This blog is dedicated to preserving a
curated record of theatre-related images drawn from the digitized pages of the
four chief Brooklyn newspapers and one weekly magazine of 1898-1908. The
sources, as they were called during these years: Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Brooklyn
Citizen, Brooklyn Standard Union,
and Brooklyn Daily Times. At first,
only Brooklyn Life provided photos,
but as time passed the newspapers, beginning with the Citizen, abandoned their photo-based etchings and line drawings for
photos. Each entry is devoted to one or two months during the decade. A list of
the month’s offerings precedes the illustrations, most of which are identified
within the original image. The performers include not only leading players but
lesser ones, most of whose names are entirely forgotten today. Many depict
burlesque and vaudeville acts who are often listed on the ads that begin each
weekly group of images. The production lists designate titles of shows at the
legitimate theatres only; burlesque and vaudeville theatres are listed only by
name to show that they were active. If a theatre is missing it was either
permanently or temporarily closed.
It is hoped that this blog will be a
useful adjunct to a two-volume book I’m preparing for publication, ACROSS THE RIVER FROM BROADWAY: ANNALS OF
THE BROOKLYN STAGE (1898-1908); Vol. I (1898-1903), Vol. II (1903-1908).
Samuel
L. Leiter
Author:
BROOKLYN TAKES THE STAGE: NINETEENTH-CENTURY THEATER IN THE CITY OF CHURCHES (McFarland: 2024).
AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 1904
August 16-20: Bijou: (Spooner Stock Company) A Night Off; Vaudeville/burlesque: Star, Watson’s; August 22-27: Bijou: (Spooner Stock Company) When Knighthood Was in Flower; Broadway: The Sultan of Sulu, with Flo Irwin (opened Saturday, August 27); Columbia: (Columbia Stock Company) Soldiers of Fortune, with Richard Buhler, Jessaline Rogers (opened Saturday, August 27); Grand Opera House: Under Southern Skies (opened Saturday, August 27); Vaudeville/burlesque: Star, Watson’s, Unique; August 29-September 3: Bijou: (Spooner Stock Company) Little Miss Fortune; Broadway: The Sultan of Sulu, with Frank Moulan; Columbia: (Columbia Stock Company) Soldiers of Fortune; Folly: Rachel Goldstein, with Louise Beaton; Gotham: Deserted at the Altar (opened Saturday, September 3); Grand Opera House: Under Southern Skies; Majestic: The Wizard of Oz, with Montgomery and Stone; Montauk: Peggy from Paris, with Beatriz Bronte; Park: A Fight for Love, with Robert “Bob” Fitzsimmons; Payton’s Lee Avenue: (Payton Lee Avenue Stock Company) The Henrietta; Phillips’ Lyceum: (Lyceum Stock Company) A Daughter of the South; Vaudeville/burlesque: Star, Watson’s, Unique, Orpheum, Gayety; September 5-10: Bijou: (Spooner Stock Company) The Village Postmaster; Broadway: The Eternal City, with Edward Morgan; Columbia: (Columbia Stock Company) Audrey; Folly: Under Southern Skies; Gotham: Deserted at the Altar; Grand Opera House: The Awakening of Mr. Pipp, with Charley Grapewin; Majestic: The Wizard of Oz, with Montgomery and Stone; Montauk: The Prince of Pilsen, with Trixie Friganza; Novelty: From Rags to Riches, with Joseph Santley; Park: Human Hearts; Payton’s Lee Avenue: (Payton Lee Avenue Stock Company) Shenandoah; Phillips’ Lyceum: (Lyceum Stock Company) The Price of Honor; Vaudeville/burlesque: Hyde & Behman’s, Star, Watson’s, Unique, Orpheum, Gayety, Keeney’s; September 12-17: Bijou: (Spooner Stock Company) Winchester; Broadway: The Southerners; Columbia: (Columbia Stock Company) A Gentleman of France; Folly: The Awakening of Mr. Pipp, with Charley Grapewin; Gotham: Only a Shop Girl; Grand Opera House: The Fatal Wedding; Majestic: When Johnny Comes Marching Home; Montauk: The Virginian, with Dustin Farnum; Novelty: M’liss, with Nellie McHenry; Park: Lights of Home; Payton’s Lee Avenue: (Payton Lee Avenue Stock Company) Lend Me Your Home; Phillips’ Lyceum: (Lyceum Stock Company) Nobody’s Claim; Vaudeville/burlesque: Hyde & Behman’s, Star, Watson’s, Unique, Orpheum, Gayety, Keeney’s; September 19-24: Bijou: (Spooner Stock Company) The Taming of Helen; Broadway: A Little of Everything, with Fay Templeton, Peter F. Dailey; Columbia: (Columbia Stock Company) Alice of Old Vincennes; Folly: The Fatal Wedding; Gotham: The Span of Life; Grand Opera House: The Ninety and Nine; Majestic: The Runaways; Montauk: The Dictator, with William Collier, John Barrymore; Novelty: The Charity Nurse; Park: After Midnight, with Jack Webster; Payton’s Lee Avenue: (Payton Lee Avenue Stock Company) No Cross, No Crown; Phillips’ Lyceum: (Lyceum Stock Company) Lost River; Vaudeville/burlesque: Star, Watson’s, Unique, Orpheum, Gayety; September 26-October 1: Bijou: (Spooner Stock Company) The Deacon’s Daughter; Broadway: The Prince of Pilsen, with Trixie Friganza; Columbia: (Columbia Stock Company) Rupert of Hentzau; Folly: The Female Detectives, the Russell Brothers; Gotham: After Midnight; Grand Opera House: A Prisoner of War; Majestic: The Crisis, with Nanette Comstock; Montauk: The Earl of Pawtucket, with Lawrence D’Orsay; Novelty: The Little Church Around the Corner; Park: Rachel Goldstein, with Louise Beaton; Payton’s Lee Avenue: (Payton Lee Avenue Stock Company) In Illinois; Phillips’ Lyceum: (Lyceum Stock Company) A Nutmeg Match; Vaudeville/burlesque: Hyde & Behman’s, Star, Watson’s, Unique, Orpheum, Gayety, Keeney’s
1. August 16-20, 1904
2. August 22-27, 1904
3. August 29-September 3, 1904
4. September 5-10, 1904
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5. September 12-17, 1904
6. September 19-24, 1904
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