The Hoyland-Lemlewas established in 1922, named after Charles L. Hoyland and William H. Lemle. The firm was first mentioned by Thomas G. Moses when they rented the Sosman & Landis main studio their first year. The Hoyland-Lemle Co. ended in 1926, with two new firms emerging as competitors. By 1927, there was William Lemle Inc. and Charles L. Hoyland Co. Over the next three years, Hoyland, Lemle and Moses were still associated with the old studio, working at 417 S. Clinton St.Lemle became associated with the National Theatre Supply Co., as did Moses by the late 1920s.
In 1927, Moses wrote, “Another rumor that the National Theatre Supply Co. will take over our old Studio. Lemle is interested and wants me to come with him.” It would take a year of cajoling, but Lemle eventually got Moses on board. By June 1928, Moses wrote, “I have agreed to join Lemle at our old Studio, which will pay me from $8,000 to $10,000 a year.” This did not mean that Moses was solely working for Lemle or the National Theatre Supply Co., this was just a side gig. Moses continued to represent Sosman & Landis until 1931. In short, work was scarce and the firm was struggling, like many others were at this time. Their work was varied, ranging from small motion picture screens ($95.00 each for the Raub and Roosevelt buildings in Allentown, PA) to a massive stock scenery collections ($36,000 for the Oakland Scottish Rite). After 1931, Moses was associated with both William H. Lemle and Walter Armstrong. It was Lemle, however, who bought the remaining Sosman & Landis stock.
In 1931, Moses wrote, “Have sold my Sosman and Landis Company stock to Lemle, which will be paid to me monthly. I am at last free from that trouble. Landis has also sold his to Lemle.” It was a sad end to his 51-yrs. relationship with the old firm. His $6,000 in Sosman & Landis stock was sold for only $1,000. This meant that the last remnants of Sosman & Landis were absorbed by the William Lemle Inc. However, the firm was still operating in 1940, six years after Moses’ passing. 1940 is the last mention of Sosman & Landis installations that I have located in newspapers to date.The scenic studio shuffle in the 1920s becomes more interesting when you consider the three men working at 417 S. Clinton St.– Moses, Lemle and Hoyland.
Thomas G. Moses was drawn to the theatre industry as an artist. William H. Lemle entered the profession as an actor. There is something to be said for those who experience the performance side before working on the production end or running a studio. Although neither Lemle nor Moses came from theatre families, the profession offered an enjoyable opportunity to escape ad profit. Charles L. Hoyland did not start and an artist or performer. He went from box office to management without every performing or working backstage. He represents a third group of those from non-theatrical families who were drawn to theater. Hoyland saw theater as an opportunity for profit, a businessman and not an artist; it was a numbers game. This is not meant to say that any one desire is less than the other when individuals entered the theatre industry. However, it does shape that individual’s perspective and approach to a theatre production or project.
A studio owner without any experience on stage or behind the scenes may not fully understand the intricacies of design, production and installation. The underlying motive may be solely profit and not a professional product. I think that this is one of the reasons that Hoyland and Lemle went their separate ways by 1927, and Moses stuck with Lemle.
To be continued…
Letter from Thomas G. Moses to the McAlester Scottish Rite, 1929.
Design and scenery by Thomas G. Moses (1856-1934). In 1929, Moses was representing William Lemle, Inc., when he painted the scenery installation for the Scottish Rite Theatre in McAlester, Oklahoma, 1929. The scenes measured 40′-0″ high by 56′-0″ wide.
Design by Thomas G. MosesPainted scene by Thomas G. Moses, 1929Painted detail by Thomas G. Moses
For more posts about the McAlester Scottish Rite and other Masonic scenery collections use the keyword search function.
The original front curtain by the Twin City Scenic Co. for the Brown Grand Theatre in Concordia, Kansas, 1907.
Original front curtain by the Twin City Scenic Co. for the Brown Grand Theatre in Concordia, Kansas. Photograph from 2005.Painted detail from the original front curtain by the Twin City Scenic Co. for the Brown Grand Theatre in Concordia, Kansas. Painted detail from the original front curtain by the Twin City Scenic Co. for the Brown Grand Theatre in Concordia, Kansas.Painted detail from the original front curtain by the Twin City Scenic Co. for the Brown Grand Theatre in Concordia, Kansas.Painted detail from the original front curtain by the Twin City Scenic Co. for the Brown Grand Theatre in Concordia, Kansas.Painted detail from the original front curtain by the Twin City Scenic Co. for the Brown Grand Theatre in Concordia, Kansas.Painted detail from the original front curtain by the Twin City Scenic Co. for the Brown Grand Theatre in Concordia, Kansas.Painted detail from the original front curtain by the Twin City Scenic Co. for the Brown Grand Theatre in Concordia, Kansas.
The painted replica, also delivered by the Twin City Scenic Co.
Replica curtain by the Twin City Scenic Co. for the Brown Grand Theatre in Concordia, Kansas.Painted detail from the replica curtain by the Twin City Scenic Co. for the Brown Grand Theatre in Concordia, Kansas.Painted detail from the replica curtain by the Twin City Scenic Co. for the Brown Grand Theatre in Concordia, Kansas.
For more scenes from the venue, keyword search “Brown Grand.”
This is the second of two posts about Charles L. Hoyland.
Hoyland-Lemle Co. was operated by Charles L. Hoyland and William H. Lemle.
In 1927 the Hoyland-Lemle Company split into two new firms – the Charles L. Hoyland Co. and William Lemle, Inc. That year, Thomas G. Moses wrote, “Another rumor that the National Theatre Supply Co. will take over our old Studio. Lemle is interested and wants me to come with him.” Although they were both struggling for work, each knew the risks of working for others and not personally securing each contract.
The firm of William Lemle Inc. was featured by the National Theatre Supply Co. in 1927, after having leased the old Sosman & Landis studio at 417 S. Clinton St. By 1931, the Chas. L. Hoyland Co. also listed 417 Clinton Street as their address too (“Chicago Tribune,” 3 June 1931, page 1). In 1930, Lester Landis (Perry’s son) was the manager of the scenery and drapery department at the National Theatre Supply Co. By the end of the decade, Moses was not only painting for Lemle, but also making models for the National Theatre Supply Co. Moses represented both the William Lemle and National Theatre Supply Co. in 1930.
A lot happened between 1927 and 1931 for many studios; it was a turning point in the theatre industry and many businesses closed their doors. The golden days of scenic art and more work than you can handle ended for many artists. Hoyland’s luck never really returned and he floundered around for the remainder his life. He seems to have encountered one obstacle after another after 1927. Even before the Great Depression, the 1920s were difficult, with many scenic firms struggling to land contracts and get paid for their work. The newspapers are filled with legal announcements, studios were constantly going to court for non-payment.
…and then there were those tragic things events just seemed to happen…
On Jan. 20, 1928, a notice appeared in the “Kenosha News” stating:
ENVELOPE LOST – Contains three checks made out to the Chas. L. Hoyland Co. and $32 cash. Finder, please return to Berry’s Store. 6828 Sheridan Rd., or phone 4139; reward” (page 30). This is just sad, as the firm was struggling already. I was reminded of the scene when Uncle Billy erroneously gives the $5,000 to Mr. Potter in a folded-up newspaper at the bank. Losing any amount of money is always unfortunate, especially when one considered the upcoming economic uncertainty. It was a difficult time to lose money, or collect money owed. Sadly, life would not improve for the Hoylands, and the next decade would prove even more difficult. The Charles L. Hoyland Co. would continue plugging along, but never be free of their financial problems.
In 1930, Hoyland brought suit against C. J. Dalby, near Millgrove, in Blackford Circuit Court, asking $260 on contract (The Star Press, 4 April 1930, page 11). This likely a misprint, as the suit resulted in a $28,000 payment: today’s equivalent of approximately $430,000. It was not until 1932, the Charles L. Hoyland Co. won the case against J. C. Dalby for a total of $28015 (Muncie Evening Press, 26 March 1932, page 2). It remains unknown if Hoyland ever received the money.
1931 was a particularly challenging year for Hoylands. That summer, the Hoylands were robbed after attending a theatre performance. On June 3, 1931, the experience was described in a “Chicago Tribune” article. The headline read, “Couple Trailed from Theater; Robbed of Gems.” The article described, “Four bandits, three of them armed, last night held up and robbed Mr. and Mrs. Charles L. Hoyland of cash and jewelry valued at $2,500 as the couple drove to their home at 1133 Farwell avenue. Mr. Hoyland is head of an advertising company bearing his name at 417 Clinton Street.” At the end of 1931, Hoyland’s mother also passed away. She had lived with him since 1910, after his parents divorced in 1910. So much can happen in a year.
By 1934, Hoyland was again drawn into a scandal; this time involving a friend and theatre manager from his hometown, Jack P. Moore. Moore was the manager of the Springfield Fox theaters. he disappeared from Springfield with his wife, son, and daughter after cashing a $2,500 check on the Fox company. He soon sought out Hoyland’s help. On Aug. 25, 1934, the “Emporia Gazette” reported, “The letter stated in part, that Moore had explained to Hoyland the complications into which he had gotten himself, but that nonetheless, he (Hoyland) was giving Moore employment selling advertising service to theaters. Hoyland, who is a longtime friend of the Moore family, assured Mr. Diemer that he had the utmost faith in Moore’s integrity and that he would do all in his power to help him straighten his present difficulties. Diemer recently went to Kansas City, armed with a large sheaf of letters from outstanding Springfield businessmen, to call on a representative of the bonding company. It is his hope that arrangement can be made whereby Moore may be allowed to pay back losses incurred by the bonding company” (page 2).
Little is published about the Charles L. Hoyland Co. during the 1930s, other than it was still operating. Most studios were desperate for any kind of work and took every project that came their way, no atter how risky. On a personal front, the Hoylands split their time between Illinois, California and Arizona. Most newspaper articles note their social activities, but not any professional endeavors. The year before his passing, Hoyland was living in Westwood Hills, Los Angeles, California. Like most of his friends and colleagues, he hoped to tap into work related to the film industry.
On Jan. 1, 1939, the “Los Angeles Times” reported that Mr. and Mrs. Charles L. Hoyland. attended and New Year’s Eve Fete at the Lawrence K. French’s home in Brentwood (page 52). They attended the party with and Mr. and Mrs. Arthur W. Jonas, also of Chicago. This was the last record that I have located about Hoyland in the newspapers to date.
Hoyland passed away on August 4, 1939. At the time, he was only 54 years old.
Advertisement Curtain (Ad Drop) in the Twin City Scenic Co. Collection, Performing Arts Archives, University of Minnesota.
Ad drop design. Twin City Scenic Co. collection, Performing Arts Archives, University of Minnesota.Ad drop design detail. Twin City Scenic Co. collection, Performing Arts Archives, University of Minnesota.Ad drop design detail. Twin City Scenic Co. collection, Performing Arts Archives, University of Minnesota.Ad drop design detail. Twin City Scenic Co. collection, Performing Arts Archives, University of Minnesota.Ad drop design detail. Twin City Scenic Co. collection, Performing Arts Archives, University of Minnesota.Ad drop design detail. Twin City Scenic Co. collection, Performing Arts Archives, University of Minnesota.Ad drop design detail. Twin City Scenic Co. collection, Performing Arts Archives, University of Minnesota.Ad drop design detail. Twin City Scenic Co. collection, Performing Arts Archives, University of Minnesota.
In 1922 the Allardt Advertising Co. changed its name to the Hoyland-Lemle Co. with business offices located at 417 S. Clinton St. in Chicago. 417 S. Clinton was the same location as the Sosman & Landis studio. The new company was named after Charles L. Hoyland and William Lemle. Hoyland had worked for the Allardt brothers in a variety of capacities for well over a decade.
Charles Leroy Hoyland was born on Sept. 24, 1885, in Illinois. He was the only child of James Andrew Hoyland (1861-1918) and Carrie Major (1866-1931). The two were married in Sangamon, Illinois in 1883. Charles arrived only two years later. By 1900, the small family was living in Springfield, Illinois. Carrie’s sister and servant lived with the Hoylands. At this point, his father was working as a recorder for an insurance company. The next ten years were like a roller coaster, both on the personal and business front. Charles’s father left both Springfield and his mother, remarrying by 1910. In the meantime, however, Charles switched professions, leaving the manufacturing and entered the theater industry.
In 1904, Chas. L. Hoyland was working as a manufacturing firm. His first appearance in the paper in associated with a want ad. He placed an advertisement in the “Herald and Review” of Decatur, Illinois, announcing, “WANTED – Capable young man as district manager for manufacturing for manufacturing concern. Apply to Chas. L. Hoyland, room 51. St. Nicholas hotel, between 9 and 11 a.m. Saturday and Sunday” (page 7). That year, he also became a member of the Knights and Ladies of Security, Springfield Council. They met in the Redman’s Hall on 5th and Monroe and upon initiation, Hoyland was listed as a bookkeeper.
The issue in which Charles L. Hoyland was mentioned as an initiate in the Knights and Ladies of Security,
This was his last profession before transitioning to theater the next year. He soon began working at the Chatterton Opera House in his hometown of Springfield, Illinois. Local jeweler, George W Chatterton, invested in the Chatterton Opera House and turned the management of the venue over to his son. Chatterton became a central Illinois theater developer, became known as “the opera house man of Springfield” (The Champaign Daily, 3 Feb. 1906, page 5). For the many theaters that started up, shut down, and changed hands, Hoyland has picked a good one. He was in the right place, at the right time, and met all of the right people.
The Chatterton Opera House in Springfield, Illinois.The Chatterton Opera House in Springfield, Illinois.
In Springfield, Hoyland was hired to work in the box-office at Chatterson’s flagship theater. On January 28 of that year, the “Herald and Review” reported, “Manager George W. Chatterton of the Chatterton Opera House, Springfield, Ill., has decided to dispose of his jewelry store that he may devote his entire time to his rapidly increasing theatrical interests. His large stock of jewelry is being sold and Manager Chatterton will hereafter be found either in the box office of the Chatterton or in his private office on the second floor. George Hickock, treasurer, and C. L Hoyland, assistant, will have charge of the box-office” (page 19). Here is a link to one history about the venue: https://sangamoncountyhistory.org/wp/?p=2456
Hoyland quickly moved from box office assistant into management. For the next few years moved from one theatrical endeavor to another. By 1907, he was working in Wayne, Michigan. There, he married his first wife Frances. On June 21, 1907, Hoyland married Frances H. Thompson, and older woman. Marriage records listed the groom as a resident of Los Angles, currently working as a clerk. The bride was a resident of Moline, Illinois and five years his senior, having been born in 1881. Frances’ maiden name was Putnam, suggesting there may be a previous marriage.
In 1910, the US Federal Census reported the couple living now in Danville, Illinois. At the time, they were living with four lodgers, one of whom was theatre musician named Roy A. Morrison. It is during this time that Hoyland becomes associated with the Allardt Bros. and their theaters.
Hoyland’s personal life was also tumultuous at this time too. His father left his mother and remarried in Palmyra, Missouri. On Nov. 2, 1910, the Marion County Herald announced a marriage license was granted to J. A. Hoyland of Springfield, Ill. And Helen E. Schwebel of Utica, Ill. (page 4). He would live another eight years, passing away in 1918. For his first wife, he died in 1910, and upon his leaving, listed herself as a widow. By 1912, she was living with their only son in Superior, Wisconsin. Both were listed in the city directory for Superior, living at 1003 Ogden Ave. Hoyland was listed in the Superior Directory as the proprietor for the Broadway Theater Hotel. In 1911, the Allardts acquired another theatre in Superior Wisconsin. That year, the firm opened several new theaters, including a the Orpheum in Munster, Indiana and another in Fort William, Ontario (The Times, Munster, Indiana, 26 Dec 1911, page 5). Their motion pictures expert, Joseph Dokes, was constantly busy installing machines in new Allardt houses throughout the region.
Between 1910 and 1913, the Allardt circuit increased exponentially, growing from one theater in Terre Haute, Indiana to twenty-four theatre throughout the Midwest and Canada; a circuit was composed of both vaudeville and legitimate theaters. On Feb. 23, 1912, the “Virginia Enterprise” in Minnesota reported, “The Allardt circuit will, with the opening of the new house here, be divided into two circuits, the southern and the northern. All the theaters north of Chicago will be in the northern division. The acts that will appear here will be routed not only though the Allardt houses but into several of those owned by close allies of the big firm. It is planned to open every act in the Northern division of the circuit at the Lyric. From here the shows will proceed to Fort William and then back to Superior, St. Paul and Minneapolis and south to the southern points on the big wheel” (page 4).
Already in 1910, Hoyland was working at the Allardt’s Lyric Theatre in South Bend, Indiana. His connection with the brothers was cemented when he was the Allardt’s guest at the theatrical Mechanic Association. On Jan. 9, 1911, “The South Bend Tribune” reported that Hoyland was initiated into the Theatrical Mechanical Association, South Bend Lodge, No. 120, the guest of Messrs. C. J. and Louis F. Allardt of the Orpheum. Hoyland cotinued with the Allardt Bros. and by 1913 was managing their New Orpheum Theatre in Racine, Wisconsin by 1913. He began working for the right people at the perfect time. Ultimately, his success during this period paralleled that of his employer.
Orpheum Theatre in Racine, WisconsinThe Orpheum Theatre in Racine, Wisconsin.
On Dec. 21, 1913, the “Inter Ocean” included an article on the Allardt Bros., reporting, “ The firm was founded by three brothers with H. J. (senior partner of the firm) and L. F. Allardt in Chicago and C. J. Allardt directing affairs in South Bend, Indiana. The firm diversified, investing in Boyle Woolfolks, Inc. (producer of musical comedy tabloids), Robert Sherman (dramatic tabloid producer), the Alamo Film company, and the Alladart Advertising company. At the time Allardt Advertising Co. featured advertising curtains and was considered of the biggest firms in vaudeville.” Hoyland was already associated with the Allardt Advertising Co. managing the Chicago firm by 1913. On Feb. 1, 1914, the “Inter Ocean” mentioned Charles L. Hoyland as the head of the Allardt Advertising Company, and treasurer of Allardt Bros. The Allardt Advertising Co. continued to expand, filing incorporation articles in Milwaukee in 1916. On Dec. 30, 1916, the “Wisconsin State Journal” reported, “Foreign corporations licensed to do business in Wisconsin are: Allardt Advertising Co., of Chicago, Illinois. The firm was still expanding branch offices five years later, just before the named changed to Hoyland-Lemle Co.”
He was still working as an advertising agent after the onset of WWI. In 1918, Hoyland’s WWI draft registration card listed his working at the Allardt Advertising Co., located in 316 Westminster Building. The record also listed his residence as 922 Sunnyside Ave. His physical appearance was described as tall with a medium build, brown hair and dark brown eyes.
As with other studios, the firm struggled with collecting payment. On September 16, 1921, the “Alton Evening Telegraph” included an advertisement for a collector. The advertisement stated, “Party whose present occupation will permit him to act as collector for a Chicago concern. Only a very small part of time required. Accounts are payable quarterly and will aggregate about $500.00 each quarter. 5 per cent commission. Good references or bond necessary. Address Allardt Advertising company, Inc. 417 S. Clinton street, Chicago, or call Mr. Kentnick at Illini Hotel” (page 13). This may have been one of the reasons that the Allardt Bros. divested themselves of the advertising company in 1922 the firm became the Hoyland-Lemle Co. Before the name-change, the official address for the Allardt Advertising Co. was listed as 417 S. Clinton St – the same address as the Sosman & Landis studio. When the Hoyland-Lemle Co. opened, they also listed 417 S. Clinton St. at their address. By 1923, their offices moved to 6751 Sheridan Rd. Moses & Megan would also use this address while waiting to purchase the Sosman & Landis name.
1922 was a year of change for Hoyland, he not only started a new company, but also remarried. On May 17, 1922, Charles L. Hoyland married Anna E Kentnick (also spelled Kentnich). Kentnick was the daughter of Allardt employee, William J. Kentnick. She was very much a sign of the times, independent, and employed as a stenographer in a law office. In many ways, Anna was the polar opposite of his first wife, as well as two decades younger. The next decades, however, was full of surprises, both good and bad. Money became an issue, the company struggling to collect debts in a country struggling after a recession. They were constantly in court, trying to collection final payments from clients.
The Hoyland-Lemle Company lasted less than five years. The last mention of Hoyland-Lemle in newspapers was associated with a lawsuit against the Strong Motor Co. in Florida during the spring of 1927 (Tampa Times, 16 April 1927, page 19). That year, the firm closed and Hoyland left to establish the new Charles L. Hoyland Co. Lemle also founded William Lemle, Inc. and became associated with the National Theatre Supply Co. Early in 1927, Thomas G. Moses wrote, “Another rumor that the National Theatre Supply Co. will take over our old Studio. Lemle is interested and wants me to come with him.” By the summer of 1928, Moses wrote, “I have agreed to join Lemle at our old Studio, which will pay me from $8,000 to $10,000 a year.”
Picture of old Sosman & Landis main studio, used by William Lemle, Inc. for the National Theatre Supply Co. in 1927.Thomas G. Moses (1856-1934).
Advertisement Curtain (Ad Drop) in the Twin City Scenic Co. Collection, Performing Arts Archives, University of Minnesota.
Ad drop. Twin City Scenic Co. Collection, Performing Arts Archives, University of Minnesota.Detail. Ad drop. Twin City Scenic Co. Collection, Performing Arts Archives, University of MN.Detail. Ad drop. Twin City Scenic Co. Collection, Performing Arts Archives, University of MN.Detail. Ad drop. Twin City Scenic Co. Collection, Performing Arts Archives, University of MN.Detail. Ad drop. Twin City Scenic Co. Collection, Performing Arts Archives, University of MN.Detail. Ad drop. Twin City Scenic Co. Collection, Performing Arts Archives, University of MN.Detail. Ad drop. Twin City Scenic Co. Collection, Performing Arts Archives, University of MN.Detail. Ad drop. Twin City Scenic Co. Collection, Performing Arts Archives, University of MN.
By the end of 1923, Thomas G. Moses wrote: “On December 26th, Megan and I met Sosman and Landis Company at Richard’s office and paid our first installment for the name and good will of Sosman and Landis Company, which we now own and will operate, but for a while we will have to use our names of Moses and Megan, until the old company can liquidate. We will then get a new charter.” In the end, it cost Moses $20,000 for that “name and goodwill.”
When the Sosman & Landis Co. was liquidated, the name was purchased by Moses & Megan; the studio’s contents were purchased by the Hoyland-Lemle Co.; and Chicago Studios leased the space. In one fell swoop, Sosman & Landis was split into three parts – name, contents and address, each going to a different firm. Each of the players has a unique story. I am starting with the Hoyland-Lemle Co.
The main studio of Sosman & Landis, located at 417-419 S. Clinton Street, Chicago.
By 1923, the Hoyland-Lemle offices were listed at 6751 Sheridan Rd, but they rented various studio spaces to paint advertising curtains (ad drops). Interestingly, 6751 Sheridan Rd was the same address listed by Moses & Megan when they sent out letters to prospective clients in 1923 while Moses was still working for Sosman & Landis. Keep in mind that Chicago Studios was using the official Sosman & Landis address by late summer 1923, citing 417 S. Clinton Street – this was immediately after preliminary discussions about the closure of Sosman & Landis. At this same time, Hoyland-Lemle were actually renting the Sosman & Landis main studio at 417 S. Clinton St. To briefly recap, Chicago Studios sent out letters during the summer of 1923 to prospective Sosman & Landis clients, explaining that they were the successors to Sosman & Landis – citing the same address, 417 S. Clinton St.
Moses and Megan immediately disputed the fact that Chicago Studios was the successor to Sosman & Landis, sending out their own letters on Sosman & Landis stationary. They explained that Sosman & Landis was only moving to a better location – 6751 Sheridan Rd. in Chicago, the Hoyland-Lemle offices. This, combined with Moses’ delay in securing the new business charter, was disastrous. Moses and Megan were put in a difficult position with any future iteration of Sosman & Landis looking weak.
It was an interesting time in the theatre industry. By the 1920s scenic studios were often short-lived, opening and closing like clover plants every day. This was not especially new, but there were now many more players in Chicago. Names were changed, with scenic artists hopping from one firm to another. There were still major players, with long histories and impeccable reputations; Sosman & Landis was one of those companies, and that was something that Moses was relying upon for his own future success.
The Hoyland-Lemle Co. has an interesting, albeit short-lived, history. The company’s namesakes were Charles L. Hoyland and William Lemle. Hoyland-Lemle officially entered the scenic studio game in 1922, but really was the result of a name change, not a start-up company. Previously, the Hoyland-Lemle Co. was known as the Allardt Advertising Co., run by the Allardt Bros. who established the Allardt Circuit in the Midwest.
On May 29, 1922, the “Tulsa Daily Legal News” announced “Allardt Adv. Co, changing name to Hoyland-Lemle Co., Chicago, Ill. C. L. Hoyland, Wm Lemle, Maybelle Shearer & C. M. Hoyland, Chicago, Ill. Capital $50,000” (page 1). State business filings in 1922 listed the Hoylund-Lemle address as 417 S. Clinton Street, the same as Sosman & Landis where they were renting paint space. Hoyland-Lemle also rented frames at the newly founded Service Studios, in the renovated spaces of the old Jewel Tea Co. barns. The company provided many different addresses for various government records, such as 32 West Monroe Street, listed in the “Second Annual Report of the Tax Commission of the State of Illinois” in 1921 (page 304).
The key figure in the formation of Hoyland-Lemle was Hoyland. It was the result of Hoyland’s relationship with the Allardt Bros. He was working for them by 1910. In Jan. 9, 1911, “The South Bend Tribune reported that Hoyland was initiated into the Theatrical Mechanical Association, South Bend Lodge, No. 120. At the time, he was treasurer of the Lyric Theatre in Danville, Illinois. He was the guest of Messrs. C. J. and Louis F. Allardt of the Orpheum. The article went on to state that Danville’s Lyric Theatre was part of the Allardt Circuit (page 4). Hoyland continued to work at other Allardt venues, including the New Orpheum Theatre in Racine, Wisconsin by 1913. In 1914 Hoyland’s primary focus became the Allardt Advertising Co. Much of the Allardts’ energies were focusing on marketing. They invested in theatrical agencies, venues and advertising curtains. On Feb. 1, 1914, the “Inter Ocean” listed Charles L. Hoyland as the head of the Allardt Advertising Company, and treasurer of Allardt Bros.
Between 1914 and 1921, Hoyland remained with the Allardt company until he and William Lemle purchased the firm and changed the name. The company lasted less than five years, and by 1927, Hoyland was running the new Charles L. Hoyland Co. Much of the Hoyland-Lemle Company’s demise was due to lack of payment. Like Sosman & Landis, clients’ were not always prompt with final payments. The firm was involved in several court cases to collect money owed from clients throughout the mid-1920s.
On Sept. 8, 1926, the “Paducah Sun-Democrat” reported, “The Hoyland-Lemle company, an Illinois corporation, is the plaintiff in five suits filed against Paducahans in McCracken county circuit court yesterday afternoon. The company alleges in each suit that the defendant owes a balance on a contract price for advertising displayed on the Orpheum theater circuit curtain. The suits were brought on behalf of Hoyland-Lemle by Attorney W. A. Berry” (Paducah, Kentucky, page 2).
The advertising curtain business was extremely lucrative, but risky. Businesses would rent ad squares on a curtain, paying a monthly, or annual, fee for the space. These curtains were often placed independent of the scenery contract, front curtain or asbestos curtain. In many cases, they were painted and installed at no cost to the theatre owner. The fees collected from the businesses paid for the piece’s construction and then provided a substantial profit, as long at the curtain was used.
Advertising curtains functioned like commercials; they were contracted to be lowered at specific times during a show. Advertising companies even sent representatives to various theaters to ensure that the advertising curtains were being lowered at the appropriate times. This all worked well, unless the clients renting the ad space didn’t pay the contracted fee. This meant not only losing the anticipated income but finding a new business to rent the ad space and repainting the square. The best-case scenario was never having to repaint a square and just collecting the payments. The worst-case scenario was what happened at the Orpheum Theatre in Paducah, Kentucky. Five businesses not paying for an advertisement curtain was a significant loss. It is no wonder that 1926 was the last year of the Hoyland-Lemle Co.
When the Hoyland-Lemle Co. ended, two new studios sprung up: the Charles L. Hoyland Co. and William Lemle, Inc. In an odd twist of fate, the newly listed “spacious studio of William Lemle Inc.” was located at 417 S. Clinton St – the old Sosman & Landis main studio.
William Lemle Inc. using the old Sosman & Landis Studio image, 1927.
Scene painted by Sosman & Landis Scene Painting Studio of Chicago for the Scottish Rite Theatre in Tucson, Arizona, 1914.
Front curtain by Sosman & Landis, 1914Painted detail. Front curtain by Sosman & Landis, 1914Painted detail. Front curtain by Sosman & Landis, 1914Painted detail. Front curtain by Sosman & Landis, 1914Painted detail. Front curtain by Sosman & Landis, 1914Painted detail. Front curtain by Sosman & Landis, 1914Painted detail. Front curtain by Sosman & Landis, 1914Painted detail. Front curtain by Sosman & Landis, 1914
In 1923 Thomas G. Moses wrote, “Joe Bren’s work came in early this year, and we will try and give him a good job. It is not apt to be paid for very soon as usual.”
The Joe Bren Company was a Chicago-based theatrical production company that partnered with fraternities and civic groups to stage fundraising shows. Bren became a Sosman & Landis client in 1916 and continued to order scenery on an annual basis until the early 1920s. By 1922, however, the amount of scenery purchased by Bren from Sosman & Landis began to dwindle.
Bren Company representatives traveled from town to town, working with local talent to organize minstrel reviews, vaudeville frolics and “Jollies.” They were especially popular with the Kiwanis Club, Lions, American Legionnaires, United Commercial Travelers, Elks, and Shriners. The Bren Company provided sketches, jokes, and songs, even supplementing some of the local talent with professional acts. The Joe Bren Company not only provided instruction, but also all of the technical trappings, including scenery, lighting equipment and costumes.
By 1922, however, the Bren company began purchasing much of their scenery from another source – Service Studios, also known as the Scenic Service Studio of Chicago. On Dec. 10, 1922, the “Leader-Telegram” included a announcement about a Bren production reporting, “Scenery for the Bren company constructed and painted by the Scenic Service Studio of Chicago” (page 8). The Service Studios was completely composed of previous Sosman & Landis artists, so they new what Bren needed for his production. In 1920, a group left Sosman & Landis to form Scenic Studio. Service Studios rapidly made inroads in the theatre industry, winning projects from many competitors, including Sosman & Landis. Here is a past post about Service Studios: https://drypigment.net2020/05/05/tales-from-a-scenic-artist-and-scholar-part-981-john-hanny-and-the-chicago-service-studios-1918/
The primary Bren production for 1922 to 1923 was a musical revue in two acts and six scenes, under the direction of Ralph Hamilton and Alex Robb of the Joe Bren Production Co., Chicago. The production staff for the event included: Delos Owen (orchestrations and musical direction), Joe Bren (Dialogue and Lyrics), Geo. L. Ownes (staged musical numbers), Scenic Service Studios, Chicago (scenic design and execution), and New York Costume Co., Chicago (costumes).
In 1925, Scenic Services Studios was still producing scenery for Joe Bren, now the “Jollies of 1925” (Hamilton Evening Journal, 10 March 1925). This all changed in 1926 when Service Studios sold out to Art Oberbeck of ACME Studios. Interestingly, Oberbeck had also started out at Sosman & Landis scenic artist in 1904.
By the early 1920s, Bren hired Sosman & Landis for production elements, no longer the main design for the primary stage show. With Sosman & Landis struggling, clients may have hesitated, fearing the fir would closed before their scenery was delivered. In 1923, Sosman & Landis provided booths and lighting fixtures for a Bren-produced Shriner charity event; it did not end well.
On March 30, 1923, the “Chattanooga Daily Times” reported, “Booths and fixtures at the Shriner’s fun festival, now in progress at the Billy Sunday tabernacle, were attached yesterday through a chancery court action started by Sosman, Landis & Co., of Chicago, Ill., for the collection of $2,000 due by reason of an alleged breach of contract. The bill asserts that Joe Bren, named as defendant with the local Shriner’s organization and others, acting as purchasing agent for the fun festival management, contracted to buy certain supplies from the plaintiff. This contract, according to the bill, was breached to complaintant’s damage. The attachment was run merely to prevent the sale or removal of the fixtures attached and will not interfere with the operation of the show (page 4). Bren was branching out beyond his musical reviews and directing all kinds of events, including trade shows and circuses.
Jollies from 1923.
By the late 1920s, Bren Production company events began to dwindle, and by 1930 Bren became department head for the Music Corporation of America.
