The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1913-11-03
FACTS CONCERNING BEN HUR


KIaw and Erlanger originally
launched their stupendous production
OF General Lew Wallace's Ben Hurp
at the Broadway theater, New York.
November 20, 1899. In the fourteen
years that has elapsed since that time,
1000 performances have been given
in the United States, England, Au-
strata and Canada, attracting. an at
tendance of more than ten million
people.
"Ben Hur" was the big theatrical
offering of the Worlds Fair in st,
Louis in 1904. The directors of the
exposition honored General Lew Wall
lace b. making Ben Hur" day
or the exposition grounds. The play
was also made the principal attrac-
ton OF the Lewis and Clark exposition
in Portland, Ore, in 1905, and OF the
Jamestown exposition at Norfolk, Va,
in 1907, and contracts for its presen-
tation in San francisco in 1915 as
one of the big features of the Panama
exposition have Just been signed by
Klaw & Erlanger.
Ben Hur" holds the record for
long engagements and big attendance
lin every theater and city in America
and Canada. 1t has been presented
sixty-two weeks in New York, fifty
eight weeks in Boston, fifty-siX weeks
in Philadelphia, thirty-nine weeks in
Chicago, the majority of which was
played in the big auditorium which
seats more than 1000 people; thirty
one weeks in st, Louis, from eight to
fifteen weeks in Brooklyn. Washing
ton, Cincinnati, San Francisco. Pitts
burg. Indianapolis, Cleveland, Detroit
and Baltimore, and from three to four
weeks in Rochester, Syracuse, Buff
alo, Toronto. Denver, Los Angeles,
Salt Lake City. Atlanta and New Or
leans. Nearly all the smaller cities
of the country have had Ben Hur"
for one or two weeks.
Toproperly present this play, Klaw
& Erlanger found 1t necessary to re-
rsodel the stage in every playhouse
where 1t has been booked 1t Is es-
timatsd that they have expended more
than one million dollars in making
changes. which of course have bene-
fitted all other plays.
The ben Hur" touring organiza-
ton has numbered from 100 to 225
people each season. An orchestra OF
from sixteen to thirty has been car
RED to pronerly render Edgar Still
man Kelley's musical score. To
transfer the scenic and mechanical
equipment from one city to another,
eight siXty-foot baggage cars are re-
quired; while for the racing stable.
which numbers twenty odd horses and
three camels, two Arms palace stock
cars are pressed into service.
Luck has attended the touring of
the company in the fourteen years 1t
has been on the road No railroad
accident or mishap of any descrip-
ton has rnarred the travel, and al
though the scenery has been handled
in every part Of the country, a rain
storm has never been encountered.
ben Hur' today is as big factor
in the amusement world as 1t was on
its presentation at the Broadway
theater. 1t has opened r.ore new
theaters than any other play Mrs.
Charles Taft slster-in-law of eX-
President Taft, personally requested
its booking as the first attraction Of
the new Grand opera house, Cincin-
natl, while the leading citizens of Bos-
ton appealed to Rich and Harris to
have it dedicate the Colonial theater
Boston. f
The elaborate staging which will be
shown at the Robinson Grand this
week, was constructed in the interest
OF the New Amsterdam theater, New
York, and the Drury Lane theater
London. Ben Hur" is as well known
in ENGLAND as In America 1t was
originally staged at the Drury Lane
theater, London. on April 8, 1902. The