After completing the scenery for the Fisher Opera House in San Diego, California, Thomas G. Moses and Ed Loitz returned to Chicago at the beginning of 1892. Moses wrote, “On January 2nd. we returned home. I worked in the studio until February 22nd. Then Loitz and I went to Springfield, Mass. to Gilmore’s Court Square Theatre. This was a very fine building.”
The original Gilmore Opera House was opened in 1857. The second was the 1892 Gilmore Court Square Theatre, designed by Frederick S. Newman. Moses commented about this new edifice and the owner, writing, “Mr. Gilmore was a bachelor and an odd one – very close and drove a hard bargain. He owned the ‘old trap’ of a theatre and this new one was a monument to himself.”
Moses recorded “We stopped at his hotel and found everything to our liking and he arranged for us to be satisfied with the working facilities at the theatre.”
The dedication of the building was held on September 5, 1892. Opening night performances included “If I Were You,” a comedy by William Young, and “Diana,” a burlesque by Sydney Rosenfeld and performed by the Manola-Mason Company.
In 1900, there was the addition of the Court Square Hotel to the theater on the south side of the building (State Street). The five-story theater building was topped with a sixth-floor and connected to the newly constructed Court Square Hotel, which effectively gave the structure a footprint spanning a city block, stretching between Elm and State streets. The construction the Court Square Theatre and Office Block cost approximately $250,000 to complete.
Interestingly, one of the most popular online images from the Gilmore Court Square Theatre is a program designed by William Henry Bradley (10 July 1868 – 25 January 1962). Bradley was an illustrator and artist, nicknamed the “Dean of American Designers” by the Saturday Evening Post. At one time, he was the highest paid American artist of the early 20th century.
Bradley moved from Chicago to Springfield, Massachusetts, in late 1894 and briefly illustrated programs for the Gilmore. Born in Boston, at the age of 12 he obtained a job as an apprentice for a weekly newspaper — the Iron Agitator, later known as the Iron Ore. At 17 years old, he left for Chicago where he held a few brief jobs as a wood engraver and typographer, soon turning to illustration. He moved back to Massachusetts and set up the Wayside Press, where he served as an illustrator, editor, typographer, designer, and press manager.
He had achieved financial success, but his health deteriorated and he collapsed at the age of 28. Although he recovered, Bradley was forced to sell the Wayside Press.
He later worked as a consultant for a variety of publications, including American Type Founders and Collier’s Weekly. He also worked for William Randolph Hearst’s film division as a supervising art director and assistant director on the Wharton Brothers’ serial films ”Beatrice Fairfax” (1916) and “Patria” (1917). He then founded his own production company, Dramafilms, and went on to write, produce and direct his own films, including “Bitter Fruit” “Moongold” and “The Tame Cat” (1920-1921).
In 1954, a memoir was published of Bradley’s life called Will Bradley: His Chap Book. Bradley continued to design up until his death at age 94. He was considered one of the foremost illustrators and poster designers of the Art Nouveau movement.
To be continued…
