New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1916-11-26
Theatrical Manager, II
Years Old, Succumbs
to Heart Disease
AMUSEMENT LEADER
FOR HALF A CENTURY
Returned TO Business After
His Son Perished on
the Titanic

William Harris, sr.. dean Of tho
theatrical profession, &. dead. The
man who. during the last twenty
years, has been identified with the
production of dozens Of successful
plays, owned an interest in scores Of
theatres, and was the father Of two
other we'll known managers, fell dead
Of heart disease yesterday at hts
home in Bsyside, Long Island. hr.
Harris was seventy-one years old and
had been identified with the thestri-
cal profession for more than fifty
years.
Although he was III on Wednesday,
Mr. Harris was at his Office in the
Hudson Theatre Thursday, and appar-
emily had almost recovered his health.
lie telephoned TO his Office Friday sf-
ternoon that he would be in early
Saturday morning. But to those ex-
pecting him came instead the news
that Mr.. Harris had died as he
was about to rise from bed yesterday
morning.
Mr. Harris was the father Of Henry
B. Harris, q victim of the Titanic
disaster, and of William Harris, jr.
Following the drowning Of his eldest
son, Mr.. Harris returned to active
managerial work, from which he had
retired several years ago. He was an
executor of the Henry B. Harris es-
tate, which controls the Harris. Hud-
son and Fulton theatres, and had
been financially interested in several
recent productions by the Harris es-
tate and William Harris, jr. II was
the elder Mr.. Harris's custom, how
ever, not 70 appear actively as the
producer Of many plays. One recent
exception was "The Thirteenth Chair"
which had its premiere last week, with
Mr.. Harris, ST., as the producer, in
association with his son. William Har-
ris, jr.
Mr.. Harris began his connection
with the theatre at the age of six
teen, when he appeared In blackfscS
comedy act In a cellar in St. Louis
He and his partner received $3.50 =
night On the same bill with them
was the late Sol Smith Russell. who
received only 81 night for singing
comic songs.
Mr.. Harris's first managerial work
came when he became part proprietor
of the Howard Atheneum, in Boston,
in 1877. About twenty years ago he
came TO New York
In many theatrical productions he
was silent partner, and IL Is said
that in this capacity he had frequently
been connected with the enterprises
Of Charles Frohman, Daniel Frohman,
Klaw & Erlanger and other large
producers. Among the most success
full productions which he made indie
pendently were "Are You a Mason?"
"All on Account Of Eliza" and Dam
aged Goods With his son, Henry r.
Harris. he was the producer OF such
successes as "The Lion and the Mouse"
and "The Third Degree" Under hi'
management at various times were
James 7. Powers, May Irwin. Louis
Mann and Leo Ditrichstein.
Mr.. Harris was a member OF the
Lambs and Frars clubs and was a
thirty-second degree Mason. He was
treasurer Of the Actors Fund and o.
the Stage Children's Christmas Fund
and was interested in practically
every charity connected with the stage
Three years ago Mr.. Harris married
Miss Florence Quayle, an actress. who
had once been under his management
She, his son, William Harris, jr., ard
two daughters, Mrs. Gertrude Loeb
and Mrs. Minnie Stern, both Of New
York, survive him.