Construction on Connor Palace began in the early 1920s and was the last of the four main theaters to be built in Cleveland's historic Playhouse Square.

Lorange and his partners had long since been aware of the expiring leases of many small theaters in the area and began buying up property along Euclid Avenue that would later be known as Playhouse Square.

The project had a mostly positive reception, with many locals excited about the idea of Cleveland becoming an entertainment hub akin to New York and Broadway.

Just a couple of years earlier, a local real estate tycoon had recommended to his customers that they "have nothing to do with Doan's Corner or you'll drop your bankrolls."

The backstage alone housed an indoor golf course, barber shop, manicure table, billiard room, and even a children's playroom.

The theater also housed one of the largest woven carpets in the world, which ran from one end of the hall up the staircase and down the main lobby.

Several vaudeville stars also attended, along with prominent theatre critics like Heywood Broun, a renowned New York journalist.

In 1923, a production called "The Unknown Lady," starring Alla Nazimova, was removed from the bill after a local minister petitioned the theatre due to inappropriate content.

A twentieth-century phantom of the opera, his true identity remained a mystery to the public for several years until he was later revealed to be a man named Joseph M. White.

He had gained such popularity through various radio shows that when he performed on the Keith-Albee Vaudeville circuit, he had to be personally escorted to and from the theatre by police.

Vaudeville remained a staple at the Palace Theatre with performances of the likes of Frank Sinatra, Bob Hope, and Bing Crosby, but the film became the primary draw.

Several talking movies were shown at the theatre in 1930, including "The Life of the Party," a technicolor comedy film made by the Warner Brothers before the establishment of the Motion Picture Censorship Code.

In 1937, a former mail carrier for "The Plain Dealer" had just made his fourth performance at the theatre when the manager encouraged him to try his comedy sketch in Hollywood.

The young man confessed he did not have money for a train ticket, but the manager believed so greatly in his talent that he paid the fare for him.

The closing of this historic theatre was overshadowed when news hit the same day that Buzz Aldrin and Neil Armstrong had successfully landed on the moon.

Palace Theatre lay empty for a couple of years, and it seemed like the one great entertainment hub that had helped launch the careers of many of the greatest performers of the twentieth century would be left to collect dust.

Then, on May 25, 1972, "The Plain Dealer" released an article saying the theaters were scheduled to be demolished by the city to make space for a parking lot.

However, a local preservation group had formed in the late 60s called the "Playhouse Square Association," which was eager to prevent this development.

A local lawyer named Oliver "Pudge" Henkle persuaded city officials to temporarily deny a permit for a curb cut on Euclid Avenue, giving the group more time to save the theaters.

In 1977, the group obtained the permanent leases of three of the four main theaters, including the Palace Theatre, bringing all under the same management for the first time in their history.

Finally, in October 1978, Playhouse Square was added to the National Registry of Historic Places, protecting it from destruction in the future.

The saving of Palace Theatre and Playhouse Square is considered one of Cleveland's Top Ten Achievements by civic leaders.

The grand reopening was so highly anticipated that they held a fundraiser called "Cooking at the Palace," which included restaurants from all fifty states to see who would provide the food for the event.

Then a gala was headlined by Burt Bacharach and Dionne Warwick, the famous director and pop icon pair who had split professionally in the late 70s but were brought back together by the reopening of Palace Theatre.

The day after the reopening, the theater held a free open house for anyone who wished to tour the newly renovated building.

The theater had been returned to its former glory, complete with a star-studded cast of performers, including Cher, Whoopi Goldberg, and Wayne Newton.

This was in honor of the Connor Family of Huntington Valley, Ohio, who donated 9 million dollars to the "Advance the Legacy: The Campaign for Playhouse Square."

The Plain Dealer, 5 Nov 1922, p. 7 "Dayton People Will Attend Opening of Keith's Palace, Cleveland's Newest Theater."

Dayton Daily News, 13 Dec 1930, p. 15 "Palace Theater: Encyclopedia of Cleveland History: Case Western Reserve University."

"The Miracle of Cleveland's Playhouse Square: How a Performing Arts Complex Helped Save Downtown and Launch a National Revival of Historic Theaters."