Omaha daily bee., 1910-03-06

slft3li sot the train Of thought In
- motion, when ne made refer
ence 20 the occasion az the Brandels on
Thursday night, and contrasted the Omaha
Of today with the Omaha Of that time
ltSwss a wondrous spirit Of civic pride az
w as generosity in a public cause that
led James +. Boyd TO erect the pretenti-
Gus and for the day magnificent structure
that bore his name and 20 dedicate It to
the uses Of a theater It was still greater
enterprise that induced him ten years
later to construct a more costly and beauti-
ful theater, yet standing and OF q high
order OF usefulness. Mr.. Boyd had been
Elgnsly honored BY his fellow citizens.
At the time his first theater was dedicated,
he was mayor Of the city, and when his
second was opened TO the public he was
governor OF the state. Il was a large con-
ception Of public needs as we'll as a
desire to be OF real service that led him 70
embark his money In the building OF
theaters. He once said to friend while
talking over this subject that he had
not derived 20 great a profit from the
theaters he had built as Ne had anticl-
pated, nor would he venture money in
them as a mere business enterprise but
at the same time he expressed satisfac-
ton that he had contributed 80 much to
the social life Of Omaha lie took
great pride in the first theater. and a stin
greater in the second and gave to each
much personal attention. But his connec-
tion with the business Of the theater ended
at the erection OF the building and its
furnishing. He did not manage either
nor was he interested save as landlord
In their control.
.
It may not be out of place here 70 sa,,
a word OF appreciation for the late w. A.
Paxton, jr, who was associated with Mr.
Burgess In the management of the Creigh-
ton theater. This handsome theater was
buih oy Omaha men, and II was much the
inspiring presence OF Mr. Paxton that made
the formation Of the company to build the
theater possible. He did not get very deep
into the business, but showed a very keen
interest in the affairs OF the stage from a
purely artistic standpoint. His connection
with Mr.. Burgess In the management of the
Creighton was his earliest venture in busi-
ness and he participated in the success of
the theater and in the management Of the
Boyd until the firm of Paxton & Burgess
was merged In tho Woodward & Burgess
Amusement company. Mr.. Paxton had a
small interest In the new company for a
time, but his ranch in the western end of
the state took up so much Of his time that
he retired from the organization. But he
showed as a theatrical manager those
qualities that endeared him as a man to all
who came into close contact with him
d
One would like to devote some time to
reYiew of the men who have managed
thtaters in Omaha, who have given of
their time and and ability to the purveying
Of dramatic and operate entertainment
fnE ha afNF Ay,s
this will not be undertaken at this time
George Marsh. first manager of the Boyd
Will be recalled pleasantly by all who knew
him. Tom Boyd, who succeeded him, and
Doc d. w. Hayes who was afterward
Mr.. Boyd's partner in the control of the
new Boyd; Tom Muvihill, who was the
bill-posting magnate of Omaha at the time
OF his death, and whose name only recently
disappeared under the encroachment Of a
greater organization, was also manager
Of the Boyd for few months, and l.. NJ
Crawford had a brief reign at the helm
Then Il passed under the control of Wood
ward g. Burgess, where 1t has been for the
last twelve years. and stiIl is. Messrs
Paxton & Burgess were the managers OF
the Creighton from the day it opened until
1t went into the hands of the Orpheum
people. at about the time the woodward
4 Burgess company took over the BOYD.
d
The old Grand Opera house on Fifteenth
ana Capitol avenue was presided over by
Isaac Walton Miner now the house secre-
tary for the Elks a newspaper man OF the
old school, who was active in the DAYS
when the streets Of Omaha justified the
sarcasm of John q. SAKE. He was still
at the helm when w. ]. Burgess took the
house at the time the old Boyd, renamed
the Farnam Street. burned Mr.. Burgess
came to Omaha as a representative OF H.
M. Crawford. He renamed the Grand
calling It the. Fifteenth Street, and went
from there to the Empire. which was the
Acadamy OF Music under another name
At the Academy a host Of enterprising and
ambitious persons had tried their
hands as manager" after the BOYD
was built, and stock companies OF
several sorts. variety shows and all sorts
OF amusements were furnished forth there.
Billy Lawler was the original Eden Musee
man in these parts and made a great sue
cess OF his venture. w. w. Cole presided
over the Trocadero when 1t was opened as
"a music hall and gave to Omaha its first
regularly ordained vaudeville. Then came
the Orpheum, with competition the Tro-
cadero could not meet, and Jake Rosenthal
as its manager. Mr.. Rosenthal went later
TO the Trocadero, which was given over To
burlesque, and ]. Rush Bronson came on
at the Orpheum. One season for Mr.. Bron.
son and Carl Relter came. with his fund
Of stories that was never exhausted.
.
VBert" Gorden welcomed the patrons al
the opening OF the Krug, ana held forth
there until the appeal OF printers ink
became too strong and he slipped back
into the publishing line, in the pursuit OF
which he has accumulated means that
would permit his building a theRter OF his
own in event he ever felt like managing
another. After him came Charles G.
Breed, who doesn't know you mean hin
unless you call him Doe" In days tina,
are almost prehistoric Jack Nugent di-
rected the career OF the st. Elmo, a place
only mentioned now when the best OF
friends get together in a quiet place and
ta'k over boyhood days. The Burwood was
opened under the control OF its builders