Evening star., 1928-05-10
Capital Theater Data
Taken From the Book

haven't the slightest desire to de-
tract anything from the prestige Of the
National Theater--would not II could,
and could not II I would-but there are
come statements made by John Claeett
Proctor in his Sunday article entitled
stage History Of the National that are
so manifestly incorrect that want 10
correct them.
He opens II by inferring that "Floro-
dora" was played at the National My
date book, before me, shows that
"Florodora" waa played at the Columbia
Theater, under the management OF
Luckett 6s Dwyer, the first engagement
beginning the week OF November 18,
1901, and 1t played to $11 ,536. The re-
turn engagement was also played at this
theater beginning the week Of April IA,
1902, to l1,798. 1t had previously fin-
islled its long run at the Casino Theater
in New York, and 1t might be interest,"
ing to state that business was so bad in
the beginning that 1t was seriously
thought of being taken of.
The original owners were Ryley Il
Fisher, and the former could not stand
the losses any longer. withdrew, and left
the sole ownership to Fisher. The lat
ter. too, was about at the end OF his
resources and the piece was about TO
be taken off, when IL was noticed that
the Saturday matinee receipts made a
big lump, and II was decided 10 try IL
another week. Night after night the
receipts increased. II was kept on and
later proved to be the greatest financial
success and longest run of any musical
comedy play on Broadway up TO that
time Fisher made millions out of 1t,
while Ryley went broke.
Again ne refers to Francis Wilson,
saying: "Of course. he played other
pieces besides those mentioned but not
at the National" Now, the fact is that
Francis Wilson never played any other
thester In Washington than the Ma
tional, excepting once, and that was at
the Columbia Theater. under the above
noted management, and that came
about In peculiar way.
Wilson and other New York theatrical
managers at the time thought r street
was suburb OF Washington. and we
had a hard Job convincing them that 1t
was near the center of the city. Wilson
had An understanding with the elder
Rapley to play at the National. where
he had always done good business. After
playing his regular engagement there
during the Winter. he was In Pitts
burgh closing his season on his way
back to New York. when We offered him
q guarantee of SIS, 900 for a week In May
at the Columbia. 1t was pickup for
HIM
The piece was "Erminie". otherwise
we would not have offered 1t, because
"Erminie." with Francis Wilson in the
cast, was the greatest musical success
up to that time. He came. and we
played to $s.876, pocketing the differ
ence. Ordinarily IL would have been a
7O-30 contract. and he would have
| taken down nearly $1,000.
He refers to The Fortune Teller. "
with Alice Nelson as the prima donna
This opera was first played In this city
ct the Lafayette Theater. with Frank
Perley as It's business manager, and
distinctly recall Thanksgiving night
when more than $500 went away from
the box Office by people who refused to
take the seats offered. That was the
reason why I took the lease on the
Columbia Theater. and never dollar
went away from that theater II We had
the seats to sell
Mr.. Proctor makes another mistake
when he says: Who will ever forget
standing for an hour on the iron steps
(
theater and almost breaking his neck
up those three or four flights OF narrow
stairs to get front seat to see Frank
Daniels In The Idols Eye" -? Frank
Daniels played The Idols Eye" the
fiTst and subsequent engagements at the
Columbia Theater 10 record-breaking re-
ceipts. and not at the National.
Also he refers 10 John McCulIough---
before the days of the Columbia--say-
ing: "One night few DAYS later, when
Mccullough was In the midst OF one oil
his plays. the curtain was rung down
for the last time and he died In hos
pital for insane patients" The writer
happened to see this last performance
OF one OF the greatest Shakespearcan
actors that ever lived II was Satur-
day matinee. not night. at the National
when he was playing Richard the
Third" with Joseph Hayworth as Rich
mond The curtain was rung down as
stated. and he later died In the Bellevue
Hospital in New York
He also infers that Maude Adams
Little Minister" was played at the
National II probably was later. but
the premiere performance was at the
Lafayette Theater. but because of too
much Scotch dialect, which the public
could not understand. II was taken of.
revamped. and then put on again. and
was one OF the biggest successes in stage
annals.
Another inference Is that Mrs. Leslie
Carter's "Du Barry" was at the Ma
tional. This piece also had It's initial
performance at the Lafayette. as well
as her greatest success, "Zaza,"
w. j. DWYER.