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Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Part 979 – Movie Fans, 1918

In 1918, Thomas G. Moses wrote, “The Majestic Theatre and Palace Music Hall had us all do their work as usual, but not very much new work.” “But not very much new work” is very telling. The industry was in a state of turmoil and business was becoming erratic for scenic artists. They could no longer anticipate a steady stream of work; it was as if someone had turned down the valve and projects were now slowly trickling out.

There were some supply shortages too, with elevated prices due to war rationing. By late spring, Moses wrote, “Our business is not good – far from it. Raw material has advanced so rapidly that we are unable to keep up with it, and I am very much worried about the outcome.” The studio did not have enough work to keep Moses on full-time, and he was the president of the company. By summer Moses noted, “June business had a slump, so I took a little time to plant our first garden, and we had some garden. It was a little hard at first, but soon I got used to it and rather liked it. My neighbors insisted on making fun of me as they claimed that was the first real work they ever saw me do. I wish they could see me lay in a big wood drop on a hot summer’s day. I think they would change their minds about my easy work.”

In addition to the decline of work, scarcity of materials due to the war, there was another obstacle that was forever growing bigger – the popularity of movies. In 1918, Moses wrote, “Mama and I have become movie fans. Many of the pictures are very good, while some are far from it.” The rise of movie fans reflected a shift in audience expectations. By fall, Moses would resign as the president of Sosman & Landis, hoping for greener pastures with New York Studios.

But a new threat was on the horizon for Moses and many theaters employees; one that would throw another wrench into the works – the Spanish Flu – and it hit theaters hard. Moses possibly picked the worst time to leave Sosman & Landis.

From the “Chicago Tribune, 10 Oct 1918, page 14

On Oct. 27, 1918, “The Des Moines Register” reported, “Appetites of Movie Fans, Whetted by Lack of Shows, Manager Says” (page 27). The article announced, “Local Film Houses Expect Big Rush of Business As Soon As Quarantine for Flu is Lifted.” Here is the article:

“What are the movie fans all doing while the theaters are closed on account of the ‘flu,” and what will be the after effect of going for two weeks without a glimpse of fascinating Douglas, excruciating Charlie, bewitching Mary, thrilling Theda – or whomsoever else may happen to be a particular film god or goddess that attracts one irresistibly to the movies?

Answers to these questions are as varied and numerous as the persons asked; more varied, even, than the classes who make up the crowds that daily and nightly pack the movie theatres to their full seating capacities when they are in operation.

As to what their patrons are doing during their enforced vacation, proprietors and managers of local moving picture houses have apparently given scant thought, but they are all of one mind regarding the psychological effect to be expected when the ban has been lifted.

‘Don’t know what they’re doing in the meanwhile – probably reading magazines, visiting among themselves or, maybe, helping make face masks to hasten the end of quarantine,” is about the way the average movie manager sums up the situation.

‘But when the shows reopen, they’ll fairly eat them up! Their appetites will be whetted up: they’ll be less critical – not so prone to pick flaws and criticize as they were before. Get out of the movie habit? No danger! It would take a generation to accomplish that. Attendance will be greater than ever when the quarantine is lifted.’

Acting on that conviction, the movie magnates are having their houses renovated and made more attractive on the inside and out – are planning irresistible drawing cards to present when they reopen – and are tightening up all the loose screws in the seats which are to accommodate record breaking crowds.

‘I only hope that the type known as ‘movie fiends’ are improving the opportunity by staying at home and cultivating the acquaintances of their families,’ says City Mother McMichael; who goes on to explain that she is not opposed to clean, wholesome movies; in fact, she enjoys them. She believes the moving picture film possesses marvelous potential educational value – which, unfortunately, is being largely neglected, while the baser instincts of the public, particularly the younger people, are appealed to and inflamed by sey [sic.] films which do irreparable harm.

‘Maybe the boys who have been shut out of the pool halls will get acquainted with the girls who have been spending all their evenings at the movies, and – there’s no telling what will happen then,’ suggest a policeman, who considers Billy West superior to Charlie Chaplin.

‘The movie fans are reading,’ was an instantaneous reply of a young woman behind the counter of a city library. ‘The demand for books, since the closing order went into effect, amounts almost to a stampede. Thousands of strange faces are lining up at this counter daily, seeking literary substitutes for movie thrills.

‘What class of literature? Fiction – of the ‘popular’ variety. Problem novels are in greatest demand, particularly those that have been dramatized or filmed. Suppose they are reading up on the stories, which they have visualized on the screen. Oh no, there is no appreciable increase in the demand for books on domestic science, the arts, or technical subject.

‘Psychological effect?’ repeated Be Woolgar, superintendent of public safety. ‘I don’t know what effect the closing order will have o the movie fan, but when the theaters reopen they’ve got to pay more attention to the matter of keeping the red lights burning at all emergency exits.”

To be continued…

Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Part 978: The Awful Grind of Stock Scenery

During the spring of 1918, Thomas G. Moses wrote, “My fingers itch to get back on special scenery. This awful grind of stock scenery is and has been almost impossible.”

In 1918, many touring shows still contracted agreements that required theatres to provide stock scenery and props. Moses mentioned stock scenery in an article that he wrote for the Palette & Chisel Club Newsletter in 1927. It was part of a previously written article that Moses titled “Stage Scenery 1918.” Here is what he wrote:

“Thirty years ago most of the scenery was painted in the theatre, a room or paint bridge being arranged on the stage of adjoining room for that purpose. Each theatre furnished the necessary sets for the traveling company, which was headed by some big star. In the larger cities, the theatre employed a scenic artist and an assistant to keep regular stock scenery in good condition and to supply and special scene needed. While the regular stock scenery in each theatre was nearly complete there was always a call for some scene not to be found in stock. As the scene plot was sent ahead and turned over to the scenic artist, the required scene was built and painted. Often the scene was painted on an old drop, or over old framed wings.”

An 1894 catalogue listed various options for stock scenery delivered by Sosman & Landis. Moses painted stock scenery collections for theaters and opera houses nationwide. In 1895 alone, he was credited with painting stock scenery for the Valentine Theatre in Toledo, Ohio; the Lowell Opera House in Massachusetts; the Avenue Theatre in Pittsburg; the Broad Ripple Theatre in Indianapolis; the Hillsboro Theatre in Waterbury, Connecticut; and the Opera House in Racine, Wisconsin. By 1918, Moses was an old hand at stock scenery, and it must have seen mundane. After all, how many kitchen parlors or prisons does one ever want to paint.

Stock scenery ordered by the Elks Opera House (Tabor Opera House) in 1902. This set was manufactured by Sosman & Landis, a subcontractor for Kansas City Scenic Co. at the time.h

The demand for stock scenery remained constant from the late nineteenth century to early twentieth century. The 1894-1895 Sosman & Landis catalogue divided stock scenery installations into three categories: traveling combinations, small opera houses and halls, and ordinary halls. Although I posted this information a few years back. Here are the descriptions.

Set No. 1 was for traveling combinations. These would be the larger performance venues that booked headliners and large-scale productions. Stock scenery for these stages included a drop curtain and at least eight backdrops depicting a fancy parlor scene, plain chamber scene, prison scene, wood scene, garden scene, street scene, rocky pass scene, and ocean view scene. In addition to the drops, there were 4 parlor wings, 4 kitchen wings, 6 wood wings, 2 front wings (tormentors), 1 grand drapery border, 3 sky borders, 3 set rocks, 3 set waters and 1 set cottage. In some cases, the parlor scene and kitchen settings were delivered as an interior box set; 4×8 flats that were lashed together with cord and cleats. Occasionally the interior flats were double-painted with a fancy interior on one side and a rustic interior on the backside.

1894 Sosman and Landis Scene Painting Studio catalogue from the Waszut-Barrett Theatre Collection, private.

There is need to clarify a few other terms detailed in the 1894-1895 Sosman & Landis catalogue too. Tormentor wings depicted painted columns with an “elaborate base and rich drapery at the top and side.” These wings were stationary ones that were set three or four feet back of, and parallel with, the drop curtain. The grand drapery border was painted to represent rich and massive drapery that matched the drapery on the tormentor wings.

Tormentor wing design. Twin City Scenic Co. collection, University of Minnesota, Performing Arts Archives: https://
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Set No. 2 was for smaller venues, such as 200-500 seat opera houses and halls. Their stock settings included 1 drop curtain and five drops: parlor scene, kitchen scene, street scene, prison scene, and wood scene. In addition to the backdrops, there were 4 parlor wings, 4 kitchen wings, 4 wood wings, 2 front wings (tormentors), 1 grand drapery border, 2 sky borders, 3 set rocks, 3 set waters and 1 set cottage.

Set No. 3 was intended for limited spaces, such as an ordinary meeting hall for a social or fraternal organization. This option included 1 drop curtain and following drops: parlor scene, kitchen scene, street scene, and wood scene. In addition to the drops, there were 4 interior wings, 4 exterior wings, 2 front wings (tormentors), 1 grand drapery border, 2 front borders, and 2 sky borders.

The catalogue noted that the scenery was created with “extra heavy material painted in bright durable colors, by the best skilled Scenic Painters, and are warranted strictly first-class in every particular.” By 1894, Sosman & Landis advertised, “Over 4,000 places of amusement are to-day using scenery made by our firm.”

Center door fancy painted by Sosman & Landis for the Elks Opera House (now Tabor Opera House) in 1902.

City building flats to accompany street scene, produced by the Kansas City Scenic Co. in 1902.

To be continued…

Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Part 977 – Measles, 1918

In 1918, Thomas G. Moses wrote, “In March we did a lot of work for the production of “Cinderella,” to be put on in Oak Park at the High School.” Unfortunately, an outbreak of the measles closed down the school production that month. On May 12, 1918, the “Chicago Tribune” reported, “The opera ‘Cinderella,’ which was to have been given by students from the Oak Park High School has been indefinitely postponed because of an epidemic of measles among the cast. Three members of the cast are ill” (page 3).

There is no indication that the show was ever rescheduled. However, I did encounter an informative article about measles and the recommendation to wear facemasks. In light of our recent situation with COVID-19, this seems like a timely article to share. After all, the Spanish Flu would follow on the heels of the measles epidemic.

The “Chicago Tribune” included a medical section entitled, “How to Keep Well by Dr. W. A. Evans.” On Nov. 18, 1918, Dr. Evans addressed “The Measles Question” (page 8).

From the “Chicago Tribune” November 18, 1918.

He wrote to following advice:

“Ask the average man on the street about measles and he will say, ‘Oh, fiddlesticks – don’t amount to a row of pins!’ Ask and health officer the same question and he will say, ‘Very important health department question.’ More children die from measles than from any other form of contagion. It kills more children than diphtheria or scarlet fever. Ask any school principal and he will reply: ‘I don’t know about the severity of the disease, but I know that it upsets the schools more than any other disease.’ Now here are three options, no two which are the same and two almost directly contradictory. All the answers are honest. Why the difference? Measles starts like an ordinary cold. Within a few hours this particular cold differs from an ordinary cold in that the eyes get red. It also differs in degree in that there is more dry cough. In an ordinary cold the cough does not come on until a few days after the nose cold. In the family is accustomed to using a thermometer it will find that the measles cold causes the higher fever of the two. After about three days the measles eruption begins to appear, starting first on the face. The disease is most contagious in the period before the eruption.

As to all those points there is no disagreement In fact, most parents and some school officials say measles is so contagious in this early stage that there is not use trying to stop an epidemic once the disease starts. In this Col. Raymond of the army replies by telling of a time when measles broke out in a command of which he had medical charge. At once he locked all the cases on one house and all the contacts in another barracks and marched the bulk of the command away. The epidemic stopped short.

The mother who has had fortunate experiences with measles in her family tells of a few days of fever and hollow cough, then fading of the eruption, disappearance of fever, and stopping of the hollow cough in about ten days. In this the health officer agrees, but he adds so many children get what are known as complications that the number of deaths form measles in half the United Sates in 1916 was 7,946 and other deaths, really from measles but entered on the record as bronchitis, pleurisy, lung abscess, empyema, but really due in the first instance to measles would bring the total up to at least 16,000.

And right there is where the disagreement comes in. The average man on the street does not know about these cases that went wrong. The health officer knows about them because the death certificates go through his hands and he has been studying them. In olden days we said that the ‘measles struck in’ or that the patient ‘caught cold.’ Recent work indicates that what happens is that the patient gets an infection with a pus coccus called streptococcus hemolyticus.

One great advantage of the discovery is that along with it comes another one having to do with prevention. Not only must the other members of the family be protected against the measles patient, but the measles patient must be protected against them. When measles has him down streptococci from the throats of well members of the family are prone to jump on him and convert a mild disease to a severe one.

To prevent this the patient should wear a face mask. The members of the family in contact with the patient – the mother and those nursing and helping – should wear face masks. Cultures of the throats of the well should be made. Those having no streptococci in their throats and having had measles can take off their masks and stay at home. Those negative as to streptococci and with a history of having had measles can come home if they have been sent away. Those with streptococci in their throats should be sent away. If it is absolutely necessary that any such should stay at home they must wear face masks with care as to minute details.”

From “The Dispatch,” Moline, Illinois, 18 March 1918, page 8.

In regard to the measles and streptococcal co-infections of 1917-1918, David M. Morens and Jeffrey K. Taubenberger published a paper in 2015 – “A forgotten epidemic that changed medicine: measles in the US Army, 1917-18.”

Here is the abstract in case you want to read it: A US army-wide measles outbreak in 1917-18 resulted in more than 95,000 cases and more than 3000 deaths. An outbreak investigation implicated measles and streptococcal co-infections in most deaths, and also characterized a parallel epidemic of primary streptococcal pneumonia in soldiers without measles. For the first time, the natural history and pathogenesis of these diseases was able to be well characterized by a broad-interdisciplinary research effort with hundreds of military and civilian physicians and scientists representing disciplines such as internal medicine, pathology, microbiology, radiology, surgery, preventive medicine, and rehabilitation medicine. A clear conceptualization of bronchopneumonia resulting from viral-bacterial interactions between pathogens was developed, and prevention and treatment approaches were developed and optimized in real time. These approaches were used in the 1918 influenza pandemic, which began as the measles epidemic waned. The outbreak findings remain relevant to the understanding and medical management of severe pneumonia. Here is a link to the paper: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6617519/

When safety signs were issued from public officials to warn of contaminated homes and businesses. From the Measles. From “The Daily Chronicle,” 9 Feb. 1918, page 6.

From the “Evening Telegraph,” Dixon, Illinois, 18 Feb 1918, page 4.

To be continued…

Travels of a Scenic Artist and Scholar: Documenting the Tabor Opera House Scenery Collection, 2020

The Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado, has three distinct scenery collections. Scenic artists who delivered scenery to the venue include, Henry E. Burcky (1879), T. Frank Cox (1888), the Kansas City Scenic Co. (1902) and Sosman & Landis Scene Painting Studio of Chicago (1902). In 1901, the Elks purchased the Tabor Opera House that was built in 1879, remodeling the stage house and adding a fly loft. The original wing-and-shutter scenery was carefully tucked away in the attic, and new scenery purchased from Fred R. Megan, representing the Kansas City Scenic Co. By the way, Megan and Thomas G. Moses would later partner to establish Moses & Megan while they waited to purchase the Sosman & Landis name after the company closed in 1923. In regard to the Tabor Opera House, Kansas City Scenic Co. subcontracted some of their 1902 project to Sosman & Landis Studio.

The Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado, was built in 1879 and renovated in 1901-1902.

Two months ago, I catalogued all of the scenery stored on the Tabor Opera House stage and have just finished creating conditions reports, replacement appraisals and a collections care management document for 105 pieces. I am heading back this fall to do the same for the scenery in the attic.

Some of the scenery on the stage of the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado, 1902.

While I was in the midst of creating the documents for the scenery on stage, Kenneth Kurtz contacted me about a tray in his slide collection. Years back he visited the Tabor Opera house with his wife and photographed some of the scenery, especially a few shutters stored in the attic. I also photographed some of the scenery in the attic on my 49th birthday in 2018, and knew what treasures were tucked away up there. In a very generous move, Kurtz send his slides to me this month and I was able to photograph a few projections that I have included with this post. I still have to digitize the photos, but they have been incredibly helpful for me.

The Tabor Opera House scenery collection is remarkable because it shows the shift of scenic art over time, as well as major players in the North American theatrical manufacturing scene. It is a treasure trove of scenic art examples. The collection also depicts a shift in stage hardware from 1879 to 1888 (the flat sheaves used on wings to slide onstage). It also depicts the shift in wing, shutter and roll drop scenery to and fly scenery and realistic interior settings. This is a wonderful theater that should be preserved for future generations. To learn more about visit https://www.taboroperahouse.net/

Scenery dating from 1888 in the attic of the Tabor Opera House, Leadville, Colorado.

Scenic piece painted by T. Frank Cox in 1888.

Signature on scenic piece painted by T. Frank Cox in 1888.

Scenic artist and architect, Tignal Frank Cox (1854-1940) painted scenery for the Tabor Opera House in Leadville, Colorado, in 1888. He was touring Colorado as a scenic artist and performer, marketing his artistic skills on stage as a “Lighting Artist” and “Tramp Artist.”

Please consider donating to the preservation of this remarkable theatre collection. Here is the link to the Tabor Opera House Preservation Foundation: https://www.taboroperahouse.net/donate

Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Part 976 – David Belasco’s “The Wanderer,” 1918

From the “Bismarck Tribune,” 21 Aug 1918, page 8.

In 1918, Thomas G. Moses wrote, “Mama and I went to see the big spectacle of “The Wanderer” at the Auditorium. It was awfully good. The scenery was fine.”

“The Wanderer” was a production written by Maurice V. Samuels and staged by David Belasco. The plot was based on the well-known parable of the prodigal son. “The Boston Globe” announced that the show was “endorsed by more than 1500 clergymen of New York and by 800 clergymen of Philadelphia” (18 Nov, 1917, page 48). According to newspapers across the country, it was the “greatest cast ever organized in the history of the American stage” with Nance O’Neil, James O’Neil, Charles Dalton, Frederick Lewis, Lionel Braham, Sydney Herbert, Ernest Cove, Henry Duggan, Jean Stuart, Florence Auer, Jean Robertson, Olga Newton, Edward Martyn, Sydney Mather, George Byron, C. H. Faulkner, and “more than 200 others.”

From the “Spokesman Review,” Spokane, Washington, 4 Aug 1918 page 20.

The first and third act of the show depicted the home of the prodigal son in the hills of Hebron with a flock of sheep. The second act took place in the elaborate palace of Nadina in Jerusalem. Of the palatial scene, the “Spokesman-Review” reported, “Gorgeous and grandeur almost beyond description are said to be found in this scene. Voluptuousness is probably the word that most nearly describes the atmosphere and color of the big act. A riot of color and motion is said to be everywhere as portraying the haunts of gilded vice where, as Scripture relates, the prodigal son ‘wasted his substance in riotous living.’ While the biblical story is closely followed, the playwright has embroidered much romantic effect on the fabric of the parable and tells the story in dignified and picturesque phrases” (Spokane, Washington, 4 Aug., 1918, page 20)

“The Los Angeles Express” described, “Jerusalem’s house of sin, which is the second act of The Wanderer, also shows a touch of this master. There is sumptuous and luxury with deft touches of the garish in lights and decorations, all combining to convey the impression of a sin-filled atmosphere. The scene is said to be a marvelous palace of imaginative exemplification of St. Luke’s brief description that the Prodigal Son had ‘wasted his substance with riotous living’” (May 9, 1918, page 8).

From the “Pittsburgh Daily Press,” 20 Jan 1918, page 46.

Advertisements announced, “The magnificence of the orient in the time of King Solomon is revealed in all its grandeur in this wonderful play” (Spokane, Washington, 4 Aug., 1918, page 20). The show was advertised as the “Biggest Dramatic Spectacle on Earth!” Considering that the Ringling Brothers transported 1,250 performers, 300 ballet dancers and 90 musicians for their “King Solomon and the Queen of Sheba” production, this was a little overstated (see past post #486 https://drypigment.net2018/08/25/tales-from-a-scenic-artist-and-scholar-part-486-ringling-brothers-king-solomon-and-the-queen-of-sheba/).

“The Wanderer” traveled with a company of 200, 90 ballet dancers, and 120 real sheep. I cannot imagine working a touring production with 120 sheep. And what were the sheep doing? The flock of 120 real sheep entered down the scenic runway, 35 feet high, representing the hills of Hebron. “The Los Angeles Express” described the scene with the sheep, reporting, “It is said that the curtain is raised for but a few minutes when the audience is fairly electrified, for there in the poetic quietude of the pastoral scene which represents the home of the Prodigal So amidst the hills of Hebron, is to be seen a large flock of sheep wending their way down the low hillside to the fold at eventide, and the friendly barking of the shepherd dogs is heard as well as the soft grinding of the hand-turned millstones which provide flour of the festal bread” (May 9, 1918, page 8).

From the “Los Angeles Evening Express,” 11 May 1918 page 8.

Anselm Goetzel wrote the musical score and Alexis Kosloff arranged and directed the incidental dances. “Stern of Paris” was credited with the scene painting and costuming. This was Ernst Stern (1876-1954), the Romanian-German scenic artist, who worked for Max Reinhardt at the Deutsches Theater.

From the”Los Angeles Express,” 15 May 1918, page 6.

To be continued…

Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Part 975: Thomas G. Moses and “Happy Jack” Gardner, 1918

“Happy Jack” Gardner, picture in the “Sioux City Journal,” 28 March 1915, page 33.

In 1918, Thomas G. Moses wrote, “Made a Saturday afternoon visit with Jack Garner regarding his act, which was very good.”

Jack E. Gardner came from a theatrical family and initially performed in a musical comedy skit called “The Three Gardners.” The vaudeville act starred Jack, Andy and Ada Gardner in 1900. By 1905, Jack had quit the trio. He became known as “Happy Jack,” and advertised as a musical comedian in a solo act (The Morning Call, Paterson, New Jersey, 4 Oct. 1907, page 3). The “Los Angeles Times” reported “‘Happy Jack’ Garner recalls a pleasant turn, consisting of good songs and tuneful melodies drawn from a disreputable old tuba (Feb 17, 1907, page 75). In 1909, Gardner was still doing his musical routine, but now was performing in black face (The Salt Lake Herald-Republican, 16 Jan. 1909, page 7). By 1910, Happy Jack was touring the west as a minstrel performer (Oregon Daily Journal, 4 Dec. 1910, page 37). About this time, Gardner and his wife Edna (Beard) Gardner joined the Actors’ Colony in Muskegon, Michigan. There, he was performed in the colony’s annual charity shows. For more of his involvement in this group, see http://www.actorscolony.com/Gardners.htm

In 1912, Gardner starred in “A Close Call” with his own company on the Sullivan and Considine circuit. That summer, “Happy Jack” was featured alongside his good friends in Butte, Montana – Jack Jeffries, Jim Jeffries (former heavyweight champion of the world), and Barney Oldfield (racing car driver). The “Butte Miner” reported “Gardner was the first handler of Jeffries when he forsook the ring for the stage and he is now one of the closest of big Jims friends and intimates – and Jeff hasn’t many” (20 June 1912, page 3). Gardner was also a former room-mate of James J. Jeffries (Calgary Herald, 14 June 1912, page 9). Oldfield was making an appearance in Butte at this time with his famous racing car for July celebrations.

From the “Butte Miner,” 20 July 1912, page 3.

“Happy Jack” made quite a name for himself as he continued to perform across the country. Notable productions included “Madame Sherry” and “The Chocolate Soldier.” However, it was Gardner’s later interaction with film on the vaudeville stage that really caught my attention He had a brand new idea for vaudeville that would tour the Orpheum Circuit; a first that I have encountered to date.

On Jan. 31, 1915, “Oakland Tribune” reported, “Jack E. Garner has turned his back upon the lyric stage and has become a dramatic actor. His new departure is entitled “Curse You, Jack Dalton” and is an exaggerated melodrama of the old school acted upon the moving picture screen” (page 5). Of the vaudeville act, the “Atlanta Constitution” reported, “The brand-new idea of Gardner’s embraces the moving pictures, with which he is assisted in the production of “Curse You, Jack Dalton.” The main action is enacted upon the screen, but the versatile Garner fits himself into each situation with ludicrous effect” (20 June 1915, page 1). The “Lincoln Star” added, “The ‘stunt’ is something entirely new and novel to the vaudeville stage. Jack Gardner had a reel of pictures, with clever actors, the hero, the villain, the heroine and her papa – a blood-curdling melodrama – incomplete, however, without Gardner walking around the stage mingling with his picture characters, talking with them, prompting them and even shooting with a real revolver the mustached villain, who falls writing to the floor with a bullet in his arm” (Lincoln, Nebraska, 19 March 1915, page 2). This was a movie produced under the personal direction of Billy Arnold. The “Fort Wayne News” reported, “Arnold’s ‘company’ consists of a movie film produced under his personal direction and in which he in the flesh and blood makes himself a portion of. The act isn’t one that will live a long time, but while it is new the novelty is so marked that it makes a great hit” (Fort Wayne, Indiana, 29 Jan. 1915, page 4).

Jack E. Gardner in “Curse You! Jack Dalton.” Advertisement in the “Democrat and Chronicle,” Rochester, NY, 8 Dec. 1914, page 22.

The September 1916 issue of “Variety” described another short film by Gardner that I found pretty interesting:

“Jack E. Gardner. Songs and Talk. 17 Min. One. Fifth Ave. Jack Gardner is at least to be congratulated on his streak of progressiveness. He, unlike many other “single” men, seems continually to strive for the original, and generally makes proper connections. His present turn is a neatly constructed affair, consisting of an introductory number, after which he runs through a routine of songs of different style, each one prefaced with an explanation in rhyme, Gardner explaining he would never think of imitating others, then proceeds with an illustration of what he means. The finale is the comedy trump. A speech, in which he invites applicants to the stage, introduces the well-known Benjamin Schaeffer, who “masquerades” as an amateur and who craves the attention of the house during a recital of “Gunga Din.” Gardner promises Ben protection, but at the finale stages a comedy-choking scene, with Ben retreating to the auditorium delivering a routine of satirical remarks. It’s a good finish and Benjamin was surprisingly good. So was Gardner. With this act and his name Mr. Gardner should do nicely, although some of the number could be cut down so that the act would not exceed 12 or 14 minutes in running.”

By 1917, “Happy Jack Garner” and his company toured the Orpheum Circuit in a comedy entitled “In the War Zone.” Advertised as performed by the “Jack Gardner Trio” or “Happy Jack Gardner & Co.” the show was advertised as “a riot of laughs” (The York Dispatch, York, Pennsylvania, 17 May 1917, page 10). The “Ithaca Journal” reported, “There is fun galore in Happy Jack Garner’s act which contains several talented persons” (The Ithaca Journal, 9 March 1917, page 6). The “Fitchburg Sentinel,” reported “Mr. Gardner will be remembered as a blackface artist who appeared as the Cummings a few seasons ago and scored on of the biggest laughing hits ever secured at that theater. This time he is the head of an organization of four people who present his latest creation ‘The War Zone.’ Mr. Gardner is supported by C. Ward Brown as General Bolters of the Belgium forces. Miss Edna Beard as Kitty Wilson, a Red Cross nurse, James F. Gallagher, as Denny O’Brian of the British forces. Mr. Gardner will be an American negro playing in the French band. It is laughable burlesque of the best type and should be welcomed by local theatregoers”

This was likely that the Gardner performance that Moses saw in 1917 was “In the War Zone.” It was still touring in 1920 (The Tribune, Scranton, Pennsylvania, 13 Oct. 1920, page 13).

By 1917, Garner was performing with another film “The Range Boss,” the second of his Essanay Western Productions, appearing as a dare-devil cowboy. The film was based on a novel by Charles Alden Seltzer. Here is a link to the book, if you feel like reading a western novel today: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/25754/25754-h/25754-h.htm The film version was directed by W. S. Van Dyke, the silent film also starred Ruth King and Carl Stockdale. Of Garner’s performance, the “Charlotte News” reported, “His defeats of horsemanship in this picture demonstrate that it isn’t altogether necessary to live in the west in order to learn to ride a horse” (Charlotte, North Carolina, 26 August 1917, page 13). The Essanay Film Manufacturing Co. was established in 1906. The firm offices in Chicago were located at 1333 West Argyle Street.

Gardner passed away on April 16, 1929, in Muskegon, Michigan.

To be continued…

Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Part 974 – The Coal Shortage, 1918

In 1918, Thomas G. Moses wrote, “As the ground hog saw his shadow on the 2^nd of February, we had fully six weeks more of winter. The government compelled us to stop work on five Mondays, which pleased us, as we were so short of work we could well afford to close for the day.” U.S. Fuel Administration ordered a general shutdown of industry and businesses in all states east of the Mississippi River for a period of five days, and ten succeeding Mondays.

From the “Chicago Tribune,” 29 Jan 1918 page 7.

WWI caused an energy crisis and there was a severe coal shortage in the United States at the beginning of 1918. Keep in mind that coal was a major fuel source that powered generators, furnaces, factories and more. “Heatless Mondays” were aimed to relieve a serious coal shortage that threatened to delay the shipment of war supplies to France. On February 2, 1918, the “Herald and Review” reported, “heatless Mondays were decreed by the fuel administration Jan. 17 as a measure to save coal and to relieve railroad transportation” (Decatur, Illinois, page 1). There was vigorous opposition from commercial interests, especially department stores. Theaters had their heatless day changed to Tuesday.

Newspaper were filled with articles on the coal shortage. From the “Rock Island Argus,” 16 Jan 1918 page 3.

On January 4, 1918, the “Ephraim Enterprise” reported, the government began to tighten its control over industry and business for the purpose of furthering war efforts and protecting the public” (Ephraim, Utah, page 4).

In addition to closing businesses for five Mondays, schools were closed and had abbreviated hours. Theatre matinees were cancelled, only open for a few hours in the evening. Chicagoans wrote letters to the newspaper pleading for fuel. Families with wood burning stoves sheltered their neighbors. Railroad companies dipped into their supplies, ensuring the continuation of city water in some areas. People froze to death during the bitter cold that hit the Northeast and Midwest. Coal stoves were converted to use Kerosene.

From the “Chicago Tribune,” 27 Oct 1918 page 72.

From the “Chicago Tribune,” 20 Jan 1918 page 5.

On January 10, 1918, the “Chicago Tribune” reported, “More industries may shut down unless relief comes. Many industries throughout the Atlantic states closed their doors tonight under the paralyzing influence of the growing coal famine. New York, New Jersey and Massachusetts, hardest hit of the coalless districts, tomorrow will face the prospect of part time business only for lack of heat and power. Fifty-one public schools in New York closed their doors yesterday, and others will be compelled to follow their example today because of empty coal bines. In Massachusetts business houses have been called upon by Fuel Administrator J. J Storrow to limit their hours to 9 o’clock in the morning to 5 in the evening. Boston theaters have been ordered to close at 10 o’clock, along with bowling alleys and all other places of amusement. A similar order was sent to saloons” (page 3).

Additional articles from Washington D.C, noted, “The fuel administration came in for sharp criticism in the house today. Representative Madden of Illinois said the ‘coal operators are getting rich at the expense of the overburdened taxpayers,’ and Representative Foster of the same state, who was in charge of the bill, declared that if the government cannot control prices it should take over the mines.”

On February 8, 1918, the Administration’s “Heatless Mondays” was abandoned after five weeks.

From “The Herald,” Crystal Lake, Illinois, 20 Jan 1918 page 5.

From the “Tamaroa Times,” Tamaroa, Illinois, 5 Dec. 1918 page 7.

To be continued…

Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Part 973 – A Case of Lumbago, 1918

In January of 1918, Thomas G. Moses wrote, “About the middle of the month I had a frightful attack of lumbago which confined me to bed for several days. As business was very bad, I didn’t worry about having to remain at home so long.”

At the age of 62, Moses was suffering from extreme back pain. There was little that could be done at the time, other than trying some advertised remedy and wait it out. Lumbago can be caused from several factors, especially the overuse of the lower back and the sudden lifting of a heavy load. It can also be the result of excessive bending or other repetitive motions involving the lower back. Scenic artists were, and in many cases are, subject to constant harmful activities, needing to move heavy materials and completing repetitive movements.

There were many advertisements for Lumbago treatments in 1918, repeatedly published in Illinois newspapers. Testimonials were included, elaborating on the quick success of one topical ointment over another. One that really caught my attention was Turpo, a combination of turpentine, Menthol and camphor; a treatment suggested by painters.

One of the products sold in 1918 to alleviate pain associated with lumbago.

A Turpo advertisement in the “Chicago Tribune,” 3 March 1918, page 78.

From “The Paxton Record,” Paxton, Illinois, 12 Dec 1918, page 5.

From “The Clifton Daily Public,” Clifton, Illinois, 19 March 1918, page 4.

From “The Chicago Tribune,” 13 Jan 1918, page 62.

We all look for a quick fix, something that gets us back on our feet and back at work. Going back too soon and not waiting for an injury to heal, however, will leave a mark. A hasty return may take its toll down the road; it has with me.

1918 marks the beginning of continued health problems for Moses. Later that fall, he wrote, “October 10^th, I was knocked down by a boy on a bicycle in Oak Park. It was dark and I did not see the wheel. It was thought by the doctor that I had fractured my skull. It was a couple of months before I recovered. Only a few days after this I was forced to go to Cleveland to look after a big Masonic order and I hope we will be able to get the contract.”

He did not have the opportunity to properly heal.

There are those accidents later in life that some never really recover from, life changing instances. Broken hips, sprained wrists, or fractured skulls are just a few injuries that morph into later problems and daily aches. As one ages, it is harder to recover, it takes longer to recover from simple injuries and routine procedures. What we garner in experience we lose in other ways. It sucks, and I’m only 50 yrs. old.

Many artists are at the peak of their career by 60, only to realize that their eyesight is failing, or arthritis is affecting their hands and wrists. This is no different from any other profession, and the statement “cruel twist of fate” often comes to mind. For Moses, he had reached so many milestones and was starting to fail. Keep in mind that the average life expectancy for men at this time was 47 years old, so Moses, being 62 was remarkable, especially when considering the “hard labor” aspect of his profession. I think of many scenic artists who passed away at the end of the 19th century, well before they reached their 35^th birthday; the loss of talent in the theatre industry is staggering. But as many at the time, he planned to work until the day he died.

From “The Dispatch, Moline,” Illinois, 28 May 1918, page 11.

To be continued…

Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Part 972 – Collecting Payment from H. Robert Law, 1918

Sosman & Landis were still waiting for the final payments related to government cantonment theater work in January 1918. In 1917, Thomas G. Moses wrote, “We closed a contract with H. Robert Law of New York City for a lot of scenery for the Government Cantonment Theatres. First contract was $12,600.00, second $3,600.00, and third $980.00 for installing one job. All to be completed November 7^th – some hustling. I went down to the studio on five Sundays – something I haven’t done in fifteen years, and every night until 8:30. Some of the boys slept in the studio. Everyone hustled. We completed the work on the day set and inside of a week it was all out of the studio.” This was a project to help the war effort; a big one that brought in $17,180 in a short period of time. That is the monetary equivalent of $364,438.00 today; no small project.

On January 3, Moses left Akron, Ohio, and headed to New York City, where he planned to “settle up with the Government work with Law.” Of the trip between Akron and New York, Moses wrote, “All day a cold car. The first time I ever had to keep my overcoat on in a sleeping car. Very cold all night – no lights in the car, everything was frozen. Nine hours late. After leaving Philadelphia, we passed a bad wreck. A passenger train had run into another one standing on the side track. The engine had plowed through the rear coach, which happened to be a “dead head.” No one in it. The coach settled down on the engine, covering it completely. Strange to say, no one was badly hurt. Transacted my business in one day.” Unfortunately, the trip was not a success. Sosman & Landis would have to send another representative to New York later that year to collect the final payment. Of this second trip, Moses wrote, “Lester Landis went to New York and finally got a settlement with Law for our government work. It has cost us a good bit to get it settled.”

This becomes a reoccurring theme in the final years of Sosman & Landis, one that directly contributes to the eventual closure of the firm.

At the end of 1917, Moses wrote, “The greatest handicap to a profit sharing business is procrastination among the managers. The eleventh hour idea of getting scenery, we can either take it, or work night and day to get it out on a close margin, or let it alone and allow someone else to creep in and steal our business.” This represented one hardship the firm was repeatedly encountering. Add on collecting funds on projects with a “close margin,” such as the Law project. It took two trips to New York, sending a Sosman & Landis representative to meet with Law in person to collect the owed funds. Two trips, with train fare, lodging expense and meals, plus the loss of time on other projects to collect money for completed work. I then look at the career of H. Robert Law, who was in and out of courts for much of his career, also trying to collect payment for his work (see past post #962). What a mess.

The theatre industry, like any other business, is based on trust; the understanding that you will be paid for your work as identified in contractual agreements. Unfortunately, that is not always the case. Many of us have weighed the options when trying to collect money from clients for completed work. For Sosman & Landis in 1918, additional project-related expenses included two trips to New York and the loss of time. Much remains unknown about the work contracted with H. Robert Law Studios in 1917. It is possible that Sosman & Landis were simply subcontractors to Law, and he was also waiting for payment from the US government.

The point of this tale in the big picture for the studio is money owed for completed work. The delayed payment in 1918 did not cause Sosman & Landis to crumble in the same way that might have been the case with a smaller firm. However, it did leave a mark, and those marks turned into a major scar. A series of projects with delays and non-payments eventually took a toll on the studio. Keep in mind that Sosman & Landis financed the stage portions of many Scottish Rite theater projects for almost two decades – 1/3 upon delivery, 1/3 a year later and the final 1/3 a year after that. That work made up approximately 25% of all projects for twenty years. I the end, Sosman & Landis had consistent difficulties in collecting the final payment from many Scottish Rite Valleys; this was well after the client had received the contracted goods in their entirety. The continued absence of money owed added up in the end. It became the perfect storm to cause a studio’s downfall. This occurred at the same time that demand for painted scenery began to diminish. And in the midst of these difficulties, studio founder Joseph S. Sosman passed away and a series of internal struggles began. Times were certainly changing for the major theatrical supplier.

To be continued…

Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar. Part 971: St. Edmund’s Parochial School, 1918

In 1918, Thomas G. Moses wrote, “The new St. Edmond’s Parochial School within two blocks of our home needed scenery, so I got a little line from one of the Parishioners. Met Father Code and he was willing to spend $600.00, but wanted a figure curtain. I had a fine wood cut of “The Landing of Columbus” which he selected, and we were very successful in getting a very good curtain. He was well pleased with it.” Moses was referring to Rev. Msgr. John J. Code of St. Edmund, the first Catholic Parish in Oak Park, Illinois. St. Edmund’s Catholic School opened in the fall of 1917 and operated until 2016.

Code was appointed by Archbishop James Quigley to organize the Oak Park church, serving from June 1907 until October 1956. Father Code made plans to construct a school on the corner of Oak Park Avenue and Pleasant Street in Oak Park and selected architect Henry J. Schlaks. Schlaks designed the new school after the Palace of Justice in Rouen, France.

The cornerstone for St. Edmund’s school was laid on May 20, 1917, with dedication ceremonies on October 14 of that year. The original structure had five classrooms, one of which housed the nuns; the Dominican Sisters from Adrian, Michigan were the instructors. A convent was later purchased for the nuns on the southwest corner of Euclid and Pleasant Street. Over time the school expanded to 17 classrooms. An annex to the school was completed in 1948, with four new classrooms, a music hall and library. In 1959 and a modern two-story addition was added on the south. Unfortunately enrollment declined for a variety of reasons by the twenty-first century.

On Jan. 13, 2016, the “Chicago Tribune” reported, “The Chicago Archdiocese has announced that one more school will close at the end of the academic year, just one year short of celebrating its centennial. St. Edmund Catholic School in west suburban Oak Park could not overcome years of declining enrollment and financial difficulties, the archdiocese said. There are three other Catholic schools in Oak Park: Ascension, Sr. Giles and St. Catherine Siena-St. Lucy.”

Here is the current website for the church: http://www.stedmund.org/

To be continued…