The Washington herald., 1913-11-30
Story Of the Genius Of Amusement Who Originated Con.
tinuous Performance" and Developed 1t Into
Inimtabe Perfection.

The thirtieth anniversary of the founda
ton of vaudeville by B. +. Keith in Bos
ton in 1883 will be celebrated at all Keiti
theaters this week AIl-star vaudeville
programs of unusual length will be pre-
sented, and the theater auditoriums deco
rated in honor OF the first thirty year.
of the most popular amusement In th'
theater. As the late Denman Thompson
once remarked, "Romulus founded Rome
and B. F. Keith founded vaudeville; bott
are eternal"
B. F. Keith's name stands for vaude'
willie just as Morgan means money, Ar
mour, beef. and Carnegie, steel. B. F
Keith is the king of American vaude'
vile and z. F. Albee is his yiceroy. B
F. Keith found variety a poor, neglected
stepsister OF the arts and by the magic
of his genius made her, as Vaudeville
the proud queen Of the stage. Today
more people attend vaudeville perform
ances than any other kind of theatrical
entertainment. The greatest artists ap-
pear in the two-a-day and the biggest
salaries paid on the stage are paid to
vaudeville performers.
All this has been brought about by
B. F. Keith. No one has ever questioned
his title of creator of vaudevillee. Thirty
years ago Mr.. Keith opened a tiny store
show in Boston. Today he is the presi-
dent of the United Booking Offices, the
greatest consolidation of money and pow
er in the show world. In fact, the
United ranks right up with the very
biggest in dustrial combinations, its week
ly pay roll exceeding $5c0,OOO. He. owns
palatial theaters all over the East and
Middle West, and everywhere the Keith
brand of vaudeville spells success.
The principal Keith houses are keith's
and the Bijou, Boston; Keith's and
Keith's Allegheny, Philadelphia; Keith's
Theater, Washington; Keith's Palace,
Harlem Opera House, Union Square,
Colonial, Crescent, Gotham. Alhambra,
Bronx, Greenpoint. Orpheum, Bushwick,
Prospect, and Madison. New York; Keith
Theaters. in Portland, Lowell, Lynn.
Manchester, Columbus. Toledo, Cincin-
natl. indianapolis, Louisville, Jersey
City; the Hippodrome. and Keith's,
Cleveland. There are many others. Mr..
Keith has always been a pioneer in
palatial theater building.
He opened Keith's Boston in 1894, and
its splendor and comfort made it world
famous. He took the Union Square in
New York and made it model of refine
ment and cOZiness. Each of hiss great
theaterS marked an advance. ne was lne
first to use the electric light in the play
house and he was the first to discover the
talent of hundreds of artists who became
famous under his beneflcent rule. All
the world knows the recent history of
vaudeville. Its beginnings, are, however,
little known. and it is the purpose of
this article to explain in detail just how
B. F. Keith set about his life work. in
which he has been so efficiently aided by
f. F. Albee, another genius of the two-a-
day.
ScOtch-French Ancestry.
Benjamin Franklin Keith was born at
Hillsboro Bridge. n. H, being the young
est of a family of eight, whose father
was of Scotch descent while the mothers
ancestors were of French extraction.
1t was at the early age of seven that he
left hsme. and soon after began his strug-
gle with the world on a western Massa-
chusetts farm, where he remained until
he was eighteen.
During this time he acquired his edu-
cation in the district school and village
academy. 1t was at this period that Mr..
X eth saw his first show of any kind,
when he was seventeen years old, and
coming to it, as he did, from the Sc
cluded farm, it may well be imagined
that he was greatly impressed thereby.
The show was a circus, given at an ad
joining town TO his country home, under