History of Salt Lake City, Part 99

Author: Tullidge, Edward Wheelock
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Salt Lake City, Star printing company
Number of Pages: 1194

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Bernard Snow, whose name in the order of date ranked before that of David Mckenzie, but who retiring early can only be placed at the head of the amateur dramatic corps of the Social Hall, possessed considerable native talent for the stage, and had he passed a regular training under such masters as Macready, Van- dernoff, or Forrest, may have reached a star magnitude. He played Virginus, Othello, Damon, Rolla, Sir Edward Mortimer, Matthew Elmore, and Ingomar, his proper line of characters ; but when he came to the task of interchanging in his chosen parts with the veteran T. A. Lyne, the public which named him the " Rocius of the Rocky Mountains " realized that he was eclipsed many degrees. It was perhaps this realization of the public judgment which caused him to retire. He could not, as Mckenzie did, hold his own with the stars without constant

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sense of eclipse, yet still in our theatrical history he is worthy to be remembered as a local star of the amateur days.

General James Ferguson, a man of brilliant intellect, an officer in the Mor- mon Battalion, adjutant general of the Nauvoo Legion, and editor of the Moun- taineer, was as a brother of Bernard Snow, to whom he played Pythias, and in his own sphere shined as Claude Melnotte, and played a fitting Don Cæsar De Bazan and lago to Snow's Othello in the Social Hall. He died carly in the history of our theatre, and his memory lives apart from the sphere of the stage.

Hiram B. Clawson, as before noticed, was a member of Lyne's company at Nauvoo, and it was he and John T. Caine who were instrumental in moving President Young to build the theatre, which was run so many years under the management of Clawson and Cainc. He possessed considerable native talent for such a line of character parts indicated by his " Old Phil's Birthday," " Porter's Knot," and in the " Chimney Corner," which were three of the favorite char- acters in which Couldock starred. Hiram B. Clawson retired at an early period from the stage, and occupied the position of the first superintendent of Z. C. M. I .. but still retained his position in the management.

John T. Caine at the onset headed the stock company. He played Duke Aranza in the " Honeymoon," "The Charcoal Burner," Sir Charles Coldstream in " Used Up," Pizarro to Lyne's Rolla, Eustache Baudine, Stephen Plumb, in "All is not Gold that Glitters," and other leading parts, but he had also retired to the fitter sphere of the management, and also became one of the founders and editorial managers of the Salt Lake Herald, city recorder, and later was elected the delegate from Utah to Congress. His general biography will be found elsewhere.

John S. Lindsay first appeared in " Thompson's Theatre," but attracting the attention of the management was soon called into the stock company of the Salt Lake Theatre. Of him the local critic wrote in 1809: " Mr. John S. Lindsay has treated us to some very fine playing of late. His Michael Feeney, in " Arrah-na- Pogue " was a masterpiece of its kind. He ever plays well. There is vim in his action and force in his character. He is constant in his efficiency, always ready in his scenes, never lacking in his parts. He has played among numerous charac- ters on our stage, Ludovico, Iago, Hamlet, Richelieu, Romeo, and Macbeth. For years now he has been traveling in his profession both in the Western States and Territories and also in the East.

James M. Hardie, a favorite pupil of T. A. Lyne, with considerable of his master's style, early became a favorite of the public. He played the principal male character, Raphael, in "The Marble Heart," to Annie Lockhart's Marco, " Jack Cade," and other star parts of a similar line. The critic wrote of him in 1869 : " James M. Hardie is decidedly a rising actor. We expect to see him make a name in the world. There is in him metaphysical force and physical weight, combining a fine appearance. In heroic parts he can reach the top of the tree. He must aim for professional perfection. That is a work of art. Nature has given him all the force." For years now he has been starring in the Eastern States.

Mr. Philip Margetts has been treated in the dramatic history as one of the

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fathers of the Salt Lake Stage, but here, in these brief biographical passages, a few of Phil's great comedy parts may be instanced as theatrical record. His Valen - tine Verdict, the grand juryman, in the " Charcoal Burner," was immense ; so also was his Jeremiah Clip, in the " Widow's Victim ; " his Dickory, in the " Spectre Bridegroom," and his Mock Duke may "challenge the world " for their match. He was great in Toodles, first Grave Digger in " Hamlet;" and immense in the Illustrious Stranger. The last few years he has traveled through the Territory with companies of his own, and sometimes with provincial companies, playing charac- ter parts, such as A Party by the Name of Johnson, in the " Lancashire Lass ;"' Old Phil, in " Old Phil's Birthday ;" Peter Probity in " Chimney Corner ;" Post Boy, in the play of that name ; Martin (Old Fidelity) in the " Will and the Way;" and Middlewick, in " Our Boys."

John C. Graham, in his line of comedy, stood unrivalled in the Salt Lake company from his first appearance on our stage. In Liverpool, his native place, he first showed his dramatic talent, and his friend, E. W. Tullidge, who at that time was reading Hazlett and others of the best English critics, encouraged him to train himself for the theatrical profession of Salt Lake City. Though he had scarcely reached the age of young manhood, at the festivals given in the Liver- pool branch, J. C. Graham was always put down on the programme for a dramatic personation, which he generally selected from the fine English comedies. Sheri- dan's Sir Peter Teazle, from the "School for Scandal," was at that time his favor - ite. "John C." continued his dramatic practice for several years in Liverpool, and, on his arrival in Salt Lake City, in November, 1864, he immediately became the leading comedian in his line, as Mr. Phil. Margetts was in his ; indeed these favorites alternately took the laurels of comedy, each in his own characters. Graham for a period of ten years held the favor of the Salt Lake public; and his benefits in the old times were quite ovations. His low comedy parts embraced the entire range ; yet critical friends have cast him at his best in the higher role, and pronounced his Lord Dundreary scarcely inferior to Southern's. Graham was for a time the acting manager of the Salt Lake Theatre ; and to-day he holds a similar position in Provo, in theatrical management and theatrical performances, as he did for so many years in Salt Lake City.

William C. Dunbar was of all the comedians of our company the most unique in his type. He entered the Deseret Dramatic Association in 1853, and played first at the Social Hall. Paddy Miles' Boy was one of his initial hits in the ama- teur days, before the building of the Salt Lake Theatre; and besides his comic character parts, he won loud local fame as a singer of character comic songs. In this line he was nearly inimitable. We never heard, even in England, a rarer comic singer than Dunbar. When the Salt Lake Theatre opened, W. C. Dunbar appeared in the initial farces. "Paddy Miles' Boy," figured on the second night. " The Irish Tutor " was personated by him with infinite drollery and the true Irish typing. In the " Colleen Bawn," his Miles da Coppaleen, equaled in its line, Mckenzie's Danny Mann. In " Rob Roy," his Nicholei Jarvie was " im- mense," his Scotch conception and mannerism enabling him to render Balie Jar- vie in Sir Walter Scott's own style. In " Hamlet," Dunbar was one of the grave- diggers, a part which always requires a good Shakspearian comedian, or Hamlet's

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own scene at Ophelia's grave is half spoiled before he comes on. It is praise to say Dunbar gave to his Gravedigger Shakspearian tones. There were various other characters of mark in which he appeared, while on the stage, but the above named will show his peculiar line, in which he must be marked in our dramatic history with local fame. He will also appear among the founders of the Salt Lake newspapers, still in association with John T. Caine as he was with him on the stage.

Mr. Joseph M. Simmons was one of the original members of the Deseret Dramatic Association. He was elected a member of the Association in the spring of 1852. In his line of parts as the gentleman of the company, he became at once very useful ; and in the plays where the tender romance of love abounded, he was nearly always the hero of the love episode. True he was never cast for a Claude Melnotte; but Sir Thomas Clifford to a Ferguson's Sir Walter, or later, to Mckenzie's Sir Walter, was the part which the manager would always cast to Mr. Simmons. In Pizarro he played Alonzo to Mrs. Gibson's Cora ; and he per- formed the part with that genuine enthusiasm and generous fearless spirit so be- coming in a Spanish cavalier, and the pupil of the good Las Casas, in defence of his Indian princess and her people, as against Pizarro, the haughty invader who had loved his talented Alonzo as an adopted son. The character is quite difficult, lest, in playing for love, his child, and the Peruvian people, he should seem to the audience an ingrate to Pizarro and traitor to his own country. But Simmons' Alonzo manifested all the best elements of the character ; and he will stand in our theatrical history as the representative Alonzo of the Deseret Dramatic Asso- ciation.

Horace K. Whitney was also one of the founders of the Deseret Dramatic Association ; and in his character as one of the pioneers of the Salt Lake Stage. he fitly kept up the personal interest which attached to him as one of the Pioneers of the country. He was enrolled in the " Musical Dramatic Association " formed in 1850 ; continued in the re-organization under the style of the Deseret Dramatic Association and played through the theatrical days of the Social Hall, and during the first years' performances at the Salt Lake Theatre. He played Jasper Plumb, in " All That Glitters is Not Gold ;" Duncan in " Macbeth ;" Sunnyside in the "Octorogn ;" Admiral Kingston in " Naval Engagements," and characters gen- erally of a similar line.

Henry Maiben was enrolled with the re-organized company that played in the Social Hall, and, therefore, though not one of the organization of 1850, he was one of the first members of the Deseret Dramatic Association. He was associated with an amateur company in England, and being a coach painter and an artist in heraldry painting he had a natural inclination to art performance. He was a typical comic singer ; his " Man That Couldn't Get Warm " was inimitable. He was a good comedian and in a certain line of parts none of the other comedians could so well have filled the place. His Tobias in the " Stranger," though a small part was, a gem. He was the fancy dancer of the company and in Christmas Pantomime he was Pantaloon and Harlequin.

Briefly must be noticed the ladies of the Deseret Dramatic Association. Pre- cedence belongs to Mrs. Margaret Clawson. As Miss Judd this lady stands alone in a niche of fame, she being one of the founders of the drama, in 1850. For

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nearly twenty years thereafter she sustained the company in a class of characters of a representative line, for which no other lady of the stock was fitted. Judy O'Trot was one of her great parts.

Mrs. L. Gibson was a lady endowed with dramatic genius, as was exemplified in her Lady Macbeth, in which she was never surpassed on our stage excepting perhaps by Miss Ince. Had Mrs. Gibson not died so early in our theatrical his- tory her name would have become famous as a local star.

Mrs. Marian Bowring long held the Salt Lake stage as a local actress. Her Elvira is remembered to this day as a powerful and impassioned peaformance. Even Lyne as Pizarro was fully matched by Mrs. Bowring's Elvira. She also made an excellent Emilia in " Othello," as she did Juliana in "The Honeymoon."

Maggie Thomas, sister of Professor Charles J. Thomas, was a public favorite in chambermaid and comedy parts, and was a specialty as a stage songstress -" Barbara Jones with a song." ,In the burlesque tragic opera of " Bombastus Furioso," she " made a hit" in the burlesque character of Distaffins. She re- tired from the stage on her marriage to Mr. George Romney.

Miss Alexander was Utah's favorite soubrette actress. Good-for-Nothing Nan was one of her best. She is the actress of whom Hepworth Dixon wrote : "Miss Alexander-a girl, who besides being pretty and piquant, has genuine ability for her work. A story, which shows that Young has a feeling for humor, has been told me of which Miss Alexander is the heroine. A starring actor from San Fran- cisco, fell into desperate love for her, and went up to the President's house for leave to address her. 'Ha! my good fellow,' said the Prophet, ' I have seen you play Hamlet very well, and Julius Cæsar pretty well, but you must not aspire to Alexander !'" George Pauncefort was the hero of the story.

Miss Adams made her debut at about this time. She long held the favor of the public, and has for many years traveled, both in the East and West, as a pro- fessional actress. She has occasionally returned to Salt Lake, her native place, to star an engagement with the home stock.

Mrs. Alice Clawson, daughter of Brigham Young, was in the early days as a flower in the play ; but she never claimed for herself special dramatic talent.

Miss Nellie Colebrook has reigned as the local queen of the stage. She early made her debut, and during her seasons the star characters have been entrusted to her, and rendered to the satisfaction of the public. She has a fine stage appear- ance, is graceful and artistic in her style, and her acting always manifests dramatic fire. Julia in the "Hunchback" marks her highest line. In the " Banker's Daughter," Nellie Colebrook won for the Home Dramatic Club its greatest triumph.

Annie Lockhart, though not a local star, must be named with tender remem- brance. She was an excellent actress and a gentle lady. She died in our midst in November, 1869, and was reverently followed to the grave by the Deseret Dramatic Association.

Miss Couldock, the beloved daughter of the veteran actor, and worthy of her father's fame, also died in our midst and was buried by the association. She was the first person buried in the Episcopal cemetery ; but her remains have since been removed to Mount Olivet.

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Under the management of James H. Vinson, after the retirement of the old Deseret Dramatic Association, the theatre for awhile kept up its former prestige, and with the combination of stars with the imported stock, it was not quickly realized, even by the management, that theatricals were really on the decline, much of the local interest having retired with the home company and the home stars.

During this management a few notable names appeared on the bills: Miss Fanny Cathcart, (from a famous English family of actors), James A. Herne, John Mccullough, J. T. Raymond, Dion Boucicault, T. A. Lyne, William Hoskins (one of London's best comedians), Agnes Booth, W. J. Florence, Katharine Rogers. These were the only names of special note during a period of nearly two years. Jean Clara Walters was the leading stock lady; and she was a bet er actress than the majority of the " stars " passing across the continent.

After Vinson, the active management fell into the hands of Mr. W. T. Harris. Returning from the Eastern States, Vinson tarried in Salt Lake City for a short engagement, opening in Tullidge's play of "David Ben Israel," he sustaining the title role. Then came the prince of actors, Edwin Adams. After their de- parture the stock company lingered, languished and died in the spring of 1879, when Manager Harris found it impossible to cast an ordinary piece, with all the auxiliaries of the city to fill the minor parts. Indeed there had really been no standing stock company for several years, but periodically there had appeared theatrical people, interspersed with minstrel companies, which in a way supplied a link between the fine theatrical history of our city as seen in the past with that of the future, when it is to be hoped the enthusiastic soul of that past will be transmigrated into a higher cast of home professionals.

The lesson to be gathered from the review seems to be, that this revival and the inspiring of the public with a sustained local interest, can only be brought about by similar methods and means as those which gave the former triumphs -- a home company of talented artists. This review brings us at once to the history of the young Home Dramatic Club, as sketched by one of its members :

A new era in the theatrical history of the city may be said to have begun in ISSo, when a number of young people belonging to well-known families, organized the Home Dramatic Club, and inaugurated a series of performances that has not yet ended, and which we hope will continue to entertain the citizens for years to come. The venture was probably an outcome of the many private entertainments of the Wasatch Literary Association, which from 1876 to 1879, met weekly at the homes of the members and naturally developed, among the other exercises, a good de- gree of dramatic ability. The original members of the Home Dramatic Club were Heber M. Wells, Orson F. Whitney, Laron A. Cummings, John D. Spencer, Miss Lottie Claridge and Mrs. Cummings (nee Dellie Clawson), with H. L. A. Culmer and H. G. Whitney as managers. For their opening piece they chose Les- ter Wallack's adaptation, of " The Romance of a Poor Young Man," which was presented on the evening of April Ist, 1880, to a well filled house. The wide ac- quaintance and well known ability of the players, together with the energy of their young managers, had predisposed the public to look at least for a respectable rep- resentation; but a general surprise was expressed at the singular excellence of their

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first performance. Only a few days before it came off, an old-time player on the Salt Lake stage, taking one of the managers aside; said, with well meaning con- cern, " Don't you know you young folks have made a great mistake in choosing the ' Romance ' for your opening piece ? It is one of the most difficult plays out- side of Shakspeare, You ought to have taken some easy little piece to begin on." The listener took great care not to repeat what he had heard, but urged the others on to further rehearsals and greater care. The performance was a complete suc- cess, was presented again and again to still larger audiences, and the members shared a nice dividend in addition to the glory they had won. The readiness of the citizens to support any respectable company of local players was again shown, proving that the decadence of home drama, to whatever else it might be attrib- uted, was not due to weariness of appreciation on the part of a people who had ever loved the Salt Lake stage from the night when the footlights first blazed there.

From the time this Club first produced the " Romance " until the present, it has continued to be the only dramatic organization of importance to which the city could lay claim. It is true that, its members being engaged in other pursuits, it is a company of amateurs, after all, but the character of its productions have been such as to once more establish the dignity of the stage and prove the dra- matic talents that exist among us. It is fitting that the young Whitneys and the young Clawsons took part in this revival, and there is no doubt that their connec- tion with the new Club did much to predispose the public in its favor. It was a wise feature of their policy that they drew to their assistance whatever other young people of the city gave promise of dramatic ability, thus giving opportun- ities to prove the marked talents of Misses Edith Clawson, Birdie Clawson, Mr. B. S. Young, and not a few others.

So long a time had elapsed between the old time vigor of the Deseret Associa- tion and the advent of the Home Dramatic Club, that the methods of the latter, when they once got fairly to work, seemed quite revolutionary. Instead of the heavy dramas and tragedies which afforded the triumphs of early days, they aimed at modern methods. For the fire and passion of the romantic and classical plays, they substituted the polish and finesse of emotional dramas and eccentric com- edies of the present school. Compared with their own stupendous tragedies of by-gone days, the old-time actors, what few of them remained, failed to see much in these performances, but they were " up to date," and when their drift was

learned they became popular. The first attempt of this kind on the part of the Club was the performance of " Ours," a few weeks after their initial appearance, and it is safe to say that the public were more indulgent than amused by it; but the young actors were on the track which has since led them into great public favor and unfailing support. The comparative failure of this comedy frightened them for a time, however, and they returned to more demonstrative pieces, such as "Extremes," "Rosedale," and further repetitions of the " Romance." The following Christmas they presented "Pique" to crowded houses, and on New Year's put on the most successful piece they ever played, " The Banker's Daugh- ter." By this time a new play by the Home Dramatic Club meant an overflow- ing audience of our best citizens, and, of course, large earnings. The four ren-

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ditions of " The Banker's Daughter " drew over $3,500, of which $2, 221. 72 was profit, and the Club felt that they could well afford to put pieces on in the hand- somest manner possible. About this time, the owners of the building made an arrangement with Henry C. Tryon, Esq., a noted scenic artist of Chicago, to en- tirely refit the Salt Lake Theatre with scenery, and the splendid work he did con- tributed in no small degree to the brilliancy of their efforts. The Club itself was by no means niggardly, often venturing an outlay approaching a thousand dollars in its preparation for some special entertainment ; and when fitting occasion offered itself was free in giving its talents for the relief of charity. Thus, in January, 1881, when an awful snowslide buried the town of Alta, with many of its occupants and drove the homeless survivors to this city, the Club hastily impro- vised an entertainment and gave the entire profits, over $750.00, to the sufferers. Perhaps it is due to such a policy that in the six years career of the Club it has yet to give a performance on which it has not made a profit. At any rate, its uniform prosperity is an undying testimony to the liberal appreciation of our citi- zens towards earnest attempts to furnish them with dramatic amusement. The records of the Club show the average nightly receipts to have been $475.17 of which $204.35 has been profit. It is doubtful whether a dramatic organization in any other city of America has had such support extending over so long a period. Their last, and perhaps in most respects their greatest, success was in "Confusion," in which Mr. John D. White shone out as director and manager and played a leading role.

In this dramatic revival the building of the Walker Opera House has played a very influential prompting part.

The Walker Opera House was opened on the night of the 5th of June, 1882, with a concert given by the Careless Orchestra. Of the occasion and the house the Salt Lake Herald, on the next morning, said :

" This pretty theatre was opened to the public last evening, and attracted an audience of several hundred ladies and gentlemen, the orchestra chairs and par- quette circle being fairly filled, and there were many people in the two galleries. Much has been said in the newspapers lately descriptive of the house, its arrange- ment and finish, hence the company were in a measure acquainted with the place ; but the quite general suprise manifested and the pleasure expressed, plainly showed that the people had but a faint conception of the beauty, even elegance, of the handsome interior. The artistically frescoed ceiling, the richly papered walls, the luxurious upholstery, the charming scence on the curtain, the profusion of gold, the richness and completeness everywhere apparent attracted attention and delighted the senses. All is new and bright, and the appropriateness of every- thing struck everybody as remarkable. Taste and skill have made this a most de- lightful place for amusement, and the audience appreciated the fact, for they were profuse with praise of the work of the artizan and the artist, and loud in expres- sions of admiration' for the beautiful to be seen on all sides. Some finishing touches are yet lacking, and the furnishings are not yet complete, but their ab- sence detracts little from the appearnce of the charming auditorium.

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History of Salt Lake City, Part 99

Author: Tullidge, Edward Wheelock Publication date: 1886 Publisher: Salt Lake City, Star printing company Number of Pages: 1194

Author: Tullidge, Edward Wheelock
Publication date: 1886
Publisher: Salt Lake City, Star printing company
Number of Pages: 1194