Evening star., 1940-12-26
Daniel Frohman Dies,
Dean Of U. 5. Stage
Producers Was 80
Fall Proves Futol to
Diseoverer Of Many
Greats of the Theoter
~ the Associated Press.

~ the Associated Press.
NEW YORK, Dec. 26-Daniel
Fronman, 80, dean of American stage
producers, died at tbs o'clock today
In the Leroy Sanitarium of complica-
tions following fall.
Mr.. Frohman, one of the most
distinguished figures in the history
of the American theater, had been
IN the sanitarium since November 4,
when he broke his right hip in a
fall In his hotel suite.
- DR.. Jacques c. Presner, who at
tended the producer, said Mr.. Froh-
man developed bronchial pneumonia
about four weeks ago and that his
death was due to the effects of that
ailment and complications resulting
from old age and the fractured hip.
Eta Frohman, sister, and Henry
Davidson, nephew. and Mr.. David
sons wife were with Mr.. Frohman
at his death.
The veteran producer, who helped
develop many of the leading stage
stars for more than two generations,
kept an unflagging interest in the
stage. although he had been pro-
fessionally inactive for many years.
He retained a studio over the
Lyceum Theater and lined its walls
with hundreds of autographed pho
tos and handbills reminiscent of
by-gone day when he and his
brother, Charles Frohman-who died
in the sinking of the Lusitania dur
ing the World War-Were the Ma
tons leading producers.
He kept in touch with the foot
light folk, as president since 1904
of the Actors Fund, philanthropic
organization.
Only two years ago-in April,
l938-he wrote his own obituary and
Sent it to newspapers with this note:
II inclose an article for your
- mortuary department. AS I may
soon pass away, you may want these
Anxious reporters. sent to investl-
gate the state of his health, found
him comfortably lounging in his old
leather chair enjoying cigar.
Assuring them he felt fit as can
be-" he added:
'I just thought the newspapers
might be interested I might be run
down by an auto. you know, Ger
tainly I feel fine. but you can't live
forever"
A wear ago. when the mortgage
fell due on the theater studio IN
which Mr.. Frohman, at that time,
made his home, the aged producer
was saved from election by the IN
tervention of friendly banker. who
said Mr.. Frohman could remain IN
the apartment as long as he lived.
He believed that public taste IN
the theater completed cycle every
20 years, and few years ago lore
saw a swing backward to Dmance
in the theater, rather than IN
:ellectual and hard plays he found
on the modern stage.
He married Miss Margaret 1lllng-
ton. one of the stars he discovered,
In 1908, but the marriage ended IN
a divorce six years later.
Mr.. Frohman was in or OF the
theater for more than three
quarters of a century. At II he was
prompter for local German COM
pany in his native Sandusky, ONO. Al
81 he was advance man for a one
night stand troupe which pene-
trated by stage coach to cattle
towns Of the Western frontier. He
landed on Broadway in 1879 When
he was % as business manager for
the old Madison Square Theater.
The eldest of three brothers whose
careers gave life to the thWarteo
theatrical ambitions of their father
an immigrant German-Jewish ped
dler, he outlived his contemporaries
and many of his successors.
A Living Legend"
Broadwayites called him Uncle
Dan" and racked their brains for
a phrase that would summarize him.
Such terms as dean of producers,
'Nestor of Broadway and grand
old man of the theater" were In
adequate and he became verltable
'sliying legend" his record a saga
Of the stage.
The opening cantos of this tale
took place in Sandusky where Henry
Frohman. the Immigrant peddler,
settled. Daniel was born there
August %, 1851. and when old
enough to hold reins. rode with his
father on his rounds, the while the
stagestruck peddler mouthed the
lines OF Schiller and other classic
German dramatists. Later Henry
Frohman opened small cigar fac
tory and organized German
theatrical company. Thus at IL
Daniel Frohman stood in the wings
prompting his father and the other
actors.
Founded a "Star Factory"
When he was IL the family moved
to New York. His brother GuStave
was the first of the three brothers
to gain a foothold in the profess
sional theater when he ran away
to join a minstrel troupe. Even
tually he found jobs for Daniel and
Charles Charles. the organizing
genius of the three, laid the ground
work for the theatrical syndicate
which gained control of 225 play
houses throughout the country and
brought on the "theater war" of the
early years of the century.
In 1879 Steele Mackaye, who was
, opening the Madison Square
Theater. made him business mana
ger Of the house, then. a year later
promoted him to be director. That
put Mr.. Frohman into the producing
end Of the business and he started
=. with record breaker. Hazel
Kirke." which ran 456 performances
In 1885 Frohman branched out
for himself. He leased the original
Lyceum Theater on Fourth avenue
although his friends told him it was
too far east of Broadway, and es-