Harlem's historic Apollo Theater celebrates 70th anniversary

Jet, May 3, 2004 by Clarence Waldron

Its been said "If you can make it at the Apollo, you tun make it anywhere."

Harlem's historic Apollo Theater is known worldwide as the place "where stars are born and legends are made," launching some of the biggest names in show business.

This year, the Apollo celebrates its 70th anniversary with a series of events including an NBC all-star special "Apollo At 70: A Hot Night In Harlem" set to air during Black Music Month in June.

Grammy Award-winner Quincy Jones serves us consulting producer of the televised gala. The Apollo Theater Foundation Inc. and Magna Global Entertainment along with Emmy Award-winners Suzanne de Passe and Don Mischer produced the two-hour salute.

Among the celebrity performers featured on the TV special are Patti LaBelle, Natalie Cole, Herbie Hancock, Branford Marsalis, Savion Glover, Denzel Washington, Donnie McClurkin, Fred Hammond, Yolanda Adams, Vivica A. Fox, and many of today's hottest singing sensations, including Angle Stone and Ashanti.

Other anniversary celebrations slated include Alvin Alley's "Ailey at the Apollo Spring Gala" on June 2 and an African Film festival, themed around South Africa's 10th year of democracy. George Clinton and Parliament Funkadelic will appear as part of the Apollo's Legend Series on June 25 and June 26 which also recently featured sold-out performances by James Brown, B.B. King and Tom Jones. Apollo Books is working on a historical book that will feature living legends who have appeared on the Apollo stage. The Apollo Foundation is also working on a documentary on the first 70 years of the Apollo with PBS-TV.

In addition, time book, Showtime at the Apollo: The Story of Harlem's World Famous Theater (Mill Road Enterprises, $18.95) by Ted Fox, was recently published in paperback.

Quincy Jones notes time rich history of the Apollo: "The influence of the Apollo reaches beyond the shores of this country--it is truly time premiere platform for world music. When the Beatles first came to America, they told me that the first place they wanted to go was to the world-famous Apollo. I first played the Apollo in 1951 with Lionel Hampton and fell in love. From Big Bands to R&B, and bebop to hip-hop, this is one of the best stages in the world and deserves its place in entertainment and American history. The Apollo is history, and I am blessed and honored to be a part of it."

Jonelle Procope, president and CEO of the Apollo Theater Foundation Inc., notes, "The Apollo Theater has been the epicenter of urban performing arts for 70 years. Our stage has been the starting point for many legendary careers from Ella Fitzgerald to Chris Rock, and we are thrilled to celebrate and share our history with the world on the NBC network."

The Apollo audience, known as the "world's toughest audience," had the power to make or break an act. The audience was notorious for booing artists off the stage only minutes into their performances.

The Apollo continues to thrive after 70 years and still features some of today's hottest entertainers.

Decades before "Star Search" and "American Idol," the Apollo Theater served as a launching pad for new talent with its famed "Apollo Amateur Night," which is still going on with the late-night entertainment variety program "Showtime at the Apollo" with comedienne-actress Mo'Nique as its host.

The TV special, which is a benefit for the Apollo Theater Foundation, Inc., pays musical tribute to the legends that performed at the famed theater on West 125th Street.

Ella Fitzgerald was one of the first winners of the Apollo Amateur Night competition when it began in 1934. Others whose careers were launched with a win at the Amateur Night include James Brown, Billie Holiday, Leslie Uggams, Sarah Vaughan, Ruth Brown and Wilson Pickett.

The theater became "home" to a long list of performers, including Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin, Nancy Wilson, Dionne Warwick. Ossie Davis, Ray Charles, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, the Supremes, Richard Pryor, and the late performers Nat King Cole, Count Basie, Sammy Davis Jr., Redd Foxx, Billy Eckstine, Louis Armstrong, Bessie Smith, Morns Mabley, Duke Ellington, Pigmeat Markham, Dizzy Gillespie, Flip Wilson and Bill "Bojangles" Robinson. Every major Black star has graced the stage of the Apollo. The stars often performed anywhere from 3 to 5 shows a day.

With wit and humor, Aretha Franklin reveals her fondest memories of performing at the legendary theater.

"My fondest memory of the Apollo Theater is one afternoon between shows I was in the phone booth downstairs at the foot of the steps, and l was in there at time exact time that Count Basle liked to put his numbers in and play his horses. He almost beat the door of the phone booth off yelling 'Come on out of there now!" because I was talking to my boyfriend and there was no rushing me. He was in a panic on the other side of the door, and I did not know what was wrong with this man. I could not figure out why he was panicking the way he was until I heard later it was the time of day he played his numbers and his horses."