Evening star., 1953-12-26

LEE SHUBERT.
survives, Lee Shubert controlled
business which has been con-
servatively valued as high as
$400 million. The Shubert en-
pire includes theater holdings,
stage properties, rights to show
music and old plays and inter-
ests in other producers shows.
Were Antitrust Target.
AS theatrical landlords, Lee
and Jacob had virtually no COM
petition in New York. Shortly
before World War II the brothers
leased or managed half of more
than 40 legitimate theaters on
Broadway, and controlled Is
show places in other cities.
IN 1850 the Shuberts' enter
prises were the target of a JUS
tice Department antitrust suit,
charging monopolization Of the
legitimate theater business. The
suit is still pending.
The three Shubert brothers
made their start as youngsters
in Syracuse. N. Y. When they
moved to New York at the turn
Of the century to tackle one of
the toughest businesses in a
tough city. they were confronted
by the powerful Klaw & Err
LANCER Booking Agency, known
far and wide as "the Syndi-
cate"
Klaw q Erlanger controlled
nearly everything in the metrop-
oils.
Success Was Not Easy.
Success didn't come easily.
The Shuberts began by leasing
the old Herald Square Theater
in 1900. Gradually they broke
the Klaw & Erlanger hold, NOV
ing into more and more show
houses.
After brother Sans death in a
railroad accident, Lee and u. j."
started naming all their new
theaters "The Sam s. Shubert
Memorial Theater." Later, they
discarded the title as too fune-
real. But as late as 1850, WASH
ington Joined the list of cities
bearing the name of Sam S.
Shubert Theater. with conversion
Of the old Gayety.
Formally, the organization is
known as the Select Theaters
Corp" but Broadway knows it
simply as the Shuberts.
Likewise. Lee Shubert was
known to Broadwayits simply as
Mister Lee"
Absorbed in Work.
The public never knew much
Of Lee Shubert. He was born
March Is, 1875, in Syracuse, and
married only a few years ago. He
was so absorbed in his work, he
gave at least Is hours a day to
it. Earlier this month, he and
his wife Marcella had returned
from a brief Miami vacation.
He was extremely self-con-
scious of his figure and kept it
in good trim. He always wore
expensive clothes. While he
habitually was thought of as an
after-dark figure, he had year.
around tan. Some of it was pro-
duced naturally. The rest came
from a Sun-ray machine kept
in his Office.
Mister Lee" liked to take noe
turnal prowls through the the
ater district, and years after he
had accumulated millions, was
fond of holding midnight con-
ferences with press agents and
company managers.
He unconsciously adopted some
Of the habits of his late brother
Sam. He developed a fast walk,
of which he was proud. He was
known as a soft touch for pan
handlers and down-and-out ac-
tors and actresses.
One of the highlights of the
ShubertS' earlier years was to
sponsor conversion of play into
the operetta, "The Student
Prince" In later years, Lee
didn't devote as much interest
in musical shows as did his
brother, j. j., but instead con-
centrated on the financial trans
actions.
His constant conceyn with the
monetary aspects of the theatel
drew considerable criticism. A. j
Liebling summarized it this way
in the New Yorker:
"His creative instincts arr
weighed down by several thou.
sand tons of concrete anc
twenty long-term leases"
Interests Were Varied.
The Shuberts' interests ranget
far from their activities as land
lords. however. During the las
half-century they drew on vir.
tually every successful playwright
in the world and, since 1920, hac
used the services of nearly ever.
important performer.
In their early days, Sarah
Bernhardt made a tour of the
country under Shubert manage
ment. They had under con-
tract such stars as Nora Bayes
the singer who first popularizec
"Shine On, Harvest Moon" ano
the actress, Nazimova.
Like many Of his contemporary
producers, Lee Shubert resented
the power Of critics. He granted
that they might be sincere. But
he argued that there is not q
man living who can speak fol
the public in regard to the merits