Earlier on-location appearances and the tour with Jimmy Dean marking the culmination of his series on television in 1966 put Jim (i.e. Rowlf) on the stage of many illustrious theaters and music halls. These included the famous Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas, Carnegie Hall in New York City, and the Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville. The Syria Mosque in Pittsburgh where they played in April 1966 also had a storied past.
Built in 1911 as a general theater and music hall, the Syria Mosque hosted an array of talent over the years including Enrico Caruso, John Philip Sousa, Leonard Bernstein, Buddy Holly, and Bob Dylan. It figured in television history in 1949 as the home to the first “network” of coaxial cable feed linking its broadcast to thirteen cities, launching network rather than just local television. Though distinguished architecturally and historically, the building was razed in 1991.
Learn more about Rowlf’s live appearances and tour with Jimmy Dean here and here.
