Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-05
DEATH OF BRONSON HOWARD
AUTHOR OF "SHENANDOAR'
AND OTHER PLAYS.
Dean of American Playwrights.
Had Been Writing Successful
Dramas Since 1870.

NEW YORK, August 5.-Bronson How
ard. generally regarded as the dean OF
American playwrights, died of heart fail
ure at 2:45 o'clock yesterday afternoon at
Avon-by -the-Sea, N. j., after an illness
of year. AS a dramatist Mr.. Howard
was best known by reason of the success
es of Saratoga" THE Bankers Daugh-
ter" "Old Love Letters" Young Mrs
Winthrop" THE Henrietta "shenan-
doah' and "Aristocracy" From 1870,
the date Of Saratoga" to 1906, when he
published Kate he was engaged pri-
marily with characters essentially Amer
lean.
Saratoga was produced at the Fifth
Avenue Theater by Augustin DAILY, the
cast including the late Mrs. Gilbert.
Fanny Morant.. Fanny Davenport, Will
liam H. Davidge. D. H. Harkins and
James Lewis. all of whom are dead. The
play ran 100 nights. SIGNALLING the second
of the 'hundred-night' runs Of modern
society dramas, "Frou Frou'' in the
previous season being the first SO dis
tinguished. "Diamonds,'' the author s
next success, followed the year after.
and enjoyed a run Of f1fty-six nights at
Days. Sara Jewett making her debut in
Its cast.
Success Of Saratoga"
In 1873 Saratoga" localized under the
name of Brighton was performed at
the Court Theater, London. German
version of the same piece was produced
at the Wallner Theater. Berlin. in the
summer of 1875. Mr.. Howard attended
the final rehearsal and occupied a box at
the first presentation of the German YER
sion, enjoying the unusual distinction of
an author at his own play who was, in
all probability the only person in the
house who could not understand word
of the language in which it was per-
formed.
In 1878 The Bankers Daughter" re-
cast from "Lillians Last Love- by Mr..
Howard and a. r. Cazauran. was
brought out at the Union Square, and the
same year saw the production of "Old
Agnes Booth and Joseph Whiting in the
chief roles. Mrs Booth was so successful
in this play that Mr.. Howard gave her
the right to produce the play during the
entire term of the copyright.
Mr.. Howard subsequently wrote Fun in
a Greenroom" for Salsbury's Trouba
dours, and 1t formed a popular vehicle
for those comedians all over the country.
His play. Baron Rudolph. was orig
inally intended for Mr.. and Mrs. w. ].
Knight. who bought it out in 1880.
Young Mrs. Winthrop still a popular
piece with stock companies throughout
the country. was first played October 8.
1882. A. NJ. Palmer being the producer.
Three years later, at the Lyceum, Helen
lone of Our Girls In which E. H. Soth-
ern made his first marked success. Mr..
Towards next attempt, Met by Chance"
also produced by Miss Dauvray. was a
failure, but THE Henrietta" produced in
this city January IL. 1887, re-established
the playwright's success and long formed
a popular feature of the repertoire of
Robson and Crane. 1t was revived with
some success by Mr.. Robson shortly be-
fore his death:
"Aristocracy."
One Of Mr.. Towards greatest successes
was shenandoah" produced in 1889.
which long enjoyed favor in every city in
the country. "Aristocracy" was brought
out in 1892 by Mr.. Palmer with what
was considered at the time a remarkable
cast. It's success was immediate and
long continued
Mr.. Howard was born in Detroit. Mich.
October Z. 1912. He came to this city in
1859. entering journalism and first con-
ed Mr.. Sweetzer in starting the Evening
Mail in December. 1867. The next year
he Joined the staff of the Tribune. re-
naming there three years. subsequently
identifying himself with the Evening
Post. In 1872 he practically retired from
newspaper work, but during a visit to
England in 1875 and 1876 contributed a
series of articles to the Pail Mall Gazette.
In 1880 Mr.. Howard married Miss
Wyndham a sister of Sir Charles Wynd-
ham, the English comedian.
In this city Mr.. Howard made his home
at POI West 18th street. He. was a men,
Der of the American Dramatists' Club, the
Lotos Club. the Society for the Prevention
of Cruelty to Animals. the Dunlap So
ciety and the Authors Club.