6 stops on Fox’s Behind the Scenes Tour broaden view of 1929 landmark

The Fox Theatre has received scads of media and social media attention in recent weeks as it neared the end of its yearlong celebration marking the 40th anniversary since it was saved from the wrecking ball.

But even for visitors who have attended any of “The Legend Lives On” series of festivities, there’s much more to the Midtown landmark than its vast atmospheric Moorish-styled auditorium that evokes a castellated open-air courtyard under twinkling stars.

On the Behind the Scenes Tours being offered Tuesday through June 20, exotic decorative gestures give way to no-frills production and backstage areas that, for the most part, appear virtually unchanged from when the fortress-like theater opened 85 years ago. Here are six stops rarely glimpsed by the public along the 90-minute guided tour:

Hospital: The sign on the door is rather grandiose for the closet-size clinic off the downstairs ladies lounge that hasn't been used in decades but still boasts its original scary-looking medical equipment. The hospital is a true tone-setter for the Behind the Scenes Tour that visits a number of places that feel like settings for Boris Karloff's 1931 "Frankenstein."

Pit Motor Room: Directly below the stage, this space and nearby Electrical Room keep the early-horror-flick vibe alive. Six well-oiled hydraulic lifts operate various orchestra pit features, including the Mighty Mo organ. Everything but the motors is original equipment.

Electrical Room: After you pass through an open double-doorway intriguingly labeled "Door Must Remain Closed," the next stop is the Electrical Room. Its army-formation rows of dark metal cabinets boasting heavy levers were the theater's source of power for decades, until being replaced by familiar modern breaker panels.

Paint Shop: The Golden Gate Bridge isn't the only American landmark that's painted continuously. During a preview of the tour, the fumes from various repair projects in progress by decorative paint foreman Edna Sullivan were powerful. Extensive flat files hold stencils for seemingly the most obscure spots across the edifice, such as for Egyptian Ballroom column bases. "As long as we continue to have the number of guests we have visiting the Fox each year," Fox spokesman Jamie Vosmeier said, "Edna will never lack for work."

South Tower: The dressing room tower off of Ponce de Leon Avenue boasts recent updates, including several touches intended to give visiting performers a crash course in Fox history. A theater timeline now climbs the staircase from the second to seventh floor. A wall in one third-floor star dressing room is covered with wallpaper created from scanned ticket stubs — including many performers who have since passed on (Sarah Vaughan, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Frank Zappa, Robert Palmer …). An adjoining dressing room features vintage autographed Fox posters and more recent autographs starting to cover the inside drawers of the vanity (among them, Sally Struthers, who played Miss Hannigan during a 2012 "Annie" tour stop). You can toast all the stars with beverages served during this stop.

Stage: If you've ever wondered what it feels like to stand on the 80-foot-wide by 30-foot-deep stage and look out at the Fox's auditorium, this final tour stop is your moment. All the house lights are up, but the 4,665 seats are empty, so there's no one to make fun of you if you do a little can-can step or take a dramatic bow. The tour guide will even snap a photo with your phone or camera to record your star turn for posterity.