Evening star., 1936-04-26
PERCY HAMMOND,
NOTED CRITIC, DIES
New York Writer Attained
Fame in Long Career
in Journalism.
Nv the Associated Press.

BY the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, April 25.-Percy Ham
iaond, So, drama critic for the New
York Herald Tribune. died at mid
night tonight at Rockefeller Institute
Hospital.
He had been ill since Tuesday of
pneumonia. With him at the time OF
his death was his son John.
A native of CadiZ, Ohio, Hammond
had been with the New York news
paper since 1921, when he came from
the Chicago Tribune. His reviews
of the theater had brought him rep
utation as an informed and urbane
critic and stylist.
Saw First Show in Cadiz.
Hammond traced his interest in
the theater back to 1885, during fair
week at Cadiz, where, as wide-eyed
boy, he saw tent show entitled The
Little Nugget"
From this beginning Hammond went
to see his first play at the Caeiz
Opera House. After he became ore
of Broadway's first-string critics
Hammond enjoyed recalling the days
when he saw Jeffries Lewis in La
Belle Russo" and Robert Downing in
"The Gladiator"
He said he first saw William A.
Brady, producer and actor, at the
Cadiz Opera House in two parts
doubling as ticket taker in front OF
the theater and as Job, the man serv-
ant, in She"
Born in 1873, Hammond was the
son Of Alexander and Charlotte Ham,
mond. His father was leading mer-
chant.
At Is Hammond fled from home to
Pittsburgh, where he sold papers to
raise money to see plays. He went
on to Washington, where he OBJ
tanned job in the Government Print
ing once through Senator John
Sherman of Ohio. After four years
he returned to Ohio and attended
Franklin University for four years.
Became Editor in Chillicothe.
After graduation Hammond worked
on the Chillicothe, Ohio, News Ad-
yertiser and later became editor.
During this period he engaged in a
circulation war with the Chillicothe
Gazette, edited by George Tyler, now
a theatrical producer and Hammond's
lifelong friend.
While in Chillicothe he married Miss
Florence Carnehan, who died in 1885.
Later he went to Chicago, obtaining
q Job with the City Press Association
at So a week
Hammond was proud Of this period
IN his career for. as he put it. Il went
through the mill"
Hammond, his wife and their son
John lived on the So salary. He Joined
the staff Of the Chicago Evening Post,
later becoming dramatic editor. In
1909 he went to the Chicago Tribune,
succeeding Burns Mantle, now critic
tor the Daily News in New York.
while on the Post he had side Job
As press agent for the grand opera
house.
Asked for Raise Once.
Once Hammond said of his work,
IT have been newspaper man for IS
years. asked for raise only once
and for a job only once"
From this he concluded, 1T Is a
swell racket, but a drama critics job
Is best of ALL"
Hammond became an institution on
the Tribune as the apostle Of the
drama" in the Midwest.
He was barred from the Shubert
Theater in Chicago for two years
through feud with an agent.
During the World War Hammond
went to France as a rowing cores
pondent for the Tribune, returning to
Chicago in 1919.
:, In 1921 Hammond succeeded Hey
wood Broun as dramatic critic of the
old New York Tribune, which later
was merged with the New York Herald.
His last pob for the Chicago paper
was covering the Dempsey Carpenter
hight in Jersey City, He later said he
liked this story best of all his work
G>ll