Architect : Frank Matcham Opened : 26 December 1910
Seats : 2,298 on 3 levels Owned by : Really Useful Theatres
he theatre started out as The Palladium, a premier venue for variety performances. From 1928 it was managed by George Black and was even a cinema for three months. During the 1930s became the regular home for The Crazy Gang. The ‘London’ part of the name was added in 1934. Black controlled the large Moss Empires group of theatres. Responsible for bookings at the London Palladium was Val Parnell.
Val Parnell took over as Managing Director in 1945. He adopted a controversial, but very successful, policy of presenting high-priced big-name acts, including Petula Clark, Judy Garland, Sophie Tucker, Bing Crosby, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis, Jr., Frankie Laine, Johnnie Ray, and Norman Vaughan.
From 1955-1967 the theatre was the setting for the top-rated ITV variety show Sunday Night at the London Palladium hosted first by Tommy Trinder, then by Bruce Forsyth. The programme was broadcast live every week by ATV, which was owned by the famous theatrical impresario Lew Grade. Production was by Val Parnell.
Val Parnell became associated with a property development company and began to sell Moss Empires' theatres for redevelopment. When it became known in 1966 that this fate awaited the London Palladium, The Victoria Palace and even the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, Prince Littler organised a take-over to save the theatres and Val Parnell retired to live in France.
In 1968, Sammy Davis, Jr. starred in Golden Boy, the first book musical to be produced in the venue.
In January 1973, glam rock band Slade played a gig in the theatre which resulted in the venue's balcony nearly collapsing. In 1976, and released in 1977 Marvin Gaye recorded his live concert on a Double LP Entitled Live at the London Palladium in which is considered Gaye at his finest while recording a live album, it also included his number one hit "Got to Give It Up".
In the late 1980s the venue was once again the setting for the popular ITV1 variety show, Live From the Palladium, compered by Jimmy Tarbuck.
During this time, the theatre was under the ownership of the Stoll Moss Theatres Group.
In 2000, ownership of the theatre changed once again when it was acquired by Andrew Lloyd Webber's Really Useful Group, and in 2002, the famous (but outdated) revolving stage was removed to make way for more modern technology.
From April 2002 to 4 September 2005, the Palladium played host to a theatrical version of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang with songscore by the Sherman Brothers. Throughout its three and a half year run at the venue, the production starred many celebrities (see below). This show proved to be the most successful show to date, in the theatre's long history and reunited, 50 years later, the show's choreographer Gillian Lynne with the theatre in which she appeared as the Palladium's Star Dancer during the early 50's.
For Christmas 2005-6, the venue staged Bill Kenwright's production of Scrooge - The Musical which closed on 14 January 2006. The show starred Tommy Steele, making a return to the Palladium. Since February 2006, the theatre has played host to a new musical production entitled Sinatra At The London Palladium, which features a live band, large screen projections and dancers performing Frank Sinatra's greatest hits.
Andrew Lloyd Webber and David Ian's new production of The Sound of Music opened at the Palladium in November 2006.
On 20 May 2007, the London Palladium was also the setting for the 2007 BAFTA awards, which were broadcast on BBC television.
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