The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-08-02
SHOW MAN DEAD
End Comes to HammerStein,
Noted Theater Character.
Built Many Show Houses and
Introduced Famous Stars.

New York, Aug. 2.-The funeral of
Oscar Hammerstein, veteran theater
builder and grand opera producer. who
died last night, will be held Monday.
Death came in Lenox Hill hospital.
following a long illness with a COM
plication of diseases.
Hammerstein was born In Berlin in
1S47. He came to this country as a
runaway when 16. For several years
he worked as a cigarmaker. A num-
Der of inventions connected with that
trade gave him his first fortune. He
entered the theatrical business in the
early seventies. He built eleven the
alters, besides opera houses, in New
York, Philadelphia and London. He
made and lost several fortunes.
Hammerstein' s son, Arthur, is Che-
atrical producer. His daughter Stella
was on the stage for short time.
Mr.. Hammerstein had been in a
state of coma since late Monday after
noon. and died without regaining con-
seriousness. His wife and son, Arthur.
were at his bedside when the end
came at 1885 o'clock.
News of the death of Oscar Ham
merstein, theatrical producer, grand
opera impresario and inventor, will
bring sorrow to a multitude for hun
dreds of thousands have been amused
and entertained in his long career as
leader in the operate profession.
The fact which gave a startling as
pect to Mr.. Hammerstein's career was
his rapid rise from a Harlem show
man to that of leading producer and
Europe as well.
Had Gift of Magic.
Once well in his seven league
boots"-or perhaps his famous old
fashioned, flat-rimmed. Partisan top
ped hat-he seemed to have the gift
Of magic. Whatever may have been
the cause it was evident the Hammer
stein personality had much to do with
it. He strobe rapidly from one con-
dition 10 another with varying fortune
in his different enterprises.
In 1893 his theatrical restlessness
led him to desert his Harlem show
house and build his first Manhattan
opera house on Thirty-fourth street.
New York, the same thorofare on
which his subsequent establishment
of the same name was erected. The
Olympia was his next venture and for
a period was very successful as first
class music hall. Then came the Vic
toria, the Belasco theater and Lew
Fieldss theater.
Quickly Won New York.
In 1906 New York became aware of
the fact it had a second temple of
grand opera, the Manhattan Opera
house. built and run by one man on his
the venerable Metropolitan Opera
house. which was backed by a solid
phalanx of millionaires. The incred-
ible initiative and the lively sporting
spirit exhibited by Mr.. Hammerstein
in this David-Go liah encounter in
stantly made Inn a figure in New York
| life. The silk hat. his scent cigar
his substantial physiognomy. became
| fertile and frequent themes for the
cartoonist, and his laconic remarks
were current conversational coin about
town. The proverbial green bay tree
did not flourish more happily than did
! the Manhattan Opera house. While
/ this was at the height of its career, Mr.
| Hammerstein, then known as the
opera king" erected the 100000
Philadelphia opera house, which was
opened in 1908.
| Next Mr.. Hammerstein invaded
England. which invasion resulted in
the erection Of the London Opera
house, and this venture was success
full from the start. The London the
alter gave Felice Lyme. a young and
| then rather unknown soprano singer
from Kansas City, her opportunity and
| served as the ladder for later fame.
"Salome" Greatest Success.
"Salome" proved Mr.. Hammer
STEMS greatest money making opera,
while he also dealt the Metropolitan
staggering blows by obtaining the
American rights to That's" Louise, "
'Jugglers of Notre Dame" and ''Elec-
ira" and also obtaining the first rights