The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1932-10-15
DEATH CLAIMS
STAGE VETERAN
AT HOME HERE
RoItare EggIeSton Began
His Career in TheaterS
in 1890.


magician. actor, and theater man.
sger, died shortly Friday at his
home, $40 West Maple road, from
heart clot with which he was
stricken a week ago.
Mr.. Eggleston, left in weakened
condition from an attack Of influ-
enza two years ago, at first thought
he had suffered an attack Of pto-
maine poisoning. but specialists
called in consultation diagnosed the
illness as a clot on the heart.
Mr.. Eggleston in 1918 married
Miss Elizabeth Line Primrose. Phil
adelphia, and returned to Indian
apolis with his wife, who survives
him. Mr.. EggleSton also is sur
vived by brother, William of Ce-
daredge, Colo.
known as "Roltare, the Great"
by thousands of audiences, as we'll
as by the nations leading ma
gicians in his day, Mr.. Eggleston
is mourned by thousands who knew
him as a magician, civic worker.
theater manager, lecturer, lodge
brother and, in more recent years,
as a theatrical booker.
Mr.. Eggleston was born in Ottum-
wa, Ia, the son of William Henry
Eggleston and Myra H. Eggleston.
His grandparents left their name or
the pages Of history in pioneer In
diana.
From early youth, Mr.. Eggleston
leaned toward the theater and while
still in his teens, joined a stock
company in 1890. He branched out
as a magician at the Chicago
Worlds fair.
In 1909, Mr.. Eggleston started the
first of series of entertainments in
army recreation houses in the Ca
nal Zone and on his return TO the
states, spent year giving illus
trated lectures on canal district
conditions.
I'm 1914, Mr.. Eggleston packed up
his bag of tricks and became man
ager of the Allegheny theater and
the grand opera house, then the
leading two-a-day big time vaude-
vile houses in Philadelphia.
In 1916 he came to indianapolis
as manager of B. F. Keith'S theater
and remained in that capacity I'M
til that theater ceased to be the
home of Keith vaudeville.
L He then was advanced to man
nf fhn A1INnC f1,AafA,. H.
lanta, Ca, and remained there for
several years before returning to
indianapolis to become first a the
atrical booker, then manager of
EngliSh's for season, then man
ager of the Murat, which he gave
up last spring when it was decided
not to reopen the auditorium.
Mr.. Egglestons last enterprise
was as local representative of the
Chicago Open Air Opera which was
scheduled to open at Butler field
house last week for a two-day en-
gagement. The company found it
impossible to fulfill the indianapolis
engagement.
Mr.. Eggleston had several large
convention and other parties for
the winter months, for which he
had contracts to supply entertain
ment
1t was of his World war record
that he was most proud. Dis
appointed that he was over the age
to enlist in the ranks Mr.. Eggleston
was appointed by President Wood
row Wilson as chairman of the
Four-Minute Men" for this city and
county.
Willie and Eugene Howard Olga
Petrova, Thurston, Blossom Seeley,
Eva Tanguay, Sarah Bernhard,
Kate Gilmore and Sam Williams,
Houdini and hundreds of others who
appeared in his theaters always
spoke of Mr.. EggleSton as The
Prince of Managers"
1t is known that his Christmas
greetings from actors often num-
bered more than 1900 for a single
holiday.
He was a member of Calvin w.
Prather lodge, No. TIT, F. g. A. M,
thirty-second degree Scottish Rite
Mason of Indianapolis, member of
the Murat temple, Mobiles of the
Mystic Shrine.
He was active in club life of the
city, and was member of the Co
lumbia Club, Rotary, Advertisers
Club and the Indianapolis Athletic
Club.
He was past president of the So
ciety of American Magicians and a
member of the Benjamin Harrison
camp, Sons of Veterans.