Evening star., 1950-08-23

sons versatility ranged from the
invention of ramps and devices
for getting elephants on the stage
to a mural of Robert Morris in
the Capitol. His career embraced
painting, sculpturing. designing
and managing stage productions
and inventing.
Mr.. Thompson was the son
of a Newport (R. - sea cap
tain. His fathers travels took him
to England and Australia in his
youth. He was graduated with
highest honors from the Technical
College School Of Arts In Queens
land, Australia, in 1892. and in
that year came to make his home
in Washington.
Mr.. Thompson went to work for
the late P. B. Chase, who owned
FChase's Vaudeville Theater on
Pennsylvania avenue NV. in the
late 1905 and the early 1900s.
He was made stage manager and
secenic artist by Mr.. Chase and,
in five years, had saved enough
money to bring his childhood
sweetheart, Mary Alice White,
here from Australia. They were
married in 1898. Mrs. Thompson
died in 1945.
Helped Build Keith's.
Mr.. Thompson stayed with Mr..
Chase when he built a new theater
at Fifteenth and G streets NV.
and designed the stage arch, an
elaborate fresco. The theater was
sold to B. F. Keith in 1918 Git
is now Keith's Theater) and Mr..
Thompson stayed on until the
movies took over.
Mr.. Thompson's skill as a
portrait painter is shown in two
anecdotes his family tells. During
the Victory Parade in 1919, when
President Woodrow Wilson, on his
return from the peace conferences
at Versailles, rode up Pennsyl-
vania avenue. Mr.. Thompson
placed a life-size portrait of the
President on the marquee of
Keiths. When Mr.. Wilson saw it,
he is said to have doffed his hat
and applauded the likeness.
In 1926, Keith's Theater held a
memorial program for Victor
Herbert, at which many of his
songs were played. The highlight
of the program came when the
curtain rose to expose a portrait
of Mr.. Herbert painted by Mr..
Thompson. It was so life-like. it
is reported, that many in the
audience wept.
In his 70s. Mr.. Thompson
worked at the Capitol. helping
to restore the murals Of the late
Constantine Brandt. At this
time, his family says, he was
called on to design a portion Of
the ceiling of the Presidents Room.
which had fallen of. The original
design of cherubs had been lost.
and Mr.. Thompson substituted one
of his own, his family relates.
Artist for Trade Board.
Mr.. Thompson acted as chief
artist for the Board of Trade mid
winter banquets for many years.
Among the shows for which he
designed the scenery, according
to his family, were plantation
Days." Days of the Golden
West" and Under the Big Top"
He also painted silk flags for
many of the embassies here and
some Government departments.
Mr.. Thompson, in his early
days in Washington, was member
of the staff of artists who deco
rated the old Letter Mansion at
Dupont Circle.
Mr.. Thompson's inventions in
cluded a reflector light. which he
patented. and a flying piano" :"
The piano was strung on invisi-
BILE wire and was spotlighted by
Mr.. Thompson so that it appeared
to float in the air. The Thompson
family recalls that this piano
caused quite sensation here and
resulted in a successful tour for
the performers who used it in their
act.
Retired in 1945.
When he retired in 1945. Mr..
Thompson derived his greatest
pleasure from his television set.
which brought back to him many
Of his old vaudeville friends and
the routineS he had watched so
often from the wings of Keith's
He numbered among his friends,
Helen Hayes. Eddie Cantor and
the late Will Rogers.
Mr.. Thompson was a member of
the Washington Centennial Lodge
of Masons and the Washington
Centennial Chapter of the Order
of the Eastern Star. He belonged
to All Saints Episcopal Church.
Mr.. Thompson is survived by
three daughters, Mrs. Violet L.
Gale, Mrs. Lavinia T. Tarr and
Mrs. Thelma A. Heany, all of
Washington.