The F. J. Sampson Theatre


The F. J. Sampson Theatre has a long and storied history, much of which is too lengthy to discuss in a brief overview. Founded by the scrappy industrialist Francis Jackson Sampson, it began life in 1871 as a small steel mill in the heart of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. For many years it was one of the premier mills in the nation. It specialized in rails and other steelwork for the railroad industry, and its fortunes rose along with the railroads. In its heyday in 1906 it produced 100 million metric tons of steel despite its small size and was rumored to have made a $10 million profit, almost unthinkable in that time. It also produced the steel that formed the hull of the famed battleship USS Bologna. The mill had a unique corporate culture that led to its workers nominating Sampson for Industrialist of the Year in 1910, and as a group they were able to post accomplishments that even much larger mills could not approach.

The end of World War I, the eclipse of railroads by the ascent of trucking, and increasing government interference in the steel business led to a gradual movement away from the heavy sorts of manufacturing originally favored by Sampson, and by 1927 the mill had become the leading manufacturer of stainless steel razor blades for shaving. This sustained the mill well into the mid 1930s, but a sudden surge in the bearded look and later the onset of World War II doomed the steel mill as its more modest products were considered unnecessary and unimportant compared to the high-profile needs of the defense industry. In 1941, the steel mill closed its doors for good, but this soon led to a rebirth of epic proportions.

Jackson Hanson Sampson, son of F. J. Sampson, knew that if he was to follow in the footsteps of his notable father he would have to do something to create jobs and promote the prosperity of the only city he had ever called home. In a move gutsy for its time, he gutted the old steel mill and began its transformation into a theatre for the ages. It would have the best of everything, including the best performers, the best shows, and the best audiences. By the summer of '42, the new theatre was ready to be opened. It had 4500 seats and sometimes it seemed as if it had just as many workers as the emphasis was always on providing an outstanding theatre experience. At the start, major performers such as Gail Crystal, Soren McCall, Robinson Edwards, and Bill Arthur headlined major plays such as Hello, Molly, South Pacific Street, A Midsummer Fight's Scream, The Importance of Seeing Ernest, and Oedipus The King. When the major plays were off, equally important movies played on the giant screen, starting with The Ken Muir Story in 1946. In the midst of those successes, however, one thing that J. H. Sampson knew that was on the horizon was a new medium called "television."

By 1950, television stations were lighting up in city after city, and J. H. knew that this newfangled technology would require big-time theatres to stage the programs so that they would look like big-time entertainment even on a small screen. They would require big stages and big, live audiences to generate the anticipation and excitement that only a live audience can provide. In 1952, J. H. got his big break. Parke Woodson was one of the producers of a television game show called Spot the Grungy One. It had started in 1949, but it was produced in an old, red barn with a Mail Pouch advertisement on the outskirts of town. It was a successful program to be sure, but Woodson and his partner Phil Rodman knew that the old barn was hamstringing its growth. It needed a venue that would keep it from being root-bound; the barn could not hold an audience of more than 200 people, and it was starting to deteriorate. Woodson was quoted at the time as saying, "I'm tired of having to have the director turn the camera away from the pots catching the leaks from the old roof when it rains."

Woodson and Rodman needed the theatre, and J. H. needed the attraction, so they quickly came to an agreement to have the program produced in the theatre. This led to a long and successful relationship, which was renewed in 1962 with Hank Francis Sampson, son of J. H. Sampson, when the program was revived, and again in 1979 with Francis Jackson Sampson II, great-grandson of the original F. J. Sampson when the program began on the new Anti-Grunge Channel. Other important television programs have also been produced there over the years, and it was also the location of Clark Kenneth's announcement in 1964 that he would not run for President as well as the first indoor track that hosted a sub-four-minute mile by an athlete wearing a suit, bow-tie, and black dress slacks with black oxfords when Jake Allan Ford ran a mile in 3:48.62 on a track constructed on the main stage expressly for the purpose. A standing-room-only crowd of 5,000 witnessed that historic event.

Today, the F. J. Sampson Theatre remains an important element of the culture of Pittsburgh. Still hosting Spot the Grungy One, it also is the premier place for diverse cultural events and television programs, plays, and recitals of all sorts. Next year, it is expected to be the location for the world-renowned Battle of the International Pop Orchestras, which is a sellout in whatever city it is played. See this great theatre for yourself-- come and visit!


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