, 1877-09-16

and train of ears with thrilling realism, and for
which piece Of mechanical authorship the courts
havc awarded him deerce OF originality: ne
married the daughter OF Alr. John Dull, then
proprietor Of the Olympic Theatre. but former
iy partner in Cook d Duff IS famous restaurant
under tile Times Building. Mrs. DAILY brought
to her husband, according 10 rumor At a. the u,
time, S40,uU0 III good hard cash, which
enabled i,im to launch out on
THE MANAGERIAL SEA.
In the rear Of the Filth Avenue Hotel there
was i neat, cosy little theatre which Jitn Fisk
had altered over from 4 minstrel hall to an
opcra-lonse, and therein established his mis-
tress, 1r1na, the singer OF opera boutte and
ogler OF men. This went swimming1y for time,
or until Josie Mansfield appeared upon the
scene, anu ousteu 1rInt from her place at the
bead of Fisk's harenl. Then the theatre passed
into the hands OF Johu Brougham. But this
accomplished actor and genial gentleman met
with tile same lll-luck that las always attended
his ventures lis Il manager, and tue pretty little
Fifth Avenue Theatre wAs soon. closed. Dan
l1arhius, Il capital actor, who was then out Of
employment aud looking for 4 manager, got the
forthwith hastencd to DalY. and offered
hiln. Lie lease aud to engage Tim as proprietor.
tliarkns was then hard up, and resorted tn thc
expc.iient Of hiring Il theatre III order to get
etnpIoysnent). Daily jumped at the opportu-
nifty, and suou closed the bargain for the theatre
Tor :: term of years. Harkins was engaged as
leading .lna1I aud stagc-manager, and these po-
stions he has held i'll Da!y's company almost
constantly since that time. DAILY got good
company together, aud sought to run opposi-
tiOu to Wallark in tho production OF Old sland-
lrd English comedies. But he was new light
in the dramatic horizon, and tl,c dear public,
su long lseu to Wlllacklau productions, did not
lake kindly to him. As consequence, after Il
few weeks, hc was on the verge OF ruin, aud his
actors were TN half salaries. Mrs. Scott-Sid-
IL fvhnrHt1nt
nearly finished the business for the eon1-
paly, as She played to almost empty benches.
At this tiulc DAILY, in sheer desperation,
launched his adaptation from tue French, which
lie called .1Frou-Frou." Miss Agnes Ethel, a
bright, handsome Young woman, who had been
the sat o! all amateur organization, played Fron-
j,fvu, and tr piece Was Ill immense SUCCESS
This was among the first oil those PLAYS having
for its foundation wifc's adultery which have
lately been so common Oh the Stage It be-
came The rage, saved the season. Saved DAILY,
and saved his company from disaster similar
to that which has now oyerlakcn them. s. Frou-
Frou u served also to open his next season with,
and then CAME Divorce" anothcr OF Daly's
adopted matrimonial inlcticlties. witch proved
SUCCESS These plays were followed by others
from his pen, the plots OF which were invariably
Il borrowed without any knosledsmcnt
to thcir authors. Amoug these were
'' Fernando" Article A." t'Alixe,"
and several Others. On the l0oth nlgat vi
8
oratlye banquet, at which were present nuuer-
Gus gentlemen Of the lar, Judges, doctors, aud
A41tcn about town, II who were ready to eat
good dinner aud drink champagne at any time
ut sumo one clse's expense. 1t was on this o.
c:lsion that Fanny Davenport made her maiden
effort at ..tlstuuied oratory, making i nrat little
speech which WAS much applauued- Daily also
brought out here Miss Clara Norris who made
a hit in Man aud Wife, But the Fifth Ave-
nue. Theatre Was burned down one dag, aud this
IT 1nff
the colu. DAILY, however, was equal to the
emergency, and soon had them housed in the
old Glupe Theatre, which he had rehtted and fur
nished with much elegance. From here he went
tu tho present Fifth Avenue Theatre, where his
success has been varied, eliminating in faiiure
In tue ten or twelve years of his management
he las made and lost several fortunes His aul-
hilton has DER leaped itself. lie aimed to be
the
sAPoLEoN OF DRAMATIC MANAGEMENT.
Not contcnt with running one theatre, he ut
one time was managing tile Olympic and one in
in successful operation. Again, he touk the
Grand Opera House, and brought out King
Carottc," Il spectacular piece which cost small
fortune. 1t was produced with degree OF
gorgcousness never before cquallcd, but it did
not pay. Ou tho contrary, The venture was such
a drain upon 'Napoleon's - purse that he las
never recovered from it. Had he, during Ill
these wears, confined himself to his own theatre
aid to his legitimate business as playwright,
he would have saved up . fortune
in spite OF his extravaganza. One great
cause Of his troubles was his -desire
to control the best actors in the country. In
order to Keep them from other managers. he
would engage them ut extrayagant salaries, and
permit them to remain idle for weeks at 4 time.
Of course they presented themselves at the box
office OIL salary-day with co,nmendable reEulari-
ty, and walked off with large amounts OF money
which they had not been permitted to earn.
Sometimes he organized the supertfuous mcm-
bers OF his company into travelling companies,
and sent them on tours OF the provinces to play
his plays. At one time he had three OF these
CON panics, each of them carrying several high
priced actors and many others OF lighter calibre.
These were. expensive organizations, and il they
failed to pay their way, as was quite frequently
the case, Mr.. DAILY had to make up the defeien-
cy. At one time he took tue flower OF his
company to San Francisco, where, owing
to the airs he assumed over the local
his venture was an utter
failure Mcguire and Mccullough, who had
Lccn managing theatres there fur years, and
had given The public the very best acting, were
not to be- forsaken by the natives in favor of
this New York adventurer. Many amusing
stories are told Of the adventures of the MEM
bcrs of Dav's company who were left stranded
on the Pacific Coast.
T.. MISS FANNY DAVENPORT
is the most prominent lady graduate from
Daly's company, although Miss Agnes Ethel
and Clara Morris owe nuril Of their later susress
to the prominence gwen them in the Fifth
Avenue Company. Miss Davenport, however,
has been put forward in season and out Of sea
SON aud often at the expense Of others. There
is no question but the lady has made good use
Of her opportunities, and now ranks rs most
excellent leading lady, but this prominence was
accorded her sonlc time bcforc her study or
her experience warranted it. That she |
was a sayor1tc with the manager, and that he
was determined the public should accept her as |
bright particular star, has bccn manifest Tor
nlmprr Of wears. Now that shc Is able to walk |
alone she kas gone OF on L starring tour, and |
was not member of the company this season. |
although, engaged to play i star cnGagctcnt ut
the Fifth Avenue durin. tho winter. The gen
tlc,ncn and ladies who formed Mr.. Daly's com- |
oauy consider themselves
VERY MUCH AGGRIEyED.
They were engaged for the entire season, some
NJ thriu hayiu. refused engagements elsewhere
Now, at the close Of the second week, tncy lind
themselves turned out III the cold with no re-
rcss. 1t is useless to sue Mr.. DAILY tor breach |
If contract, for he is sure to beat them at
Lhe end of an execution. Ma. Harfins
[ricd that, and got 4 Judgment for over
u, ,UOO due him on salary ACCOUNT, but he
has not yet got his money. Out Of
thc company, it is understood ME. DAILY will
make up company to travel with, producing