An Archive of Art and Literature by the Bohemians of Antebellum New York
This multi-volume history of the New York City theater provides a wealth of information about the actors, actresses, and playwrights who were associated with Pfaff's.
His first New York appearance noted in the Herald as Sept. 27, 1849. Booth seems to have made a great impression on the New York stage.
Booth often acted with his father and other family members and memorably subsituted for his father at the last minute for a benefit performance of Richard III. Though young, he was referred to as "Master" Edwin Booth.
Booth went to California in 1852.
The chief writer and "suggester" for Burton 1848-50 (48). Brougham is described as "clever, gifted, jovial, popular."
Odell mentions his Lyceum and his theater. Odell discusses the "splendor" of Brougham's Lyceum at Broadway and Broom Street, which opened December 23, 1850. Brougham had spent the two previous years as the cheif suggestor and writer at Burton's theater and thought he would succeed with his own theater. This theater, which he had inherited from Mitchell(?), passed into other hands within two years and became Wallack's Theatre. Brougham's Lyceum is said to have had lush decorations and Odell claims that Brougham had the best help in preparing the Lyceum. The first performace was given by a troupe of actors called Brougham and Co. Brougham also performed in the show and his wife was also a member of the company.
Odell includes reviews of several of Brougham's performances as well as provides much detail about the shows at the Lyceum. Odell makes mention of "things running low" in December, 1851, when Brougham quits a production of A Christmas Carol. Odell also makes note of the changing of hands of the Lyceum.
Odell also mentions Brougham's performances as a Broadway actor and discusses Brougham's absences from the stage in 1850.
Brougham seems to have, at one point, begun to do shows in the mode of Barnum that produced by Niblo - he is recorded as appearing in a show with Siamese Twins and other features.
The important theaters/producers at this time appear to have been Burton, Wallack, Niblo.
Brougham left Wallack's to manage the failing Bowery in 1856. Odell observes that no one knew why Brougham always starrred in others' theaters and failed in his own.
The Bowery is described as one of the most "democratic" theaters vs. Wallack's aristocratic status. Brougham invited many actors from the Broadway and several with non-traditional methods to join the company at the Bowery. Odell estimates that Brougham gathered his best company ever in 1856.
In 1857, while running the Bowery, Brougham appeared for the first time in seven years at Burton's . At this time, Brougham was also on stage at Wallack's.
Odell discusses Brougham's "feat" of performing in both New York and Philadelphia in one day. It seems that the quality of plays at the Bowery in 1856-57 was decreasing somewhat or was uneven. Brougham's Hippodramatic spectacle was his last show before leaving the Bowery on May 1, 1857.
A benefit for him was held at Niblo's for in 1857 - one of many for "manager-failures."
Additional page numbers: 48-53,55,56,68,91, 101-102,148-150150 (ill), 151, 153, 164, 190, 194, 214, 226, 242, 243, 272, 295, 359, 390, 396, 431, 435, 441 150 (ill), 151, 153, 164, 190, 194, 214, 226, 242, 243, 272, 295, 359, 390, 396, 431, 435, 441, 461-462, 463, 476, 477, 517, 523-524, 536-537, 546-547, 548-549, 554,559, 564-565, 570, 574
Clifton "secured on the New York stage a highly creditable position as a stock actress, particularly at Laura Keene's theater."
Odell mentions that the "then hihgly popular Potiphar Papers of George William Curtis" were dramatized and titled Our Best Society at Burton's (290).
Curtis lectured in Brooklyn during the 1854-1855 season at the Brooklyn Institute - the title and subject of his lecture is unknown(420). He also lectured at the Institute during the 1855-1856 season.
(Questionable whether or not this is him.) Mentioned in supporting roles on the stage (if this is him).
Odell mentions him as a lecturer and critic. He is also identified as W.H. Fry and mentioned as assisting a musical performance at the Odeon (276).
Odell also mentions Fry's Sabat Mater and that a performance of it was not given.
Wrote Taking the Chances, or, Our Cousin From the Country (a comedy) for J.H. McVicker at Burtons. The show opened March 19, 1855. Gayler adapted The Son of the Night from the Porte St. Martin, Paris for the Broadway for a May 4, 1856, performance. Gayler is described as prolific.
Listed as part of the Lyceum lecture series at Williamsburgh during the 1850-51 season (109).
Odell mentions that his play, The Coroner's Exhibition (a new farce), was performed at the last benefit of the season (for Mark Smith) on June 1, 1857.
Odell also mentions that Hall will later be the Mayor of New York.
Odell makes note of Heron's appearances at Wallack's in 1856-57 season.
As an actor, Odell refers to Jefferson as a "bright feature" at the National Theater in 1850-51(34). Jefferson is called an "admirable comedian." He is frequently on stage with Mrs. Jefferson during 1850-51 season. Jefferson left the National during the 1850-51 season when Lafayette Fox (Christopher Strap) came to the theater. Odell simply says that a theater couldn't expect to keep both of them (37).
Odell uses Jefferson as a source and refers to Jefferson's description of the performance of "Sir William Don" on the stage in 1850-51 season (5).
Odell also uses exerpts from Jefferson's Autobiography to discuss his 1851-52 performance of Twelfth Night. According to Jefferson, the revival at Burton's displayed performances that have not been so skillful since Shakespeare first wrote and performed the play. was Burton's first Shakespearean endeavor and was done on a highly elaborate scale (128).
Jefferson returned to the New York stage after an absence of several years in the 1856-57 season, Laura Keene's second season in her new theater(544).
Odell notes that she acted at Wallacks with Laura Keene's company.
A benefit was held for her on January 9,1852. Montes' burlesque was performed at the Bowery again in the summer of 1852 both with Lola Montes starring in the lead role and after her departure from the theater.
His My Christmas Dinner written "expresly for this theater" opened at Wallack's 12/25/1852. A Gentleman from Ireland played at Wallacks in Dec. 1854. O'Brien also adapted The Sisters from the French for Wallacks for Dec. 27,1854. This play ran until Jan. 13, 1855.
He is mentioned as the intended the leading man at Burton's new theater during the 1855-56 season (473). Also at Burton's in the 1856-57 season.
(Information here may also be for his brother, Maurice.) Strakosch served as pianist in a concert of Maretzke on Jan. 11, 1851, at Tripler Hall. He seems to have been a figure in the concert scene from 1850-56; his wife also played with him. At the Academy, in late January of 1857 (575), he conducted the opera, subsequently starting a new season of opera that February. He held concerts in Brooklyn in the 1856-57 season and also ran a series of 4 subscription concerts for which advertisments in the Star and the New York Herald stop around Jan 24 - the date of the first concert. Because of this, Odell is unsure whether the shows at the Athenaeum (scheduled for 1/24, 1/31, 2/5, 2/12 $1 admission + $0.50 for reserved seating) ever ran (601).
He wrote the words to "Greetings to America" that was composed by Benedict (?) for Jenny Lind's first American appearance on Sept. 11, 1850. Lind sang the song and Taylor received $200 for the lyrics. Odell says that the money was "offered as a prize for the best poem written under these excruciating circumstances"(86).
Taylor was also one of the lecturers at the Lyceum in 1850-51, a series that included Henry Ward Beecher, Horace Greely, Park Benjamin, and E.H. Chapin. Bayard was also a part of the 1854-55 Brooklyn Institute lecture series (420). Taylor was a lecturer at the Athenaeum in the 1855-56 season in a "special fall and winter course" that also included Emerson, J.G. Saxe, E.P. Whipple, Curtis, Beecher, Benjamin, and Oliver Wendell Holmes (507).
Taylor is mentioned as a "play carpenter" in the same manner as Gayler in Odell's discussion of Walden's style of dramatic adaptation (523).
The Vault at Pfaff's