The Friends Save Shea's Buffalo Archives - Shea's Performing Arts Center

Leon Lawrence Sidell foreclosed in December 1974, owing as much as $225,000 in taxes, and planned to shutter the theater doors by June 30, 1975. It would soon be the end of the Loew's Buffalo Theatre, another one of Michael Shea's theaters lost to the wrecking ball...

Photo Credit: Photo originally published in the Buffalo Courier-Express Newspaper. Credit to Buffalo State Digital Commons. November 22, 1975

This whiskey bottle was found by Friends of the Buffalo Theatre (Dave Vanderhoek, Curt Mangel, and Gordon Gillette) behind the east wall wood pipes of the Wurtlizer's Foundation Chamber in May 1979 and is believed to have been placed during the original installation of the Wurlitzer organ in December 1925. It has stayed here ever since and is now a good-luck charm for stagehands at Shea's.

A letter to the Common Council written by Curt Mangel seeking federal assistance for repairs following the Blizzard of '77.

Curt Mangel III

Shea's Buffalo has had many friends -- and Friends -- but none more-so than Curt Mangel III.

Curt was hired in 1973 as an engineer and watchman, the 23-year-old living out of a dressing room backstage but he became quickly intent on saving the theater organ -- and then the entire theater as it was apparent that Sidell was preparing to shutdown for good. But plans to strip the theater and attempts to demolish it were all foiled by Curt: by living in Shea's at all hours of the day, the wrecking ball was unable to be unleashed -- and by night, Curt spent countless hours inventorying "every antique in the building", a record that saved Shea's Buffalo Theatre in State Supreme Court.

After a decade of serving Shea's -- from volunteer to Managing Director, whether he was rebuilding the Mighty Wurlitzer and installing a new stage floor or paying the heat bill out of his own pockets, Curt Mangel III moved on from Buffalo, to take on another theater in Denver in need of saving. But our friend, and Friend, is always welcome back at Shea's.

Photo Credit: Buffalo Courier-Express Newspaper - August 20, 1977. Credit to Buffalo State Digital Commons.

These Friends of Buffalo led by restoration director L. Curt Mangel reacted with pleasure as they toasted the future of the landmark theater. From left are Mangel, George Wands and Carl Kosmerl.

Photo Credit: The Buffalo News - July 15, 1975

Photo Credit: April 12, 1978. Photo originally published in the Buffalo Courier-Express Newspaper. Credit to Buffalo State Digital Commons.

L. Curt Mangel, founder of the Friends of Shea's Buffalo and director of the restoration work on the Buffalo landmark, is seen from a straight up angle as he climbs over scaffolding to inspect a plastering job. The effort to restore the showplace to its former splendor, including new seats and rugs and refurbished marble and chandelier, is expected to be completed by Sept. 29.

Still Playing at Loew's

By 1974, there wasn't much still playing at Loew's Buffalo Theatre: patrons could only buy tickets to see wrestling, boxing, World Cup soccer matches (live via satellite), and exploitation films like Sweet Sugar, Dolemite, and Foxy Brown.

Photo Credit: The Buffalo News - July 12, 1975

Thanks Sylvia! <i>Mignon</i> appreciates the cleaning.

Photo Credit: The Buffalo News - February 20, 1976

Thanks Sylvia! Mignon appreciates the cleaning.

Photo Credit: The Buffalo News - January 19, 1976

Photo Credit: The Buffalo News - April 23, 1977

City Comptroller George D. O'Connell

With weeks to go before the wrecking ball would arrive, someone would need to sign off on the city's expense report to pay for the demolition. That someone would be Buffalo Comptroller George D. O'Connell, who wouldn't sign the paperwork, and instead stepped to help the Friends of Shea's Buffalo rally the city.

Photo Credit: The Buffalo News - April 18, 1975

"I feel very strongly about Shea's Buffalo. There's only one Shea's Buffalo in the entire world, and if it's gone, there is no way to retrieve it, or rebuild it. I call it Shea's, rather than Loew's Buffalo, because that's the way I remember it."

- City Comptroller George D. O'Connell

Photo Credit: The Buffalo News - July 2, 1975

Thanks to the Friends of the Buffalo Theatre, the State Supreme Court ruled in favor of protecting the remaining furnishings still preserved at the Shea's Buffalo Theatre, preventing former owner, Leon Lawrence Sidell, from taking or selling these artifacts -- including the Mighty Wurlitzer organ.

Photo Credit: The Buffalo News - June 4, 1976

National Register of Historic Places

June 1975

This is a page from our extensive submission form to have the Shea's Buffalo Theatre declared a National Historic Site.

National Register of Historic Places - Property Photographs

These photographs, taken by Curt Mangel, were submitted to the National Register of Historic Places, hoping to have Shea's Buffalo Theatre declared a Historic Site and saved from demolition.