New-York tribune., 1908-03-22
TONY PASTOR.
His Forty-third Anniuersary as
Manager.

The. career OF Tony Pastor who celebrates th,1
week the arrival of the fortythird anniversary Of
his assumption of the office of manager. has been
long, active. and strangely diversified When only
SIX wears old he was singing duets with Christian
b. woodruff. in after life state Senator. at meet
ines of the Hand to Hand Temperance Society
His father a musician, disapproved Of his apparent
inclination become a public performer. and there
foro sent him into the country, to dwell with
friend of his who farmer. There tbs lad
turned the haystack into stage and aIIured thu
farm Iaborers from their work, so that II became
necessary to send him houas- His inclination for
the stage proved rrepressible He permitted To
mako his professional appearance "an infant
prodigy" and such he came out at Barnun's
Museum. where his good vocalism made dis
tinctly favorable impression In April. 1874 when
eight years old Che born IN 1880. he joined
RAYMOND & Warnings Menagerie. appearing with a
black face and playing the tambourine in minstrel
band. "A little later he served as an apprentices to
John J. Nathan and was trained for the circus IN
the autumn of Is4Z he appeared at WeIch's Ma
tional Amphitheatre. Philadelphia. playing flvs-
nile parts, tumblers. etc. in tire after2ieces
that were then used IN the circus. IN tha
summer OF 1888 he Jbined the travelling circus O.
Welsh. Delavan &c Nathan, and. perform
ances were given by IL at night. he composed a
concert company and performed in schooI-houses-
TIL his enterprise suppressed by hts dspeased
managers. He went then 20 the Old Federal
Street Theatre. Boston, where he remained for
time The death OF Ping Master opened
the way for him to be installed in that Office in
1851. He also had TO sing. and he played the coun
tryman In Peter Jenkins and he danced IN
Lucy Long" In the autumn os 1852 he Ping
Master ar tns Bowery Arnphitheatre. New York
and he also acted there. IN plays. In tie spring
of 1853 ne Joined Franconfs Travelling EippOdrone
but In the winter OF that year he appeared In
New York Bones. in minstrel company IN
1854 he Joined Mabie's Circus singing clown. ard
a little later he appeared clown in the panfo-
mime at the Old Bowery Theatre, where. later
George L. Fox began his career IN which ulti-
mateIy he became so widely and highly disttn-
gu:shed clown: IL was not till Fox to tas
theatre which had been Laura Keene's that re
made his mark in "Hurnpty Dunnpty"-the name
selected by Clifton w TayIeure for the Panto-
mime In 1856 Tony Pastor associated. as
Ring Master and general performer. with Levi
North's Circus and ne went wiki North to Chi
cago and appeared there in Eorth's Amphitheatre.
Later he appeared the Broadway Music Hall.
New York. and from 1861 10 1850 ne established
at No AZ Broadway-a resort that be-
came exceedingly popular On one occasion thers.
the time being war time ne aroused tre-
mendoUs enthusiasm by appearing hts stage
with the Flag of the Republic in his hand and ask
ing the audience to join singing The Star-Spa1-
gIe6 Banner" That was repeated many nights.
at about that time. 1865, Mr.. Pastor determined
devote himself to the vaudeville stage and IN
prove 1t. Smoking and the sale OF liquors. had al
ways been allowed in the variety music halls. Hs
determined to abolish those customs. and IN asso-
citation with Sam Sharpley he leased the VCkas
Garden. No 201 Bowery, and turned II into neat
handsome little thsatre. He had already tried ths
experiment OF clean vaudeville. at Paterson, " =,
and he felt confident OF success In attracting the
better elements OF the community. HIS plan Sue
oeeded. and he has since persisted n the poll
icy ard method then adopted In October. 1s75.
he opened his theatre az No SIS Broadway, wheGs,
from time to tirne he introduced performers.
from abroad. others OF native origin who have
since become distinguished Nat Goodwin appeared
there February 5. 1876. Lillian Russell appeared
there. IN tho prime OF her beauty. Among others
who appeared there were May Irwin and her SIS
ter Flo, the performer calling herself Sapho. the
Hansel troupe, Tyrolese warbIers. Florence Bind
ley. Gus Williams, Richard Carroll Francis
Wilson. then song and dance performer. .
leading comedian IN comic opera. Den Thompson,
November L. 1915. as Joshua Whitcor1b: "OIt
Hoss'' Hoey and Charles Evans. Billy Barry. Will
tam j. Scanion. the Irish comedian; Jennie
Yeamans Harry and John kerneu, ard Pat
Rooney. There Mr.. Pastor introduced comic opers
in condensed FORM presenting "Ths Ptnatore"
and setting example which has been extern
'sively followed by many persons and with much
profit to Observation-Disclosures detrir1ent may have
befalIen the plays and the music In fS NJ. Pas
tor established his theatre where II IS. n the
Tammany building. in East 18th street. and thers
he has maintained g. high standard OF vaudeville
performance and met with abundant and richly
deserved success. Among the distinguished PERFORM
ers from broad whom he has there introduced to
the American public mention may be made ot
Jenny Hill. Vesta Tflley. Bessie Bouehfl. Bessie
BeIlwood. and yesta Victoria
The bill arranged for the anniversary week Is an
attractive one. The chief performers engaged ara:
The Apollo Quartet, who VIII appear IN a coUica!
singing sketch: William H Chase and company, II
a one-act comedy; John and May Burke. in plano
speciality; Miss May Fernier. in Thu W.tchs
Power: Frank Whitman. Goforth and Doyle, Sam
stern. Bowen and Florence. strong men; Fields
and Nosen. Jimmy Rego. the folly Minstrel;
Arthur z. Bfrchman. cartooni5t. and Osborn and
Wallace. A series ot motion pictures vii -
exhibited