History
The Fillmore Miami Beach at the Jackie Gleason Theater History
The story of The Fillmore Miami Beach at the Jackie Gleason Theater began in 1950, when Golden Era Legends graced the stage of The Miami Beach Municipal Auditorium. Guests came from around the world to watch such shows as song and dance performances, comedy or even the occasional boxing match. Sometimes, the real performances were in the seats - Frank Sinatra, Bob Hope and Jack Benny were regular visitors to the auditorium and often caused quite a stirring.
With the television boom in the 1960s, shows such as The Dick Clark Show, The Ed Sullivan Show and the Miss USA and Miss Universe Pageants were often filmed in the auditorium. In 1964, the city of Miami Beach offered Jackie Gleason the opportunity to film his show here. Mr. Gleason agreed to move his show to sunny Miami Beach, where he declared: “Miami Beach audiences are the greatest in the world!”
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In the mid-1960s, Bill Graham’s, The Fillmore Auditorium, became the focal point for psychedelic music and counterculture in general, with acts such as The Grateful Dead, The Who, Cream, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Jefferson Airplane, Pink Floyd, The Doors and Big Brother and the Holding Company performing at the venue. In addition to rock, Graham also featured non-rock acts such as Rahsaan Roland Kirk, Charles Lloyd, Aretha Franklin, and Otis Redding as well as poetry readings. The venue had a legendary ambience as well as the stellar performances, often with swirling light-show projections, strobe lights and uninhibited dancing. At the end of the evening, Bill Graham often stood next to a huge bin of fresh apples at the front exit saying good night to the patrons, handing out apples, and handing out free posters that were custom designed as souvenirs for each show by poster artists who would become as famous as The Fillmore, itself.
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Jackie Gleason
Actor / Comedian 1916-1987
The Fillmore - Exterior Image
The Fillmore - The Stage