The Washington times., 1922-03-19

u. SF1KEVE.
to sec some of these performers
down to Ford's Opera House. He
will tell you that he only paid
fifty cents a throw for the best
seats IN the house. Grandfather
and grandmother used to travel
down to see their favorites also.
They knew and loved the people
who bore these names for the
great artists they were and they
are not too old to remember them
still.
II you are one of the present
day theater-goers who dig In their
jeans and pay three dollars for q
seat to see some musical comedy,
you'll be surprised to learn that the
following actors and actresses
played at Ford's at prices ranging
from twenty-five cents to one dol
lar:
SOME OF THE STARS.
George rockingham. H. c.
Barnabee. who appeared with the
"Bostonians," then known al the
Boston Ideal Opera Company;
James A. Herne. in Hearts of
Oak; Chauncy Olcott. Agnes
Booth. Mrs. German, Annie Rus
sell, Frederick Warde, Madame
Rhea, Edwin Arden, Minnie Mad.
dern Fiske. Forest Robinson,
George Primrose. George Thatcher.
Louise Davenport, Minnie Palmer.
Billy Rice. Gus Williams. Billy
Emerson. Nellie Mortimer and
Bill Kersands.
Is 1t any wonder that Ford's
was crowded nightly when you
consider that such performers
were appearing there at such reas-
enable prices? The Madison
Square Theater Company was a
great favorite at Ford's. A glance
at a program of a bygone date
reveals Wolf Hooper playing
a small part with that Company.
Others with him in the cast Of
Hazel Kirke" were c. w. Could
lock, Mrs. e. L. Davenport. Miss
Georgia Cayvan, Miss Ada Gill
man. Ceiele Rusk, ]. c. Graham,
w. II. Cahill and William Comp
ton.
Another program. dimmed with
age, tells us that Fay Templeton
has smiled from behind the foot
lights at Ford's. 1t has not been
so long ago since we were cheer
ing her down at the National
Theater. 1t seems only yesterday
when We saw and applauded
William Gillette and E. M. Hol-
land at the same theater. Years
ago they held the rapt attention
of Ford's patrons. Charles Wynd-
ham who latter on in life was
knighted by the King Of Eng
land, appeared at Ford's Theater
and he was not the star of the
production he appeared with.
HELEN WESTON DIED HERE.
Other programs show us the
names Of Eva Mills, Alice and
Louis Harrison, Carncrosse's Min
strels, Rossi, the Italian tragedian,
Carrie Swain, Edward Thorne,
Mrs. Jeffrey Lewis, William
COPYRIGHT, Lew Simmonds,
Hughey Dougherty. Barry and
Fay. Neil Burgess. Margaret
Mather. the Hanlon Brothers,
Agnes Herndon, George Adams.
who appeared under the personal
direction Of Adam Forepaugh, of
circus fame, Mr.. B. Maccauley.
Harry Buckingham. Sam Devere,
Frank Cushman, Rice and WEIGH.
Tom Sadler, w. G. LeMoyne,
Walter Lennox, John Burnett.
Charles Wheatley, Clinton Stuart
Rosa Rand. James Galloway. Miss
Sidney Covell. w. G. Ferguson,
F. e. Bond, and Louise Dillon.
Helen Watson died at the old
Kirkwood House, which stood
where the Raleigh Hotel Is today.
during the week she was booked
to appear at Ford's in Jack
Sheppard"
There were many others whose
memory is still treasured by some
of the older Washingtonians. Mr..
Ford prospered and for a number
OF years his theater was the
mecca for the public from tho
President of the United States
down to the youngest who took
his best girl and a bag Of peanuts
up to seats in the balcony. A
good show with an excellent COM
pany presenting it, could always
be counted on.
over on the southwest corner OF
Ninth street and Pennsylvania
avenue was F1etcher's theatrical
hotel, and when the curtain went
down ,on the last act at Ford's
Fletcher's became part Of the