENDER AND INTERVIEW September 3, 2010 (Runs: 3:00) 5. WIVB-TV Legal Analyst Terry Connors and former New York State Attorney General Dennis Vacco review the video showing the McCray surrender and interview. They believe the interview by Rich Newberg could be used in court. RICH NEWBERG TESTIFIES AT MCCRAY TRIAL (March 25, 2011) (Runs: 2:32) 6. WIVB-TV Investigative Reporter Luke Moretti reports on Rich Newberg’s testimony in court as a witness for the prosecution. Newberg said his role was to obtain information from McCray who chose to answer all the questions that were raised and denied being the shooter. REPORT ON JURY DELIBERATIONS (March 31, 2011) (Runs: 3:22) 7. WIVB-TV reporter Laurie Schultz says jurors wanted to review the testimony of the getaway car driver. She then shows excerpts of closing arguments by the prosecution and defense. Her report includes surveillance video of the shootings used as evidence in McCray’s trial. MCCRAY FOUND GUILTY (3/31/2011) (Report Aired: April 1, 2011) (Runs: 2:23) 8. After seven hours of deliberations, the jury finds Riccardo McCray guilty of three counts of first degree murder and several counts of attempted murder in the first degree. Prosecutors believe the surveillance video was powerful evidence in the trial. McCray never took the stand and there were no witnesses who testified in his behalf. MCCRAY SENTENCING (June 2, 2011) (Runs: 2:59) 9. Riccardo McCray receives the maximum sentence of life without parole. WIVB-TV reporter George Richert shows courtroom video of victims’ family members emotionally telling the judge the impact of McCray’s actions on their lives and the lives of their loved ones. McCray killed and wounded his victims by firing 10 shots within 17 seconds. McCray stood up during sentencing and once again declared that he wasn’t the shooter. Upon passing sentence, Erie County Judge Sheila Di’Tullio told McCray, “You’re a thug and you’re a murderer and you’re a person with no remorse and no conscience. Quite simply, Riccardo McCray, you take a life and you get life.” [42:05 —Total running time for segments 1 though 9] COVERAGE OF CITY GRILL MASSACRE RICH NEWBERG REPORTS (August - September 2010) (Runs: 1:09:16) 10. Comprehensive series of reports beginning with the morning of the shootings at the City Grill in downtown Buffalo and ending with the surrender of Riccardo McCray to Senior Correspondent Rich Newberg at WIVB-TV studios. [1:09:16 — Total running time for these reports] [1:51:34 — Total running time for 1 through 10]
Newberg, Rich (Writer, Reporter)
Mombrea, Mike Jr. (Photographer, editor)
Woodson, Paul (Photographer)
Ersing, Rich (Photographer)
WIVB (Television Station: Buffalo, N.Y.)
Buffalo & Erie County Public Library (publisher of digital)
2010-08-14 (Shootings take place) 2010-08-25 (McCray surrenders) 2011-03-31 (Found Guilty) 2011-06-02 (Sentenced to life without parole)
Murphy, Kurt (Graphic Artist)
Copyright held by WIVB-TV. Access to this digital version provided by the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library. Videos or images in this collection are not to be used for any commercial purposes without the expressed written permission of WIVB-TV and the Buffalo & Erie County Public Library. Users of this website are free to utilize material from this collection for non-commercial and educational purposes.
Dwyer, Cynthia.
Iran Hostage Crisis, 1979-1981.
On April 10, 1980, Cynthia Dwyer, a 49 year old wife and mother of three young children, decided to travel to Iran to learn more about the revolution that had toppled the Shah, and to find out anything new about 52 people from the American Embassy in Tehran who had been taken hostage on November 4, 1979 by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. Mrs. Dwyer, a freelance writer and book editor, had obtained an Erie County Sheriff’s press card and had a long history of taking up causes of the underdog. Despite warnings that travel to Iran could be dangerous, she made the journey, only to be arrested on May 5th, 1980 and charged with being a spy for the CIA. She may have been set up for arrest by possible agents of the revolutionary government who had spoken to her of a plan to free five American hostages separated from the larger group. There had earlier been an aborted U.S. rescue attempt that ended with a helicopter crash and the loss of eight American service personnel. Inside the notorious Evin Prison in Tehran, Mrs. Dwyer said she was subjected to about 50 hours of interrogation. She was quoted as saying she “heard executions of many Iranians accused of treason.” She later said she had lived in “constant fear of death” during her nine months of incarceration. On February 4, 1980, two weeks after the 52 hostages were released, Cynthia Dwyer was tried and convicted of espionage. She had been denied a lawyer and called the proceedings a “kangaroo trial…complete nonsense.” However, five days later, thanks, in part, to intervention by the Swiss government, Mrs. Dwyer was released by the Ayatollah Khomeini and expelled from Iran. She arrived at Kennedy Airport in New York on February 11, 1981 and was immediately reunited with her family. Her husband, John Dwyer, Chairman of the English Department at Buffalo State College, had kept Cynthia’s story in the headlines. WIVB-TV news reporter Rich Newberg had established a trusted relationship with the family and provided Buffalo, CNN, and CBS Newsfeed with updates during Mrs. Dwyer’s ten-month odyssey.
Yearke, Don (Photographer)
Buffalo philanthropist Maria Love and her sister Elizabeth ("Libbie") occasionally starred in amateur theatre productions. Mrs. R. R. Cornell is May Fielding, a Buffalo actress who went on to have a successful Broadway career.
Buffalo Academy of Music
Craven, H. T. (Henry Thornton), 1818-1905
Love, Maria M. (Maria Maltby), 1840-1931
Love, Libbie
Fielding, May
Davis, Townsend
Spencer, E. A.
The Federal Music Project (FMP) was part of the New Deal/Works Progress Administration program to employ musicians, conductors and composers during the Great Depression. Conductor Franco Autori joined the FMP and came to Buffalo in 1936, where he worked with the burgeoning Buffalo Philharmonic.
Elmwood Music Hall (Buffalo, N.Y.)
Federal Music Project (U.S.)
United States. Works Progress Administration
Autori, Franco, 1903-1990
Maier, Guy, 1892-1956
The Buffalo Orpheus, a German singing society, was established in 1869 by former members of the Buffalo Liedertafel chorus. German musician John Lund came to Buffalo in 1887 and became an integral part of the musical community. He conducted several local groups, including the Buffalo Orpheus and the Buffalo Symphony Orchestra, and the Buffalo Municipal Orchestra.
Buffalo Orpheus
Lund, John, 1859-1925
Buffalo Symphony Orchestra (est.1892)
Stein, Gertrude May
Ripley, Stewart
Suerth, Paul
Macconnell, Marie F.
deu