"Tap"

We're supposedly in New York but get a pan down the "Diamonds" vertical sign on the east side of the former Warner Theatre at 7th and Hill in Nick Castle's film "Tap" (TriStar Pictures, 1989).  

 

See the pages about the Warner Downtown on the Los Angeles Theatres site for a history of the building as well as several hundred photos. The theatre, now used for selling jewelry, opened as the Pantages in 1920.

 

Gregory Hines, tap dancer and "second-story man," is newly out of prison and trying to figure out a future. Some old associates want him to case a building for a jewelry robbery. Eventually they talk him into doing it.

The film also stars Suzzanne Douglas, Sammy Davis, Jr., Savion Glover, Joe Morton, Dick Anthony Williams, Howard 'Sandman' Sims, Etta James and Terrance E. McNally. The cinematography was by David Gribble.

 

Needing a real job, Gregory auditions for a replacement chorus dancer spot in a Broadway show. His ex-girlfriend, played by Suzzanne Douglas, is assisting with the casting of dancers. When she takes him to check out a performance we get a New York theatre district street shot and then cut to this view backstage at the Orpheum Theatre, 842 S. Broadway. Note the "Installed by Peter Clark..." in the index strip light.

 

Gregory and Suzanne off left with the Orpheum's Frank Adam dimmerboard behind them.  

 

 

 

Checking out a number from the wings.    

 

The auditions the next morning.  

 

The director, played by Terrance E. McNally, sitting in the house. 

 

Gregory trying to impress. He makes the cut.

 

 

Suzanne onstage. We're back for another round of auditions -- for a solo spot. 

 

 

 

Suzanne telling Terrence that her friend is up next. 

 

He gives the pianist revised music to show the director what "real" tap is all about. 

 

It doesn't go well when the director is told that what has been in the show is crap.  

 

 

 

Terrence comes on the stage, tells Gregory to get off. They tussle.

 

 

 

"What are you doing?"

 

Gregory runs off right and out into the alley.

Thanks to Dougles Soesbe, an executive on the film, for noting the shoot at the Orpheum. See the pages about the Orpheum Theatre on the Los Angeles Theatres site for a history of this 1926 vintage vaudeville house. 

We're back at the Warner again. After the dustup at the auditions, Gregory decides to do the jewelry job. "Which window do I crawl in?" He's told it's the one up near the "I."

 

The guys pull into the alley off 7th St. and Gregory goes up a fire escape. 

 

A fine view down the Hill St. vertical. 

 

A shot of the building from across the street. 

 

A double for Hines rappelling down from the roof. 

 

 

Ready to crawl in the window. 

He gets into the safe with the combination furnished by an inside man on the job. Spoiler alert: After putting the jewels in a bag he makes a career decision to be a dancer and not a thief. After descending, his partners ask where the jewels are. "Still up there," he says.  

 

On IMDb: "Tap"