crown CU Home > Libraries Home
Columbia Center for Oral History Portal >

Oral history interview with Bobby Schiffman, 2009

Creator: Schiffman, Bobby, 1929-
Project: Apollo Theater oral history project
(see all project interviews)
Phys. Desc. :transcript 183 pages
Location: Columbia Center for Oral History
Full CLIO record >>

Biographical Note

Owner and manager of Apollo Theater from 1961 to 1974

Scope and Contents

Son of Frank Schiffman, the Apollo's first owner who established its reputation for great Black music and entertainment; Bobby Schiffman took over the theater in 1961. Describes shift from early vaudeville days under his father through its turn to jazz, R&B and on to rock crossover; maps changes in music industry including power shift to record companies, unprecedented audience numbers and performer's desires to "do it themselves" as analogy for changes in culture more generally. Numerous colorful anecdotes about performers from generous to difficult, Miles Davis to Marvin Gaye. Explains philosophy on music i.e.-whatever brings them in- but also support of and friendship with performers themselves, despite tensions amid growing race consciousness and resentment over long history of whites exploiting Black talent

Subjects

Access Conditions

Copyright by the Trustees of Columbia University of the City of New York and the Apollo Theater Foundation, 2009

Using this collection

Columbia Center for Oral History

Address:
Columbia University
535 West 114th Street
801 Butler Library, Box 20
MC1129
New York, NY 10027
Telephone:
(212) 854-7083

Email:
oralhist
@libraries.cul.columbia.edu

Website:
Columbia Center for Oral History