Drypigment.net

Copyright © 2019 by Wendy Waszut-Barrett

While looking for information about scenery delivered by Sosman & Landis in 1913, I stumbled across an interesting publication – “How to Enter Vaudeville” written by the Frederic LaDelle that same year. The content of the book covers a lot of ground, providing an interesting snap shot of the production process and terminology in 1913. There was also a guide to theatre manufacturers, suppliers, and services. The “Dealers in Theatrical Goods,” however, only four studios were listed under “Theatrical Scenery.” I don’t know if this speaks to Frederic LaDelle’s limited connections or if other scenic studios perceived this publication as lacking importance.

The four dealers in theatrical goods were listed in the following order:

1. John C. Becker, 143 Southport Ave., Chicago, Ill.

2. Manning Studio, Rochester, N.Y.

3. Eugene Cox, 1528 Van Buren St. Chicago, Ill

4. W. Crosbie Gill, Warrick’s Theatre, N.Y.

N J. Pausback purchased advertisement space in the book, yet was not listed as a theatrical dealer in the directory. The add was worth mentioning.

Here is Pausback’s 1913 ad on “How to Enter Vaudeville:”

“DYE SCENERY! Papier mache properties and stage effects. The best scenery for vaudeville performers is that which is known as ‘Dye Scenery.’ “It is brighter in color and can be folded and packed into trunks and traveling cases without the slightest injury to the scene itself. Dye scenery is also lighter in weight than the old kind and is therefore an important item in reducing excess baggage expense which amounts to considerable in the course of the season. Many acts make good on scenery and stage setting alone, and in such acts as Japanese, Chinese, Western Cowboy, Indian and in fact all impersonations of race or nationality, the scenery should be best. Write me a letter stating your requirements, and the nature of your act and I will submit you a rough sketch and quote you a satisfactory price on your work. N. J. PAUSBACK, Theatrical Contractor 6539 Ellis Avenue, Chicago, Illinois.”

I have continually explored the production of dye scenery in many past posts over he past few years, but it is worth repeating at this particular juncture in the life and times of Thomas G. Moses.

During the first decade of the twentieth century, much traveling scenery was created with aniline dye, allowing drops to be easily folded and packed in a trunk (for additional information, see past posts # 548-550).  This process ensured that the painted composition would not crack or dust off during transit and repeated use. Dye drops were lighter and far easier to handle, perfect for tent shows, midway amusements, circuses, and vaudeville troupes. The vibrant colors also worked well for certain stage effects, such as sunsets and stained glass.  All you needed to do was mix the dye with a binder, such as gum arabic. The right mixture provided maximum adhesion and minimal bleeding of color. However, just like any chemistry project, you had to get the binder/water/dye ratios correct or it was a big bleeding mess.  Dyes were also used for inking the drawing. It was a wonderful and versatile “go-to” product for painting and staining.

Dry pigment was also used in place of dyes, applied in a series of thin glazes. Many of the dry colors remained quite vibrant, even when watered down, but were not comparable to certain anilines. The earliest translucencies for the stage were simply produced with a thin glaze of dry pigment, but dry pigment glazes could not hold a candle to aniline dyes in terms of vibrancy.

In the past, I have examined dye drop collections at historic theaters. For example, in Madison, Wisconsin, all of their drops are dye drops, with the majority are kept off stage in a nearby storage room, as there are more drops than lines. Now kept in plastic tubs, each drop is easily accessible to immediately hang for a degree (for more information about this particular installation, see past post #107). There are also several lovely examples of dye drops on display at the theater museum in Mount Pleasant, Iowa.  This museum purports that scenic artist Jesse Cox invented the diamond dye process for theatre drops, instigating the immediate popularity of dye drops for touring vaudeville acts and tent shows. Whether or not Cox was the first to popularize dye drops in immaterial, but the increased resulted in dye drop ads, such as Pausback’s in “How to Enter Vaudeville.”

In addition to vaudeville and tent shows, many circus spectacles also used dye scenery. In 1906, Thomas G. Moses created a dye canopy for Al Ringling (see past post #548). Moses describes how dye work was still vulnerable to water, causing Ringling to greatly chastise him after one particularly sever rain storm. Just because a backdrop was painted in dye did not mean that it could not be water damaged.  A dye drop simply helped the painted composition stand up to excessive wear and tear, it did not make it water proof; an application of paraffin helped waterproof canvas outdoors.

Over the years, dye drops have made their way into various performing arts collections. The historic examples greatly range in both size and quality.  However, it is the brilliance of color that often remains, bringing to mind the spirit an energy that characterized many touring shows that left their mark on small Midwestern towns. I will continue down the dye drop road and Jesse Cox’s perceived role in this history tomorrow.

To be continued…

Copyright © 2019 by Wendy Waszut-Barrett

I stumbled across an interesting publication while looking for information about Jackson, Michigan.  “How to Enter Vaudeville” was published by the Frederic LaDelle the same year that Sosman & Landis delivered scenery to the town. The content of the book is interesting and cover a lot of ground, providing an interesting snap shot of the production process in 1913. Below is the list of what was contained in LaDelle’s publication:

“CONTAINING – – The Keynote of Success Now to Start in Vaudeville, How to make a success. How to secure an original act. What kind of act to get up. Rehearsals. How to report for rehearsals. How to rehearse. Breaking in your act. Cues. Properties. How to finish your act. How to dress your act. Where to work on the stage. Scenery. Billing and property lines. How to get some publicity. Vocal and instrumental music, free. Conduct off the stage. A dictionary of stage terms, fixtures and appurtenances, Vaudeville slang and phrases. Characterization and impersonation. The orchestra. Headliners. How to overcome stage fright. Encores. How to get a reputation quickly. Distinctiveness and originality. How to enter the dramatic profession. Ordinary acts and big reputations. Theatrical publications. Circuits, Contracts, House rules. Booking agencies. Writing to booking agencies.  Booking agents partial to beginners. Salaries. Seeing booking agents personally. Writing for engagements. Professional letterheads. Stage conduct. After receiving contracts. Presenting yourself to the stage manager. Handling your baggage. Behavior toward stage managers. Closing an engagement. Booking your act through Europe and the continent. Firms dealing in theatrical goods. Securing press notices. Advertising your act. How acts are reported. Questions and answers. Ninety vaudeville acts explained. How to interest your audience. Eccentric wardrobe and makeup. Eliminating crudity and amateurishness. Process of making up illustrated. Making up for various races, nationalities and characters.”

However, it was the inclusion of “a dictionary of stage terms, fixtures and appurtenances” that really caught my eye. We often look for technical terms in technical manuals. We forget to consider other sources, such as “How to Enter Vaudeville.”  Although written for the performer, it provides a wealth of information about theatre technology. Stage terms vary from country to country, region to region, and sometimes decade to decade.  LaDelle’s publication provides insight into theatre terminology specific to Jackson, Michigan, in 1913.

In LaDelle’s dictionary section (page 48), I want to point out the following definitions as it forms some technical context for this period as I continue to write about the life and times of Thomas G. Moses:

Box set. A set of flats representing a scene, where each piece is lashed to the other forming a square box.

Battens. Wooden strips attached to drop.

Border lights. Those lights suspended above the stage.

Bunch lights. A cluster of lights in a reflector attached to a movable iron stand.

Cyclorama drop. A suspended drop that encircles the stage from back up to tormentor wings

Drop. A painted scene suspended by ropes through pulleys in gridiron.

Dimmer. A dimmer is an electrical device for gradually brightening or lowering the lights of the theatre. It is used for production effects as sunrise, twilight, etc. The larger theatres have their own dimmers, but where the act calls for this effect they should be included in the property of the performer.

Flats. Pieces of scenery that are made rigid by frames and are placed and replaced by hand.

Fancy borders. Strips of painted scenery suspended across the stage to match different scenes.

Footlights. Row of lights sunk just below the floor level at the front of the stage.

Grand teaser. A fancy border suspended behind the asbestos curtain and in front of the house curtain.

Grips. Those stage hands that place and replace flats on stage by hand.

House curtain. This curtain is the first back of the asbestos curtain and is generally painted with some attractive scene, such as a landscape or some similar view. A good many houses also paint advertisements of local merchants on the house curtain.

Leg drop. A suspended scene with an opening cut out of it, forming a leg on each side.

Olio or street drop. A suspended scene representing a street dropped directly behind tormentor wings. [Note that this defines the olio as a scene and not machine].

Stage braces. Strips of heavy wood, with hook in one end and eye in the other. They are hooked into the eye in the flats and the other end screwed down to the stage to brace the piece of scenery.

Sky borders. Strips of blue cloth suspended by lines across the stage to represent the sky.

Scrim drop. A suspended scene with an opening in it backed with transparent gauze. [does this not sound like what we call a cut drop?]

Spot lights. A circle of intense white light thrown from the balcony or gallery, upon the performer while on the stage. Flood lights are produced by enlarging the circle of light so as to light the entire stage with strong light from the front of the house.

Strip Lights. A strip of lights at either side of the stage opening.

Tormentors. Fancy draped and painted wings, one on each side of stage, fixed permanently.

Tormentor border. The strip of painted drapery suspended above and just behind tormentors.

Working in one, two, etc. The stage is divided on each side by imaginary spaces or entrances which are between each wing; for instance, working in one, means that an act is using that space on stage from street scene to footlights; being the space from the footlights to an imaginary line from one tormentor wing to another. Working in two, means using the space in front of the second wing which is generally set four feet back of the tormentor wings. The same idea holds for working in three, four, full stage, etc.

For more definitions and a scan of the entire publication, here is the link from the Library of Congress page on Bob Hope and American Vaudeville:

http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=bobhope&fileName=hope41Apage.db&recNum=0

To be continued…

Copyright © 2019 by Wendy Waszut-Barrett

In 1913, Jackson boasted a modest population of 31,433. That year, Thomas G. Moses wrote that Sosman & Landis delivered “a new interior” for Jackson, Michigan.” The studio also delivered “a new interior” to Chicago’s Olympic Theatre in 1913. A “new interior” signified a box set, constructed with series of interchangeable flats that could be lashed together with cords and cleats. The theater that received the interior set in Jackson was the Athenaeum.

Julius Cahn’s Official Theatrical Guide for the 1913-1914 season listed the Athenaeum as Jackson’s sole performance venue for touring productions. The Athenaeum first opened in 1898, two years after the town lost the Hibbard Opera House to fire (“Bessmer Herald,” 17 Dec., 1898, page 19). Built by Charles C. Bloomfield, the “Bessmer Herald” reported that “Jackson’s New Theatre,” the Athenaeum, was a “playhouse second to none in the State outside of Detroit.” Cahn’s Guide also noted that this ground floor theater had a seating capacity of 1290, with 462 on the main floor, 328 in the balcony and 500 in the gallery. In addition to the standard seating, there were 20 boxes.

The proscenium opening at the Athenaeum was 34 feet wide by 26 feet high, a standard size for the day. The depth of the stage was 34 feet with the stage width measuring 64 feet. The measurement from the Athenaeum’s stage to the rigging loft was 50 feet, the fly gallery 24 feet.

Beyond a few technical descriptions, I uncovered little about the interior set or other scenery on the stage. However, discovering a new publication made my entire search worthwhile. In 1913, an author in Jackson published 1913 an illustrated course of instruction on “How to Enter Vaudeville.” Copyrighted by the Frederic La Delle Co. the course contents are worth noting:

“CONTAINING – – The Keynote of Success Now to Start in Vaudeville, How to make a success. How to secure an original act. What kind of act to get up. Rehearsals. How to report for rehearsals. How to rehearse. Breaking in your act. Cues. Properties. How to finish your act. How to dress your act. Where to work on the stage. Scenery. Billing and property lines. How to get some publicity. Vocal and instrumental music, free. Conduct off the stage. A dictionary of stage terms, fixtures and appurtences, Vaudeville slang and phrases. Characterization and impersonation. The orchestra. Headliners. How to overcome stage fright. Encores. How to get a reputation quickly. Distinctiveness and originality. How to enter the dramatic profession. Ordinary acts and big reputations. Theatrical publications. Circuits, Contracts, House rules. Booking agencies. Writing to booking agencies.  Booking agents partial to beginners. Salaries. Seeing booking agents personally. Writing for engagements. Professional letterheads. Stage conduct. After receiving contracts. Presenting yourself to the stage manager. Handling your baggage. Behavior toward stage managers. Closing an engagement. Booking your act through Europe and the continent. Firms dealing in theatrical goods. Securing press notices. Advertising your act. How acts are reported. Questions and answers. Ninety vaudeville acts explained. How to interest your audience. Eccentric wardrobe and makeup. Eliminating crudity and amateurishness. Process of making up illustrated. Making up for various races, nationalities and characters.”

I’ll look at the section: “A dictionary of stage terms, fixtures and appurtences” tomorrow.

To be continued…

Copyright © 2019 by Wendy Waszut-Barrett

In 1913, Thomas G. Moses wrote that Sosman & Landis delivered, “A new interior for the Olympic Theatre.”  This meant that they designed and installed a new painted interior set (box set) for the stage at the Olympic Theatre. An interior set included a series of interchangeable flats that could be lashed together to form a box set. I transported an interior set to the Matthews Opera House (Spearfish, South Dakota) that was manufactured by the Twin City Scenic Co. around that time and set it up. Cleats and cords lashed the various flats together, and we rapidly assembled the set in a manner of minutes. Previously, I had set up a series of vintage interior sets at the Czech-Slovak hall (C.S.P.S. building) that was similar in construction for documentation.  In both instances, I was amazed at how quickly a box set could be assembled and torn down. What an ingenious system.

In regard to the theater where Sosman & Landis delivered the interior set, Chicago’s Olympic Theatre was located on Clark and Randolph streets. At the time, Sam Lederer managed the venue, featuring Klaw & Erlanger productions. The ground-floor theater, illuminated by electricity, had a seating capacity was 1,584. The proscenium opening measured 37 feet wide by 24 ¾ feet. The stage was 26 ¾ feet deep with a back stage width of 71 feet. The height to the rigging loft was 53 ¾ feet and the height to the fly gallery 25 feet. The under stage area was 8 feet deep. A pretty standard space for the time.

Like many entertainment venues in Chicago, the Olympic Theatre has a very complex history. Originally named the New Chicago Theatre in 1873 by James H. McVicker, it was built on the previous site of Kingsbury Hall, a building that had been destroyed during the great fire of 1871. This venue enjoyed a series of names changes between 1873 to 1893, switching from the New Chicago, to Grand Opera House, Cristy’s Opera House and the Music Hall. An extensive remodel of the space then resulted in the newly named Olympic Theatre.  However, in 1907, a fire caused extensive damage to the building, resulting in the rebuilding of the space. When Sosman & Landis delivered the interior set, it would have been an extension of their stock scenery collection.

The Olympic Theatre name did not last, however, and soon became Schubert’s Apollo Theatre. This name change was after the 1921 Apollo Theatre at Dearborn and Randolph Streets was converted into the United Artists movie house in 1927.

It is the repetition of theater names across the country that makes tracking down the history of some venues so very difficult. I of ten feel like a detective, verifying all of the specifics before including any specific details.

The Olympic Theatre/Schubert’s Apollo Theatre building was eventually closed and razed in 1953 for a Greyhound bus terminal. Unfortunately, even the bus station did not last and was replaced with the Chicago Title & Trust building in 1992.

To be continued…

Copyright © 2019 by Wendy Waszut-Barrett

In 1913, Thomas G. Moses wrote, “We did one act for Mrs. Leslie Carter, an Old English Garden.” That same year Carter starred in “a magnificent revival” of her great success ‘Zaza’ with “fine scenic equipment and a strong cast’” (Lansing State Journal, Michigan, 1 April 1913, page 6). This was likely the scenery delivered by Sosman & Landis studio.

In 1913 Carter’s name was also mentioned in regard to theater superstitions.  An article in “Journal Gazette” reported, “Theatre Folk Are Superstitious” noting, “Mrs. Leslie Carter always raps three times on the wings before walking on stage, and she thinks the precaution will banish all evil influences” (Journal Gazette, Mattoon, Illinois, 4 July 1913, page 7).

Mrs. Leslie Carter was born Caroline Louise Dudley in Kentucky, and the exact date of her birth various greatly between sources. Carter’s acting career began in earnest after a scandalous divorce. She selected life on the stage instead of life with her first husband. By 1906, Mrs. Leslie Carter married a second time, yet under her maiden name.  On July 14, 1906, the “Portsmouth Herald” announced:

“Queer Ceremony Performed Here.  Mrs. Leslie Carter Becomes A Bride. Famous Actress Marries a Young New Yorker.” 

The article reported, “One of the most mysterious marriages ever celebrated in this city was quietly performed shortly after half-past eleven on Friday forenoon by Rev. Henry Emerson Hovey, Pastor of St. John’s Episcopal Church. According to all evidence at hand, the bride was Mrs. Leslie Carter, the famous American actress. The groom was William L. Payne of New York, who calls himself a student. The Lady was married under the name of Caroline L. Dudley and gave her age as thirty. She told the clergyman she had never been married before.” The article described the families, “Payne’s birthplace was given as Elmira, N. Y., and his father’s name as Alfred T. Payne. The occupation of the father was stated to be that of a painter, his age fifty-eight and his present residence New York City. The elder Payne was born in England. The maiden name of young Payne’s mother was Frances Pelton and her birthplace was Rollins, Pa. She is fifty-one years old. ‘Miss Dudley’s’ father was Austin Dudley, formerly a Chicago lawyer. His age was sixty years at the time of his death and the license states that he was a Kentuckian by birth. The maiden name of the mother was Caroline Stevens and she was born in Lexington, Kentucky. Her present age, according to the license, is fifty-five years.”

Of the actress, the article noted, “Mrs. Carter was born on a plantation only a short distance from Lexington, Ky. Her father was of English parentage and her mother was a member of a prominent Kentucky family. When she was sixteen, her father died and her mother was soon afterward stricken with what was believed to be a fatal illness. In this crisis of her career, the young girl was married to Leslie Carter, a wealthy Chicagoan and a friend of her family, that she might not be without a protector. Contrary to the expectation, Mrs. Dudley recovered and her daughter’s marriage proved unhappy. A separation of husband and wife followed and later came divorce.

Mrs. Carter was left without means and after considering her situation, sought employment on the stage. After many futile attempts, she secured an interview with David Belasco and the great manager recognized at once that he had met one who desired to be a great actress. Mrs. Carter was given her first opportunity in a play called, ‘The Ugly Duckling,’ written for her by Paul Potter, who dramatized ‘Trilby.’ This was at the Broadway Theatre, New York, on Nov. 10, 1890. Her first venture was a doubtful success, but she was brave and her manager believed in her ability. There were years of discouragement and partial success and finally, in 1898, Mrs. Carter appeared in ‘Zaza.’ Since then, her career has been one of continual triumph.”

Despite the obvious obstacles and scandals listed above, Carter became known as the “Bernhardt of America,” especially achieving fame for her roles in “The Heart of Maryland” (1895), “Zaza” (1898),  “Madame Du Barry” (1901), and “Andrea” from 1895-1905. In 1906, the same year as her marriage to Payne, she broke with Belasco. This proved to be a fatal move for her career as it began a downwards spiral. Payne was often her leading man and later managed her business affairs, another unfortunate move for the actress. As her career began to fizzle, Carter turned toward silent movies and supporting roles on Broadway. She passed away in 1935 of heart disease and is buried in Woodland Cemetery in Dayton, Ohio. Her theatrical career was fictionalized in “Lady With Red Hair,” portrayed by actress Miriam Hawkins in 1940. Her Payne was a technical adviser for the film.

Maurice Barrymore, father of Lionel, John and Ethel Barrymore, once recalled one entertaining story about Carter. The elder Barrymore was the leading support to Carter when she appeared in David Belasco’s production “The Heart of Maryland.” Barrymore told the following story about the Kansas City production to a local newspaper: “ In the big third act Barrymore, the hero, was in the hands of designing villain, who had caught him off guard. Two rookies bound Barrymore’s hand and the villain, left alone with his prey, taunted the hero. It was Barrymores “business” to squirm and to wail. ‘Oh, if my hands were free,’ he would repeat several times, as he tried vainly to break the rope which held him fast. The villain would approach and snap his fingers right under Barrymore’s nose. ‘Loosen my hands, you devil!’ Barrymore would exclaim. One night at this great and exciting moment in the scene Barrymore had just finished his dare to the villain to loosen his hands when the traditional gallery god yelled out in a sharp, clear voice: ‘Why don’t you kick him in the shins, Barry; your feet ain’t tied.’ Barrymore cursed that part from that moment until his dying day” (The Herald, Crystal Lake, Illinois, 6 Feb. 1913, page 3)

To be continued…

Copyright © 2019 by Wendy Waszut-Barrett

In 1913, Thomas G. Moses wrote, “We did a hurry up job of ‘Girls’ – a burlesque show for Geo. Dameral [sic.].” Keep in mind that family burlesque was primarily parodies that followed a variety show format, like vaudeville. Burlesque included comically exaggerated imitations in a dramatic work.

In regard to the 1913 entry, it is likely that Moses was referring to Damerel’s production of “The Heart Breakers” when he wrote, “Girls.” Damerel toured with ‘The Heartbreakers” and “The Knight of the Air” that year. “The Heartbreakers” was a play was about the Heartbreakers Club, an organization of young men “formed for the purpose of lacerating the feelings of young women who [had] ruthlessly trifled with the affections of young men” (Nashville Banner, 7 Jan. 1913, page 5). The young men sought revenge after being jilted by kissing the young women who have wounded their hearts. In seeking one particular girl the leader of the club loses his heart. The musical was managed by M. H. Singer, and enjoyed a six-month run at the Princess Theatre in Chicago in 1913. This is likely when Damerel sought out assistance from Moses at Sosman & Landis. The burlesque show had already been on the road for five years prior to their stint in Chicago. The production was described by the “Nashville Banner” reporting, “”It is a question whether this play is a vehicle for good or bad influence on the stage, but it is a clever performance. Its doubtful air is offset by making a burlesque of what might be termed some risqué situations” (7 Jan. 1913, page 5).

In 1913, Damerel was also featured in the leading role for  “The Knight of the Air” (Star Tribune, 16 Nov. 1913, page 60). The operetta was written by Bela Jenbach and Leo Stein with music by Herman Dostal. The show satirized the current craze for “aeroplaning.” Damerel was quite a character and newspapers loved him.

In 1913, an interesting article appeared in the “Star Tribune” that provides a little insight into Damerel at this time (Minneapolis, Minnesota, 21 Nov. 1913, page 7):

“George Damerel has developed a dual personality. Oh, yes, he’s still matinee idol. The folks on the other side of the footlights won’t let him give up that side of his character. And he just couldn’t give it up even if he wanted to, which he doesn’t. He dances and sings and makes love as ‘Knight of the Air’ with much ginger as he did in ‘The Merry Widow.’ Because he’s just naturally a gingery person, his French ancestors are probably responsible for that. And he loves it. He declared so yesterday as he came dancing off the stage at the Orpheum at the close of the Vienese [sic.] operetta. And he’s going to keep right on dancing and singing and making love before the footlights until – to his own words – he’s too old. Imagine George Damerel too old! And right here’s where the new side of his character comes in. He is a businessman. He’s owner and manager of the tabloid opera he’s in this season and tremendously interested in the business side of it. He pays himself a salary and also gives his wife her pay envelope each week along with the other members of the company. And when all expenses are paid he pockets the profits, which is also interesting.

When he ceases to please – that is when he drops off the matinee idol side – he’s going in for the business end of the show business exclusively. The business side of the performance doesn’t occupy quite all of Mr. Damerel’s attention off the stage. For there’s little 5-year-old Donna Celeste Damerel who inherits a good deal of the vim of her lively father and demands a large chunk of his attention. Mr. Damerel says that if she wants to go on the stage when she’s older, he’ll raise no objection. ‘I’ll feel perfectly contented to have my daughter on the stage. The pitfalls and dangers are exaggerated. There’s no reason for objection. If one has talent, it’s smooth sailing. And my little girl has already shown that she has talent.”

In 1907 the Damerel married Myrtle Vail, mother of Donna. Vail was only 16 at the time and a vaudeville actress touring with Damerel in the “Heart Breakers.” In 1913, the “Coshocton Daily Times” included three separate articles on the popular vaudeville artist (11 March 1913, page 3).

One of the articles described Damerel’s dual roles as both actor and ball player:

“George Damerel who will be seen in the leading role in the ‘Heart Breakers’ the latest of musical comedies is under the management of Mort H. Singer, was a professional ball player before he took up the stage. He was a pitcher in the Great Northern League, having started with the Grand Forks team at the same tie that Deacon Phillipi was playing in the Fargo, North Dakota, club.

Damerel was finally drafted to the Minneapolis club, during the time that Perry Weedon was captain, and although he has been out of baseball for a number of years, yet he has never been released by Minneapolis. Each summer if he is not acting he takes about three weeks with the team and practices with them, as he thinks baseball is the best exercise in the world and that he is ready to put in another hard season of traveling. Mr. Damerel was asked why he gave up the profession of base ball and in reply said that he found out that he was not what you would call a wonder at the game and as he had a good voice, he had been advised to try the stage. Also another thing he found that actors were better paid than ball players unless they were top notchers. The young man is an ardent fan and can be seen at all times to back his judgment as for instance last season he cleaned up quite a tidy sum on the New York Nationals, winning the pennant and then came back and bet that the Red Sox would win the world’s series. This early spring he wagered that the Washington team would be in the first three at the end of the season and the way that they played ball shows that the young man must watch the game quite closely. Mr. Damerel is an all around athlete, being a fine swimmer and he has had the gloves on with all the fighters of any note.” 

On the same page, the “Coshocton Daily Times” included another article on Damerel, pictured with his wife Myrtle Vail (11 March 1913, page 3).  Under the heading “Footlight Flashes” the caption described, “George Damerel and Myrtle Vail Singing ‘Your Eyes, Your Smile and You’ in ‘The Heart Breakers.” This dance between Damerel and Vail in “The Heart Breakers” was said to have eclipsed his performance in the “The Merry Widow” waltz.  

Later in life, Damerel became best known as husband to Myrtle Vail. Vail achieved even greater fame as a vaudeville actress, film actress and writer. She was a well-known radio personality from 1932-1946, starring in the popular show “Myrt and Marge.” She created, wrote, and starred in the show, playing the role of the experienced chorus girl Myrt who takes the inexperienced chorus girl Marge under her wing. Vail’s actual daughter Donna paled the role of Marge. The radio serial was eventually transformed into a film, with the film’s plot centering on Myrt Spear’s touring vaudeville revue. Although Myrt’s show was full of talent, it lacked the necessary funding. In steps a lecherous producer who will help, but only if he can romance the young chorus girl Marge Minter. It doesn’t take much imagination to compare the tale with Vail’s own life as a chorus girl and early marriage to her husband in 1907 that subsequently resulted in their marriage and immediate birth of their daughter. Interestingly, Myrt, with the aide of Marge’s boyfriend step in to save the revue and the young chorus girl from the clutches of the producer. Other notable characters in the film were some comical stagehands, actors who were the famed Marx Brothers.

As an older actress, Vail became known for her roles in “A Bucket of Blood” (1959) and “Little Shop of Horrors” (1960), written by her grandson Charles B. Griffith.

To be continued…

Copyright © 2019 by Wendy Waszut-Barrett

In 1913 Moses wrote, “The Palette and Chisel Club boys wanted me to give an exhibit at the club.  I always refused, claiming that I am not in the picture game, and paint pictures for pleasure only.  September 3^rd, a committee came to the house and insisted on going to the studio, I had over three hundred pictures in the studio; some very good but the other 275 were not as good, but the boys seemed to think I had at least 250 good ones, which was quite flattering… November 3^rd, I got all my framed pictures; oil, watercolor, pen and ink and lead pencil.  While we were hanging the show, Father McCann dropped in a bought one canvas for $200.00 and another for $100.00, starting the sale in good shape. 

An announcement in the “Oak Park Leaves” on Nov. 8, 1913, appeared under the heading, “Palette and Chisel Club Exhibits Sixty Paintings of Oak Park Man.” The article reported, “There is an exhibition of pictures by Thomas G. Moses, of 233 Euclid South, now on view at the Palette and Chisel club, 59 East Van Buren Street, Chicago. The opening-reception, which inaugurated the exhibition, was held Wednesday evening and the pictures may be seen until November 22. On weekdays the exhibition will be open from 10 to 7 o’clock, and on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday evenings until 9 o’clock.”  The article cited an excerpt from “The Cow Bell,” the Palette and Chisel club newsletter: “November 4 should is a great day for the club, as it does the Tom Moses exhibition. Uncle Tom, as he always will be to the camp contingent, has to be rooted out of his Oak Park residence like a poor retired badger, before Mac-Combs could get at the spoils. Tom has shied consistently at one-man shows and Mr. Moses had to put on blinders before Mac hitched him up for November 4. Mac says the painting Tom has done while jogging around these United Railways of America passes belief and also promises some rare treats to those who know him only as a painter of scenery to the crowned heads of Thespia.”

The formal exhibition announcement stated, ‘There is not one of our members of whom we are more proud. There is probably not another painter in Chicago who has sought out and painted so many of the beauty spots of our own country. From a thousand sketches and paintings sixty have been selected, and are hung in our club to give our members and their friends an opportunity of seeing a representative collection of the works of Thomas G. Moses” (page 5).

Of the fall art exhibition, Moses wrote, “I sold 20 pictures; some very cheap to artist members.  The whole sale netted only $675.00 which was not so bad for a scene painter.”  Keep in mind that $675.00 in 1913 is approximately $17,546.32 today.

Moses’ continued, “A great many of the members didn’t expect to see so many or as good pictures as I had the pleasure of showing there.  The amount of the sale went far ahead of what I thought it would.  It was pretty good for me, and up to this date it was the most ever sold at the one show.  I had 77 pictures on the walls, oil, water, temper, pen and ink, and pencil.  Maine to California.  That made it quite interesting.  I received some very flattering newspaper notices.  Mama and Rupert were responsible for the show, as I would have never gotten it up myself.  We opened with a reception, which was well attended.” Rupert was Moses’ youngest son, and the one who would follow him in theatre work.

A few months later, Moses was mentioned again in the “Oak Park Leaves.”  An article reported, “Mr. Moses presented this—a delightful little September landscape, painted in the neighborhood of Fox Lake, to the parochial guild, and the men folk at once showed their appreciation of his compliment by clubbing together and purchasing it for the new rector, Rev. F. R. Godolphin. A very handsome sum will be realized by the organization” (Saturday, December 06, 1913, page 38).

To conclude 1913, Moses wrote, “Pitt and the family were with us again this Christmas and we always enjoy them as the years fly along, and I think at the close of each that during the next, I will certainly make some progress in pictures and get nearer the goal for which I have been striving for so many years.  But the everlasting grind and hustling for the mighty dollar has just about knocked all the ambition out of me and side tracked my picture game.  My show this year has given me a lot of encouragement.  I hope to make another some day.  The [Palette & Chisel] boys want me to do one each year, but that is impossible.  I should like to do a whole year’s sketching and I know at the end I would have something.  The few weeks I get in a year don’t really mean much.  I can hardly get started before I have to go.  No vacation this year, and I regret it very much, as I think we are entitled to one each year.”

To be continued…

Copyright © 2019 by Wendy Waszut-Barrett

In 1913, Thomas G. Moses wrote, “I got $3,000.00 contract from Father McCann of Elgin, for a scenic decoration for their Coliseum.  This represented a tropical island and was very effective, and the Bazaar that was given with the decoration was a very wonderfully successful one, netting $6,000.00.” To put this project in financial perspective, $6000 in 1913 is the equivalent of approximately $155,000 today. That is a lot of money for a church to spend on a bazaar. Father McCann at St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church, however, was a poet, lover of the arts, and tango enthusiast. The 1913 church bazaar was set in the Elgin Coliseum, a venue with a seating capacity of 4,000. The tropical theme in 1913 supported a variety of performances, including the controversial dance. For a little perspective, by 1913 dance instructors who taught the tango in Paris were banished from the city due to the sexual overtones. It is understandable why McCann had to defend the dance in the regional papers, as he was certainly pushing the envelope of social acceptability at the time.

The church bazaar was mentioned in the “Joliet Evening Herald-News” article:

“TANGO O.K. SAYS ELGIN PRIEST”  (29 Sept 1913, page 2).

Here is the article, as it provides a little more background about this quirky clergy member:

“Elgin, Ill., Sept 29.- Father John J. McCann, pastor of St. Mary’s Catholic church, wants everyone to learn and dance the tango in its appeared form, which he highly endorsed. He announced today that an exhibition of the new dance by three children couples under supervision of a professional teacher will be the feature of the church bazaar next month. His first idea was to have the teacher instruct adults at the bazaar, but she said improper steps would creep in unless there had been careful training beforehand, He expects to throw the dance opinion to all at the next bazaar.”

Moses previously worked for the McCann in 1912, writing, “Went to Elgin to see Father McCann about a show for their Coliseum – a big street effect.” Sosman & Landis did another big contract for a pained street scene for the event. This was another substantial project for the firm that brought in significant income. Unfortunately, McCann would not remain in Elgin.

Only a few years later, McCann’s career turned south, after a conflict with Bishop Peter J. Muldoon that dramatically escalated. McCann was even taken into custody after a police standoff from inside St. Mary’s Church in Elgin  (see past post # 811 for the sordid details). However, in 1913 McCann was still poplar with the public and flush with funds, even purchasing fine artworks from Moses at his 1913 Palette & Chisel Club art exhibition.  Moses recorded that McCann bought one canvas for $200.00 and another for $100.00, “starting the sale in good shape.”

In 1913, McCann made headlines again in the “Herald” newspaper article “Priest Named in Elgin Case” (Crystal Lake, 13 Oct. 1913, page 7). I think that this was the beginning of the end for Father McCann. Here is the article:

“Elgin.- On the witness stand before Police Magistrate Thompson, William J. Peer, manager of the Chicago Motor Cab company, testified that the automobile in which Joe Connor made his escape from the Elgin State hospital, July 25, was ordered by Father John J. McCann, pastor of St. Mary’s Catholic church, Elgin.” Oh my. It had to have been hard to explain that to Bishop Muldoon.

In 1914, Moses wrote, “The Elgin Coliseum that we started in the fall was put up in February and it was very effective; good lighting. The committee was well pleased with it.  The Palette and Chisel Club loaned some pictures.  I took up half a dozen and we made a little Art Gallery, and I think we put our name on the map, if nothing else. ”

To be continued…

Copyright © 2019 by Wendy Waszut-Barrett

In 1913, Thomas G. Moses wrote, “Did an exhibition for the Dairy Show at the Coliseum, November 1^st.”

Three Educational Expositions were held in Chicago during the fall of 1913, the National Dairy Show, the U. S. Land Exposition, and the International Live Stock Exposition (“Journal Gazette” Mattoon, Illinois 22 Oct. 1913, age 4).  The National Dairy show was held from October 23 to November 1, with exhibits of milk, butter and cheese. Activities included judging cattle, instructive laboratory work, and discussions on problems of breeding, feeding and fitting dairy cattle. Dairy Association meetings were also held throughout the event at Chicago’s International Amphitheatre and the Union Stockyards; the stockyards included a coliseum. There were also a series of athletic events staged at the Chicago National Dairy Show, such as motorcycle polo (Joliet Evening Herald-News, 0 Dec. 1913, page 10).Very little is available about the Chicago Dairy beyond a few advertisements and some souvenirs for sale online, so it is difficult to know what was delivered by Sosman & Landis  that year.

I did come across one entertaining article that described the milking championship at the 1913 Dairy Show. On October 30 ten dairymen contested for the milking championship of the world.  Of the event, the “Indianapolis News” reported, “Milking Cow is an Art,” describing the event in detail(30 Oct 1913, page 18). The article reported, “Although in the aggregate they handle nearly two hundred thousand quarts of milk daily, not one of the contestants had milked a cow in the last twenty years, and several had never sat on a one-legged stool before, trying to soothe “bossie,” and hold the milk pail, drive off flies, dodge the cow’s tail, and milk. The first prize, a leather medal, big enough to half sole a pair of shoes, was won by S. C. Shedrick, of Buffalo, proprietor of the Queen City Dairy Company. S. O. Dungan, proprietor of Polk’s Sanitary Milk Company, of Indianapolis, won second prize, a glass of milk. While third honors went to John Bingham, president of the Ottawa Dairy Company, of Ottawa, Canada. Bingham started under a handicap. In the first place, he forgot which was the proper side to introduce himself to “boss” and was kicked to remind him of the breach of conventionalities. Later, when his pail was half full, he moved his one-legged stool and spilled the milk. John LeFeber, of Milwaukee, claimed fourth honors and clamored for a prize, although only three were offered. He said the cow selected for him did not know how to be milked.”

To be continued…

Copyright © 2019 by Wendy Waszut-Barrett

In 1913, Thomas G. Moses wrote, “Took a quick trip to Fort Wayne and settled for a lot of Masonic work at the Temple.” 

Over the past few years, I have repeatedly mentioned the Fort Wayne Scottish Rite.  Like many other Scottish Rite stages, their scenery collection was a compilation of backdrops produced by more than one scenic studio over the years. This is not unusual. It was common for Scottish Rite clients to make multiple purchases over a period of years or decades, repairing, replacing and sometimes upgrading their stage work. Masonic scenery collections are like patchwork quilts, all composed of different fabric squares with their own history.

Sosman & Landis records note that they delivered scenery to the Fort Wayne Scottish Rite in 1907 and 1913. The first scenery was delivered prior to the completing the 1909 building. Keep in mind that the Santa Fe Scottish Rite ordered a fill set of scenery for practice prior to the opening of their new building. In Fort Wayne, additional scenery for the 1909 building was delivered by Toomey & Volland, not Sosman & Landis. However, it is very likely that some of the original 1907 Sosman & Landis backdrops were transferred to the new stage in 1909.

Toomey & Volland delivered scenery to the Fort Wayne Scottish Rite in 1909 and 1945.  The 1909 stage was unveiled at the consecration and dedication ceremony of the Scottish Rite Cathedral on Nov. 17, 1909. The three-day fall reunion coincided with this event.  Furthermore, a 1912 advertisement in the “The New Age Magazine” credited Toomey & Volland with the stage scenery installed at the Fort Wayne Scottish Rite.  Moses’ 1913 entry in his diary, “Took a quick trip to Fort Wayne and settled for a lot of Masonic work at the Temple” meant that their membership was rapidly growing.

The Fort Wayne Scottish Rite building was described after it opened in the “Kansas Republic” (December 2).  The article noted, “The dedication was held at the regular time of the fall meeting of the consistory for the Valley of Fort Wayne, and 300 took the Scottish Rite degrees. Degrees were given from the fourth to the Thirty-second. Heretofore this valley had no jurisdiction beyond the eighteenth degree, and the degrees from the 19 to 32 were conferred here for the first time. As the consistory has already nearly 1,100 members, the Fort Wayne consistory has become one of the largest in the country” (Kansas City, Dec. 2, 1909).  This information suggests that the original Scottish Rite scenery in Fort Wayne by Sosman & Landis (1907) was for the 4^th-18^th degrees and delivered prior to the construction of the new building. Toomey & Volland produced the 19019 scenery used in the 19th -32nd degree productions, delivering it to the new stage.

The “Kansas Republic” article further described the new Scottish Rite Cathedral in Fort Wayne: “The cathedral is three stories high, with a spacious basement. The ground floor will be the banquet and ballrooms, with galleries. The social rooms are on the second floor, which is also provided with quarters for the ladies. There is also a room for the Mystic Shrine. The third floor is occupied by the consistory auditorium, which is arranged on the stadium plan with tiers of opera chairs rising steeply, so that those in the rear seats can all see the work on the large floor below. There are seats for nearly 600 in this auditorium. The organ loft is in the north and at the south end there is a spacious stage provided with scenery, the work of a St. Louis firm.”  The “St. Louis firm” mentioned was Toomey & Volland.

There are many reasons why the Fort Wayne Scottish Rite may have reached out to Sosman & Landis for new scenery in 1913. If Toomey & Volland could not complete the project in the allotted timeframe, they likely recommended Sosman & Landis. Demand for painted scenery was still greater than supply, making for friendly competition.

Big events were continually planned at the Fort Wayne Scottish Rite too, also providing an incentive for new stage settings. In 1913, the “Fort Wayne Sentinel” announced “Masons Gather in Fort Wayne, Spring Scottish Rite Meeting Attracts Large Number of Visitors” (15 April 1913, page 2). Scottish Rite Masons from Northern Indiana and the Fort Wayne area gathered for the opening session of the annual spring convocation in 1913. Several hundred Masons attended the spring convocation that lasted three days. As Scottish Rite membership skyrocketed in the early twentieth century, additional scenes for degree productions were continually added to existing collections. This practice was common as Scottish Rite bodies continued to focus on superior membership experiences during ceremonials.

In 1914, the “Fort Wayne Sentinel” announced that the Scottish Rite had added a degree production. This is likely the degree that used new scenery produced by Sosman & Landis, first mentioned by Moses in his 1913 diary entry. On Nov. 17, 1914, the article headlined “TO GIVE DEGREE FOR FIRST TIME. Scottish Rite Convocation Opens With Class of Good Size” (Fort Wayne Sentinel, page 9). The article continued, “The annual fall reunion of the Fort Wayne Scottish Rite bodies opened at the Scottish Rite cathedral Tuesday afternoon with the conferring of the degrees of Fort Wayne Lodge of Perfection upon a class of half a hundred candidates. Many Scottish Rite Masons of prominence are in the city to attend the reunion. Fort Wayne consistory has added another exemplified degree to its list, and the present class will be the first one in the city to receive the exemplification of the Twenty-second degree. It will be given late Wednesday evening, and the reunion will come to a close on Thursday evening.”

The Sosman & Landis’ design for the 22^nd degree was known as “The Carpenter Shop.”  I have documented a few of these scenes over the years, with the earliest example being in Cheyenne, Wyoming, from 1911. The 22^nd setting did not require a specific composition prior to this time.  Many Scottish Rite valleys simply set it in the woods, using props to suggest a carpenter’s shop, and not an interior shop.  However, adding new settings, or staging new degrees, facilitated the continued growth of the Rite during this time. Something new, such as the staging of a new degree, prompted old members to return and new members to join. It is a standard marketing technique, repackaging the experience in a way, or creating a superior ceremonial experience.  The Northern Masonic Jurisdiction became experts at this approach, rewriting and restaging many degrees over the years.  The Southern Jurisdiction seldom revised, but for a long time continued to expand on the experience.

I have to wonder if Scottish membership decline was partially due to the fact that the Fraternity stopped trying to improve individual experiences for each member. I don’t mean that there was an overt attempt NOT to care about the degrees or expansion of the membership, but many Southern Jurisdiction Scottish Rites stopped a variety of practices during the late 1920s, including the investment in fraternal paraphernalia and new degree settings. Overall, the development of new scenery for degrees comes to a screeching halt by the late 1920s. Some cite the Great Depression or military conflicts as a reason, or various progressive movements and a general backlash against what some consider conservative establishments. Regardless of the circumstances, there is a fundamental change in Scottish Rite leadership beginning at this time, one that still continues until today. 

At one point, Masonic membership was primarily composed of young men, men in their prime and full of ambition and ideas. That is not meant to say that there were not older members in leadership roles. The organization may have been guided by older and more experienced members, but was expanded by younger enthusiastic visionaries. I think of what Bestor G. Brown accomplished before passing away in his 50s. His contribution to the growth of the Fraternity was providing a superior experience for its members but constantly improving the individual experience.

The focus seems to shift away from the continued improvement of individual member experience to the emphasis as the organization as a benevolent benefactor, or public persona. The social perception of the fraternity as a whole seems to become a major driving force in decision making after WWII.

One example that continues to divide the Fraternity is large charitable donations that are given away to non-Masonic groups.  This is happening at a time when lack of financial assistance causes many Masonic lodges to close, the same lodges that continue to donate much of their funding to those outside of the Fraternity.

While a dwindling membership continues to raise massive funds for Masonic charities, lodges close due to lack of funds. At some point the gravy train will come to an end and charitable donations cease when there are not enough lodges to raise money. The thousands of dollars generated from pancake breakfasts and other activities will end when there is no longer the membership to staff each event. Ultimately, each lodge that closes is one less lodge that will contribute funds to Masonic charities. As what point does a lodge fundraise for themselves or their building repairs, just to keep their doors open and focus on the membership experience?  I think of the well-known story of the carpenter who lives in a cardboard house and this seems to be happening in many regions.

To be continued…