For additional installments, go to www.drypigment.net
Advertisement placed by Moses & Hamilton for their new attraction in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, June 14 1903, page 56.
For over a year, Moses & Hamilton watched showmen rake in massive profits. Thomas G. Moses wrote, “Hamilton was anxious to get into the amusement business, so we invested $3,000.00 in a little stunt, which we called ‘The Devil, The Man and the Maid.’ It was a bit taken from Faust. We had good scenery and lighting effects and many novelties were introduced. One day’s receipts was $400.00 and it all looked good to us, but a rainy spell set in an no one did business on the island. Our gross receipts were $9,000.00. They should have been at least $12,000.00 to give us a good profit. We sold out at the close of the Coney Island season and had a $1,000.00 net, for all our work and trouble.”
Their attraction was located on Surf Avenue, opposite of the Culver Depot. Moses & Hamilton advertised in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle on June 14, 1903 (page 56). The advertisement promised, “A Refined Sensational Novelty for Men, Women and Children. Spectacular in All Its Effects. Most Interesting Show on the Island.”
Moses admitted that $1000 was better than a totals loss, but it convinced Hamilton that he was not cut out to be a showman.
Moses continued to describe the experience, writing, “We started with five people in the show and wound up with twenty-three. Hamilton took the advice of every old showman on the Island, nothing they suggested proved to be of any use. Luna Park itself proved to be a money getter, and helped to increase the attendance at the Island; better car service was installed to New York and with the steam boats there were facilities on going and coming, enjoyed by everyone.” I discovered that Mose & Hamilton sold the show to Messrs. Kern and Grim. It was next used for the St. Louis Exposition in 1904.
In 1905, the Allentown Morning Call (20 Sept 1905, page 1) reported that the amusement “The Devil, The Man and The Maid” had originated on Luna Park was part of the novelties for the Pike at the Allentown Fair. It was one of three attractions, along with “Around the World” and “Siberia.” Messrs. Kern and Grim has also exhibited “The Devil, The Man and The Maid” at the 1904 St. Louis Exposition. The newspaper article reported, “This is one of the most successful illusion shows ever brought to this city.
On entering, one sees a young lady hypnotized in full view of the audience, and caused to float, unsupported, in the air, all this in a brilliantly lighted room. Later, the same young lady is securely bound by some one from the audience, securely sewn up in a bag, and placed in a large trunk, which is, in turn, is tied up and locked in such a manner that any escape seems impossible. This is then placed in a cabinet, and the trunk dragged out a minute later by members of the audience, and opened, only to find that the woman has disappeared and a man substituted.
From this room, one is taken into the side theatre, without any further price of admission, and here a lady or gentleman is taken from the audience, and in full view of the audience, transformed from rosy health to a grinning skeleton, and then in turn, returned to natural state. The same person is introduced to persons appearing on the stage, and when attempting to touch them finds that they disappear at will. This show is one of the most realistic performances and aggregation of the most astounding feats ever shown here.”
The effect with the skeleton was the scenic illusion called “Pepper’s Ghost.” This is the same effect that Moses would create while working for Sosman & Landis when designing for fraternal theaters. It was successfully used in the Scottish Rite’s thirtieth degree catacombs scene where a man “from the audience,” or exemplar for the degree, turned into a skeleton on stage.
While Wendy Waszut-Barrett is traveling for research and art acquisitions (October 14-29, 2017) she is reposting the first fifteen installments from “Tales from a Scenic Artist and Scholar Acquiring: The Fort Scott Scottish Rite Scenery for the Minnesota Masonic Heritage Center.” Here is her ninth post from February 23, 2017.
Part 9: Pepper’s Ghost
I met the rest of my Fort Scott crew on the second day. We started the morning by setting up the catacomb scene for the 30th degree. This would prove to be an ideal project, allowing us to start the day with something really fun. This scene included a stage effect called Pepper’s Ghost, an absolutely delightful scenic illusion – even for seasoned theatre people.
Fort Scott Scottish Rite Catacombs setting for the 30th degree. Note reflection of skeleton in central door unit. This scenic effect is called Pepper’s Ghost. Photograph by Wendy Waszut-Barrett, November 2015.Fort Scott Scottish Rite Pepper’s Ghost unit that is placed behind the Catacomb backdrop. Photograph by Wendy Waszut-Barrett, November 2015.
We rolled out the large and dirt encrusted Pepper’s Ghost chamber. This unit, as everything else on the stage, was coated with a thick layer of oily black residue. I had never encountered this particular type of surface contaminant before and was starting to feel a little uneasy about what it might be.
In terms of Pepper’s Ghost, it was obvious that a theatrical manufacturer did not professionally construct this unit. It also appeared to be a second-generation artifact, constructed by Masons during the mid-twentieth century. It is important to note that many Scottish Rite stage props and set pieces were “updated” or “touched up” with paint in the late 1940s through mid 1960s. Sometimes the originals were simply thrown out and rebuilt. Second generation replicas were often the product of industrious Masons or an ambitious stage crew, all with the mind set of “Hey, I know how to make this even better!” In some cases it worked, in most instances it failed – miserably.
The manufacturers of the Fort Scott unit proudly stenciled their creation with “A.A.S.R. Senic Building Corporation of Fort Scott, Kansas.” I wondered if the misspelling of “scenic” was intentional. Maybe “senic” was a play on the word “senior;” probably not. Regardless, it was a delightful piece of both theatrical and Masonic history that could be treasured by future generations. I immediately decided that it was coming with me.
Now it’s really important to understand what happens on the stage prior to the Pepper’s Ghost scenic illusion. The central opening of the drop is covered with a painted panel that will eventually fall to the floor.
Door that covers Fort Scott Scottish Rite opening in the 30th degree Catacombs backdrop. Photograph by Wendy Waszut-Barrett, November 2015.
To the immediate stage left side of this space is a translucent section in the drop with a passage of text. When front lit, this translucent section looks like a painted stonewall.
Translucent section of the Fort Scott Catacomb backdrop. Photograph by Wendy Waszut-Barrett, November 2015.
When backlit, portions of the wall reveal a text from the ritual: “He who shall overcome the dread of death shall ascend beyond the terrestrial sphere and be entitled to initiation into the Greater Mysteries.”
Same section on the Forts Scott Scottish Rite backdrop lit from behind. Photograph by Wendy Waszut-Barrett, November 2015.
The text is illuminated and on cue, the painted panel slams to the ground, beckoning the actor to enter this dark chamber. After entering the space, the audience witnesses man’s mortality where the actor transforms into a skeleton. Pretty magical, isn’t it?
Here is how this stage effect works:
The unit is placed immediately behind the practical opening in the catacomb backdrop where hooks connect to eyebolts on the backdrop’s wooden supports.
Here is the diagram for a similar Pepper’s Ghost unit where a ghost plays an organ.
In the corner of this “L” shaped unit is a moving piece of plate glass. This plate glass is placed at a 45-degree angle to the drop opening and the audience. At the correct moment, the glass slides “soundlessly” into place, moved with a hand crank and a cable.
Actor in chamber with plate glass slid into place. Only actor is illuminated. Photograph by Wendy Waszut-Barrett, November 2015.
The actor walks over the fallen door panel and through the opening; he remains in full view of the audience. He is fully lit with his own miniature spotlight in the chamber. This plate glass rolls into place, separating him from the audience while remaining entirely visible. The glass is undetectable.
Lights go up on the skeleton and its reflection appears on the plate glass. Photograph by Wendy Waszut-Barrett, November 2015.
A second light illuminates the skeleton, reflecting its image onto the plate glass. The lights on the actor go down and only the reflection of the skeleton remains. The mechanized skeleton with glowing red eyes even gestures to the audience with his bony hand! This is nineteenth century theatrical magic at work!
Lights only appear on the skeleton. All lights on the actor are turned off and only the reflection of the skeleton is visible on the plate glass. Photograph by Wendy Waszut-Barrett, November 2015.
Eventually, the lights on the skeleton are turned off as the lights on the actor are turned back on, allowing the skeleton’s reflection to be replaced with that of the actor. The plate glass is rolled back and the actor is allowed to immediately exit the unit.
We were able to stage this effect and I witnessed the delight of my crew. In this instant, I knew that Pepper’s Ghost was going to accompany the drop collection back to Minnesota, including all six feet of plate glass and paper maché skeleton. Why restore a catacomb scene without the scenic effect? This was what made audiences gasp in wonder and delight. I even took a video so that the CEO and general director of Minnesota Masonic Heritage Center could understand the importance of the scene, but never received any response from either of them.
The mechanics of this unit were fascinating to examine. Behind the fly rail we had encountered another hand-made mechanical device; a converted sewing machine with cables to raise Jesus during the Ascension scene (18th degree), thus replacing the original hand crack.
Fort Scott Scottish Rite Ascension setting with profile piece that is raised. Photograph by Wendy Waszut-Barrett, November 2015.Hand crank that raised profile piece at the Fort Scott Scottish Rite theater in Kansas.The profile piece in Fort Scott, Kansas, in the Scottish Rite theater. Photograph by Wendy Waszut-Barrett, November 2015.The machine that replaced the original hand crank to raise the profile piece. Photograph by Wendy Waszut-Barrett, November 2015.
They were both delightful examples of mid-twentieth century ingenuity conceived and built by fraternal stage crews. These unique machines captivated my crew and they eagerly anticipated the discovery of other artifacts.
It proved be an ideal start for the second day and the duration of the entire project. Ty Prewitt of BellaTEX had assembled a good combination of unique personalities and individual expertise. The crew and I tentatively shared stories about each other, our families, and homes in the beginning. Each man was hardworking, easy going, accommodating, and fun. I was very lucky to have this particular crew as there would be numerous challenges around the bend. Every day would bring an unanticipated surprise.
To be continued…
Poster for the “Original Pepper’s Ghost” by the Spectral Opera Co. I stumbled across this on a Pintrest page and just had to include it in this post.
Here is the link to a great article on Pepper’s Ghost. http://blog.cmog.org/2012/09/11/ghosts-and-magicand-glass/
The stage effects that were discovered in Fort Scott, Kansas, at the Scottish Rite theatre were just a few common examples in a long history of designing spectacle for the stage. The 1924 version of Pepper’s Ghost for the 30th degree and the volcanic eruption for the 17th degree were relatively tame when compared with the commercial touring shows from the early twentieth century.
Fort Scott Scottish Rite setting for Pepper’s Ghost illusion in the 30th degree. Photograph by Wendy Waszut-Barrett, 2015.Fort Scott Scottish Rite setting for Pepper’s Ghost illusion in the 30th degree. Photograph by Wendy Waszut-Barrett, 2015.The man changing into the skeleton. Pepper’s Ghost illusion for the 30th degree in Fort Scott, Kansas, at the Scottish Rite. Photograph by Wendy Waszut-Barrett, 2015.
Stage carpenters and scenic artists, such as David A. Strong, initially designed scenic spectacles for Masonic degree productions. C. S. King of Sosman & Landis and W. K. Brown of Twin City Scenic repeatedly constructed certain stage effects for Scottish Rite theaters when degree productions initially appeared in the Southern Jurisdiction. They were just two individuals of the hundreds employed by scenic studios throughout the country. Today I look at Brown who was responsible for designing the stage machinery for many Scottish Rite Valleys, including the Minneapolis Scottish Rite where he was a member.
Twenty years after Charles S. King installed the stage machinery at the Grand Opera House in Minneapolis, a newspaper article discussed the venue’s first stage carpenter, William Knox Brown.
William Knox Brown, stage carpenter and Scottish Rite Mason in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
Published on January 13, 1901, the article was titled, “Experts Behind the Scenes.” It included a brief synopsis of Brown’s career as a stage carpenter. The main title line was followed by a subheading that stated, “Ability of Men Who Are Not Visible to the Audience is Tested by Such a Production as Hanlon Bros. Le Voyage En Suisse.” A series of illustrations followed, exploring the duties of stagehands, examining “Who They Are and What They Do – Some of Their Peculiar Experiments.” It was the image of stagehands working the lines that initially caught my eye.
Stage hands moving the lines in the 1901 article that described “Le Voyage en Suisse.”1901 article, “Experts Behind the Scenes” with summary of W. K. Brown’s experience as a stage carpenter.
Brown, Theodore Hays and William P. Davis started the Twin City Scenic Company, initially working out of the Bijou Opera House in Minneapolis. A wonderful history has already been written about the company and was published in the 1987 exhibition catalogue, “The Twin City Scenic Collection: Popular Entertainment 1895-1929.” It was Brown’s connection to touring spectacles and Davis’ history at the Chicago Civic Auditorium that I would like to highlight today as I continue to examine those who engineered stage effects. Theodore Hays was the business manager, Brown was in charge of the stage mechanics, and Davis led the painting at Twin City Scenic. All three had the necessary connections to make their endeavor a success. Brown had worked extensively for the Hanlon Bros. while Davis had functioned as the primary scenic artist at the Chicago Civic Auditorium.
The Star Tribune article noted that the “ruler of this realm behind the footlights” was titled “stage carpenter,” then proceeded to explain all of the different jobs associated with the technical elements of many productions. What really caught me eye was the description of the Bijou stage space in 1901.
Illustration in 1901 article depicting scene change for “Le Voyage en Suisse.”
Here is an excerpt that I found fascinating:
“The stage proper was divided by the old system of grooves, which were used to hold up the scenery into divisions, one, two, three and four, where the stage was extra deep, sometimes five and six. Grooves are a mechanical contrivance in which the scenes slide back and forth. This methods of stage setting is very seldom employed at the present time, the more modern arrangements of setting scenes in a box shape, supporting them with braces and connecting them by lash lines, being more common use. One as styled above is the first space back of the curtain line, and is five or more feet in depth, according to the size of the stage. Spaces two, three and four are equal to the distances from one, towards the rear. There are few theatrical productions that require more extensive stage room than the Hanlon Brother’s greatest spectacle, ‘A Trip to Switzerland.’”
The article noted that Brown was a “mechanic of experience” and “one of the best stage carpenters in the country” with a “thorough and comprehensive knowledge of the art of stage mechanism.” It then went on to describe his experience since first arriving in Minneapolis as a stage carpenter in 1882.
He was in his second year of presiding over the Bijou and credited with “that rare quality of being able to control men without trouble.” Brown started his career in Minneapolis as stage carpenter at the Grand Opera House in 1882. He also worked at the Grand Opera House in St. Paul before eventually transferring to the Bijou and the People’s Theatre. Brown left the area for work at a variety of opera houses by 1887, including Burd’s Opera House in Davenport, Iowa, Harris Theater in Louisville, Kentucky, and the Henrietta Theatre in Columbus, Ohio. He was later hired by the Hanlon Bros. as their master machinist for the production of “Superba.” Brown not only directed the staging of “Superba,” but also was engaged at the Hanlon Bros. for their private stage and workshop in Cohaset, Massachusetts. At this facility, Brown repaired and tested new stage effects and machinery.
The production of “Superba” by the Hanlon Brothers. This is the show where W. K. Brown was the stage carpenter.
I immediately thought of the “Albert, Grover and Burridge Studio” in Chicago where they had a space to light and display the completed scenes. Were the studios in Chicago and Cohaset part of a movement to construct spaces with theatrical stages to design, test and market new products for their clientele.
Chicago studio of “Albert, Grover & Burridge.” The space had a place to stage competed scenes for clients after they were removed from the paint frames.
I met the remainder of my Fort Scott crew on the second day. We started the morning by setting up the catacomb scene for the 30th degree. This would prove to be an ideal project, allowing us to start the day with something really fun. This scene included a stage effect called Pepper’s Ghost, an absolutely delightful scenic illusion – even for seasoned theatre people.
We rolled out the large and dirt encrusted Pepper’s Ghost chamber. This unit, as everything else on the stage, was coated with a thick layer of oily black residue. I had never encountered this particular type of surface contaminant before and was starting to feel a little uneasy about what it might be.
In terms of Pepper’s Ghost, it was obvious that a theatrical manufacturer did not professionally construct this unit. It also appeared to be a second generation artifact, constructed by Masons during the mid-twentieth century. It is important to note that many Scottish Rite stage props and set pieces were “updated” or “touched up” with paint in the late 1940s through mid 1960s. Sometimes the originals were simply thrown out and rebuilt. Second generation replicas were often the product of industrious Masons or an ambitious stage crew, all with the mind set of “Hey, I know how to make this even better!” In some cases it worked, in most instances it failed – miserably.
The manufacturers of the Fort Scott unit proudly stenciled their creation with “A.A.S.R. Senic Building Corporation of Fort Scott, Kansas.” I wondered if the misspelling of “scenic” was intentional. Maybe “senic” was a play on the word “senior;” probably not. Regardless, it was a delightful piece of both theatrical and Masonic history that could be treasured by future generations. I immediately decided that it was coming with me.
Now it’s really important to understand what happens on the stage prior to the Pepper’s Ghost scenic illusion. The central opening of the drop is covered with a painted panel that will eventually fall to the floor. To the immediate stage right side of this space is a translucent section in the drop with a passage of text. When front lit, this translucent section looks like a painted stone wall. When backlight, portions of the wall reveal a text from the ritual: “He who shall overcome the dread of death shall ascend beyond the terrestrial sphere and be entitled to initiation into the Greater Mysteries.”
The text is illuminated and on cue, the painted panel slams to the ground, beckoning the actor to enter this dark chamber. After entering the space, the audience witnesses man’s mortality where the actor transforms into a skeleton. Pretty magical, isn’t it?
x
Here is how this stage effect works: The unit is placed immediately behind the practical opening in the catacomb backdrop where hooks connect to eye bolts on the backdrop’s wooden supports. In the corner of this “L” shaped unit is a moving piece of plate glass. This plate glass is placed at a 45 degree angle to the drop opening and the audience. At the correct moment, the glass slides “soundlessly” into place, moved with a hand crank and a cable.
The actor walks over the fallen panel and through the opening in the drop; he remains in full view of the audience. He is fully lit with his own miniature spot light in the chamber. This plate glass rolls into place, separating him from the audience while remaining entirely visible. The glass is undetectable.
A second light illuminates the skeleton, reflecting its image onto the plate glass. The lights on the actor go down and only the reflection of the skeleton remains. The mechanized skeleton with glowing red eyes even gestures to the audience with his bony hand! This is nineteenth century theatrical magic at work!
Eventually, the lights on the skeleton are turned off as the lights on the actor are turned back on, allowing the skeleton’s reflection to be replaced with that of the actor. The plate glass is rolled back and the actor is allowed to immediately exit the unit.
We were able to stage this effect and I witnessed the delight of my crew. In this instant, I knew that Pepper’s Ghost was going to accompany the drop collection back to Minnesota, including all six feet of plate glass and paper maché skeleton. Why restore a catacomb scene without the scenic effect? This was what made audiences gasp in wonder and delight. I even took a video so that the CEO and general director of MMHC could understand the importance of the scene.
The mechanics of this unit were fascinating to examine. Behind the fly rail we had encountered another hand-made mechanical device; a converted sewing machine with cables to raise Jesus during the Ascension scene (18th degree), thus replacing the original hand crack. They were both delightful examples of mid-twentieth century ingenuity conceived and built by fraternal stage crews. These unique machines captivated my crew and they eagerly anticipated the discovery of other artifacts.
It proved be an ideal start for the second day and the duration of the entire project. Prewitt had assembled a good combination of unique personalities and individual expertise. The crew and I tentatively shared stories about each other, our families, and homes in the beginning. Each man was hardworking, easy going, accommodating, and fun. I was very lucky to have this particular crew as there would be numerous challenges around the bend. Every day would bring an unanticipated surprise.
