CATEGORIES
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“Father of Vaudeville”
ALBEE, Edward F. (1857-1930). American vaudeville impresario. At the age of 16, he made his first and only performance. After seeing P.T. Barnum’s circus in 1873 he began his career in the circus. He partnered with Benjamin Keith and started their ten -cent circus. They opened the Bijou Theater In Boston in 1886, the Bijou Theater in Philadelphia in 1889 and the Hippodrome in New York’s Time Square in 1893. These two men became the largest theatrical organization known to the history of the stage. After Keith’s death in 1914, Albee was left in charge which included 15 million dollars of Keiths money. Albee was successful in making vaudeville theatre a part of community life. Groucho Marx a Albee critic once said “Albee was the owner of a large cotton plantation and the actors were his slaves.’’ Typed letter signed, one full page on the printed letterhead The B.F. Keith Circuit of Theatres, Palace Theatre Building, 164 Broadway, New York, Edward F. Albee. President.” January 11th 1922, To My dear Mr. Egbert, “I am in receipt of your telegram expressing commendation of the conduct of the Keith Institution on the occasion of our third of a century anniversary. It is a source of great gratification to be complimented by men in your position. It spurs one to use watchfulness that nothing creeps in to destroy the standard of our institution which has brought like comments as contained in your telegram from Governors, Mayors of Cities, business men and private citizens in all parts of the United States. It will be my purpose to see (and I sincerely trust) that nothing will be said or done on our stages to misplace the confidence and sentiment which you have so whole-heartedly expressed. Very gratefully yours, E,F. Albee.” Addressed to Mr. Howard Egbert, Editor The Dayton News, Dayton, Ohio. In very good condition. A very uncommon autograph.........$145.00
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