As the Embassy reached its 90th anniversary, there were new efforts to preserve and commemorate the theater’s history in a formal archive. This includes more than 250 posters and playbills signed by the stars and casts of shows that have played at the theater over the years, historic documents and artifacts, and 600 photographs of performers who appeared at the theater and its sister, the Palace Theater, from the 1930s through the early 50s. These archival pieces range from some of the most famous bands and bandleaders to acrobats, animal acts, comedians, dancers, emcees, impressionists, instrumentalists, singers and ventriloquists.

Each item is individually catalogued in the database of the archive, which had to take into account all the categories of material preserved in the archive, such as audio-visual material, correspondence, documents, negatives, newspaper items, photographs (signed, unsigned, inscribed to Bud Berger), playbills, poster, programs, scrapbooks, stage stools (signed by various performers) and other objects. Each record includes as many researched details as possible.

A removable label with the archive index number was affixed to the back of each item as it was catalogued. When the catalogue was complete, each item was placed in archival housing.

Cataloguing of the archive continues to this day. Four parts of the catalogue are currently available so that theater patrons, historians and aficionados may easily consult them.

Click here for full Archive Brochure.

An excerpt of the catalogue covering the 600+ Berger-inscribed photographs is available here.

An excerpt of the catalogue covering the posters, playbills, and programs (signed and unsigned), and the stage stools and guitars signed by the stars and casts is available here.

An excerpt of the catalogue covering later performers and shows appearing at the Embassy is available here.

An excerpt of the catalogue covering early and recent photographs of the theatre is available here.