Charles Frohman (July 15, 1856 – May 7, 1915) was an American theatrical producer. Events 1099 - First Crusade: Christian soldiers take the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem after the final Year 1856 ( MDCCCLVI) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian Calendar (or a Leap year Events 558 - In Constantinople, the dome of the Hagia Sophia collapses Year 1915 ( MCMXV) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar (or a Common year The United States of America —commonly referred to as the A theatrical producer is the person ultimately responsible for overseeing all aspects of mounting a theatre production.
One of three Frohman brothers, he was born in Sandusky, Ohio. The Frohman brothers were important American Broadway theatre owners and Theatrical producers who also owned and operated Motion picture production Sandusky is a city in the US state of Ohio and the County seat of Erie County. He was the youngest, his older brothers being: Daniel Frohman (1851–1940) and Gustave Frohman (1854–1930). Daniel Frohman ( August 22, 1851 - December 26, 1940) was a Jewish American theatrical producer and manager and an early Gustave Frohman ( c1854 – August 16, 1930) was a Theatre producer and Advance man. The year of his birth date is generally erroneously reported as 1860, and his birthday is shown as July 16 on his tombstone, but the correct date is July 15, 1856 (sources: Certified Birth Certificate, Sandusky, Ohio and the 1860 Federal Census for Sandusky, Ohio, which shows: "Charley," age 4). Events 622 - The beginning of the Islamic calendar. 1054 - Three Roman legates fractured relations between the Western and Events 1099 - First Crusade: Christian soldiers take the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem after the final
Life and career
In 1864, Frohman's family moved to New York City, where Frohman eventually worked for a newspaper. A newspaper is a written Publication containing News, information and Advertising, usually printed on low-cost paper called Newsprint. In New York, Frohman developed a love of the theatre that led to him becoming a booking agent and then working his way up to producer and theatre owner/operator.
Frohman's first success as a producer was with Bronson Howard's Shenandoah (1889). Bronson Howard ( October 7, 1842 in Detroit – August 4, 1908 in Avon-by-the-Sea New Jersey) was a well-known Frohman founded the Empire Theatre Stock Company to acquire the Empire Theatre in 1892, and the following year produced his first Broadway play Clyde Fitch's Masked Ball. Broadway theater, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 39 large professional theaters with 500 seats or more located Clyde Fitch ( May 2 1865 - September 4 1909) was an American Dramatist. Masked Ball (original title Álarcosbál) is a 1918 Hungarian film directed by Alfréd Deésy and featuring Béla Lugosi This play marked the first time that actress Maude Adams played opposite John Drew, which led to many future successes. An actor, actress, player or thespian (see terminology) is a person who Acts in a Dramatic production and who works This article is about Maude Adams the stage actress For the Swedish actress see Maud Adams. John Drew Jr ( November 13, 1853 &ndash July 9, 1927) was an American stage actor noted for his roles in Shakespearean Soon he acquired five other New York City theaters.
Frohman was known for his ability to develop talent. His stars included William Gillette, John Drew Jr., Ethel Barrymore, E. H. Sothern, Julia Marlowe, Maude Adams, and Henry Miller. William Hooker Gillette ( b July 24, 1853, Hartford, Connecticut; d John Drew Jr ( November 13, 1853 &ndash July 9, 1927) was an American stage actor noted for his roles in Shakespearean Ethel Barrymore ( August 15, 1879 – June 18, 1959) was an Academy Award -winning American actress and a member of Edward Hugh Sothern ( 6 December, 1859 - 28 October, 1933) was an American Actor. Julia Marlowe ( August 17, 1866 – November 12, 1950) was an English -born American actress known for her This article is about Maude Adams the stage actress For the Swedish actress see Maud Adams. Henry Valentine Miller (December 26 1891 &ndash June 7 1980 was an American writer and painter. In 1896, Frohman, Al Hayman, Abe Erlanger, Mark Klaw, Samuel F. Al Hayman, also known as Raphael Hayman, (1847 – 1917 was the business partner of the better-known Charles Frohman who together with others established the Abraham Lincoln Erlanger ( May 4, 1859 – March 7, 1930) was an American Theatrical producer, director designer theatre owner Marcus Alonzo Klaw ( May 29, 1858 – June 14, 1936) was an American Lawyer, Theatrical producer, theatre owner Nixon, and Fred Zimmerman formed the Theatrical Syndicate. Fred R Zimmerman ( November 20, 1880 December 14, 1954) was the 25th governor of Wisconsin, serving one term from 1927 to 1929 The Theatrical Syndicate was established in New York City, New York in 1896 by producers and investors Charles Frohman, Al Hayman, Abe Erlanger Their organization established systemized booking networks throughout the United States and created a monopoly that controlled every aspect of contracts and bookings until the late 1910s when the Shubert brothers broke their stranglehold on the industry. The Shubert family of New York City, New York was responsible for the establishment of the Broadway district in New York City, as the hub of
In 1897, Frohman leased the Duke of York's Theatre in London, introducing plays there as well as in the United States. The Duke of York's Theatre is a West End Theatre in St Martin's Lane in the City of Westminster. Clyde Fitch, J. M. Barrie, and Edmond Rostand were among the playwrights he promoted. Clyde Fitch ( May 2 1865 - September 4 1909) was an American Dramatist. Sir James Matthew Barrie 1st Baronet OM ( 9 May, 1860 &ndash 19 June, 1937) more commonly known as J Edmond Eugène Alexis Rostand ( April 1, 1868 &ndash December 2, 1918) was a French Poet and Dramatist. As a producer, among Frohman's most famous successes was Barrie's Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up which he debuted at the Duke of York's in December 1904, and later produced in the United States starring Maude Adams. Peter Pan or The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up and Peter and Wendy are the stage play and novel (respectively which tell the well-known story of This article is about Maude Adams the stage actress For the Swedish actress see Maud Adams. In the early years of the 20th century, Frohman also established a successful partnership with Seymour Hicks to produce musicals and other comedies in London, including Quality Street in 1902, The Admirable Crichton in 1903, The Catch of the Season in 1904, The Beauty of Bath in 1906, The Gay Gordons in 1907, and A Waltz Dream in 1908, among others. Seymour Hicks ( 30 January 1871 &ndash 6 April 1949) was a British actor Music hall performer playwright screenwriter Quality Street is a comedy in four acts by J M Barrie, who would later become famous for his creation Peter Pan or The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up The Admirable Crichton is a comic stage play written in 1902 by J The Catch of the Season is an Edwardian musical comedy by Seymour Hicks and Cosmo Hamilton, with music by Herbert Haines and Evelyn The Beauty of Bath is a musical comedy by Seymour Hicks and Cosmo Hamilton, with lyrics by C Ein Walzertraum (in English A Waltz Dream) is an Operetta composed by Oscar Straus with a libretto by Leopold Jacobson He also partnered with other London theatre managers. The system of exchange of successful plays between London and New York was largely a result of his efforts. In 1910, Frohman attempted a repertory scheme of producing plays at the Duke of York's. He advertised a bill of plays by J. M. Barrie, John Galsworthy, Harley Granville Barker, and others. Sir James Matthew Barrie 1st Baronet OM ( 9 May, 1860 &ndash 19 June, 1937) more commonly known as J John Galsworthy OM (ˈgɔːlzwɝːðɪ ( 14 August, 1867 — 31 January, 1933) was an English Novelist and Harley Granville-Barker ( November 25 1877 &ndash August 31 1946) was an English Actor, director, producer The venture began tentatively, and while it may have proved successful, Frohman canceled the scheme when London theatres closed at the death of King Edward VII in February 1910.
By 1915 Frohman had produced more than 700 shows, employed an average of 700 actors per season, and paid salaries totalling $25,000 a week. Frohman controlled five theaters in London, six in New York City, and over two hundred throughout the rest of the United States.
Frohman died in the 1915 sinking of the RMS Lusitania by the German submarine, Unterseeboot 20. Construction and trials Owned by the Cunard Steamship Company built by John Brown and Company Lusitania was named for the ancient Roman province of Germany, officially the Federal Republic of Germany ( ˈbʊndəsʁepuˌbliːk ˈdɔʏtʃlant is a Country in Central Europe. U-boat is the anglicized version of the German word, itself an abbreviation of Unterseeboot ( undersea boat) and refers Songwriter Jerome Kern was meant to accompany him on the voyage, but overslept after being kept up late playing requests at a party. Jerome David Kern ( January 27, 1885 &ndash November 11, 1945) was an American Composer of popular music Frohman was reported by survivors to have declined a seat on a lifeboat, saying "Why fear death? It is the greatest adventure in life," echoing the famous line from Peter Pan, "To die would be an awfully big adventure". Frohman's body was recovered and brought back to the United States for burial in the Union Field Cemetery in Ridgewood, New York.
Frohman was portrayed by Dustin Hoffman in the film Finding Neverland in 2004. Dustin Lee Hoffman (born August 8 1937 His brother Ronald is a lawyer and economist Finding Neverland is a 2004 British / American semi- Biographical film directed by Marc Forster.
Further reading
- Isaac Frederick Marcosson with Daniel Frohman, Charles Frohman, Manager and Man, (1917)
External links
- Charles Frohman at the Internet Broadway Database
- Biography of Frohman
- Brief profile of Frohman
- Detailed profile of Frohman
- Production and cast lists for a number of London shows produced by Frohman
- Includes an anecdote about Frohman's last words and deeds on the Lusitania
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