Sosman & Landis: Shaping the Landscape of American Theatre. Employee No. 71 – John Hanny

Copyright © 2022 by Wendy Waszut-Barrett

John Hanny was a scenic artist at Sosman & Landis from 1906 until 1919. In 1920, Hanny and four other former Sosman & Landis employees formed Service Studios. Before his passing in 1984, Hanny shared some of his memories about Sosman & Landis with Dr. John R. Rothgeb, a professor at the University of Texas, Austin. The University considers Dr. Rothgeb a founding faculty member of the scene design program at the University of Texas Department of Theatre and Dance. He was also an inaugural member of U.S.I.T.T. (United States Institute for Theatre Technology). Unfortunately, Dr. Rothgeb passed away on Dec. 3, 1986, and never had the opportunity to share his conversations or written correspondence with Hanny. Much of his research formed the John R. Rothgeb papers in the Harry Ransom Center.

I planned a visit to the Harry Ransom center during the fall of 2016. On October 27, I slowly sifted through materials sent from John Hanny in the late 1970s and early 1980s. One letter penned by Hanny on October 8, 1979, was in response to a request for a biography. Although Hanny wrote many letters and sent a variety of materials, this one was special. I am including as much of Hanny’s original letter when possible, filling out his details along the way. I want to honor Hanny’s legacy as best I can. After all, I feel like he left a trail of bread crumbs about Sosman & Landis for me to follow;  it’s the least that I can do. I’ll start with the opening paragraph of the five-page letter:

“Dear John,

Thank you for being so patient! Your request for a bit of biography surprised and stunned me. My first thought was – what can I contribute to a biography? That only applies to someone of distinction, etc. However on second thought it is only a record of one’s activities, life style, saint or sinner, accomplishments, if any, important or not. With this thought in mind I will submit the following facts. If there is anything of merit you can use, please feel free to do so. On separate sheets I have listed the variety of work in which I have been involved – but handled by contractors.”

At the bottom of the first page, Hanny wrote, “I like music – especially orchestral. I like painting both oils and water colors. I enjoy subtle humor, good mystery stories and western movies. I enjoy good friends.” Dr. Rothgeb had become a friend. The two visited in person, by telephone and written correspondence until Hanny’s passing in 1984.

Of his personal life, Hanny wrote very little, but his story started:

“1890  Place and date of birth – Fort Madison, Iowa, Dec. 31, 1890.”

Hanny left a gap from his birth until 1906, when he was 16 yrs. old and started at Sosman & Landis.  To date, I have located dozens of genealogical records about his relatives, all littered with misspellings and incorrect dates. Hopefully this post will help several family trees connect with one another. His family history needs to be posted somewhere, especially as he left this world without any direct descendants to tell his story.

As with past biographies, I am going to start with Hanny’s family history and early life, sharing the stories of his parents and grandparents. This information helps set the stage for Hanny’s later life and career.

John Hanny was the only son of William Rudolph Hanny (1861-1900) and Catharine Reichert (1867-1964). Both William Rudolph Hanny and his father, Heinrich Rudolph Hanny, went by their middle name – Rudolph. I am going to start with John Hanny’s grandfather, Heinrich Rudolph Hanny, a German immigrant who came to America at the age of 20. Heinrich was born in Karlsruhe, Baden, Deutschland, in 1834. After emigrating to the United States in 1854 he married Philomena Willem (1840-1868) on June 8, 1857 at St. John’s Church in Burlington, Iowa (This is the Church of St. John the Baptist Catholic Church). Much of the following information was taken from the Willem family bible as submitted to ancestry.com by a descendant. However, everything they entered correlates with other historic records. Philomena’s parents were listed as Ignatius Fay Willem (1792-1875) and Marianna Dietrich (1798-1878). Her parents and many siblings were born in Alsace, France. In later census reports, Philomena’s birthplace was also listed as France. Keep in mind that the areas of Alsace and Lorraine are on the French/German border, and depending upon the decade census reports reflect whether individuals listed their birthplace as France or Germany.

It remains unclear as to when the Willem’s family emigrated to the United States, but it was during the 1840s. Philomena’s older brother, Matthias Willem, was the first to arrive in Iowa, approximately 1844. The rest of the Willem family followed five years later in 1849. The 1856 Iowa State census listed all of the Willem’s living at the home of Matthias Willem (1829-1901), who was employed at a “bar house” in Burlington, a profession that her husband (William Rudolph Hanny) would also go into. At the time, Philomena was 16 yrs. old; she would marry William Rudolph Hanny the following year.

In 1858, the William Rudolph and Philomena Hanny celebrated the birth of their first child, Mary A. Hanny in Burlington. Mary A. was named after her maternal grandmother, Mary A Willem. The young couple remained in the Burlington area for at least two years. The 1860 Census reported the couple living in Burlington, Iowa, with their 2 yrs. old daughter Mary.  At the time, Heinrich listed as a saloon keeper.

Sometime between 1860 and 1861, the Hannys moved from Burlington, Iowa, to Beardstown, Illinois, where they celebrated the birth of their second child, William “Rudolph” Hanny (John Hanny’s father). Then there is seven-year gap where I have yet to discover the family’s whereabouts. Philomena passed away on May 9, 1868, and was buried at St. John the Baptist Church in Burlington on May 11, possibly in or near the Willem family plot. She was only 28 years old at the time, leaving a 10-yrs.-old daughter and 7 yrs. old son. It is very likely that the Hanny’s returned to Burlington, where the extended Willem family helped care for the children.

Mary A. Hanny was married in Burlington, Iowa. On Feb. 6, 1877, she married John Herman Ebbesmeier at St. John the Baptist Church in Burlington. By 1880 Mary and her husband were living in West Point, Lee County, Iowa, where Ebbesmeier worked as a section boss for the railroad. By 1885, the Iowa State Census listed Rudolph Hanny living with the Ebbesmeiers at 6^th street in Fort Madison, Iowa. They were all living in the home Catherine Ebbesmeier. The household also included Herman and Mary’s children: Kate Ebbesmeier (5), William Ebbesmeier (3) and Philomena Ebbesmeier (1).

By 1889, William Rudolph was living on his own and had moved to Quincy, Illinois. There he boarded at Fletcher’s Tremont House and worked in the saloon next door, known as “The Cabinet.”  The Cabinet was two years old, having first had opened in 1887. On Dec. 13, 1887, “The News” reported, “Messrs. E. G. Bauer & Co. opened their new place, ‘The Cabinet,’ to-day, on Hampshire street. One door east of the Tremont House. It is one of the most handsomely fitted up places in the city and they are popular with all. Stop this. Evening and see their new place” (page 4). By 1891, the Quincy Directory listed “Rudolph Hanny” as the proprietor of The Cabinet Sample Room, and living at 210 N. 4^th Street.

Between his arrival in Quincy and his lease of The Cabinet, William “Rudolph” Hanny married Catherine “Kate” Reichert. The two celebrated the birth of John Hanny on Dec. 31, 1890. However, John was not born in Quincy, he was born in Fort Madison, Iowa, that year; likely at the Ebbesmeier’s home. For geographical context, Fort Madison was just up the Mississippi River from Quincy.

John’s maternal family, the Reicherts, were living in Beardstown, Illinois; the same town where William Rudolph Hanny was born and buried. Kate Hanny’s parents were Fred J. Reichert (1836-1924) and Catherine Anna Derohn/Rohn (1840-1911). The Reichert’s haled from Darmstadt, Germany; a city near Frankfurt. Her father emigrated to the United States as a young man, between 1852-1854. Her mother emigrated to the United States in 1841 as an infant. Her parents were married in Cass County, Illinois, on April 4, 1860, and farmed near Beardstown. Kate was named after her mother, and one of seven children born to the couple. Her siblings were Mary A. Reichert, Louisa H. Reichert, Anna M. Reichert, Matilda “Tillie” Reichert, Fred Reichert and Nellie Reichert.

Life was looking good in 1891 for the Hanny’s as they settled into life along the Mississippi. Rudolph was elected Financial Secretary of the Quincy Liquor Dealers’ Association and began planning for Quincy to host annual meeting of the Illinois State Liquor Dealers’ Protective association. The convention, planned for the summer of 1892” was anticipated to bring over 1,000 members to Quincy for 4-5 days.”

Business was looking up, and on July 24, 1892, the “Quincy Daily Herald” reported, “Harry Pool has accepted a position with Rudolph Hanny, at the Cabinet” (page 5).

At the beginning of 1893, the “Quincy Daily Herald” announced that Rudolph was elected financial secretary for Saloon Keepers Protective and Benevolent association (Feb 4, 1893, page 5). 

Then tragedy struck when his sister became gravely ill. On March 31, 1893, the “Quincy Daily Herald” reported, “Rudolph Hanny left for Rock Island on Wednesday on telegraph information that his sister was not expected to live” (page 5). On April 14, 1893, the “Quincy Daily Herald”
 reported, “Mrs. Rudolph Hanny is expected sometime to-day or to-morrow, accompanied by her husband’s sister, Mrs., Ebbesmeier, who has been seriously sick. She is recovering and will convalesce in Quincy.” (page 5). A few days later the two arrived in Quincy. On April 19, 1893, the “Quincy Daily Journal” reported, “Mrs. Rudolph Hanny and her sister-in-law, Mrs. Ebbesmeier, arrived from Ft. Madison last evening. Mrs. Ebbesmeier has been very sick and still is weak, but with change of scene down here will doubtless soon pick up and be herself again” (page 4). This was Mary A. Hanny Ebbesmeier (1858-1893). [ancestry.com shows that a Catherine “Katie” Ebbesmeier was the daughter of John Herman Ebbesmeier (1854-?)and Mary A. Hanny (1858-1893). In 1880 she was living in West Point, Lee, Iowa and her brother William Rudolph Ebbesmeier (1882-1967) was born in West Point two years later; Katie Ebbesmeier (daughter, Rudolph’s niece) lived in Ft. Madison in 1895; Katie lived in Burlington, Iowa in 1897 where she passed away on Jan. 18.

Mary A. Ebbesmeier died on April 29, 1893.

On April 30, 1893, the “Quincy Daily Herald” reported:

“MORTUARY.

Several Deaths Reported in the City Yesterday.

Mary A., wife of Herman Ebbesmeier, of Fort Madison, died at the home of her brother, Mr. Rudolph Hanny, No. 715 North Seventh street, at 1 o’clock yesterday morning of consumption, after an illness of fifteen weeks. She was born at Burlington and there spent her girlhood days and the days of her young womanhood and married Mr. Ebbesmeier. Afterwards, she removed with her husband to Fort Madison, and that city was her home until three weeks ago, when she came to Quincy in hope that at the home of her only brother, she might find improvement of health. At her death she was 35 years and 1 month of age and leaves besides her husband five bright children to mourn the loss of the best of wives and dearest of mothers. The children are Katie, William, Philomena, Joseph and John. Her mother’s sister, Mrs. C. Work, of Burlington, has been here during Mrs. Ebbesmeier’s sickness attending her. Those who knew her here and her friends at Burlington and Fort Madison sincerely mourn the death of this estimable lady.” (page 2). Mary was buried at Saint Boniface Cemetery in Quincy, Adams County, Illinois.

By that fall, an announcement in the “Quincy Daily Herald” on Sept. 16, 1893, gave a little more background about Rudolph’s youth in Fort Madison. “Frank Helling, the leading grocer and saloon keeper of Ft. Madison, was here yesterday, visiting his friend Rudolph Hanny. Sixteen years ago Hanny and Helling, boys then, clerked together in the store of Helling’s uncle and they have been fast friends ever since” (page 5).

Rudolph’s father had worked as a successful saloon keeper. Rudolph’s close friend Frank Helling worked as a saloon keeper. The luck did not last for Rudolph in Quincy. On March 17, 1894, the “Quincy Daily Herald” reported, “The Cabinet Closes. The Saloon shut tight under a mortgage for $739. Late yesterday afternoon Mrs. Mary Hagenbuch, mother of Will Hagenbuch, the cigarmaker, closed Rudolph Hanny’s Cabinet Saloon, 517 Hampshire, foreclosing a mortgage on the fixtures for $732.90. The Wahl Brewing Co. have an attachment against stock for $610, but neither they nor Mrs. Hagenbuch will realize the value of their claims” (page 4). On March 28, 1894, the “Quincy Morning Whig” announced, “Sold at Auction. The stock and fixtures of the Cabinet saloon, located just east of the Tremont house, was sold at auction yesterday under a chattel mortgage given by Rudolph Hanny to Mary A. Hangenbruch [sic.]. The outfit was sold to John Ryan on his bid of $725.” (page 3). Two weeks later Rudolph resigned as the financial secretary of the Saloonkeeper’s Association. By November of 1894, Rudolph was sued by Wahl Brewing Co. and lost.

By 1897, the Hanny Family relocated to Chicago where Rudolph was listed as a painter in the City Directory, living  at 170 Townsend. In 1898, Rudolph was listed as a trunk maker, now living at 405 N. Wells. He would remain at this address until 1900. That year, the census listed that the Hanny’s were living at the same address on Wells. Their household included Tillie Schukraft (b. 1869), Louise Schukraft (b. 1899), Nellie Sage (25, b. 1874) and Henry Dackerman (30, b. 1870).  Nellie Sage was actually Nellie Reichert Sage (later Nellie Duker), Kate’s youngest sister.

“Tillie” Schukraft was actually Mathilda Reichert Schukraft, Catharine Reichert Hanny’s sister. Both Tillie and Nellie worked at a laundry while their sister Kate watched the kids at home. She was recently married when the census was taken, having married John F. Schukraft on June 15, 1900. Tillie had met the Schukrafts in Quincy, before she moved to Springfield, and later Chicago. On Aug. 22, 1894, the “Quincy  Daily Herald,” reported “A surprise and farewell party was given in honor of Miss Tillie Reichert at the residence of H. G. Schukraft [sic. this is John G. Schukraft, her future father-in-law], 615 Oak street, last evening…Miss Reichert leaves for Springfield in a few days to accept the position of a forelady in a laundry. She has been a resident of Quincy for two years and has become a very popular lady” (page 1). On June 15, 1898, Mathilda “Tillie” Reichert (1869-1943) married John F. Schukraft (1869-1908) in the church study at Holy Trinity Evangelical Church in Chicago; they were issued a marriage license on the same day (The Inter Ocean, 16 June, 1898, page 10). They two had already celebrated the birth of their daughter Louise in March 1899.

This was the living situation in 1900 when John Hanny’s father passed away. He was attending school and living with his two aunts, a young cousin, and a boarder. His parents had been married for ten years and he was nine years old. Withing then next six years his life would drastically change, yet he would continue living in Chicago. His mother remarried, his step father adopted him, and he begin working at Sosman & Landis as a paint boy. On Jan. 10, 1905, Kate Hanny married John Roedder in Chicago. Like the rest of Hanny’s family, Roedder was a German who emigrated to the United States (1881).  Roedeer was a shoe salesman.

In Hanny’s 1979 letter to Dr. Rothgeb, he wrote:

“1906. Hired by Tom Moses (Sosman & Landis – age 16 years at $6 a week. Attended night classes Art Institute two nights a week under Albert Fleury.” Hanny was following the pattern as most of the boys who worked at Sosman & Landis. When he wasn’t working in the studio, he was taking art classes or going on sketching trips; anything to improve his skill set.Albert François Fleury was a French emigrant from Le Havre who settled in Chicago by 1888 where he was commissioned  to decorate Chicago’s new Auditorium Building. By 1907, Fleury was one of the founders to establish the Chicago Water Color Club. There is a lovely post about Fleury at Chicagology (https://chicagology.com/goldenage/albertfleury/). It includes an article written by Fleury for “Brush and Pencil,” Vol. 6, No. 6 (September 1900) and an article written about Fleury by Maude I. G. Oliver. By the way, I have written about Oliver in the past, here is a link to my post: https://drypigment.net2020/01/01/tales-from-a-scenic-artist-and-scholar-part-888-palette-chisel-club-1914/

In 1904, Oliver wrote, “It is with unusual pride that Chicago alludes to her resident French artist, Mr. Albert Fleury, who finds his inspiration in the city’s apparent ugliness, and who, through the medium of an exceptionally sensitive touch, has happily recorded beauties and even poetry itself, which native artists have failed to discover. Mr. Fleury is preeminently the painter of Chicago; but it is Chicago idealized which animates his brush. He knows just how to appropriate a telling composition from amongst some bits of smoke begrimed architecture or mud-besmeared streets, to select an effective arrangement of an imposing- looking warehouse, held as a firm, skillful note in juxtaposition with the proverbially “dirty Chicago River.” The commercial life of the river, showing its airy drawbridges, its solid embankments, its busy little tugboats, together with its groups of sailing craft, enhanced, as they are, by the commanding dignity of their fine old masts, is a favorite theme for this appreciative artist. He loves also to employ the material of a crowded thoroughfare, depicting its surging, teeming, metropolitan spirit by well- considered masses of restless humanity, cleverly balanced by the unique feature of the notorious Chicago ‘skyscraper.’”

John Hanny could not have picked a better individual to study with, especially one who was so well connected with the scene painters in Chicago. By 1910, he was still living with his mother and step-father. The 1910 census listed Hanny as a scenic artist working on his own account, boarding with John Roedder and Catherine Hanny Roedder.  In his 1979 letter to Dr. Rothgeb, Hanny wrote:

“1912. In six years my salary increased from $6 a week to Journeyman pay – $35. Came up the line by painting tormentors and grand drapery borders, AD curtains – lettering excepted, surroundings for Front Curtains, Streets, and Olios, etc. Later completed Front Curtains surroundings and picture – figures excepted.” For a little financial perspective, $6 in 1906 is the monetary equivalent of $185 in 2022. $35 in 1912 is the monetary equivalent of approximately $1000 in 2022.  This is a substantial pay increase for a young man, providing the much-needed discretionary income for artistic study.

Although Hanny continued to work at Sosman & Landis, he also began picking up work at other studios. By 1917, he listed Peltz-Carsen as his employer on his WWI Draft Registration card.  At the time, Peltz-Carsen was located at 1507 N. Clark Street in Chicago, with Hanny was living at 920 Buena Ave. I have written about Herman M. Peltz and Robert Carsen in the past; here is a link to one of the posts: https://drypigment.net2020/05/31/tales-from-a-scenic-artist-and-scholar-part-1007-peltz-and-carsen-studio-1918/

In 1918, Sosman & Landis subcontracted some construction work for frames to Peltz and Carsen Studio. It would make sense that Peltz and Carsen, in turn, hired some of the scenic artists at Sosman & Landis for other projects. Hanny was also working for David H. Hunt, head of Sosman & Landis’ eastern affiliate New York Studios. My guess is that Hanny’s work outside fueled any dissatisfaction that he had with Sosman & Landis at the time. There was trouble brewing at Sosman & Landis, with many of the employees not particularly happy with their work situation. Troubles began when Thomas G. Moses resigned as President of Sosman & Landis to work for New York Studios during the fall of 1918.  He wrote, “September 1st, I resigned as President of the Sosman and Landis Company which severs my connection with the firm after thirty-eight years of service.  I joined the New York Studios and expect to get a studio and an office to do business.”  This must have signaled the end for his fellow scenic artists at the firm.

In 1919, Moses wrote, “We have lost John Hanny and Otto Schroeder, our two best men.  They do not want to stay with Hunt.  He is such an awful fault finder.”

The 1920 Census listed John Hanny as still living with his parents, noted as the adopted son of John Roedder. They were still living on Buena Ave. Roedder was listed as a commercial salesman in the shoe industry, and Hanny as an artist in the scenic studio industry. However, on Jan. 16, 1920, John married Ella May Tillou (1891-1958) in Chicago. He began a new life and started a new business the same year.

In Hanny’s 1979 letter to Dr. Rothgeb, Hanny wrote:

“I stayed with Sosman & Landis until 1920 when four other men and myself decided to go it on our own and formed Service Studios. We remolded – with borrowed money, a Jewel Tea Co. barn of 18 horse stalls into a Studio of five 24’x48’ – and one 24’ x 38’ paint frames, plus floor space of 50’x50’- This was the best equipped studio in Chicago – Sosman & Landis excepted. We rented several frames to Hoylund and Lemle company on which to paint their Ad curtains.

Service Studios was initially located at the corner of State and 20th street in Chicago in a building that was previously known as the Marshall Field Store. The firm soon moved to 2919 W. Van Buren and set up an impressive space after when the Marshall Field estate sold the building. On June 26, 1921, the “Chicago Tribune” reported: “Old Time Marshall Field Store Building is Sold. The Marshall Field estate has sold the southwest corner of State and 20th. 155×120, to L. R. Warshawsky, for $75,000. After the Chicago Fire Marshal Field & Co., then Field, Leiter & Co., used part of the property for their retail store for some time. Later they used it for wholesale purposes. It is now used for a scenic studio by the Chicago Service Studios. The property is improved with a four story building contains eight stores and eighteen flats with a two story building on the rear. Mr. Warshawsky intends to make extensive alterations and will use a portion for his automobile accessory business. S. C. Iverson of Hubbard, Porter & Brother, represented both parties” (June 26, 1921, page 26). The scenic studio in the old Marshall Field Store, must have been a temporary situation as the new studio was prepared in 1920.

In 1924, the Hoyland-Lemle business address was listed as 6751 Sheridan Road in Chicago, the address as William Lemle’s residence (certified List of Domestic and Foreign Corporations for the year 1924). Hoyland and Lemle would continue to rent frames after Service Studios closed in 1926.

In his 1979 letter to Dr. Rothgeb, Hanny wrote:

“When we sold out to Art Oberbeck in 1926, he agreed to continue renting frames to Hoylund & Lemle Co. I mention this because after my trip to Oklahoma City – my record show that I was on the Hoylund-Lemle staff as third man 48 weeks during the following two years when extra help was needed.” By 1926, the demand for painted scenery was beginning to wane and the firm was struggling. Service Studios sold out to Art Oberbeck of ACME Studios. Oberbeck had also started as a young artist at Sosman & Landis, two years before Hanny in 1904. In 1926 Oberbeck moved ACME Studios from 36 West Randolph Street to the Service Studios at Van Buren and Sacramento Street (2919 W. Van Buren).

Hanny had gone to work for Oklahoma City Scenic Co. after selling Service Studios. Aldo known as Oklahoma Scenic Co., the firm had been around for quite some time. Already in 1903,the firm was being managed by a Mr. Patterson, who was also construction theaters for the Southwestern Circuit (Daily Democrat, Anadarko, OK, 7 Feb 1903, page 4). Times were changing and scenic artists began to scramble for work by the mid-1920s. Of this change, Hanny wrote, “About this time it was becoming evident that scene painting, as such, was on its way out. Almost every artist automatically was becoming a free lancer, picking up odd jobs perhaps a day or two here and there – “touch ups” and the like.”

In an undated letter to Dr. Rothgeb, Hanny wrote:

“After the Depression of 1929 which lasted about five years, conditions were extremely bad. Studios disappeared, many artists had to find other kinds of jobs. I was not spared in this but was very fortunate to get on staff of the Ravinia Park Grand Opera. They put operas during the summer month with stars form the New York Metropolitan Opera Company. During the summers of 1928-29-30-31 I put in some 50 weeks. With open time on my hands I became interested in oil painting. I joined a sketch class led by Mr. Frank Peyraud and also took some private instruction from him from time to time. Mr. Peyraud was referred to as the Dean of Landscape painters of Illinois and as lived near Ravinia Park and got much of his subject materials in and around Skokie he took his classes there to sketch. Skokie was at that that time natural open country and beautiful trees.”

[I have written about Frank C. Peyraud quite a bit; he was Sosman & Landis Employee No. 11. Here is the link to my post about him: https://drypigment.net2021/04/08/sosman-landis-shaping-the-landscape-of-american-theatre-employee-no-11-frank-c-peyraud/ ]

In an undated later letter written to John Rothgeb, Hanny wrote, “The depression of 1929 just about stopped the production of stage scenery – at least in Chicago. Road shows, musicals, etc., if any, were being produced in New York and Hollywood. At this point all of the studios disappeared but the scene painters just couldn’t disappear and had to become free lancers. There was no such thing as a steady job and the boys were hard put to find a day’s pay. Most of the following years were really tough and 1929 proved to be a big change in our business. In purpose, in design, paint and other materials.” The 1930 Census listed John and Ella Hanny living at 901 Cornelia in Chicago. He listed his occupation as a scenic artist in the “Scenery” industry. Ella was still working for the telephone company.

As with many scenic artists at this time, the poured a lot of energy into their easel art. By the mid-1930s, Hanny was associated with several fine art groups and exhibiting throughout the area. In 1936, Hanny exhibited an oil painting with the Business Men’s Art Club of Chicago. On Feb, 27, 1936, the “Chicago Tribune” reported, “’Late Summer,’ by John Hanny is rich in color with a suggestion of Peyraud in its composition and quality” (page 15). At another Business Men’s Art Club event entitled the “Art for Art’s Sake Exhibition” Hanny’s “At Ease” was mentioned as a picture of merit (“Chicago Tribune,” 10 Mar 1937, page 19). That same year, Hanny’s oil painting “Drying the Nets” was featured at the third formal opening and tea of Northwest Art League, Inc. The exhibition was held at the Edgewater Beach Hotel (“Chicago Tribune,” 21 Nov 1937, page 32).

For some, their financial situation improved as the economy slowly crept back. In an undated letter to Dr. Rothgeb, Hanny wrote:

“As the economy improved – work was to be had on industrial exhibits, Home shows and Auto shows, etc. These were contracted for by such firms as Bromels Detroit, Dramaturgy Cleveland, Wildings Chicago and a few others. These were not scenic studios but rather combinations of carpenters and machine shops equipped to turn out booths, revolving turn tables, electrical effects and so on. The biggest change to us painters was our paints, Luminal Casein was pretty well established as a very practical and useful medium so, it, and show card color was the norm. So – no more ‘dry’ colors – no more soup bowls or hot size and of course no more paint frames. Drops, if any, were painted on the floor. The house painter’s sash brushes came into use and many of the former ‘tools’ such as snappers, and center-poles and others were no longer needed. The folding 2 ft. brass bound rule gave way to the yards stick.”

Just as life began to improve for the Hanny family, another disaster struck. Hanny’s step-father passed away at the beginning of 1938, three days shy of his thirty-third wedding anniversary. Roedder’s  obituary published in the “Chicago Tribune” on Jan. 8, 1938, announced, “ROEDDER – John Roedder, Jan. 7, of 3000 Sheridan road, beloved husband of Kate, father of John. Services at Rosehill chapel Monday at 2:30 p.m. Remains at chapel, 3419 N. Clark street”  (page 14). Hanny’s mother, Kate Reichert Hanny Roedder, went to love with her sister Louis Reichert Thomas at North Sheridan Rd, In Chicago. His mother would live for another two decades.

Hanny continued to work in his easel art between scenic jobs. On May 5, 1940, the “Chicago Tribune” reported, “Nine north side artists are among those exhibiting this month at the Club Women’s Bureau at Mandel Brother’s department store”; Hanny was one of them (page 126). He also began to share his artistic knowledge with other aspiring fine artists.

On June 2, 1940, the “Chicago Tribune” reported, “North Shore Art Guild. Members will meet at 1:15 o’clock this afternoon in the Webster hotel, 2159 Lincoln Park West. John Hanny, artist, will demonstrate the art of landscape painting” (page 37). 

By the fall of 1940, Hanny was finally beginning to win awards and advance in fine art organizations. On Nov. 20, 1940, the “Chicago Tribune” reported, “The gold medal for the best work in oil was given to ‘Wet Snow, Michigan Avenue,’ by John Hanny” at The All-Illinois Society of the Fine Arts exhibit in the Stevens Hotel. That same year, Hanny was listed as the second vice president of the North Shore Art Guild in 1940 (“Chicago Tribune,” 8 Dec 1940, page 120). The next year he was the first president of the Guild (“Chicago Tribune,” 2 Nov. 1941, page 21).

In 1941, Hanny exhibited with the “Spare Time Painters Open Loop Exhibit.”  On March 16, 1941, the “Chicago Tribune” described the group as “A little cluster of men who’d rather spend spare time setting down tranquil sunsets, smiling faces, and the vibrant sea on canvas than playing poker, golfing, or gulping highballs had their big day yesterday, Fourteen of them, members of the Business Men’s Art club, opened an exhibit in the club of women’s bureau at Mandel Brothers of water colors and oils which they created after office hours” (page 21). The article noted that John Hanny was a scenic designer.

Hanny’s WWII Draft Registration Card from 1942 listed his address as 901 Cornelia, Chicago, Illinois.  His mother, Mrs. Kate Roedder of 2550 Leland, Chicago, was listed as the person who would always know where he lived. Odd that he did not list his wife Ella.

During the war, Hanny continued to exhibit his easel art. On April 25, 1943, the “Chicago Tribune” mentioned Hanny as one of the artists whose work was exhibited with the North Shore Art guild in the club women’s bureau: “A clever work is seen in ‘Victory Tableau’ by John Hanny” (page 67). In addition to fine art, Hanny made a name for himself as a mural painter in the region. In 1947, Hanny painted the murals in the new Terrace Roo of the Italian Village, designed by George Bonaguide, in Madison, Wisconsin (Wisconsin State Journal, 24 Jan. 1947, page 8). John Hanny was described as a “well-known mural painter” who “came from Chicago to do the walls.” Hanny painted a series of Italian murals. The article described, “At one end is a panorama of the city of Florence, while on the sides are views of the Villa Carlotta at Lago di Como, Pallanza from Isola Bella Lago Maggiore, and the front entrance to the Pallanza.” For historical context, The Italian Village restaurant was started in 1947 at 651 State St. by Mateo Lombardino, who immigrated from Sicily in 1921. When Dean Martin and Frank Sinatra would perform in Madison, they often ate at Italian Village, as did other well-known singers such as Vic Damone and Liza Minnelli. Here is a fun article about the restaurant:

After the war ended, Hanny became associated with the Amphitheatre of Louisville, Kentucky, where he worked with Technical Director Rollo Wayne. On July 8, 1949, “The Courier-Journal” of Louisville, mentioned Hanny’s work at the Amphitheatre in Louisville (page 54). It reported, “One of his crew is painter John Hanny who worked on the original “Song of Norway” set in Los Angeles. Hanny explained that ‘Norway’ was one of four productions put out every spring by the Curan studio, playing for two weeks in San Francisco and two weeks in Los Angeles, “Nobody had any idea we had such a terrific hit on our hands at that time,” Hanny said, over a table of paint cans at the Stanford studio-hangar yesterday. “But Lee Schubert came out to California and took the show to New York. Then it really made history. Handy said that the Louisville sets resemble quite closely the Hollywood originals. He has been an Amphitheatre painter for the past four seasons. He was working with technical director Rollo Wayne. The article noted, “Wayne used the first revolving stage ever seen in America when in 1926 he designed sets for Lee Schubert’s “Pinafore”. At the Amphitheatre, Wayne uses revolving stages which he explains, “give a chance for greater originality and speed up scene shifts.”

Hanny remained with the venue for quite some time. In 1955, Hanny was the scene designer for the Louisville Park Theatrical Association’s production of “South Pacific” at the Iroquois Amphitheatre in Louisville (Courier-Journal, 9 Aug 1955, page 15). On June 19, 1955, Hanny was mentioned in an article about the scenery for the Amphitheatre published in Louisville’s “Courier-Journal.” The article was entitled “Green Does Scenery Job,” with Hanny being  noted as the scenic artist who “creates the design of the whole structure.” Dexter Green was also noted as having been associated with the Amphitheatre since 1838 – “In fact, scenery has been the trade of the Green family since 1887. The business has been handed down over the years and has become the special profession of Dexter Green, local craftsman who resides at 731 Harrison Ave, Clarksville, Ind.” I only included this information about Rollo Peters and Dexter Green, as hopefully this will assist someone else’s research. Many of Hanny’s sketches, technical drawings, and photographs from his Amphitheatre days are now part of the John Rothgeb papers at the Harry Ransom Center, University of Texas, Austin. Hanny sent a variety of his work to Rothgeb before his passing in 1984.

By 1958, Hanny suffered the loss of his wife. On March 18, 1958, the “Chicago Tribune” published Ella’s obituary: “HANNY – Ella May Hanny, 901 Cornelia avenue, March 16, 1958, beloved wife of John Hanny; sister of Carl; W. Tillou and Marion E. Walker. At chapel, 2121 W. 95^th street, where services will be held Wednesday, March 19 at 1 p.m. Interment Rosehill, Member of Telephone Pioneers of America” (page 22).  His mother died six years later, on Nov. 2, 1964.

During this time, Hanny continued to work for a variety of television stations. In his 1979 letter to Dr. Rothgeb, Hanny wrote:

“I answered some 15 of these calls between 1934 and 1965. In between, filling in at the T.V. studios – ABC – NBC – CBS and Mutual part time until 1957 when I was employed steady at CBS for three years, Due to company policy regarding age at 65 retirement and pension considerations, I was taken off permanent payroll and retired- (fired) in 1960 at the age of 70. However I put in a lot of time there after that being called when a second man was needed and always to take over while #1 man was on vacation. With the above work and what I did for General Exhibits I was kept in the ring until 1972. By that time I was 82 years old and my last salary check came from General Exhibits in 1972.

1972.   I had to get all the above data from a notebook in which I listed all my earnings for income tax purpose, and I must say I found jobs I had long forgotten and am amazed at the number of projects I got involved with. There are even more. I do hope I haven’t bored you with so much detail but in relating my activities I found it difficult to separate then from the history of the business itself. Perhaps some of this will serve to round out your own research.

1979. As we take note of how scene painting has contributed and maintained the aesthetic quality of the Drama through the years, we should regret that it must lean so heavily on the commercial for survival. As I look back over the years, I now realize that I have had a full and exciting life – hopefully a productive one – and have known and rubbed elbows with some wonderful generous people including Tom Moses and Wm. Nutzhorn for which I am most grateful. No doubt you have finished your shows by now. I hope they have come out the way you wanted. Will be glad to hear.

Most sincerely, John Hanny October 24, 1979”

On May 14, 1984, the “Chicago Tribune” published Hanny’s obituary: “John Hanny. Services for John Hanny, 93, a retired scenic artist, will be at 10 a.m. Monday in chapel at 430 E. Roosevelt Rd., Wheaton. Mr. Hanny of Wheaton died Thursday in a nursing home in the suburb. There were no immediate survivors” (page 29).

It was very brief and gave no inkling of his theatrical contributions. I have to wonder who wrote it, if it was his nephew Bruce William Walker, a retired naval officer, who cared for him later in life.  The last correspondence between Dr. Rothgeb and John Hanny was managed by Walker. Unfortunately, Walker passed away a decade ago. Here is a link to Hanny’s nephew’s obituary: https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/dailyherald/name/william-walker-obituary?id=25627526

I am going to end this post with one last undated letter written by Hanny to Dr. Rothgeb:

“Dear John,

As usual I must say ‘sorry to be late,’ but I am slowing up somewhat and I hope you will be patient with me. Your inquiries of your last letter of Nov. 1 are important and related to the great change in the painting and production of stage scenery from the early 1900s to the early 1930s. This era has gone forever and as most of the old timers have passed on, it may just be possible that I am the only one around to record it.”

Hanny’s contribution is priceless, as he left far more than just a few written memories. He left sketches, technical drawings, photographs and detailed accounts of scenic art practices the Sosman & Landis studio from 1906-1919.  We have Dr. Rothgeb to thank for his persistence in helping Hanny reminisce about his early career in Chicago. Of particular interest are Hanny’s drawings of scenic tools and palette arrangement.  Both Hanny and Rothgeb left a theatrical legacy that will be valued for generations to come. Here is a lovely article about John R. Rothgeb published in ENCORE Fall 2013 (The University of Texas at Austin Department of Theatre and Dance Alumni Newsletter): https://issuu.com/uttad/docs/encore_fall2013_v6

Here are some of Hanny’s drawings, sent to Dr. Rothgeb before his passing.

To be continued…