The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1914-09-05
W. 4. ISLAM HAS HAD LONG CAREER
 IN SHOW WORLD

William H. Ishan, manager and proprietor of the Lyric theatre for 26 years a. resident of Bridgeport, has had hn interesting career. MT. Ish- am was born in Utica, N. Y. He en- tered the show business there as t'gas boy''
 That was in the days when stage eff fects of lighting were primitive and a boy was kept on the stage to turn up and turn down the various gas lights which were then used for the produce ton of wonderful lighting effects
 Young Isham was ambitious and after onaGyear had charge of the stage as carpenter and stage manager.
 One season later he decided there were better chances for him in the circus business, so he went with Sells Brothers circus in the advertising de- partment.
 Sells Brothers show was too small for the ambitious Isham and the next year found him the advertising and excursion agent of the Greatest Show on Earth and there he learned the show business as none but one on the inside of such a great organization can learn it.
 He learned the successful methods of Barnum and gained an insight into human nature.
 
 of the Barnum show MT. Isham went on the road for the Rice and Barton theatrical shows.
 From that position he and his brother John w. Isham formed a com pany of their own which was known as .1sham's Octoroons.'' They tour ed from Maine to California and the show was such a success and there was such a demand for it that it was impossible for them to close their sea- | an anr-- the insistency of managers of differ ent theatres
 They toured the country for still an- other year with as uniformly great success.
 When Europe heard of the company bookings and it became advisable to form another company to tour Europe and Australia. The European company met with considerable successes.
 In time, MT. Isham's brothers health began to fail and they closed the company.
 -- William H. Ishams then took up the German Marine Band under the lead ership of Herr Kinennon and took him to the Worlds Fair in St. Eou.s where another success was scored Later he made a tour of the coun- try with the band and after that H. c. Miner secured Isham,s services as manager of one of his houses
 During that. period MT. Jshann con ceived the, idea of building a thor oughly modern up to the minute, fire proof theatre of the very best sort for Bridgeport. Accol-din gIy he built the Lyric Theatre which is located on North Main street just a%short dis-s tance from the center of the city and step above the Stratfield. Bridge ports largest and most fashionabIe hotel fF 5 tsf E6s ss94
 The theatre is a large one and will seat 1.800 people with the greatest of ease and in perfect comfort without crowding. It is kept speck1ess and spotIess from gallery to cellar. It is cool and comfortable, breezy and we'll ventilated in summer and Awarm and pleasant in winter. It is built for a theatre and it is the last word in theatre construction and equipment for everywhere throughout it the com fort of the public was the first thought.
 This ideal spot. one of the finest be- tween New York and Boston is now known as The Home of Feature Photoplays" and MT. Isham takes highest grade and best of motion pie ture plays that can be obtained any where in the world.
 Few of Bridgeport's theatres are either owned or controlled by Bridge port men MT. Isham is a Bridge porter to the backbone. His home is in Bridgeport and his family has been brought here. He has the interests of Bridgeport deeply at heart and he intends to stay right here and contin- ue to provide Bridgeporters with the best that is bbtainable in the show line.
 Those who have not experienced the pleasures which accrue to Lyric pa- irons have pleasing experience be- fore them and the element of chance in going to see a show is reduced to the lowest possible figure