The Helen Hayes Theatre was designed by architect Harry Creighton Ingalls, and built by Winthrop Ames.  It was originally named the Little Theatre because of its small size and dedication to housing intimate productions.  On March 12, 1912, the theatre opened with The Pigeon by John Galsworthy.  Herbert J. Krapp redesigned the theatre in the 1920s to increase its seating capacity and improve its acoustics.  The building was leased to the New York Times in 1931 and adapted into a conference hall.  CBS used the theatre as a radio studio, but ABC adapted it for television in 1958.  The Dick Clark Show started there and was produced on the site from February 1958 through September 1961.  Beginning in 1979, Martin Markinson and Donald Tick ran the theatre.  In 1983, the venue was renamed for actress Helen Hayes (who was still living at the time) when her namesake theatre was destroyed in order to build the New York Marriot Marquis.The theatre was renamed after the actress Helen Hayes in 1983 when her namesake theatre was destroyed in order to build the New York Marriot Marquis.