Many driving past wondered what took place inside that rusting hulk seemingly dumped next to the Route 34 Connector in New Haven, Conn. Last Days of the Coliseum tells the complete story of the New Haven Veterans Memorial Coliseum within the context of the cultural upheavals of baby boomers whose pop culture gods of rock, hockey and pro wrestling routinely appeared there before it closed in 2002. Weaving rare photographs, animation, archival footage and interviews with architect Kevin Roche, concert promoter Jim Koplik and legendary hockey coach Parker Macdonald among many others, producer Rich Hanley reveals surprising stories behind the Coliseum’s design, New Haven’s long, tortured history with rock music and hockey, and how a soft-spoken usher named Howard Finkel launched a hall-of-fame career as a pro wrestling ring announcer there.
Where to Watch
The Last Days of the Coliseum premieres on CPTV on Tuesday, September 27, 2022 at 9:30 p.m. It will re-air on CPTV on Wednesday, September 28 at 4 a.m., Saturday, October 1 at 11 p.m., and Sunday, October 16 at 2 a.m.
It will also be available to watch on-demand on this page, and at video.cptv.org.