Summer Stock Comes to the Roosevelt Theater or When Hollywood Stars Came to Beacon.

No movies would be shown at Beacon's Roosevelt Theater during the summer of 1947. That year the Original VanWyck Players, a summer stock company of actors, some from the Broadway stage, had preempted the regular cinema offerings that were to be replaced by established Broadway hits with Hollywood stars appearing on stage in person in the leading roles.

The summer stock season at the Roosevelt was to last ten weeks, each week featuring a new production with a new headlining star. On June 23, 1947, famed actress Gloria Swanson came to Beacon to open the season in "Goose for the Gander." The following weeks saw such Hollywood stars as Conrad Nagel appearing in "The Petrified Forest," and Miriam Hopkins in "There's always Juliet." Other popular stars in Beacon that summer were John Carradine, Zasu Pitts and Edward Everett Horton.

Bringing Hollywood to Beacon was a gamble for Charles Butler, manager and director of the VanWyck Players. Would the community turn out for these shows and pay ticket prices up to $2 for a seat? Apparently so, for the Roosevelt was filled for every performance. Gloria Swanson captured Beacon's attention and proved most popular. On June 23, the Beacon News reported: "Miss Swanson was strictly an eye-catcher as she walked to the theater from the Duchess Hotel where she was registered. Hundreds of pedestrians and motorists paused to gaze at her along the way."

Alas, summer stock in Beacon only lasted that one summer. Cecil Gage of Fishkill wooed the VanWyck Players backed to Fishkill by building the Cecilwood Theater off Route 52 for the 1948 season. The Roosevelt Theater then slipped back from the high culture of Broadway to a regular fare of "B" movies--horror films, budget westerns and sci-fi thrillers ... that is how we older folks best remember the Roosevelt.