The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-07-05
ny WILL A. PAGE.

daily papers few days ago as
sold and soon to he replaced Ivy
department store. New York will wit
ness the disappearance " a famous
playhouse which, more than any other
amusement resort OF the city, nbounds
~ the romance OF unexpected happen
ings which took place within It's four
walls. The history OF many famous
personages ia indelibly associated with
the old Herald Square Theatre. for
this ramshackle building was the scene
of the early triumphs OF players now
prominent. and 10 its humble box Of
flee came the first dollars OF more than
ono fortune which now cannot be writ
ten In less than seven figures.
with its early history as a hail for
panoramas and home for nshes-it
was once an aquarlum-the public OF
to-day will probably be little Interested
The playhouse stands upon site at
Broadway and Thirty-fifth street which
has been used for amusement purposes
for almost half century. Originally
called tho Colosseum. building was
crested there in 1873 for the showing
of the giant panoramas OF battle scenes
which were so popular after the civil
war When interest in the panoramas
died out tho building was converted
into an aquarium, but finally the fishes
gave way TO entertainments of a varied
nature. and the place became practically
a dime museum. IL was there that
Mrs Iangtry made her American de-
but.
In 1888 the Brooklyn frm OF Hyde
a Behman converted tho building into
real theatre. which they named the
New Park Theatre. II was opened in
the fall OF that year. and added inter-
est was centred in the new playhouse
because most OF the furnishings and
chairs came from Edwin Booths old
theatre at Sixth avenue and Twenty
third street. Harrigan and Hart &C.
cupied tho house for three years and
made It the most popular playhouse
in New York, but even their popularity
waned after time and then the Park
Theatre became home OF burlesque.
The keen interest which this play
ton can best be dated back to 1894.
when the house was rebuilt. made mod
ern and opened by Richard Mansfield
under the present name OF the Herald
Square Theatre. For almost twenty
years its record is that OF a dazzling
array OF great names.
Mansfield himself turned the tide OF
his fortunes at this playhouse. When
he reopcned the old theatre under a
new name he produced the first Ber-
nard Shaw play ever given in America.
This was Arms and the Man" made
known only through Msnsfeld's per-
ss;ent endeavors to produce the play.
Up 10 that time, while Mansfield had
made money he had never been a SEN
sation from the standpoint OF drawing
money. 1t was his custom at that
period OF his life TO make speeches to
the audience denouncing the crowds
that paid enormous prices to see Sir
Henry Irving, and expressing regret
that Americans would not support
Mansfield equally well. Arms and the
Man" made such a sensation Mt the
Herald Square that Mansfield was en-
abled to take the lease of the Garrick
Theatre. across Broadway on Thirty
Nth street, and have n permanent New
York home OF his own.
Next on the roll Of honor OF famous
players who founded their fortunes in
this playhouse comes Anna Held. The
lease of the theatre was acquired in
1895 by Charles Il. Evans and william
d. Mann. Mr.. Evans was the slim and
agile comedian who had starred for
years with Old Hoss Hoey in light
trihe known as "a Parlor Match" Play
goers OF former generation will re-
call the hilarious laughter caused by
Old Hoss Hoey when he stole the red
hot stove and they will recall the glib
snooihness OF Mr. Evans in the role
Of J. McCorker, the book agent.
With their profits Evans and Hoey
had retired temporarily and Evans in
vested some OF his savings in the lease
OF the Herald Square Theatre. In look
ing around Tor an attraction he and
his partner. Mann. decided to make a
big revival OF "A Parlor Match"
At this time a slender young man
from Chicago was in New York looking
for something TO do. His name was
Ziegfeld, his father was a music teacher
In Chicago. and he had Just managed
the tour OF Sandow, the strong man. In
Paris he had met an extraordinary
music hall singer who had attracted
much attention because or her Won
derful eyes and her naughty way OF
singing. Her name was Anna Held, and
young Mr.. Ziegfeld brough her TO Amer
ica under contract He didn't want TO
introduce her In vaudeville. for in those
days vaudeville was frowned upon by
many people who have since been con-
verified TO It. So he contracted with
Evans and Mann TO introduce Anna
Held in "A Parlor Match" as a spe-
cialty.
Anna Helds American debut was
made at the Herald Square. For weeks
Ziegfeld had billed the town like a cir
Gus with flaming posters that read:
go to Held"
These enormous posters at frst
glance seemed like profanity. but Zieg-
field had cleverly foreseen that the pos
ters would get a laugh and make an
impression. The publicity was SO wide
spread that the opening night was
triumph. Miss Held became the most
talked OF young woman in the country
that season. and her singing Of wont
You Come and Pay VIZ Me?" caught
the town. Not only did this engage
ment really make Miss Held, but Il