Willie Hammerstein Sullivan and Percy G. Williams. Later the Keith-Albee circuit booking office gave Hammerstein a monopoly on big-time vaudeville in Times Square. Willie's father was much more interested in grand opera, and in 1906 opened the Manhattan Opera House. Revenue from the Victoria kept the opera house running. At one point Oscar Hammerstein, always short of money, moved to sell the Victoria to the Shubert family. Willie and his brother Arthur, who produced shows, blocked the attempt. In March 1913 Keith and Albee paid Oscar Hamilton a reported $225,000 to give up his monopoly. They opened the Palace Theatre at 47th
Hammerstein House Hollywood Historical Society in honor of his late wife Vera Hammerstein. It was his wish that the home be operated as a museum and he contributed many artifacts of his life which form much of the display there. Items on display include Hammerstein's WWI Air Force uniform. The ashes of the home's owners Clarence and Vera Hammerstein reside at the house in two large urns. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places on February 15, 2005. The home is operated as a historic house museum by the Hollywood Historical Society and contains artifacts of the Hammerstein's life.