The boards of this epically-proportioned, Manhattan theater were visited by everyone from legendary illusionist Harry Houdini to 500-strong choruses to entire circuses. The Hippodrome’s 1905 opening performance was entitled ‘A Yankee Circus on Mars.’ The theater had capacity for 5,300 spectators and up to 1,000 performers, but its fame was short-lived. The popularity of movies played a huge role in the eventual demolition of the building in 1939. The office building that now occupies the site calls itself the Hippodrome Center – but it’s a lot less fun than the original.