There were many projects
completed by Sosman & Landis during 1912 that were not mentioned by Thomas
G. Moses in his memoirs. Sosman & Landis provided the scenery and stage
effects for a touring production called “The Seven Aviator Girls.” The
“Quad-City Times” reported that Sosman & Landis provided scenery for “The
Aviator Girls,” a musical act composed of “seven winsome women” (17 March 1912,
page 12).
Scenic embellishments accompanied
each song, to “make them all the more delightful.” The production was produced
by Virgil Bennett and headed by Miss Carlie Lowe, who was accompanied by the seven
aviator girls in what was billed as “a spectacular scenic and singing novelty.”
The four scenes for the show included “Owl Land, “ “On the Beach,” “In the
Surf,” and a Japanese Palm Garden.” Musical interludes (olios) between scenes included
“The Boogie Boo Owls,” “Serenade Me Sadie,” “Spooning in My Aeroplane,” and
other catchy numbers” (Los Angeles Times, 4 Aug. 1912, page 26).
“The Daily Gate” reported that
the show was “a spectacular musical and scenic singing act that has been the
sensation in all the big houses in the country where they have played. A
carload of special scenery is carried with the act and is said to be one of the
most beautiful stage settings found in vaudeville. A special property man and
electrician are carried with the company, which numbers seven principles and
two mechanics” (Keokuk, Iowa, 17 Oct, 1912, page 5). The “Davenport Times”
described, “They have five different song numbers and each means a change of
costumes and ‘back drops.’ As a result their tuneful efforts are accompanies by
a spectacular display that induces the natives to applaud vigorously. The big
number, ‘Spooning in My Aeroplane,’ presents Miss Carlie Lowe soaring up to the
roof in a miniature machine, while her feminine mechanicians cut fancy
‘diddoes’ with their feet and join the chorus in song. It is a prettily staged
and engaging act all the way” (Davenport, Iowa, 19 March 1912, page 8).
In 1912, Thomas G. Moses wrote,
“New York studios set in a new theatre in Philadelphia, the Globe.” He meant
that Sosman & Landis painted scenery for a New York Studios’ project, one
that was delivered to the Globe Theatre in Philadelphia. New York Studios was
the eastern affiliate of Sosman & Landis, founded and run by a one-time
employee David H. Hunt. Hunt was a theatrical manager, as well as scenic studio
founder. In the 1890s he convinced Sosman and Landis to establish the
theatrical management firm of Sosman, Landis & Hunt. Later in 1910, Hunt convinced Sosman to
invest in New York Studios, run by Hunt and his second wife, Adelaide.
New York Studios stamp noting home and Chicago office.
Julius Cahn’s Official Theatrical
Guide listed the Globe as a vaudeville theatre. With a seating capacity of 720,
the venue was managed by Chas. Rappaport. To place the Globe within the context
of the 1912 Philadelphia theatre scene, the city boasted 289 theaters at the
time with a drawing population of 2,000,000. Located at 5901 Market Street, the
Globe Theatre opened in 1910.
I was intrigued that Moses
mentioned creating scenery for New York Studios that was ultimately delivered
to the Globe Theatre in Philadelphia. This was certainly not the first or last
time that Sosman & Landis provided scenery for a New York Studios project. Sosman
& Landis worked in conjunction with New York Studios on many projects, but
seldom were mentioned in a newspaper article at the same time.
Interestingly, both studios were
mentioned in the same article in the “Star-Gazette” on March 4, 1913 (Elmira,
New York). The newspaper article was about the W. P. Murphy’ new theater in Bath,
New York:
“THURSDAY NIGHT
First production will be local
talent minstrels, a testimonial to Bath man who promoted playhouse.
Bath, March 4 – (Special)- The Liberty
Minstrels, a premiere aggregation of Bath talent, will hold the boards at the
Murphy theater, Thursday evening; the production is under the direction of J.
W. Lewis and is given as a testimonial benefit to the builder and owner of the
theater, W. P. Murphy.
The benefit is designed as a
means of expression on the part of the local public of its appreciation of Mr.
Murphy’s efforts to supply the village a long needed modern playhouse as well
as in a measure to reimburse him for the heavy expense he has incurred in building
and equipping the house. Already every seat has been sold and the demand may be
that the minstrels be repeated a second night.
The house is one of the finest
to be found in any village of this size anywhere in the Southern Tier. It
stands at the rear of the former site of the Nichols House, the once famous
hostelry, facing Pulteney Square in the central part of the village. Entrance
is gained from Steuben street through a long arcade or foyer, off from which
are a box office, telephone booths and cloak room. At the rear of the house
near the entrance is a smoking room. The auditorium is 50 feet in length by 40
feet width. The floor slopes, dropping about five feet from the rear to the
orchestra circle. Surrounding three sides of the auditorium is a horseshoe
gallery; the house is carpeted with rubber linoleum and supplied with opera
chairs on both orchestra floor and galleries, the seating capacity being about
825 persons.
The stage has an opening of 45
feet width, 17 feet height and 30 feet depth. It has an ample scene loft and is
supplied with elaborate scenery, which is supplied by Sosman & Landis of
Chicago. Beneath the stage is a musician’s waiting room, a property room, four
dressing rooms, supplied with baths; above the stage are four other reserve
dressing rooms for use when attractions with large casts play the house. The
building is equipped with gas and electricity; has seven exits, is a fireproof
building and heated by steam. The drop curtain, depicting a scene from Venice
is from the New York Studio Company.
Charles H. Thomas will be
manager and booking agent for the house and already many leading attractions
are promised. As Bath has been without a theatre otherwise than the motion
pictures for some time, undoubtedly the new theater will prove very popular”
(Star-Gazette, Elmira, New York, 4 March 1913, page 9).
In 1912, Thomas G. Moses and
his wife Ella stopped in Chattanooga on their way to Asheville, North Carolina.
Moses was headed south on vacation to sketch and check in on some projects. In
Chattanooga, he dropped off a panorama for the Chattanooga Manufacturer’s
Association.
1906 postcard depicting Chattanooga.
The painting was for a permanent display at the new Chattanooga
Manufacturer’s Association. “The Chattanooga News” described his contribution
on Jan. 1, 1913, in the article “Manufacturers Receiving in Their Commodious
Home” (page 12). Of Moses’ artwork, the
article reported, “The panorama of Chattanooga and the miniature replica of the
Cincinnati Southern railway attracted the greatest interest upon the top floor,
crowds of amazed spectators standing around these exhibits throughout the
morning and afternoon.”
On New Year’s Day, 1913, more than 15,000 people visited
the permanent exhibit of the Chattanooga Manufacturer’s Association, far
exceeding the expectation of the exhibit committee. From 10:00 a.m. until 10:00
p.m., a steady stream of visitors poured into the building. The new home of the
Chattanooga Manufacturers’ association home was a three-story building on Broad
Street, where the products of various manufacturing plants of the city were
permanently displayed.
Chattanooga had more than 300 manufacturing plants
turning out 700 different products of common use by 1913 (“The Chattanooga
News,” 12 March 1913, page 5). The annual value of manufactured exceeded
$65,000,000. Today’s equivalent of that purchasing power is $1,685,791,414.14.
That fall “The Chattanooga News” included an article
about Moses’ visit to Chattanooga, mentioning his panorama work and role in the
Palette & Chisel Club (Nov. 5, 1913,
page 2). Moses was 57 years old at the time, well-respected as a fine artist,
and in his artistic prime. Here is the article in its entirety:
“ARTISTS MAY CAMP HERE NEXT SUMMER.
Thomas F. [sic.] Moses Has Interested Palette and Chisel Club of Chicago in Chattanooga –
The genius of Thomas G. Moses, the artists who painted
the panorama of Chattanooga, now at the Chattanooga Manufacturer’s association
exhibit building, is at present being officially recognized in Chicago by the
Palette and Chisel Club there, one of the most exclusive art clubs in America.
Nov. 2 to 14, the paintings of Mr. Moses are on display
at the club apartments. This opportunity is an honor afforded only to the most
prominent members. Invitations have been sent out to the most able of America’s
painters. In the invitation the Palette and Chisel club says of this artist:
‘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.
It is customary for sketching parties of the Palette and Chisel Club to make excursions to locations of exceptional beauty over the continent of America. When in Chattanooga to deliver his painting of this city to the Manufacturer’s association Mr. Moses expressed his admiration for the scenic beauty of this section and stated that he hoped to bring a party of artists from Chicago art circles to establish a summer painting camp in this locality.”
In 1913 the art works of Thomas G. Moses were featured in a Palette &
Chisel Club exhibition.
The Palette & Chisel Club invitation, 1913.
An invitation to Club members noted,
“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 country. From a thousand sketches and paintings
sixty have been selected and are hung in our Club to give our members an
opportunity of seeing a representative collection of the works of Thomas G.
Moses. The exhibition will be open on weekdays from 10 to 7, and on Monday,
Wednesday & Saturday evenings until 9.”
The Palette & Chisel Club invitation, 1913.
This is quite a statement. Moses had been a member of the Club since 1906.
In addition to joining the Palette & Chisel Club, Moses was a member of the
Laguna Beach Art Association and the Salmagundi Club in New York City. He
sketched alongside those associated with other art movements, such prominent individuals
who established art colonies in Taos and the Pacific Northwest.
Thomas G. Moses painting in Oakland, California.Painting by Thomas G. Moses, still owned by his descendants.Painting by Thomas G. Moses, still owned by his descendants.
In addition to being recognized in fine art circles, his skill as a
scenic artist was also recognized by some of the greatest American stage
personalities in the 19th and 20th centuries, including
Joe Jefferson, Al Ringling, Buffalo Bill Cody, Frederick Thompson, Edwin Booth,
Sarah Bernhardt, Julia Marlowe, Katherine Clemmons, Helena Modjeska, William
Haworth, and the list goes on. Many of
Moses’ theater drops still remain, scattered across the United States in
various theaters. However, there are precious
few scenery collections that were ever primarily painted by Moses; a studio
setting prohibited this characteristic. Many of Moses’ premiere collections
were created after the initial liquidation of Sosman & Moses. From the mid
to late 1920s, Moses again found himself producing entire collections with one
assistant, often on site. One example was for the Scottish Rite Theater in Fort
Scott, Kansas, a scenery collection eventually purchased by the Minnesota
Masonic Heritage Center during 2015.
After I supervised the removal and transportation of the entire Fort
Scott Scottish Rite scenery collection to a storage facility in Minnesota, the
CEO of Minnesota Masonic Charities selected a team of individuals who were
unfamiliar with the appropriate handling of historic backdrops. They were hired
to restore the entire scenery collection in a compressed timeline, just about
the same time I was my position as Curatorial Director for the Minnesota
Masonic Heritage Center was eliminated. Sadly, hot melt glue was used to attach
new netting to the historic cut drops, irreparably damaging each piece. Original
battens were removed, and leg drops cut apart. The quality of the restoration
speaks for itself and I have written much in the past about the appropriate
handling and repair of historic scenery.
The point of today’s post is to consider the extant works of Thomas G.
Moses, both his fine art and scenic art. Internationally renowned artists held
Moses in high regard. He was not merely a tradesman, producing picturesque
backgrounds for the theater, but an artist who exhibited at some of the most
respected art schools across the United States. His scenic work cannot be
dismissed and devalued based on its exhibition space in an entertainment venue.
Painting by Thomas G. Moses gifted to the Scottish Rite in Pasadena, California.
Fortunately, Lance Brockman, Larry Hill and Rhett Bryson documented many
of these collections during the 1980s and 1990s, so we at least know what was
lost. The Scottish Rite scenery in McAlester, Oklahoma, seems to be the sole
survivor that is still owned by the Fraternity.
Painting by Thomas G. Moses, part of the Waszut-Barrett Theatre Collection.
In 1912, Thomas G. Moses wrote, “Ella and I
started on our vacation November 9th to Cincinnati and Asheville, N.
Car., which is all written up in detail elsewhere. Arrived home from our vacation December 8th.
Four good weeks. Had a fine trip.
Christmas day was a good one. We had
Frank with us, which made a big family reunion.
At the close of this year’s business, I have no kick to make. I only regret not being able to do more
sketching, as I found it too cold in North Carolina. I am sorry that we did not go away down south
to the Gulf. I think we would have found
it at least warm, if nothing else.”
View of Chattanooga, photograph by Alan Cressler.Postcard of Chattanooga.
One stop on his trip was in
Chattanooga, Tennessee. Of his visit to the city, the “Chattanooga News”
reported, “Chattanooga Catches the Eye of the Artist. Vice-President Moses, of
Sosman & Landis Scenic Studios, delighted.”(15 Nov. 1912, page 2).
The article headline included “LIKES
THE LOCAL SCENERY. Chooses Chattanooga Vicinity as a ‘Promised Land’ for
Artists to Revel In.” The article continued:
“Thomas G. Moses, vice-president of the Sosman
& Landis scenic studios of Chicago, and one of America’s most distinguished
artists, has spent several days in Chattanooga and the vicinity, with a view to
establishing a post for the Palette and Chisel Art Club of Chicago. He has been
sent out by the club in search of new fields, Sketch grounds all over Europe
and America are discovered in this way. One or two men are sent out in advance,
and they find ‘the promised land’ they herald the good tidings to the eager
artists in waiting.
Mr. Moses is enthusiastic over
the natural scenery of Chattanooga and its surroundings, and has made
preliminary arrangements for the post.
In time of peace and plenty the
greatest steps in art and science have been made. Midsummer Chattanooga, in all
its glory, will be painted by American celebrities. The pictures will be done
by the greatest artists, will be exhibited in the famous galleries, and will
bring great prices.
So Palette and Chisel Club of
Chicago will flock to Chattanooga and form a little colony. Artists are like
gold-seekers; let one find a small pocket, and there will be a stampede.
The well-known Palette and
Chisel club has furnished the art world many bright lights. They have secured
the “Prix de Rom” plum, which carries with it three years in Rome and $3,000.
The east winner was Mr. Savage, with E. Martin Hennings a close second.
Mr. Moses agrees that this is a
‘garden spot of America.’ He says:
‘We have painted much in the
Rockies, but they are too large and the air is too clear. What we want is mist
and a little smoke. They will be great factors in producing the poetical
sketches we find here. The delicate opalescent coloring of the distant
mountains is greatly enhanced by the drifting mists that float about your
valleys.’
A magnificent view of
Chattanooga 14×28, done by Moses, can be seen at the manufactures’ association
headquarters on Market Street. It was taken from North tower on Missionary
ridge, and has been presented to the association by Mr. Riffe.
Mr. Moses left Chattanooga
Thursday morning on an early train for Asheville, where he may establish a
second post. By his side is his charming and companionable wife, who is
interested in all movements of art. In his baggage were many sketches of this
location; in his mind were dreams of burnt sienna clay and opalescent coloring.
The sketches will be reproduced
on large canvas and will be exhibited next spring to the Salmagundi Club, of
New York City, of which Thomas Moses is a member. They consist largely of
rustic scenes, rugged mountains, dense forests, falling waters and babbling
brooks. These are the delightful avenues through which Mr. Moses walked to
renown.
The exhibition of these scenes
will be made with a view of inducing the members of the Salmagundi club to this
‘garden spot of America’ that is unlimited for the artist in scope and variety.
The Salmagundi Club is one of
the most conservative in all Europe and America. No man enters uninvited; no
man is invited under the age of fifty years. Some of the well-known artists are
Charles Warren Eaton, R. M. Shurtleff, J. Francis Murphy, H. A. Vincent, George
Innis, Jr., and Walter C. Hartson.
If this club, too, accepts the
challenge next summer, Chattanooga, in all its glory, will indeed be painted.”
A lovely photo by Jake Wheeler of the scenery near Chattanooga.
A year
after Thomas G. Moses was invited to a stage party hosted by the Palette &
Chisel Club, his son Rupert was invited to an informal stag. In 1913, Rupert
Moses received an invitation to an informal stag party, sponsored by the Pallet
& Chisel Club. The letter was sent
to Moses at the Sosman & Landis main studio address on 417 Clinton Street
in Chicago. I encountered the invitation in the John H. Rothgeb papers at the
Harry Ransom Center, University of Texas, Austin. It was part of the contents
in an unlabeled file in an unprocessed collection.
Informal stag invitation addressed to Rupert Moses, 1913Informal stag invitation addressed to Rupert Moses, 1913Informal stag invitation addressed to Rupert Moses, 1913
The informal stag invitation
announced, “Your presence is requested at the debut of Little Wayoff Saturday
Eve, December Six Nineteen Thirteen” from “Gita Wayoff and husband.” The
invitation included a ticket to admit “R. Moses” to “Little Wayoff” Palette
& Chisel Club, 59 East Van Buren Street, Saturday, Dec. 6, 8:15 P.M.
“Little Wayoff” was billed as
“an Eugenic Prodigy with Futuristic Tendencies,” sponsored by Gordon St.
Clair. The production was “dressed by
Gustave Baumann & William Watkins” with “orchestra muffled by Carl Krafft,
Properties and plumbing by R. McClure and reception by Theodore Gladhand Lely.”
The cast for the production
included:
Hesa Wayoff – an husband – Glen
Scheffer
Gita Wayoff – his wife
interested in the vote – Alex Kleboa
Little Wayoff – their only child
aged six – A. J. Anderson
An Ice Bandidt – Mr. Wayoff’s
half brother – R. V. Brown
The Art Wife – R. J. Davieson
Promise Wood Shavings – R.
McClure
Prof. Glow-Worm – Art Instructor
– R. V. Brown
Young Lady Sketcherines – Violet
(John E. Phillips), Fay (De Alton Valentine), Gladys (R. J. Davison), Pearl (J.
Jeffrey Grant), and Maude (D. Gut Biggs).
Hanging Committee – Hi Kroma
(John E. Phillips), Siam Blooey (J. J. Grant), Harrison Wredo (D. Guy Biggs),
Strontian Pale (Glen Scheffer), Paris Green (D. Valentine) and Hugh Newtral (R.
J. Davison).
Lem – a janitor – W. C. Yoemans
and Genevieve.
The “s’nopsis” for the first
picture was Mrs. Wayoff’s husband’s kitchen not far from the Palette Chisel Club shortly after the great suffrage
parade in the spring of 1913. The second picture was the sketch pasture of
Prof. Glow-Worm’s class near the club’s summer camp at Fox Lake. The third
picture was the hanging committee at play.
In 1908, newspapers reported
that Ibsen’s Little Eyolf was sometimes referred to as “Little Way-off” (Star
Tribune 26 Jan. 1908, page 19). However, “Little Wayoff” was also a parody of
Ibsen’s work, included in “The Vassar Miscellany” (Vol. 24, 1894, page 227).
Noted as “Life’s admirable paraody, wickedly entitled ‘Little Wayoff’ the book
review commented the criticism was unjust. On June 17, 1895, the Baltimore Sun”
mentioned “Little Wayoff” in the book review “Criticism – With Sugar” (page 8). The article reported, “ ‘Suppressed
Chapter and Other Bookishness.” By Robert Bridges, author of ‘Overheard in Arcady.’
New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, Cushing & Co. It is not necessary to be
dull to be wise, nor is long wind one of the requirements of a critic. A glance
is pleasant if the eye sparkles, and a touch and away may leave an impress,
while a heavier stroke would induce the wearied reader to exercise that wise
discretion which is known as skipping. Those who have read ‘Drock’ in
‘Overheard in Arcady’ will need no introduction to the ‘Suppressed Chapters,’
from the ‘Dolly Dialogues,’ will appreciate the belated ‘Trilby’s criticism of
Trilby,” and the absurd parody on Ibsen, of “Little Wayoff,” or the happiness
of title and contents of ‘Literary Partition of Scotland.” On March 28, 1896,
the “Courier-Journal” mentioned “Little Way-Off, a variation of Little Eyolf,
is a clever addition to the work of the Norwegian Dramatist” (Louisville,
Kentucky, page 9).
Stage party invitation to Thomas G. Moses 1912.Stag party invitation to Thomas G. Moses, 1912.
In 1912,
Thomas G. Moses received an invitation to a stag party, sponsored by the Pallet
& Chisel Club. I encountered the
bright orange envelope in the John H. Rothgeb papers at the Harry Ransom Center,
University of Texas, Austin. It was part of the contents in an unlabeled file
in an unprocessed collection.
The back of
Moses’ invitation noted, “Informal Stage. 8 p.m. This card admitting one only,
must be present at the door.” It was a party hosted by the Palette & Chisel
Club of Chicago. By 1911, the Palette & Chisel Club had one hundred members;
we have no idea how many were invited to the party.
The Palette
& Chisel Club was known for its remarkable parties. On June 5, 1921, the “Chicago Tribune”
reported, “Some of the original entertainments of the club, given during the
past years, are amusing to recall. “Il Janitore,” by George Ade, afterward became
known as “The Sultan of Sulu.” At the time when newspapers were bringing
influence to bear upon the Illinois Central to get them to electrify the roads
into Chicago, the club produced a burlesque, ‘The Hog in Chicago’s Front Yard.”
It might well be given again now. The electrification of the road is as much
needed today as ever. ‘Carmine,” a take-off of the opera ‘Carmen,” was a
marvelous production. ‘The Shredded Vast” was a huge comedy success. “Le
Cabaret du Howard Pourii’ was another famous bit of humor and sarcasm” (page
79).
In 1906,
the Palette & Chisel Club hosted Bohemian Night for Alphonse Mucha on the
seventh floor of the Athenaeum Building Athenaeum
Building. Before moving to their later quarters at 1012 N. Dearborn
Ave., the club rented studio space in the Anthenaeum building on Van Buren
between Michigan and Wabash Ave.
The May 18, 1912 event was at the new location – 59 E. Van
Buren St. “The Shredded Vast” was
designated “an operatic neoteric.” Musical selections by Offenbach, Bizet,
Gounod, Donizetti, Planquette and Flowtow accompanied the book by Gordon St.
Clair. The “Palette & Chisel Club
Augmented Symphony Orchestra” included Emil Biorn, director, and Martin Baer,
F. Tollakson, Max Gundlach, R. F. Ingerle, Max Boldt, Watkins Williams, Willie
Marsh, W. J. McBride, and W. C. Kintz.
Scenery for the production was designed by Gus Baumann and
executed by Watkins Williams, Gus Baumann and E. R. Burggraf. The costumes were
designed by Baumann and “executed by wives & sweethearts.” Production notes
included “Shoes by McBride. Beer by the gallon.”
The Synopsis of Scenes described “Scene 1 – sunset in wood
in kingdom of Glum-Glum,” “Scene 2 –
Twilight in studio of Artneo Teric. Elapse of one month,” and “Scene 3 –
Throne-room of King Rum- Dum. Next day.”
The cast of characters included:
Rum-Dum [King of Glum-Glum] – R. F. Ingerle
Princess Palala [his daughter] – Holger W. Jensen
Artneo Teric [a futurist painter] – Ernest P. Thurn
Lord Beno [Vice reformer to the king] – Theo Lely
Chorus [woodsmen, soldiers, ballet, lords and ladies of the
Court] – J. E. Phillips, George Ruckstaetter, B. A. Kleboe, Theo Lely, J. J.
Grant
A final note stated, “Post-Ursine Vibrations by Fred S.
Bersch and Glen C. Sheffer.”
Recognizing many of the artists, when I look at the list of names
I am astounded at the room full of talent.
In 1912, Thomas G. Moses wrote,
“The Palette and Chisel Club honored me by giving me a big dinner and named me
‘Uncle Tom’ of the Club.” I have explored Moses’ Palette & Chisel Club activities
in the past, but will recap today. The next few posts will examine club events and
some members.
Founded in 1895, the Palette & Chisel Club was an
association of artists and craftsmen for the purpose of work and study. The
organization’s members were reported to be “all wage-workers, busy during the
week with pencil, brush or chisel, doing work to please other people” (Inland
Printer, 1896). But on Sunday mornings, they assembled for five hours to paint
for themselves.
In 1906, Thomas G. Moses joined
the Palette and Chisel Club in Chicago. Moses wrote, “I don’t know why, as I
had so little time to give to pictures, but I live in hopes of doing something
some day, that is what I have lived on for years, Hope, and how little we
realize from our dreams of hope.” That same year, the Palette & Chisel Club
sponsored “Bohemian Night” in honor of Alphonse Mucha, as Mucha was in town teaching at the Art
Institute of Chicago that fall. The group was a tightknit community of strong
personalities boasting incredible artistic talents.
In 1905, members of the Palette
and Chisel Club established a primitive camp at Fox Lake, Illinois. The Palette
and Chisel Club camp drew a variety of artists during the summer months,
including Moses by 1906. This scenic
retreat was formed along the shores of Fox Lake, providing a haven far away
from the bustle of studio work in Chicago. There were many Sosman & Landis
employees who also became members of the Palette & Chisel Club, strengthening
the bonds of friendship during off hours.
In the beginning, the camp was quite rustic. Of the primitive
camping experience, Moses wrote, “June 1st, I made my first trip to
the Palette and Chisel Club camp at Fox Lake, Ill. Helped to put up the tent. A new experience for me, but I enjoyed it. I slept well on a cot. Made a few sketches. A very interesting place. I don’t like the cooking in the tent and
there should be a floor in the tent. I
saw a great many improvements that could be made in the outfit and I started
something very soon.” Moses soon fixed most of these issues, donating a “portable
house” to the camp two years later. In 1908, Moses wrote, “I bought the
portable house that we built years ago and at that time we received $300.00 for
it. I finally got it for $50.00, some
bargain. It cost $25.00 to remove it and
we will put it up at Fox Lake in the spring.
It has been used in Forest Park all summer to show ‘The Day in the
Alps.’ The next year Moses wrote, “As we had put up the portable house in Fox
Lake, I was better contented to go up. I
gave the camp a portable kitchen and it was some class. I felt sure I would manage to get a camp
outfit worth while and the boys all fell in line with me.”
His statement, “…and the boys all fell in line with me” is
something to note. It was a common occurrence both in and out of the paint
studio for Moses to lead the pack. His
charisma, charm and personality facilitated not only business dealings, but
also other social activities, Fox Lake being one of the instances where Moses
took charge of an artistic group. In 1910, Moses wrote, “Fox Lake appealed to
me all summer. I went up as much as possible
and made good use of my time. How I
wished in vain for time and money to spend all summer sketching. I know I could do something worthwhile.”
Regardless of his own opinion, Moses continued to make progress in the eyes of
Palette & Chisel Club members.
Although late to the game, he
was their beloved leader. Therefore, I have to consider Moses’ earning the
designation of “Uncle Tom” in the Palette & Chisel Club in 1912. Was it
intended as a compliment or a slight? Was
it simply an endearing term given by a bunch of white men who didn’t really
understand what “Uncle Tom” signified? Were they simply thinking of Moses as
the self-sacrificing figure who put others before himself? By 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 3rd, 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.” He was in good company, with many members becoming nationally
recognized artists over the years. These successful artists maintained close
ties, suggesting that they admired and respected him.
Now in regard to the title of
“Uncle Tom” for Moses…
“Uncle Tom’s Cabin” was still
playing theaters throughout the United States in 1912. On April 26, 1912, there
was such great interest in Harriet Beecher Stowe’s work and the subsequent
theatrical interpretations that the “Quad City Times” included an article entitled,
“The Writing of Uncle Tom,” going into depth about the author (page 4). On
October 9, 1912, the “Muncie Evening Press” interviewed the “Educated Drug
Clerk” about the play (page 8). This individual seems to have offered his view
on various topics of the day. The article quoted the Educated Drug Clerk as
saying, “It wouldn’t seem right for a theatrical season to go around without
one or two ‘Uncle Tom’ shows visiting every town in the circuit…I suppose it is
too early yet to say whether or not ‘Uncle Tom’ is to become a classic. The era
of slavery has gone and seems far away to some of us. Yet there are thousands
of people who remember the dark days. Another century, perhaps, will determine
Uncle Tom’s real place in literature. Now I gather from critics that the true
work is shown when it has the faculty of living and playing on emotions of men
long after the period which produced it has passed. In other words, the classic
does not owe its power to the thought of any particular epoch, but must be
filled with teachings of real truth which will not change as the centuries roll
on.” Of the novel’s characters, the article noted that Uncle Tom was
“representative of down trodden humanity.” This again made me ponder the
Palette & Chisel Club’s designation of Moses as their “Uncle Tom.”
A scene from “Uncle Tom’s Cabin.”
I cannot read Moses’ entry about
his new title without cringing. To look at the group of artists using the term
makes it offensive. I cannot think of a single artist in the Palette &
Chisel Club at the time that wasn’t white. I cannot think of a single scenic
artist mentioned by Moses in his memoirs who wasn’t white, all of which causes
me great unease; the same that I felt when I first saw an image of white people
in black face makeup. My relatives arrived on the shores of America long after
the Civil War ended, yet some of them were racist; some of them still are – and
that is a horrifying truth to admit. It was a controversial topic that we
discussed in my youth, one that was addressed after many family gatherings. I
did not fully understand the extent of racism in my family until during and
after the 2016 election. My parents had disagreed with many of the extended
family’s views regarding people of color and fought back in various ways over
the decades. I was taught that all people are equal. Period. No discussion. I
greatly admire my parent s for that, especially my mother, the history teacher,
who was very clear about America’s history with slavery and Jim Crowe laws.
Regardless, I am the product of
white privilege in the United States and am horrified to witness the current, continued
and blatant racial discrimination by our president and some leaders. I am ashamed
to realize how many of my family, in-laws, friends, and colleagues continue to discriminate
against others based on the color of their skin.
In regard to Harriet Beecher
Stowe’s 1851 novel, which humanized the suffering of slavery, a cruel master
beat Tom to death because he refused to betray the whereabouts of other escaped
slaves. The novel and subsequent stage productions have been repeatedly
analyzed over the decades, with varying nuances in each interpretation.
However, I have to wonder how the title was intended when gifted to Thomas G.
Moses in 1912. Today, Wikipedia notes, “the term ‘Uncle Tom’ was also used as a
derogatory epithet for an exceedingly subservient person, particularly when
that person is aware of their own lower-class status based on race. The use of
the epithet is the result of later works derived from the original novel.”
Was the title “Uncle Tom” intended
as a compliment or slight for Tom Moses in 1912? We will never know.
In 1912, Thomas G. Moses wrote that he designed scenery for two Minnie Palmer productions. However, there were two Minnie Palmers recognized for their theatrical contributions in 1912.
One Minnie Palmer (1857-1936)
was an American actress who made her stage debut at the Park Theatre in
Brooklyn, New York on June 8, 1874. Palmer was known for both her dramatic and
singing abilities, and especially her starring role in “My Sweetheart” that
toured both England and the United States. In 1912, “The Pittsburgh Press”
included an article on two well-known actresses from the past, Minnie Palmer
and Estelle Clayton. The article recalled their careers twenty-five years prior (19 March 1912, page 18).
Minnie Palmer
A second Minnie Palmer emerged after the first; this was
actually Minnie Marx (nee Miene Schönberg), mother and manager of the Marx
Brothers and sister of comedian and vaudeville star Al Shean. Minnie used the
last name of Palmer as an alias as a manager to her sons and other shows. The
Marx family resided in Chicago during this time, making the connection to
Sosman & Landis studio even more probably, especially through mutual ties
with McVickers Theater. There is a fascinating history about the Marx family
and their life in the windy city written by Mikael Uhlin for his Marxology blog
(https://www.marx-brothers.org/marxology/chicago.htm).
As an aside, Moses worked with the Marx Brothers on a
project in 1926. Of them, Moses wrote, “Made several sketches for Marks
Brothers. I have no faith in them. I think them very cheap.” He would have some
perspective if he had worked for their mother on other shows.
Minnie Palmer managed the Marx
Brothers and other well-known vaudeville attractions. In 1912, shows produced
by Minnie Palmer included, “The Six American Beauties,” “Minnie Palmer’s Golden
Gate Girls,” “Minnie Palmer’s 1912 Cabaret Review,” and “Running for Congress.”
“The Six American Beauties” was advertised
as the “costliest act ever played” (The Daily Gate City, Keokuk, Iowa, 31 July
1912, page 3). “The San Francisco Call” reported “Music is their forte,
reinforced by natural beauty and skill in acting. The violin, cello and harp
are handled with remarkable effect and a novelty is introduced when a girl
wanders through the house playing a violin solo” (3 Nov 1912, page 46).
Minnie Palmer’s Six American Beauties advertised in the “Daily Gate City,” 1 Aug 1912, page 8.
In 1912, Palmer also organized a
new act known as “Minnie Palmer’s Golden Gate Girls.” Palmer’s “Golden Gate
Girls” employed 17 people for their touring show as it crisscrossed the country
(Lansing State Journal, 12 Oct. 1912, page 6). The show was part of the “Big
Laugh Show, Duke of Bull Durham.” Advertised
as “a musical comedy farce with a plot” and “gigantic hurricane of fun, “show posters
promised a “carload of scenery and effects”
Minnie Palmer’s Golden Gate Girls advertised in the “Journal Times,” 9 Dec 1912, page 8.
Palmer’s “Cabaret Review of
1912” was described in an article from the “San Francisco Call,” as another big
scenic production (30 Dec. 1912, page 18). The article reported, “‘Cabaret
Review of 1912,’ Minnie Palmer’s sparkling little musical comedietta, is the
headliner of the new bill which opened at Pantages yesterday. The scene of the review
is in a café on the gay ‘white way.’ The usual after midnight crowd assembles,
giving Will Staton an excellent chance to impersonate a joyous reveler.
Staton’s capers during the whirlwind revelry reveals him as a character actor
of no mean merit.”
Minnie Palmer’s 1912 Cabaret Review advertised in the San Francisco Call, Dec. 29, 1912, page 28
Palmer had a fourth show on tour
on tour in 1912 too. “Running for Congress” was a political show managed by
Palmer with a company of 20 people (The Times, Munster, Indiana, 30 Dec. 1912,
page 2). It too traveled with a carload of scenery.
The confusion between the two Minnie Palmers intensified by
1918 when actress Palmer returned after being abroad in 1918, resuming her
acting career, as well as producing theatrical shows. This caused confusion
with Minnie Marx, aka. Minnie Palmer, who continued to work as a manager.
However, Marx was dealing with several business issues and the onslaught of
WWI. To avoid her sons being drafted, however, Minnie Marx bought a farm in La
Grange, Illinois, as she understood that farmers could be exempted from the
draft.
Yesterday, I mentioned the two reels of famous “Kinemacolor
pictures” that were part of the new Empress Theatre’s vaudeville program in 1913.
When movies were first introduced, they appeared as an act, one of many on the
vaudeville stage. However, a shift occurs in the theatre industry, slowly
nudging moving pictures to the forefront of popular entertainment on stage. This
had a major affect on the construction of other entertainment venues, subsequently
decreasing the demand for painted scenery. In a sense, the appearance of
Kinemacolor Theaters albeit short lived signally the beginning to the end for
Sosman & Landis and other firms founded on the production of painted
illusion. I am going to explore the construction of Kinemacolor theaters today.
Kinemacolor was advertised as
“the perfection of animated photography.” It is noted as the most successful of
the so called “natural color processes” in early cinema, using an additive
process operated with alternating red and green filters that were applied to
the shutter in front of the camera and in front of the projector. Popularized by
George Albert Smith and Charles Urban. Kinemacolor flourished in theaters during
the decade before WWI. The principle of recording color separations with
revolving shutter filters was not invented by Urban. German Hermann Isensee is
credited as one of the individuals who first experimented with the process during
the 1890s. By 1899, Frederick Marshall
Lee and Edward Raymond Turner patented an early version of the system.
In short, the three-color records (wheels) used by Lee and
Edward proved to be impractical, and yet the earlier two-color system failed to
produce the entire color spectrum; blue to violet hues and whites had a
yellowing tinge. It was Smith who proposed adding blue-violet filters to the
projection light for a more satisfying result.
As I was reading about the various filters, it was hard not to think of
the red/green/white border lights that were installed in some Scottish Rite
theaters during this same time period (see past posts, as I have addressed the
lighting approach).
Kinemacolor projector
The popularity of the short films resulted in the
construction of Kinemacolor theaters. On Oct. 9, 1911, the “Courier-News”
reported the Historic Mendelssohn Hall was leased to the Kinemacolor Company of
America as a permanent home for the colored motion pictures in New York and renamed
the Kinemacolor Theatre (Bridgewater, NJ, page 3). The article noted,
“Kinemacolor Theatre will be unique, and to New York what the Scala Theatre,
with a similar exhibition, is to London. Abroad Kinemacolor has become the rage
of Royalty, and on average of once a fortnight their majesties King George and
Queen Mary visit the Scala, and as well have a private exhibition set for the
children of the Royal family. For the first time in New York the complete
series of Coronation pictures will be present for a limited engagement at the
Kinemacolor Theatre, which opens its doors on Saturday evening.”
From “The Observer,”14 March 1915, page 7From the “Boston Daily Globe,” 23 March 1915, page 45
That same year, a Kinemacolor theater also on the west coast
of the United States. Tally’s Broadway was in Los Angeles soon featured the new
color films and was briefly renamed the Kinemacolor Theatre.
The Island Amusement Company in 1913 constructed another
Kinemacolor Theatre in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. On February 20,
1912, the “Vancouver Sun” reported “As its name implies the Kinemacolor theatre
will feature the famous colored motion pictures prepared under the Kinemacolor
system, but it will also present a musical programme including an orchestra of
nine pieces under the direction of Mr. Joseph Kos and noted soloists brought
here at considerable expense and changed twice weekly. Each day’s performance
will be continuous from 12 noon to 11 o’clock at night. There will be seven
numbers in the night bill occupying upwards of an hour and a quarter for
consecutive presentation. The night charges will be 25 cents to the lower floor
and 15 cents to the balcony, while for the benefit of children and their
parents the charge of all parts of the house form noon to 6 p.m. will be only
10 cents” (page 7).
From “The Province,” 3 March 1913, page 5
By the summer of 1913, newspaper headlines boasted,
“Kinemacolor Breaks Film Speed Record.” The “News-Herald” of Franklin,
Pennsylvania, reported “The Kinemacolor broke all records for quick motion picture
reporting the day the Impersonator docked by exhibiting the pictures a little
over six hours after arrival. It is the first time that natural color photographs
have been taken, developed, printed and exhibited with such speed and
satisfactory results” (28 June 1913, page 7). Film footage taken at noon was
shown in the Kinemacolor exhibition theatre by 6 p.m. that evening. All seemed
to be on the upswing, but the demand for new films outpaced those who produced
and processed them. At the time, the model was unsustainable to deliver new
subjects to the Kinemacolor Theaters. The novelty wore off.
From “The Vancouver Daily World,” 22 March 1913, page 28
On October 21, 1913, the “Victoria Daily Times” reported
“Kinemacolor Closed Up. Victoria’s Newest Theatre Proved Unprofitable Venture
and Policy Will Be Changed” (21 Oct, 1913, page 17). The article continued,
“The colored pictures never proved a great attraction in any part of Canada and
the company behind the films has been reported in difficulties in some months
past.” By 1915, the venue reopened at the Colonial Theatre.
Widescreenmuseum.com explains one of the flaws to
Kinemacolor (http://www.widescreenmuseum.com/oldcolor/kinemaco.htm),
“Like all sequential color processes, Kinemacolor suffered from color fringing
when objects moved, since the two color records were not recorded at the same
time. In projection, a filter wheel, similar to that in the camera, added the
red and green tints to the successive frames. Many color processes used this
approach and all suffered from fringing on moving objects, dark images, and
untold grief if the film was not loaded in the projector in appropriate sync
with the color wheel. None of the two-color processes could reproduce blue or
pure white, but various tricks were used to fool the eye into thinking it was
seeing a neutral white…Kinemacolor was quite successful in Europe and promised
to grow and improve. However, two events ultimately killed the company. First,
William Friese-Greene sued for patent violation. Friese-Greene claimed to have
invented virtually everything relating to motion pictures but he lost his suit
through all the lower courts in England. He finally did win when he appealed
the lower court decisions to the House of Lords. This didn’t get Friese-Greene
anything but it did open up the Kinemacolor technology so that anyone could
take advantage of it. The second event was World War I, which nearly destroyed
all the European film companies. By the time Europe started to make a comeback
Kinemacolor was nearly defunct and Technicolor in Boston, Massachusetts had
taken the lead in producing a workable color process.”
