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39-475: John Elitch and Mary Elitch Long first opened Elitch Gardens on May 1, 1890, with animals, bands, flowers and an open-air theatre where Mayor Londoner of Denver spoke. Inspired by Shakespeare 's Globe Theatre , the first shows were vaudeville acts by accomplished local and national performers. In 1891 the theatre was enclosed and rebuilt for $ 100,000. The Boston Opera Company performed musicals, and light opera starting with The Pirates of Penzance . In 1893

78-650: A car crash in Colorado on July 6, 1972. Andre Brandon deWilde was the son of Frederic A. "Fritz" deWilde and Eugenia (née Wilson) deWilde. Fritz deWilde was the only son of Dutch immigrants, who changed their surname from Neitzel-de Wilde to deWilde when they emigrated to the United States. He was a descendant of the Dutch merchant and seigneur Andries de Wilde , who was married to Cornelia Henrica Neitzel. Fritz deWilde became an actor and Broadway production stage manager. Eugenia

117-552: A magician saw a woman in half at a carnival, Hugo emulates the trick and kills a woman by sawing her in half. The episode never aired on NBC because the finale was deemed too gruesome by 1960s television standards. The following year, deWilde appeared in All Fall Down , opposite Warren Beatty and Eva Marie Saint , and in Martin Ritt 's Hud (1963), co-starring with Paul Newman , Patricia Neal and Melvyn Douglas . Although

156-443: A recording session. ISB guitarist John Nuese claimed that deWilde sang harmony with Parsons better than anyone except Emmylou Harris . Bassist Ian Dunlop wrote, "The lure of getting a record out was tugging hard at Brandon." Parsons and Harris later co-wrote a song titled "In My Hour of Darkness", the first verse of which refers to the car crash that killed deWilde. DeWilde was married twice and had one son. His first marriage

195-515: A restaurant. At church, John met a young Mary Elizabeth Hauck and he courted her with daily notes delivered to her by her 10-year-old brother, Edward. Elitch eventually sent a note stating, "I'm going to San Francisco for a job; will you marry me when I come for you?" Mary sent a note back saying "Yes." Mary knew her father would not consent, so in May 1872 the couple eloped and were married in San Jose. She

234-536: A theatrical family in Brooklyn , he debuted on Broadway at the age of seven and became a national phenomenon by the time he completed his 492 performances for The Member of the Wedding . He won a Donaldson Award for his performance, becoming the youngest actor to win one, and starred in the subsequent film adaptation for which he won a Golden Globe Award . DeWilde is best known for his performance as Joey Starrett in

273-450: The 400 balcony seats is part of Phase 5. Fundraising continues for interior renovations, including the need for theatre rigging, lighting, sound, etc. The plan is to reopen as a multimedia performing arts complex for the community offering education, film, live music, and theatre. *** Brandon deWilde died in motor vehicle accident in Lakewood, Colorado, days after his final performance at

312-529: The Conejos Range in Colorado to reach the booming town of Durango, Colorado before the train tracks were laid. He opened a very successful restaurant there that he sold to return to Denver, Colorado . In 1884, Elitch was working at restaurants downtown and he became friends with many of Denver's civic leaders and he was one of the founders of the Denver Athletic Club . "On August 6, 1886, he opened

351-520: The Elitch Palace Dining Room, located at 1541 Arapahoe Street. The dining room was the largest in Denver, comfortably seating two hundred persons." After five years of searching, in 1887 John and Mary purchased the 16-acre Chilcott farm in the town of Highland , just West of downtown Denver. Although the farm was intended to supply their restaurant with fresh produce, in 1888 John and Mary sold

390-611: The Orchestra by Benjamin Britten . He also recorded a reading of Huckleberry Finn on the album The Stories of Mark Twain along with his Good-bye, My Lady costar Brennan. DeWilde shared an onscreen camaraderie with both James Stewart and Audie Murphy in the 1957 Western Night Passage . In 1958, deWilde starred in The Missouri Traveler , sharing lead billing with Lee Marvin in another coming-of-age film, this one set in

429-506: The Pacific theater World War II drama In Harm's Way (1965). After 1965, many of his roles were limited to television guest appearances. "Being small for his age and a bit too pretty ... in his favour as a child ... worked against him as an adult," wrote author Linda Ashcroft after talking with deWilde at a party, "He spoke of giving up movies until he could come back as a forty-year-old character actor." DeWilde's final western role

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468-468: The early 1900s. At the age of 17, he played an adolescent father in the 1959 drama Blue Denim . He guest-starred on many TV series, including Alcoa Theatre and the popular Western series Wagon Train . In 1961, deWilde appeared in the Alfred Hitchcock Presents episode " The Sorcerer's Apprentice " as Hugo, a mentally impaired youth who cannot separate fact from fantasy. After seeing

507-515: The film Shane (1953) for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor . He also starred in his own sitcom Jamie on ABC and became a household name making numerous radio and TV appearances before being featured on the cover of Life magazine on March 10, 1952, for his second Broadway outing, Mrs. McThing . He continued acting in stage, film and television roles into adulthood before his death at age 30 in

546-635: The first summer stock theatre company, the Norcross Company, was organized in the East and brought to the gardens. Vaudeville shows continued until 1900. In 1896, Edison's Vitascope was exhibited at the theatre showing the first films in Colorado . The Elitch Gardens Stock Theatre Company began performing in 1897 under the management of Mary Elitch Long. Its first season in 1897 opened with leading man James O'Neill , who had promised John that he would act in

585-495: The first acts on stage in the 22 years since the building closed. In 2016, Curtains Without Borders (a non-profit organization promulgating proper storage etiquette of antiquated theatre curtains and drapes.) Representatives from the group gave a lecture at the Elitch Theatre about theatre grand drapes and curtains. They were asked to review the Elitch Theatre's "Anne Hathaway" grand drape and consult on its restoration. The drape

624-561: The gates to Elitch Gardens , continuing a tradition, in memory of Elitch. In 1897, his widow had Elitch's remains moved from California to Denver, and on September 17, Elitch was buried at Fairmount Cemetery , where Mary would later be buried beside him. The Historic Elitch Theatre is the only standing building left from opening day. Many of John Elitch's friends came to perform at the Elitch Theatre including James O'Neill, Charles Goodyear, and Sarah Bernhardt after his death. Although

663-482: The hand-painted decorative historic "Anne Hathaway" curtain, (oil on canvas: circa early 1900s), was removed from its original wooden bats and stored for construction work. After years of neglect and severe water damage the curtain was rolled and stored in a backstage room at the theatre. After a massive volunteer cleanup, the interior was opened for Doors Open Denver in April 2012. Musicians and Shakespearean performers were

702-446: The historic exterior. The groundbreaking for the renovation of the theatre began with restoring the building's exterior, including a concrete foundation under the exterior walls. The roof, gable, main entrance/lobby, and exterior walls were replaced and painted. A section of dressing rooms and shops on the West side of the building was demolished. Exterior restoration on the historic auditorium

741-466: The matinée and LaSorcier at night. Douglas Fairbanks was hired into the same company. Prior in 1905, he was hired to sweep the stage for theatre tickets. Operating the park became too costly for Mary Elitch. With the purchase of Elitch Gardens by John Mulvihill in 1916, she relinquished control of the Gardens and theatre. (Two theatre boxes were always reserved for her and her friends). Mulvihill oversaw

780-532: The new theatre when it was ready. The first show performed there was Helene . The company became known for putting on ten plays in a ten-week summer season and attracting internationally known stars of the theatre and screen. Sarah Bernhardt came to Denver in 1906 after the San Francisco earthquake destroyed the California Theatre where she was scheduled to perform. At Elitch's she played Camille at

819-459: The old Gardens property near the theatre cause public outcry for additional security. The original Elitch property was sold to Perry Rose LLC in 1996 with the conditions that the theatre and carousel shell never be demolished. In 2011, Barbara Medill, a friend of Mary Elitch Long, donated some of Long's possessions to the Foundation, including an engraved silver table setting. Around the same time,

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858-1008: The only lead actor not to be Oscar-nominated for Hud , deWilde accepted the Best Supporting Actor trophy on behalf of costar Melvyn Douglas (who was in Spain at the time). That same year, he appeared in Jack Palance 's ABC circus drama The Greatest Show on Earth . DeWilde signed a two-picture deal with Disney in 1964. He first starred in The Tenderfoot , a three-part comedy Western for Walt Disney 's Wonderful World of Color TV show with Brian Keith . The following year, he and Keith starred in Those Calloways , reuniting deWilde with his Good-bye, My Lady star Walter Brennan. Also in 1965, deWilde played PT boat officer Jere Torry, serving under his admiral father played by John Wayne , in

897-664: The outdoor films and summer children's programming at the theater were cancelled due to $ 800,000 in damages caused by wind and a hail storm. The theatre closed in 1991 and sat empty for the next 11 years. A nonprofit organization, the Historic Elitch Gardens Theatre Foundation, was formed in 2002 to raise funds, maintain, preserve and restore the theatre and carousel pavilion. In 2006, the Historic Elitch Gardens Theatre Foundation received $ 5 million in federal, state, and city funding, plus grants and private donations. Work began on phase 1 -- saving and restoring

936-465: The park changed owners, an agreement still stands that it always keep the Elitch name. Mary Elitch Long was allowed to live in her home in the gardens until her death. The original Elitch Gardens closed in 1994 and reopened in its current downtown location in 1995. Brandon deWilde Andre Brandon deWilde (April 9, 1942 – July 6, 1972) was an American theater, film, and television actor. Born into

975-408: The restaurant and decided to follow a dream to transform the land into a cultural resort with a zoo, plants, flowers, musicians, and a theater for his entertainment friends. Three years later, they opened the gates to Elitch's Zoological Gardens on May 1, 1890. Many famous friends of John Elitch were in attendance on opening day including P.T. Barnum , Denver mayor Wolfe Londoner . Elitch Gardens

1014-476: The theatre building was neglected. The park's Trocadero Ballroom was bulldozed in 1975. Fearing a similar fate, the community added the theatre to the National Register of Historic Places in 1976. The Elitch Theatre Company's last season was in 1987. The park booked the "Incredible Acrobats of China" for a season, then one night musical acts before it was officially closed in 1991. The Robber Bridegroom

1053-576: The theatre until his death in 1930 and was succeeded by his son-in-law Arnold Gurtler. In 1953, the Elitch Theatre was used to film scenes for The Glenn Miller Story . The Elitch Garden Theatre Company became its own incorporated business, separate from the Elitch Gardens Park, renting the theatre in 1963. The company stopped operating as a traditional resident summer-stock, switching to single, star-packaged shows from New York. The company had many successful years, but as time and culture changed

1092-637: The theatre. John Elitch John Elitch Jr. (April 10, 1850 – March 10, 1891) was a restaurateur, businessman, actor, zookeeper, and original owner and namesake of Elitch Gardens and the Elitch Theatre in Denver, Colorado . John Elitch Jr. , originally from Mobile, Alabama , "was a direct decendant [sic] of Stephen Hopkins , a signer of the Declaration of Independence." The Elitch family eventually moved to Santa Clara, California , where John attended Santa Clara College and worked with his father in

1131-458: Was 16 and he was 22. In 1872, they settled in San Francisco and John managed the restaurant in the California Theatre , where he met many entertainers and developed his love of the theater. Elitch and his wife shared a dream to become zookeepers at a resort with a theatre. In 1880, he arrived in Denver, Colorado to work at friends' restaurants saving money. In early 1881, he hiked across

1170-464: Was a huge success that John and Mary poured their hearts and souls into. After the gates closed for the first season, the work began for the next year. For the winter, John Elitch formed the Elitch, Schilling and Goodyear Minstrels, and toured Colorado and the west coast with a vaudeville act. Upon reaching San Francisco, John Elitch caught pneumonia and died on March 10, 1891, with Mary at his side. She decided to return to Denver, CO alone and opened

1209-509: Was a part-time stage actress. After deWilde's birth, the family moved from Brooklyn to Baldwin , Long Island . DeWilde made his much-acclaimed Broadway debut at the age of seven in The Member of the Wedding . He was the first child actor to win the Donaldson Award, and his talent was praised by John Gielgud the following year. He also starred in the 1952 film version of the play, which

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1248-400: Was completed in 2007. Phase 2 of the restoration (2013-2014) included various health and safety upgrades, including restoring electricity and lighting throughout the building and the addition of a fire suppression system. This upgrade allowed the theatre to get temporary occupancy and begin tours and limited events. With the completion of Phase 3 (2020-2021), restrooms were added, a new roof

1287-462: Was directed by Fred Zinnemann . In 1952, he acted in Shane as Joey Starrett and was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance, becoming the youngest nominee at the time in a competitive category. He starred in his own television series, Jamie , which aired in 1953 and 1954. Although the series was popular, it was canceled because of a contract dispute. In 1956, he

1326-473: Was featured with Walter Brennan , Phil Harris and Sidney Poitier in the coming-of-age Batjac film production of Good-bye, My Lady , adapted from James Street 's book. DeWilde's soft-spoken manner of speech in his early roles was more akin to a Southern drawl . In 1956, at the age of 14, deWilde narrated the classical music works Peter and the Wolf by Sergei Prokofiev and The Young Person's Guide to

1365-666: Was in Dino De Laurentiis ' 1971 Spaghetti Western The Deserter , one year before his death. He made his last screen appearance in Wild in the Sky (1972). DeWilde had hoped to embark on a music career. He asked his friend Gram Parsons (later of the Byrds and founder of the seminal country rock band the Flying Burrito Brothers ) and his International Submarine Band to back him in

1404-423: Was performed with Patrick Cassidy for the theatre's centennial anniversary. Actor Raymond Burr raised $ 2 million for an educational program at the theatre. The money was instead donated to local Cole Middle School. The Elitch Gardens amusement park moved to the current central Platte Valley location in 1994. The new $ 94 million park was opened in 1995 with attendance reaching one million. Two fires in 1995 on

1443-452: Was put on, and various other upgrades were made, allowing for the theatre to gain permanent occupancy. In summer 2022, the foundation offered free some outdoor movie showings. In summer 2023, the interior had been sufficiently restored for a series of indoor movies and tours. By late 2023, the foundation had high hopes for its Phase 4 progress, expecting to offer live shows in summer 2024, albeit without full lighting, rigging and sound. Opening

1482-424: Was removed from storage, and unrolled by CWB representatives and theatre volunteers who discovered improper storage. The drape was illegible, and the paint dissolved into dust as the curtain was unrolled. The curtain was displayed on the backstage theatre floor for lecture attendees to view. Those who regarding it as a piece of Colorado history were devastated that it had been destroyed by time and neglect. In 2018,

1521-410: Was to writer Susan M. Maw, whom he wed in 1963. The couple had a son, Jesse, before divorcing in 1969. He married Janice Gero in April 1972, three months before his death. On July 6, 1972, while in Colorado for a Denver stage production of Butterflies Are Free , at the Elitch Theatre , deWilde was killed in a traffic accident in the Denver suburb of Lakewood . He was driving alone, not wearing

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