ST. JAMES THEATRE · 246 W. 44th Street. Architect: Warren and Wetmore-F. Richard Anderson. Opening: September 26, 1927; Th e Merry Malones. In 1929, Abraham Erlanger, head of the monopolistic Th eatrical Syndicate and among the most hated men in show business, built the Erlanger’s Th eatre as the fl agship of his nationwide chain. He chose 44th Street as a statement against his rivals, the Shuberts, who had several theaters on 44th Street.