The Pythian

About

One of the city's most fabulous buildings, the Pythian is richly decorated in brightly colored, glazed terracotta embellishments depicting figures of antiquity. It was designed by Thomas W. Lamb, one of the country's foremost designers of movie palaces, most of which, sadly, have been destroyed. One of his other works in New York is the Audubon Theater and Ballroom building on Broadway and 165th Street. It was built in 1927 to serve as a meeting place for the 120 Pythian lodges of New York City. As the organization's popularity declined, the Pythians leased space in the building to Decca Records. In 1954, Bill Haley and His Comets recorded their album Rock Around the Clock at the Pythian in 1954 and many other artists.

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