John J. Totten (July 15, 1885-May 3, 1969) was the man who saved Carnegie Hall from the wrecking ball. He worked for Carnegie Hall for decades, rising from usher to vice president.
Totten was elected to The Lambs in 1955 as a professional member.
He joined Carnegie Hall in 1903 as an usher. He was 18 and the part-time job paid $1 a show. There he met Andrew Carnegie, who built the hall in 1891, and became his favorite usher to escort him to Box 33. From then on the philanthropist would ask, "Where's John?"
In 1927 he was made house manager, a role he held until 1961. Totten managed everything in the house except the performers themselves. He always defended musicians, once saying, "Real artists are never temperamental. When they scream because something is wrong, invariably something is wrong."
A young George Gershwin was a frequent unpaid visitor "A faithful non-paying patron of Carnegie Hall," as the Times called him. Totten would sneak him into rehearsals; Gershwin never forgot that and always left complimentary tickets to his shows for Totten.
One time during a performance a fire broke out in a trash can and smoke started to waft through the hall. Totten coolly extinguished the flames and opened windows. He then called the fire department and told them to arrive without sirens. The audience never learned the building was on fire.
In 1955 he was made vice president at a critical time for the future of the hall.
In 1955, The New York Times published plans by Mayor Robert Wagner's Slum Clearance Committee—which was headed by Robert Moses—to demolish 25 acres of tenements around Lincoln Square. The project's stated intent was to provide Fordham University with a midtown location. The article noted, almost in passing, that the committee's members "would not be averse to bringing into the area a new Metropolitan Opera House."
By October, Moses let it be known that an acre in the project would be set aside for a site to build a new concert hall for the New York Philharmonic.
If the Philharmonic moved to a new home at the performing arts complex that would eventually be known as Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall would lose more than 115 days of rent annually, which would cripple it financially. Newspaper articles soon began to forecast the possible demolition of Carnegie Hall. House manager John Totten—who began working at Carnegie Hall as an usher in 1903 and by 1955 had become a vice president of Carnegie Hall Inc.—formed a committee to save the Hall, contacting hundreds of musicians and music patrons to raise awareness and soliciting funds to help purchase the building.
Although the Philharmonic agreed to stay until May 1960, John Totten's Committee to Save Carnegie Hall had raised less than $25,000 of the $5 million needed to purchase the building. It seemed inevitable that Carnegie Hall would be torn down. Isaac Stern stepped in to raise awareness and the city acquired it and renovated it after a huge fundraising campaign. Totten became vice president, a role he held until his death.
In 1962 at the age of 76, when most men have long since retired, Totten started a brand-new job as the first house manager of the Lincoln Center "Philharmonic Hall." He later returned to Carnegie Hall.
He died in 1969 and is in an unmarked grave at Woodlawn Cemetery.
Totten was elected to The Lambs in 1955 as a professional member.
He joined Carnegie Hall in 1903 as an usher. He was 18 and the part-time job paid $1 a show. There he met Andrew Carnegie, who built the hall in 1891, and became his favorite usher to escort him to Box 33. From then on the philanthropist would ask, "Where's John?"
In 1927 he was made house manager, a role he held until 1961. Totten managed everything in the house except the performers themselves. He always defended musicians, once saying, "Real artists are never temperamental. When they scream because something is wrong, invariably something is wrong."
A young George Gershwin was a frequent unpaid visitor "A faithful non-paying patron of Carnegie Hall," as the Times called him. Totten would sneak him into rehearsals; Gershwin never forgot that and always left complimentary tickets to his shows for Totten.
One time during a performance a fire broke out in a trash can and smoke started to waft through the hall. Totten coolly extinguished the flames and opened windows. He then called the fire department and told them to arrive without sirens. The audience never learned the building was on fire.
In 1955 he was made vice president at a critical time for the future of the hall.
In 1955, The New York Times published plans by Mayor Robert Wagner's Slum Clearance Committee—which was headed by Robert Moses—to demolish 25 acres of tenements around Lincoln Square. The project's stated intent was to provide Fordham University with a midtown location. The article noted, almost in passing, that the committee's members "would not be averse to bringing into the area a new Metropolitan Opera House."
By October, Moses let it be known that an acre in the project would be set aside for a site to build a new concert hall for the New York Philharmonic.
If the Philharmonic moved to a new home at the performing arts complex that would eventually be known as Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall would lose more than 115 days of rent annually, which would cripple it financially. Newspaper articles soon began to forecast the possible demolition of Carnegie Hall. House manager John Totten—who began working at Carnegie Hall as an usher in 1903 and by 1955 had become a vice president of Carnegie Hall Inc.—formed a committee to save the Hall, contacting hundreds of musicians and music patrons to raise awareness and soliciting funds to help purchase the building.
Although the Philharmonic agreed to stay until May 1960, John Totten's Committee to Save Carnegie Hall had raised less than $25,000 of the $5 million needed to purchase the building. It seemed inevitable that Carnegie Hall would be torn down. Isaac Stern stepped in to raise awareness and the city acquired it and renovated it after a huge fundraising campaign. Totten became vice president, a role he held until his death.
In 1962 at the age of 76, when most men have long since retired, Totten started a brand-new job as the first house manager of the Lincoln Center "Philharmonic Hall." He later returned to Carnegie Hall.
He died in 1969 and is in an unmarked grave at Woodlawn Cemetery.
John J. Totten (July 15, 1885-May 3, 1969) was the man who saved Carnegie Hall from the wrecking ball. He worked for Carnegie Hall for decades, rising from usher to vice president.
Totten was elected to The Lambs in 1955 as a professional member.
He joined Carnegie Hall in 1903 as an usher. He was 18 and the part-time job paid $1 a show. There he met Andrew Carnegie, who built the hall in 1891, and became his favorite usher to escort him to Box 33. From then on the philanthropist would ask, "Where's John?"
In 1927 he was made house manager, a role he held until 1961. Totten managed everything in the house except the performers themselves. He always defended musicians, once saying, "Real artists are never temperamental. When they scream because something is wrong, invariably something is wrong."
A young George Gershwin was a frequent unpaid visitor "A faithful non-paying patron of Carnegie Hall," as the Times called him. Totten would sneak him into rehearsals; Gershwin never forgot that and always left complimentary tickets to his shows for Totten.
One time during a performance a fire broke out in a trash can and smoke started to waft through the hall. Totten coolly extinguished the flames and opened windows. He then called the fire department and told them to arrive without sirens. The audience never learned the building was on fire.
In 1955 he was made vice president at a critical time for the future of the hall.
In 1955, The New York Times published plans by Mayor Robert Wagner's Slum Clearance Committee—which was headed by Robert Moses—to demolish 25 acres of tenements around Lincoln Square. The project's stated intent was to provide Fordham University with a midtown location. The article noted, almost in passing, that the committee's members "would not be averse to bringing into the area a new Metropolitan Opera House."
By October, Moses let it be known that an acre in the project would be set aside for a site to build a new concert hall for the New York Philharmonic.
If the Philharmonic moved to a new home at the performing arts complex that would eventually be known as Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall would lose more than 115 days of rent annually, which would cripple it financially. Newspaper articles soon began to forecast the possible demolition of Carnegie Hall. House manager John Totten—who began working at Carnegie Hall as an usher in 1903 and by 1955 had become a vice president of Carnegie Hall Inc.—formed a committee to save the Hall, contacting hundreds of musicians and music patrons to raise awareness and soliciting funds to help purchase the building.
Although the Philharmonic agreed to stay until May 1960, John Totten's Committee to Save Carnegie Hall had raised less than $25,000 of the $5 million needed to purchase the building. It seemed inevitable that Carnegie Hall would be torn down. Isaac Stern stepped in to raise awareness and the city acquired it and renovated it after a huge fundraising campaign. Totten became vice president, a role he held until his death.
In 1962 at the age of 76, when most men have long since retired, Totten started a brand-new job as the first house manager of the Lincoln Center "Philharmonic Hall." He later returned to Carnegie Hall.
He died in 1969 and is in an unmarked grave at Woodlawn Cemetery.
Totten was elected to The Lambs in 1955 as a professional member.
He joined Carnegie Hall in 1903 as an usher. He was 18 and the part-time job paid $1 a show. There he met Andrew Carnegie, who built the hall in 1891, and became his favorite usher to escort him to Box 33. From then on the philanthropist would ask, "Where's John?"
In 1927 he was made house manager, a role he held until 1961. Totten managed everything in the house except the performers themselves. He always defended musicians, once saying, "Real artists are never temperamental. When they scream because something is wrong, invariably something is wrong."
A young George Gershwin was a frequent unpaid visitor "A faithful non-paying patron of Carnegie Hall," as the Times called him. Totten would sneak him into rehearsals; Gershwin never forgot that and always left complimentary tickets to his shows for Totten.
One time during a performance a fire broke out in a trash can and smoke started to waft through the hall. Totten coolly extinguished the flames and opened windows. He then called the fire department and told them to arrive without sirens. The audience never learned the building was on fire.
In 1955 he was made vice president at a critical time for the future of the hall.
In 1955, The New York Times published plans by Mayor Robert Wagner's Slum Clearance Committee—which was headed by Robert Moses—to demolish 25 acres of tenements around Lincoln Square. The project's stated intent was to provide Fordham University with a midtown location. The article noted, almost in passing, that the committee's members "would not be averse to bringing into the area a new Metropolitan Opera House."
By October, Moses let it be known that an acre in the project would be set aside for a site to build a new concert hall for the New York Philharmonic.
If the Philharmonic moved to a new home at the performing arts complex that would eventually be known as Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall would lose more than 115 days of rent annually, which would cripple it financially. Newspaper articles soon began to forecast the possible demolition of Carnegie Hall. House manager John Totten—who began working at Carnegie Hall as an usher in 1903 and by 1955 had become a vice president of Carnegie Hall Inc.—formed a committee to save the Hall, contacting hundreds of musicians and music patrons to raise awareness and soliciting funds to help purchase the building.
Although the Philharmonic agreed to stay until May 1960, John Totten's Committee to Save Carnegie Hall had raised less than $25,000 of the $5 million needed to purchase the building. It seemed inevitable that Carnegie Hall would be torn down. Isaac Stern stepped in to raise awareness and the city acquired it and renovated it after a huge fundraising campaign. Totten became vice president, a role he held until his death.
In 1962 at the age of 76, when most men have long since retired, Totten started a brand-new job as the first house manager of the Lincoln Center "Philharmonic Hall." He later returned to Carnegie Hall.
He died in 1969 and is in an unmarked grave at Woodlawn Cemetery.
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