The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-12-06
OLD CHATHAM srREEr THEATRE s.
Three ~Pinyhouscs That wero Famous
N ore than Hair IA Century AGO.


More than Hair IL Century Ago..
Chatham street, now Park row, contained three
theatres in the latter part of tho FIRST half of
this century. all OF which have been swept away
by the advancing tide of business. Each of
these theatres was famous In its time. and tho
best actors of a bygone generation appeared
upon Its boards. The only living actor of gen.
eral reputation who trod the boards Of q Chat
ham street theatre is Joseph Jefferson.
The theatres were the Chatham Garden The
atre. the playhouse visited by LafayssSs: the
New Chatham Theatre, o as tho play
house In which "Jncle Toms Cabin I" was pro-
drced, and the Franklin Theatre. in which Mr..
jefferson appeared when q child. The Chatham
Garden Theatre was near Chambers street.
Originally it was known as the Pavilion Thea
tire. and was n playhouse for the sum mer sea-
son. 1t was opened In the summer of 1929. and
the success OF the enterprise Induced the pro-
pr.etor to erect q permanent theatre, which was
opened on May "a, 1924, with an excellent COM
pany, among the members being Henry Wall
lack. an uncle of the late Lester Wallnck;
George Barrett, whose manners won for him
the sobriquet of gentleman George;" Alexan-
der Simpson, n. capital actor: William Rufus
Blake. who was tho famous "old man" of the
first Wallack Theatre. and Joseph Jefferson.
father of tho present Joseph Jefferson. The
opening bill comprised the drama Tho Sol
dier's Daughter and Raising the Wind the
latter a favorite farce for many y ears. Gen.
Lafayette. during his visit to this country In
1924. was n guest of honor at this house. a fact
which gained the theatre considerable fame.
Henry Wallack, the lessee, failed to mako the
theatre pay. and a manager named Megary took
charge on June o. 1927. He renovated the in
terror, enlarged the stage, and began his first
season on Dec. 3. 1927. c. w. Taylor made his
first appearance in this city at this theatre on
Dec. 22 of the same year and remained a steady
favorite with Chatham-street audiences for
nearly forty years. Taylor bore a remarkable
resemblance to George Washington, and the
patriotic dramatists invariably introduced
Washington with Taylor playing the character.
After many managers had failed to mako
money here. Cooper, an eminent tragedian and
fnvorite. became the lessee. Next James
ii. Hackett. grandfather OF JamesK Hackett.
the present leading mar of the Lyceum COM
pany. leased the house and opened q season on
May 20. 1920. He named the playhouse the
American Opera House. He. too. failed. and
the theatre was converted into a circus and was
called B!anchard's Amphitheatre. A year later.
in 1881. Morris Phillips became lessee, and
later c. X. Thorne. the father Of a family of
actors. took charge. The last lessee was Thomas
Hamblin. who afterward was lessee Of the old
Bowery Theatre. The last performance in this
~ ' WI -IhICu ~. u lHc
tire was converted into a free Presbyterian
chapel, and finally was torn down.
Pnrdy's National Theatre. was on the east side
of Chatham street. between Roosevelt and
Tom Flynn, a favorite comedian. being the act.
ing manager. In the company were Mrs. C. r.
Theme. i M;ss Emily Mestayeri the mother Of
Blake, MIR. Kirby. c. r. Thorne, Stevens. and C.
Mes,ayer., Kirby was a traCedian whose strong
saying of the gallery gods who slept through
III, nS. sa% K, r%STt'9 %Is. Of 81 tns piay; "WHkH me up
later won fame on the operate stage. made
her first appearance ut this house on
T TYs; il. J. .p 1ss4i Here In f sRe' r4 F ! she Mf5!F, nSS
kindred dramas at east-side museums, made
her debut as a child on Oct. q. 1872. Frank
Chanfrau became lessee in lS4S and produced
nights. an unprecedented record for that period.
traditions of the stage. Even Lester wailacf
did not object 10 appearing at this theatre. He
the title role in " Don Cesar de Bazan +" here on
July II. ls4s; Mrs; F. b. Conway. afterward
brooklyn. made her debut on the stage in this
theatre on Dec. u. ,ls49. She was very young
a notable event in the history of the National
Theatre took place on Sept; 81. 1850. when Ed
win Booth. then IS years old, acted WItred in
MGR OF his father. Junius Brutus Booth. On
o.; a5, 1890, George L. Fox. the famous
lean Ranpi pan! D"%m,gi ana made 'hs HI, sF finss appear a@sF.
ance in New York at this theatre. The
ence and his beautiful young wife ever played
began at the National in 1903. On July Is of
duced. the version being BY George c. HOWARD,
whose wife was a sister OF George /. Fox. This
version is stun playing. after a lapse Of nearly
half a century, three or four companies play
ing il on the road this season. Mr.. Howard was
the 81; Clair. His wife acted Topsp, and his
a tavortte mt the New Bowery Theatre years
later. was Leyrse: G. Il. Fox. GumJtiOn Cute: Il.
l.. Fox, IhtltE Fletcher; James Lingard. after
ward lessee of the New Bowery Theatre, Deacon
broke all previous records for the number Of
pei formances. The first appearance in New
York of the gifted and eccentric, Adah Isaacs
Menken was made at the National on March /.
1893. She a~fterward became the wife OF the
prize fighter John &. Heenan. The theatre, a
brown-stone building. is now occupied by a
The Franklin Theatre. between James and
500. William Dunneford opened the house on
Sept: s.. 1919, with II carefully selected com
pnayii John &n'S saft naa S Hmof Dub H. ,l meB BisFs, WiL.i!n%
Fisher, and Mary Cannon. Miss Cannon was
ff anoa a 'a at w "a taf siT Theatre. later on S Bso SsSs%e
gigSltng girls. The late John Gilbert appeared
u tragic actor OF great power. Joseph Jefferson
also appeared at this house as a Juvenile.
Children, on Sept; a7. 1888; Rosiha Shaw
became the WIG OF Harry watkins, and was for
a time leading lady at Barnum's Museum when
that establishment was at the height of Its pros
perity. She was a beautiful woman. She still
makes frequent appearances on the stage in
support OF her daughter. Amy Lee. barney
Williams. whose real name was Bernard Fla
herty. made his DEBUT here on July II, 1870,
being then IL years old.
The house was next known as HIS Theatre,
and on its boards the popular comedy Money!
had It's first New York representation, on Feb.
]; lS4l:, In April; ls4l. the theatre was named
the Little Drury, but 1t soon was numbered with
the theatres that had passed away.