Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-08-27
TONY" PASTOR, DEAD
Old Theatrical Man Passes
Away in 18th Year.
FAMILY WITH Him AT END
Noted Vaudeville Actor-Gave Start
to Stage Celebrities.
FRIEND OF MAN AND WOMAN
Weakness and General Debility
Cause Of Death-Story of Worry
Over Financial Losses Denied.

NEW YORK. August 27.-Antonio Pas
tor, the famous vaude willie actor-man-
aSer. who gave many prominent actors
their start in this country, died at his
home in Kerry Cottage, on Whitney
avenue. Elmhurst. l.. l.. shortly after 10
O'Clock last night. He fell asleep at
o'clock yesterday afternoon and did not
again awake. passing away peacefully.
At the time of his death there were at the
bedside his wife. her cousin. Mrs James
Stack: the latter's son, Hugh; DIR. G. ID.
Farwell, the physician who has been at
tending him during his illness, and H. s.
Sanderson, who has been manager for
Mr.. Pastor during the last thirty-seven
years. Had Tony Pastor lived until next
May he would have been seventy-seven
years old.
The cause of death was weakness and
general debility Mr.. Sanderson said last
night that he wished to contradict any re-
port that his friends death had been has
tened by financial worry or that he had
had a paralytic stroke.
Tony Pastor was reported seriously i'll
August ii last He had been at his Elm
hurst home since that time. under the
care of DR.. Farwell, but few days later
improving. About week ago The recov
cred sufficiently to be out of bed and
walk about the room, but was shortly
forced to take to his bed again. Since
that time he had, been sinking rapidly
and his weakness became every day
more noticeable. When he sank into sleep
yesterday it was expected that he might
pass away without waking, and his
friends were summoned to the bedside.
Loses His Theater.
The story of the death Of the old man.
ager comes to the public with special
pathos. Early I'm the summer it was
announced that he had given up the lease
of his theater. next to Tammany Hall,
and it seemed as If the old mans life
were ebbing away with the passing of his
famous amusement resort, for Pastors
is to become a burlesque theater. and
even Tony, though he stubbOrnly denied
that he was going to retire from business,
admitted that the patronage was not
what it used to be.
In spite of his troubles Mr.. Pastor con-
tinued his almost fatherly interest in
everything connected with the stage, and
his annual Christmas party to the chill
dren Of the stage. He was present at the
theatrical field day held at the Polo
Grounds not long ago.
Il expect to have new theater up
town. he said that day. though his ex-
words. '"Tammany offered me renewal
of the lease of the old house for five
years, but l did not dare to take 1t for
more than one year. and SO it has slipped
out Of my hands. The locality is all diff
ferent, anyhow
Pastors Career.
Mr.. Pastor was born in Greenwich VIII
lage. New York city, in 1885. His father
was a musician, who played in various
orchestras and theaters. Last st. Pat
rick's day he celebrated his forty-third
anniversary a manager keeping the
custom of an annual celebration begun
twenty-three years before. At these cele-
bratiOns he always appeared himself and
danced and sang some of the songs he
made famous long years ago.,
The managers public career began
when he was six years old. when he sang
duets with eX-State Senator Christian B.
Hand Temperance Society. This was in
1S43. Even then he showed his inclina-
ton for the stage SO plainly that his ia
Their took steps. entirely futile. of course
to discourage him. and sent him into the
country. But he gave impromptu per-
fOrmances for the farm hands. 1t was
soon after this. in 1886 that he made his
professional debut at Barnum's Museum
as an Infant prodigy
Travelled With Circuses.
In his early days he did almost every
thing. He joined several circuses. where
he combined acting with clOwning At
one time he was a ringmaster. When on
tour with one of these old circuses. which
did not give performances in the even
ings, he tried his hand at management
by giving concerts in the local school
houses and halls with such good results
that the circus manager drove him out Of
business by annexing the idea for his
own Use. At another time he was bones
in minstrel show.
The beginning of the civil war in 1851
found Pastor at the theater at AZ Broad
way, where he stayed until 1866. 1t was
then that he originated the illustrated
song" idea and used to bring down the
house by singing patriotic songs and dis
pla ying the American flag, urging the au-
dience to join in the choruses. He then
formed a partnership with Sam Sharply
the old minstrel manager, In the conduct
OF the Volks Garden. at POI Broadway,
where he instituted variety" and drew a
large clientele to his theater by giving
clean performances and forbidding smOk-
ing In 1878 he moved to his own thea
ter. at 5S5 Broadway. He moved to the
theater in Tammany Hall i'm 1881 and in
much of his career there also conduct ed
road companies.
Among the noted people of the profess
sion who first appeared under the man
agement of Tony Pastor were Lillian
Russell, May Irwin, Florence Bindley
Francis Wilson. Gus Williams. Denman
Thompson-who presented the rural
sketch from which 1.-THE Old Homestead
was evolved-Jennie Yeamans, Pat Roo
ney. Nat Goodwin, Weber and Fields
Vesta lilly and Costa Victoria. Maggie
Cline was also one of his finds. Dan
DAILY too. was among the number Of his
proteges. 1t was at his old Broadway
house that he first introduced CON
densed" operas and burlesques Of the
Gilbert and Sullivan operettas