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89-621: The Tarlton Theatre (formerly West Theater , West Pitcher Show , Historic West Theatre ) is an Streamline Moderne theater built around 1925, located in Green Bay, Wisconsin . In 1999, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a contributing property in the Broadway-Walnut Historic District . The theater was originally built as an auto dealership, and was renovated in 1941 by

178-415: A Blackburn Baffin , S5162 of A Flight, RAF Gosport , flown by Lt Guy Kennedy Horsey on torpedo-dropping practice, buzzed Normandie two kilometres (one nautical mile) off Ryde Pier and collided with a derrick which was transferring a motor car belonging to Arthur Evans , MP , onto a barge alongside the ship. The aircraft crashed onto Normandie ' s bow. The pilot was taken off by tender, but

267-443: A bulbous forefoot beneath the waterline, in combination with a slim hydrodynamic hull. His concepts worked wonderfully in scale models, confirming the design's performance advantages. The French engineers were convinced by Yourkevitch and asked him to join their project. He also approached Cunard with his ideas, but was rejected because the bow was deemed too radical. The CGT commissioned artists to create posters and publicity for

356-441: A nightclub . Adjoining the café grill was the first-class smoking room, which was paneled in large murals depicting ancient Egyptian life. The ship also had indoor and outdoor pools, a chapel, and a theatre which could double as a stage and cinema. The machinery of Normandie ' s top deck and forecastle was integrated within the ship, concealing it and releasing nearly all the exposed deck space for passengers. As such it

445-530: A turbo-electric transmission , with turbo-generators and electric propulsion motors built by Alsthom of Belfort . The CGT chose turbo-electric transmission as it removed the need for astern turbines to be installed, had the ability to use full power in reverse, and because, according to CGT officials, it was quieter and more easily controlled and maintained. The engine installation was heavier than conventional turbines and slightly less efficient at high speed but allowed all propellers to operate even if one engine

534-456: A welding torch used by workman Clement Derrick ignited a stack of life vests filled with flammable kapok that had been stored in Lafayette ' s first-class lounge. The flammable varnished woodwork had not yet been removed, and the fire spread rapidly. The ship had a very efficient fire protection system, but it had been disconnected during the conversion and its internal pumping system

623-435: A cinema and performance venue with a restaurant and bar. Renovations took place over six months throughout 2018. Knight stated the theater's mission was to "bring a variety of affordable programming to the area and partner with local nonprofit organizations to support various local causes". Knight would later run for city council and also serve as director of the city's Shipyard District . In 2022, The Tarlton Theatre announced

712-479: A fierce rivalry. To recapture the speed record, CGT modified Normandie to reduce vibration and increase her speed. CGT replaced her three-bladed propellers with four-bladed ones, and made structural modifications to her lower aft section. These modifications reduced vibration at speed. In July 1937, she regained the Blue Riband, but Queen Mary took it back in 1938. After this, the captain of Normandie sent

801-727: A horizontal orientation, rounded corners, the use of glass brick walls or porthole windows, flat roofs, chrome-plated hardware, and horizontal grooves or lines in the walls. They were frequently white or in subdued pastel colors. An example of this style is the Aquatic Park Bathhouse in the Aquatic Park Historic District , in San Francisco. Built beginning in 1936 by the Works Progress Administration , it features

890-503: A medal celebrating the occasion on behalf of the CGT. Normandie had a successful year but Queen Mary , Cunard White Star Line 's superliner, entered service in May 1936. At 80,774 gross registered tons, she was larger than Normandie's 79,280 gross registered tons, and captured the title of the world's largest passenger ship. In response, CGT increased Normandie ' s size, mainly through

979-645: A message: "Bravo to the Queen Mary until next time!" This rivalry could have gone on into the 1940s, but was ended by the Second World War . Normandie carried distinguished passengers, including the authors Colette and Ernest Hemingway ; the wife of French President Albert Lebrun ; songwriters Noël Coward and Irving Berlin ; and Hollywood celebrities such as Fred Astaire , Marlene Dietrich , Walt Disney , Douglas Fairbanks, Jr , conductor Arturo Toscanini and James Stewart . She also carried

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1068-492: A new emphasis on upper-class tourists, largely Americans, many of them wanting to escape prohibition. Companies like Cunard and the White Star Line planned to build their own superliners to rival newer ships of the day; such vessels included the record-breaking Bremen and Europa , both German. The French Line Compagnie Générale Transatlantique (CGT) began to plan its own superliner. The CGT's flagship

1157-729: A partnership with the University of Wisconsin–Green Bay and the Weidner Center for the Performing Arts to start the Weidner Downtown series, which would "bring 'a fresh and eclectic mix of arts and culture offerings to the heart of downtown Green Bay.'" In 2023, the Green Bay Film Festival announced it would be relocating its festival to The Tarlton Theatre to show its films multiple times

1246-444: A record-breaking crossing. At Southampton she took aboard an additional 195 Passengers: 122 First Class Passengers, 53 Tourist Class and 20 Third Class. Her combined total was 1,007 passengers. First Class was booked at two-thirds capacity with 589, Tourist Class was half booked at 293, while Third Class was at less than a quarter capacity with only 121. She reached New York City after four days, three hours and two minutes, taking away

1335-469: A result, the consensus among North Atlantic passengers was that she was primarily a ship for the rich and famous. In contrast, in Queen Mary , Cunard White Star had placed just as much emphasis on décor, space, and accommodation in second and tourist class as in first class. Thus Queen Mary accommodated American tourists, who had become numerous in the 1920s and 1930s. Many of these passengers could not afford first-class passage yet wanted to travel in much of

1424-476: A rounded Moderne corner, windswept tower, and pylon-separated horizontally-reinforced windows. Although Streamline Moderne houses are less common than streamline commercial buildings, residences do exist. The Lydecker House in Los Angeles , built by Howard Lydecker , is an example of Streamline Moderne design in residential architecture. In tract development, elements of the style were sometimes used as

1513-568: A series of auctions after her demise, and many pieces are considered valuable Art Deco treasures today. The rescued items include the ten large dining-room door medallions and fittings, and some of the individual Jean Dupas glass panels that formed the large murals mounted at the four corners of her Grand Salon. One entire corner is preserved at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. The dining room door medallions are now on

1602-436: A sister ship, SS Bretagne , which was to be longer and larger. There were two competing designs for this ship – one conservative, one radical. The conservative design was essentially Normandie with two funnels, possibly larger as well. The radical one was from Normandie ' s designer, Vladimir Yourkevitch, and was super-streamlined with twin, side-by-side funnels just aft of the bridge. The more conservative design won, but

1691-406: A transport, AP-53. Earlier proposals included turning Lafayette into an aircraft carrier , but this was dropped in favor of immediate troop transport. The ship remained moored at Pier 88 for the conversion. A contract for her conversion to a troop transport was awarded to Robins Dry Dock and Repair Co., a subsidiary of Todd Shipyards , on 27 December 1941. On that date, Capt. Clayton M. Simmers,

1780-531: A variation in postwar row housing in San Francisco's Sunset District . In France, the style was called Paquebot , meaning ocean liner . The French version was inspired by the launch of the ocean liner Normandie in 1935, which featured an Art Deco dining room with columns of Lalique crystal. Buildings using variants of the style appeared in Belgium and in Paris, notably in a building at 3 boulevard Victor in

1869-465: A working vessel. Finally, in May 1935, Normandie was ready for trials, which were watched by reporters. The superiority of Yourkevitch's hull was visible; hardly a wave was created off the bulbous bow. The ship reached a top speed of 32.125 kn (59.5 km/h) and performed an emergency stop from that speed in 1,700 m (5,600 ft). In addition to hull design which let her attain speed at far less power than other big liners, Normandie had

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1958-507: A year. Streamline Moderne architecture In France, it was called the style paquebot , or "ocean liner style", and was influenced by the design of the luxury ocean liner SS Normandie , launched in 1932. As the Great Depression of the 1930s progressed, Americans saw a new aspect of Art Deco , i.e., streamlining, a concept first conceived by industrial designers who stripped Art Deco design of its ornament in favor of

2047-519: Is built in the stylized shape of the ocean liner SS Normandie , and displays the ship's original sign. The Sterling Streamliner Diners in New England were diners designed like streamlined trains. Another example is Hollywood, California 's Julian Medical Building , which has been described as a "landmark", "an architectural masterpiece", and "one of the crowning achievements of Streamline Moderne." The building's distinctive features include

2136-663: The 15th arrondissement , by the architect Pierre Patout . He was one of the founders of the Art Deco style. He designed the entrance to the Pavilion of a Collector at the 1925 Exposition of Decorative Arts, the birthplace of the style. He was also the designer of the interiors of three ocean liners, the Ile-de-France (1926), the L'Atlantique (1930), and the Normandie (1935). Patout's building on Avenue Victor lacked

2225-479: The Blue Riband for the fastest transatlantic crossing at several points during her service career, during which RMS  Queen Mary was her main rival. During the Second World War , Normandie was seized by U.S. authorities at New York and renamed USS Lafayette . In 1942, while being converted to a troopship , the liner caught fire and capsized onto her port side and came to rest, half submerged, on

2314-584: The Blue Riband from the Italian liner Rex . This brought great pride for the French, who had not won the distinction before. Under the command of Captain René Pugnet, Normandie ' s average on the maiden voyage was 29.98 knots (55.52 km/h; 34.50 mph) and on the eastbound crossing to France, she averaged over 30 knots (56 km/h; 35 mph), breaking records in both directions. During

2403-508: The Commodore , that "were distinctive streamliners—ponderous, massive automobiles with a style all their own". Streamlining became a widespread design practice for aircraft, railroad locomotives, and ships. Streamline style can be contrasted with functionalism , which was a leading design style in Europe at the same time. One reason for the simple designs in functionalism was to lower

2492-719: The Holland America Line 's SS  Nieuw Amsterdam , were among the few North Atlantic liners to make a profit, carrying the lion's share of passengers in the years preceding the Second World War. Sometime in 1939, the famous Von Trapp Family Singers stayed in third class and traveled to Southampton aboard the Normandie. In Part 2, chapter 5 of "The Story of the Trapp Family Singers", the autobiography of Maria Augusta Trapp, Maria describes

2581-408: The stock market crash of 1929 . While the French continued construction, the competing White Star Line's planned Oceanic was cancelled and Cunard's RMS  Queen Mary put on hold. French builders also ran into difficulty and had to ask for government money; this subsidy was questioned in the press. Still, the ship's construction was followed by newspapers and national interest was deep, as she

2670-562: The von Trapp family singers (later immortalized in The Sound of Music ) from New York to Southampton in 1938; from Southampton, the family toured Scandinavia before returning to the United States. While Normandie rarely was occupied at over 60% of her capacity, her finances were such that she did not require government subsidies every year. She never repaid any of the loans that made her construction possible. The CGT considered

2759-415: The 1934 Chrysler Airflow and the 1934 Studebaker Land Cruiser . The cars also featured new materials, including bakelite plastic, formica , Vitrolight opaque glass, stainless steel , and enamel , which gave the appearance of newness and sleekness. Other later examples include the 1950 Nash Ambassador "Airflyte" sedan with its distinctive low fender lines, as well as Hudson 's postwar cars, such as

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2848-475: The 3rd Naval District Materiel Officer, reported to the Bureau of Ships (BuShips) his estimate that the conversion work could be completed by 31 January 1942, and planning for the work proceeded on that basis. Capt. Robert G. Coman reported as Lafayette ' s prospective commanding officer on 31 January 1942, overseeing a skeleton engineering force numbering 458 men. The complicated nature and enormous size of

2937-559: The Atlantic in a record 4.14 days, and remains the most powerful steam turbo-electric -propelled passenger ship ever built. Normandie ' s novel design and lavish interiors led many to consider her the greatest of ocean liners. Despite this, she was not a commercial success and relied partly on government subsidy to operate. During service as the flagship of the CGT, she made 139 westbound transatlantic crossings from her home port of Le Havre to New York City. Normandie held

3026-589: The European geopolitical situation deteriorated through the 1930s. The Italian liners relied heavily on government subsidies, while the German Lloyd liners never received funding. In comparison, Normandie did not require government subsidies in service, with her income covering not only her operating expenses but generating revenue of 158,000,000 francs . In contrast, Cunard White Star's Britannic III , Georgic II , and much older Aquitania , along with

3115-541: The Historic West Theatre, which was described as "a first-run cinema showing independent and arthouse film during the week and a dance club on weekends." From 2005-2007, Green Bay Packers player Nick Barnett converted the venue to a night club called FiveSix Ultra Lounge, which ran into legal problems with the City of Green Bay on numerous occasions, causing its doors to close for over six years. In 2011,

3204-622: The Navy nor French Line offered a plan to salvage her, Yourkevitch, the ship's original designer, proposed to cut the ship down and restore her as a mid-sized liner. This plan also failed to draw backing. She was sent for scrapping beginning in October 1946 at Port Newark, New Jersey , and completely scrapped by 31 December 1948. The silhouette of Normandie influenced ocean liners over the decades, including Queen Mary 2 . The ambience of classic transatlantic liners like Normandie and Queen Mary

3293-671: The Standard Theatres Management Corporation to become a single-screen cinema. American movie theater architect Perry Crosier designed the renovation, converting it into "Streamline Moderne" (a type of Art Deco ) styling. The cinema was first known as the West Theater, then as the West Pitcher Show from 1987 until it closed on November 25, 2000. In 2000-2001, it was renovated, and reopened by owner Mark Mariucci on February 9, 2001 as

3382-526: The Trapp Family's experience aboard the Normandie. She states, "The Normandie ! What a noble boat, and what a wonderful crew! although we were only third-class passengers, the French-line went out of its way to make our stay as enjoyable as possible ... On board the Normandie we were treated as celebrated artists. People knew about our Town Hall concert and we were asked to give a gala performance on

3471-606: The U.S. Navy. Plans called for the vessel to be turned into a troopship ("convoy unit loaded transport"). The Navy renamed her USS Lafayette , in honor of both Marquis de la Fayette , the French general who fought on the Colonies ' behalf in the American Revolution , and the alliance with France that made American independence possible. The name was a suggestion of J. P. "Jim" Warburg, advisory assistant to Colonel William J. Donovan , Coordinator of Information , which

3560-648: The USCG removed Captain Lehuédé and his crew and took possession of Normandie under the right of angary , maintaining steam in the boilers and other activities on the idled vessel. However, the elaborate fire-watch system which ensured that any fire would be suppressed before it became a danger was abandoned. On 20 December 1941, the Auxiliary Vessels Board officially recorded President Franklin D. Roosevelt 's approval of Normandie ' s transfer to

3649-485: The addition of an enclosed tourist lounge on the aft boat deck. Following these and other alterations, she measured 83,423 GRT . When the Normandie reentered service, she exceeded Queen Mary by 2,000 tons, reclaiming the title of world's largest ship. Normandie retained the title until Cunard White Star Line's RMS Queen Elizabeth at 83,673 gross registered tons formally entered service in 1946. On 22 June 1936,

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3738-611: The aerodynamic pure-line concept of motion and speed developed from scientific thinking. The cylindrical forms and long horizontal windowing in architecture may also have been influenced by constructivism , and by the New Objectivity artists, a movement connected to the German Werkbund . Examples of this style include the 1923 Mossehaus , the reconstruction of the corner of a Berlin office building in 1923 by Erich Mendelsohn and Richard Neutra . The Streamline Moderne

3827-465: The bottom of the Hudson River at Pier 88 (the site of the current Manhattan Cruise Terminal ). Although salvaged at great expense, restoration was deemed too costly and she was scrapped in October 1946. The origins of Normandie can be traced to the 1920s, when the U.S. put restrictions on immigration, greatly reducing the traditional market for steerage-class passengers from Europe, and placing

3916-483: The conversion effort prevented Coman's crew from adhering to the original schedule; crew familiarization with the vessel was an issue, and additional crew members were arriving to assist the effort. On 6 February 1942, a request for a two-week delay for the first sailing of Lafayette , originally scheduled for 14 February, was submitted to the Assistant Chief of Naval Operations. On that day, a schedule extension

4005-685: The conversion program, with the cost of restoring her determined to be too great. Her hulk remained in the Navy's custody through the end of the war. Lafayette was stricken from the Naval Vessel Register on 11 October 1945 without having ever sailed under the U.S. flag. President Harry Truman authorized her disposal in an Executive Order on 8 September 1946, and she was sold as scrap on 3 October 1946 to Lipsett, Inc., an American salvage company based in New York City, for US$ 161,680 (approx. $ 1,997,000 in 2017 value). After neither

4094-456: The curving lines of the American version of the style, but it had a narrow "bow" at one end, where the site was narrow, long balconies like the decks of a ship, and a row of projections like smokestacks on the roof. Another 1935 Paris apartment building at 1 Avenue Paul Doumer in the 16th arrondissement had a series of terraces modelled after the decks of an ocean liner. The Flagey Building

4183-559: The day after the stock market crash – Normandie was launched in front of two-hundred thousand spectators. The 27,567-ton hull that slid into the river Loire was the largest launched and the wave washed up the shoreline and over several hundred spectators, but with no injury. She was dedicated by Madame Marguerite Lebrun , wife of Albert Lebrun , the President of France. The ship was outfitted until early 1935, her interiors, funnels, engines, and other fittings put in to make her into

4272-525: The distinctive horizontal lines, classic rounded corners railing and windows of the style, resembling the elements of ship. The interior preserves much of the original decoration and detail, including murals by artist and color theoretician Hilaire Hiler . The architects were William Mooser Jr. and William Mooser III. It is now the administrative center of Aquatic Park Historic District. The Normandie Hotel in San Juan, Puerto Rico , which opened during 1942,

4361-465: The exterior doors of Our Lady of Lebanon Maronite Cathedral in Brooklyn. Also surviving are some examples of the 24,000 pieces of crystal, some from the massive Lalique torchères that adorned her dining salon. Also extant are some of the room's table silverware, chairs, and gold-plated bronze table bases. Custom-designed suite and cabin furniture as well as original artwork and statues that decorated

4450-469: The film Saboteur (1942). The ship is not identified in the film, but the antagonist smiles when he sees it, suggesting that he was responsible. The film's director, Alfred Hitchcock , later said that "the Navy raised hell" about the implication that their security was so poor. Enemy sabotage was widely suspected, but a congressional investigation in the wake of the sinking, chaired by Representative Patrick Henry Drewry ( D - Virginia ), concluded that

4539-432: The fire could spread to the nearby buildings. Lafayette eventually capsized during the mid watch (02:45) on 10 February, nearly crushing a fire boat, and came to rest on her port side at an angle of approximately 80 degrees. Recognising that his incompetence had caused the disaster, Rear Adm. Andrews ordered all pressmen barred from viewing the moment of capsize in an effort to lower the level of publicity. One man died in

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4628-451: The fire under control and began winding down operations until 20:00. Water entering Lafayette through submerged openings and flowing to the lower decks negated efforts to counter-flood, and her list to port gradually increased. Shortly after midnight, Rear Adm. Andrews ordered Lafayette abandoned. The ship continued to list, a process hastened by the 6,000 tons of water that had been sprayed on her. New York fire officials were concerned that

4717-426: The fire was accidental. The investigation found evidence of carelessness, rule violations, lack of coordination between the various parties on board, lack of clear command structure during the fire, and a hasty, poorly-planned conversion effort. Members of organized crime retrospectively claimed that they had sabotaged the vessel. It was alleged that arson had been organized by mobster Anthony Anastasio , who

4806-480: The founders of the Art Deco style. Many sculptures and wall paintings made allusions to Normandy , the province of France for which the ship was named. Drawings and photographs show a series of vast public rooms of great elegance. Her voluminous interior spaces were made possible by having the funnel uptakes split to pass along the sides of the ship, rather than straight upward. French architect Roger-Henri Expert

4895-410: The incident – Frank "Trent" Trentacosta, 36, of Brooklyn , a member of the fire watch. Some 94 USCG and Navy sailors, including some from Lafayette ' s pre-commissioning crew and men assigned to the receiving ship Seattle , 38 fire fighters, and 153 civilians, were treated for various injuries, burns, smoke inhalation , and exposure. The ruined Lafayette after the fire can be seen briefly in

4984-422: The last evening together with Rene Le Roy, the flutist. Champagne was served free of charge afterwards. The boat itself was a dream of beauty ... But four days was not too short to create a warm feeling for the boat and its crew, and when, years later, we learned of the dreadful disaster the Normandie had suffered in New York, we felt as if something terrible had happened to a close friend of ours." The outbreak of

5073-552: The liner. One of the most famous posters was by Adolphe Mouron Cassandre , another Russian emigrant to France. Another poster, by Albert Sébille, showed the interior layout in a cutaway diagram 4.5 metres (15 ft) long. This poster is displayed in the Musée national de la Marine in Paris. Work by the Société Anonyme des Chantiers de Penhoët began on the unnamed flagship on 26 January 1931 at Saint-Nazaire , soon after

5162-463: The maiden voyage, the CGT refused to predict that their ship would win the Blue Riband. However, by the time the ship reached New York, medallions of the Blue Riband victory, made in France, were delivered to passengers and the ship flew a 9-metre-long (30 ft) blue pennant . An estimated 100,000 spectators lined New York Harbor for Normandie ' s arrival. All passengers were presented with

5251-419: The most sophisticated French cuisine of the period. As no natural light could enter it was illuminated by twelve tall pillars of Lalique glass flanked by 38 matching columns along the walls. These, with chandeliers hung at each end of the room, earned the Normandie the nickname "Ship of Light" (similar to Paris as the "City of Light"). A popular feature was the café grill, which would be transformed into

5340-562: The nickname 'The Normandie' given to the International Savings Society Apartments in Shanghai , one of the most fashionable residential buildings during the city's pre-revolutionary heyday and home to several stars of China's mid-20th century film industry. Normandie 's name also may have inspired that of The Normandy apartment building in New York City. Items from Normandie were sold at

5429-583: The outbreak of the war halted the plan indefinitely. Although Normandie won praise for her design and decor, ultimately North Atlantic passengers flocked to the more traditional Queen Mary . Two of the ship's greatest attributes, in reality, turned out to be two of her biggest faults. Part of Normandie ' s problem lay in the fact that the majority of her passenger space was devoted to first class, which could carry up to 848 people. Less space and consideration were given to second and tourist class, which numbered only 670 and 454 passengers, respectively. As

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5518-622: The production costs of the items, making them affordable to the large European working class. Streamlining and functionalism represent two different schools in modernistic industrial design . SS Normandie SS Normandie was a French ocean liner built in Saint-Nazaire , France, for the French Line Compagnie Générale Transatlantique (CGT). She entered service in 1935 as the largest and fastest passenger ship afloat, crossing

5607-569: The room. The Strand Palace Hotel foyer (1930), preserved from demolition by the Victoria and Albert Museum during 1969, was one of the first uses of internally lit architectural glass, and coincidentally was the first Moderne interior preserved in a museum . Streamline Moderne appeared most often in buildings related to transportation and movement, such as bus and train stations, airport terminals, roadside cafes, and port buildings. It had characteristics common with modern architecture , including

5696-610: The same comfort as that experienced in first. As a result, second and tourist class became a significant source of cash for shipping companies at that time. Queen Mary would accommodate these trends and subsequently the liner achieved greater popularity among North Atlantic travellers during the late thirties. Another of the CGT's greatest triumphs also turned out to be one of Normandie ' s greatest flaws: her décor. The ship's slick and modern Art Deco interiors proved to be somewhat intimidating and uncomfortable for her travellers, with some claiming that interiors gave them headaches. It

5785-430: The ship within an hour of the start of the conflagration. Capt. Coman, along with Capt. Simmers, arrived about 15:25 to see his huge prospective command in flames. As firefighters on shore and in fire boats poured water on the blaze, Lafayette developed a dangerous list to port due to water pumped into the seaward side by fireboats. Vladimir Yourkevitch , the ship's designer, arrived at the scene to offer expertise but

5874-488: The theater was purchased by Mary Clare Vanden Boom and Joey Hawthorne, who reopened it as a "computer, pro lighting, and sound systems retail business" called Funky Monkey in November 2013. In 2015, they renovated it to a restaurant and performance venue but subsequently closed due to lack of funding. In 2018, it was purchased by Tarl Knight and former owner Mark Mariucci, who renamed it The Tarlton Theatre and reopened it as

5963-450: The time (equivalent to $ 88   million in 2023), the ship was stripped of superstructure and righted on 7 August 1943. She was renamed Lafayette and reclassified as an aircraft and transport ferry, APV-4, on 15 September 1943 and placed in drydock the following month. However, extensive damage to her hull, deterioration of her machinery, and the necessity for employing manpower on other more critical war projects prevented resumption of

6052-599: The time, U.S. law mandated the Coast Guard as part of the Treasury during peacetime.) When the USCG became a part of the United States Navy on 1 November 1941, Normandie ' s USCG detail remained intact, mainly observing while the French crew maintained the vessel's boilers, machinery, and other equipment, including the fire-watch system. On 12 December 1941, five days after the attack on Pearl Harbor ,

6141-548: The walls with Babar the Elephant and his entourage . The interiors were filled with grand perspectives, spectacular entryways, and long, wide staircases. First-class suites were given unique designs by select designers. The most luxurious accommodations were the Deauville and Trouville apartments, featuring dining rooms, baby grand pianos, multiple bedrooms, and private decks. Normandie ' s first-class dining hall

6230-470: The war found Normandie in New York Harbor. Looming hostilities in Europe had compelled Normandie to seek haven in the U.S. The federal government interned her on 3 September 1939, the same day France declared war on Germany. Soon Queen Mary , later refitted as a troopship , moored nearby. Then, two weeks later, Queen Elizabeth joined Queen Mary . For five months, the three largest liners in

6319-597: The world were tied up side by side. Normandie remained in French hands, with French crewmembers on board, led by Captain Hervé Lehuédé, into the spring of 1940. On 15 May 1940, during the Battle of France , the U.S. Treasury Department detailed about 150 agents of the United States Coast Guard (USCG) to go aboard the ship and Manhattan's Pier 88 to defend it against possible sabotage . (At

6408-488: The wreckage of the aircraft remained on board Normandie as she had to sail due to the tide. It was carried to Le Havre. A salvage team from the Royal Air Force later removed the wreckage. Horsey was court-martialled and found guilty on two charges, and Evans' car was wrecked in the accident. In August 1936, Queen Mary captured the Blue Riband, averaging 30.14 knots (55.82 km/h; 34.68 mph), starting

6497-411: Was a power in the local longshoremen's union , to provide leverage for the release of mob boss Charles "Lucky" Luciano from prison. Luciano's end of the bargain would be to ensure that there would be no further "enemy" sabotage in the ports where the mob had strong influence with the unions. In one of the largest and most expensive salvage operations of its kind, estimated at $ 5   million at

6586-710: Was also here that Queen Mary triumphed over her French rival. Although also decorated in an Art Deco style, Queen Mary was more restrained in her appointments and was not as radical as Normandie , and proved ultimately to be more popular with travellers. As a result, Normandie at many times throughout her service history carried less than half her full complement of passengers. Her German rivals Bremen and Europa , and Italian rivals Rex and Conte di Savoia also suffered from this problem; despite their innovative designs and luxurious interiors, they made little profit for their respective companies. Contributing to this were international boycotts against Germany and Italy as

6675-460: Was barred by harbor police. Yourkevitch's suggestion was to enter the vessel and open the sea-cocks. This would flood the lower decks and make her settle the few feet to the bottom. With the ship stabilised, water could be pumped into burning areas without the risk of capsizing . The suggestion was rejected by the commander of the 3rd Naval District , Rear Admiral Adolphus Andrews . Between 17:45 and 18:00 on 9 February 1942, authorities considered

6764-610: Was built on the Place Flagey in Ixelles (Brussels), Belgium, in 1938, in the paquebot style, and has been nicknamed "Packet Boat" or "paquebot". It was designed by Joseph Diongre  [ fr ] , and selected as the winning design in an architectural competition to create a building to house the former headquarters of the Belgian National Institute of Radio Broadcasting (INR/NIR). The building

6853-487: Was chosen. In France, boat prefixes properly depend on the boat name's gender, but non-sailors mostly use the masculine form, inherited from the French terms for boat, which can be " paquebot ", " navire ", " bateau ", or " bâtiment ". British and Germans refer to boats as feminine ("she's a beauty"). The CGT called their ship simply " Normandie ", preceded by neither "le" nor "la" (French masculine/feminine for "the") to avoid any confusion. On 29 October 1932 – three years to

6942-407: Was deactivated. The New York City Fire Department 's hoses did not fit the ship's French inlets. Before the fire department arrived, approximately 15 minutes after fire broke out, all onboard crew were using manual means in a vain attempt to stop the blaze. A strong northwesterly wind blowing over Lafayette ' s port quarter swept the blaze forward, eventually consuming the three upper decks of

7031-604: Was designed to represent France in the nation-state contest of the great liners and was built in a French shipyard using French parts. The growing hull in Saint-Nazaire had no formal designation except "T-6" ("T" for "Transat", an alternate name for the French Line, and "6" for "6th"), the contract name. Many names were suggested including Doumer , after Paul Doumer , the recently assassinated President of France ; and originally, La Belle France. Finally Normandie

7120-539: Was extensively renovated, and in 2002, it reopened as a cultural centre known as Le Flagey. The defining event for streamline moderne design in the United States was the 1933–34 Chicago World's Fair , which introduced the style to the general public. The new automobiles adapted the smooth lines of ocean liners and airships, giving the impression of efficiency, dynamism, and speed. The grills and windshields tilted backwards, cars sat lower and wider, and they featured smooth curves and horizontal speed lines. Examples include

7209-648: Was granted due to a design plan change: elements of the superstructure were to be removed to improve stability, in work that was expected to take another 60 to 90 days. However, on 7 February, orders came from Washington that the reduction of the top-hamper had been abandoned and Lafayette was to sail on 14 February as planned. This abrupt reversal necessitated a frantic resumption of conversion work, and captains Coman and Simmers scheduled 9 February meetings in New York and Washington to lobby for further clarification of conversion plans; ultimately, these meetings would never take place. At 14:30 on 9 February 1942, sparks from

7298-407: Was in charge of the overall decorative scheme. Most of the public space was devoted to first-class passengers, including the dining room, first-class lounge, grill room, first-class swimming pool, theatre and winter garden . The first-class swimming pool featured staggered depths, with a shallow training beach for children. The children's dining room was decorated by Jean de Brunhoff , who covered

7387-700: Was not running. This system also made it possible to eliminate astern turbines. An early form of radar was installed to prevent collisions. The rudder frame, including the 125-ton cast steel connecting rod, was produced by Škoda Works in Czechoslovakia . Normandie had a significant cost. By the time of her maiden voyage, she had cost 812 million francs, then equal to $ 53.5 million (equivalent to $ 1188.95 million in 2023). Normandie ' s luxurious interiors were designed in Art Déco and Streamline Moderne style by architect Pierre Patout , one of

7476-576: Was passed through multiple channels including Secretary of the Navy Frank Knox ; Admiral Harold R. Stark , Chief of Naval Operations (CNO); and Rear Adm. Randall Jacobs, Chief of the Bureau of Navigation . The name La Fayette (later universally and unofficially contracted to Lafayette ) was officially approved by the Secretary of the Navy on 31 December 1941, with the vessel classified as

7565-480: Was sometimes a reflection of austere economic times; sharp angles were replaced with simple, aerodynamic curves, and ornament was replaced with smooth concrete and glass . The style was the first to incorporate electric light into architectural structure. In the first-class dining room of the SS Normandie , fitted out 1933–35, twelve tall pillars of Lalique glass, and 38 columns lit from within illuminated

7654-532: Was the Ile de France , which had modern Art Deco interiors but a conservative hull design. The designers intended their new superliner to be similar to earlier French Line ships. Then they were approached by Vladimir Yourkevitch , a former ship architect for the Imperial Russian Navy who had emigrated to France after the 1917 revolution . Yourkevitch's ideas included a slanting clipper-like bow and

7743-506: Was the largest room afloat. At 93 m (305 ft), it was longer than the Hall of Mirrors at the Palace of Versailles , 14 m (46 ft) wide, and 8.5 m (28 ft) high. Passengers entered through six-metre-tall (20 ft) doors adorned with bronze medallions by artist Raymond Subes. The room could seat 700 at 157 tables, with Normandie serving as a floating promotion for

7832-416: Was the only ocean liner to have a regulation-sized open air tennis court on board. The air conditioner units were concealed along with the kennels inside the third, dummy, funnel. Normandie ' s maiden voyage was on 29 May 1935. At Le Havre she took aboard 812 Passengers: 467 First Class Passengers, 244 Tourist Class and 101 Third Class. 50,000 people saw her off at Le Havre on what was hoped would be

7921-483: Was the source of inspiration for Disney Cruise Line 's matching vessels, Disney Magic , Disney Wonder , Disney Dream , and Disney Fantasy . Normandie also inspired the architecture and design of the Normandie Hotel in San Juan, Puerto Rico . The hotel's roof sign is one of the two signs that adorned the top deck of Normandie but were removed from it during an early refitting. It also inspired

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