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Mrs. Booth, Miss Taylor, Wm. Conover, and John Nickinson being among its principal players. Mr. Mitchell was ever on the alert for young and pretty ladies, those who could act as well as look charming, and he gathered around him from Dame Nature's conservatory a lovely bouquet: Miss Singleton, the pretty young widow R. Baldock, Mrs. Bailey, Mrs. Plumer, and Mrs. W. Penson; Harry Horncastle, Harry Russell, James Everard, and David Anderson were also connected with the company. George Loder continued musical director, but Harry Marks was the leader. Loder married Mrs. Baldock. This lady was a great favorite at the Olympic. Afterwards she went to California, and died in San Francisco Nov. 2, 1855. The scene painter was Bengough, who married Mitchell's daughter.

Benjamin A. Baker, who died in New York Sept. 6, 1890, was prompter and actor. He first appeared here Dec. 9, 1839, and remained eleven years. He rang up the curtain the first and the last night of Mitchell's management. June 3, 1844, the company opened at Niblo's Garden in "The Child of the Regiment" for a brief summer term. During the season of 1845 English opera was produced by the regular company. Amilie," "Fra Diavolo " (played for six weeks), "The Barber of Seville," "National Guard" and "The Marriage of Figaro" were sung.

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In 1845 Mary Taylor created a furor among theatre-goers by her impersonation of Prince Ahmed in "The Magic Arrow." William Conover and Constantia Clarke were great favorites here. "Dick Whittington and His Cat," was one of Miss Clarke's first successes. "Don Cæsar de Bazan" was produced here, for the first time in New York, by Anna Cruise, Julia Barton, Chas. M. Walcot and A. W. Fenno. Mary Cecilia Taylor, familiarly known as "Our Mary," was one of the most attractive artists known to the habitués of this house. There was something about "Our Mary" so arch and winning that a very anchorite would wear a look of deep delight at her beautiful acting, and still more exquisite singing.

John Dunn, known as "That Rascal Jack," appeared for Ben. A. Baker's benefit.

"Used Up" was played here for the first time in this country during the season of 1846, with Charles M. Walcot as Sir Charles Coldstream. A novelty in the shape of a panorama representing scenes on Broadway, from the Battery to Grace Church, was unrolled during the winter of 1848. William Conover, in the character of Crummles, was the lecturer. Conover died in this city in 1851.

"A Glance at New York," by Ben A. Baker, was produced for the first time Feb. 15, 1848, and for the benefit of the author. This is a copy of the programme:

BENEFIT OF MR. BAKER,

when a new local sketch, written expressly for this theatre, entitled
"A GLANCE AT NEW YORK IN 1848"

Will be presented; also the fairy extravaganza entitled
"KABRI, OR THE WOODEN SHOEMAKER."

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BY MISS PARTINGTON AND MRS. LE BRUN.

To be followed by, first time here, the farce entitled

"MY YOUNG WIFE AND OLD UMBRELLA."

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LA POLKA-MISS MEALING AND MISS M. MEALING.

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This sketch was performed for four weeks in five scenes, subsequently, with the following characters introduced:

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As soon as Mary Taylor recovered from her illness, five more scenes were introduced and the part of Lize was written for her. Frank Drew was call boy.

Chanfrau had been a Bowery boy, and there were three or four strongly cast individualities that had impressed him in his East Side experiences. He lived near Essex Market with his parents, and nearly every day on his way to the theatre was in the habit of dropping in at the Broadway House, on the corner of Grand Street, to get a sixpenny plate of corned beef. One day, while enjoying

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this frugal meal, a fellow with a red shirt and open collar came in and sat down near him. The swagger, the soap locks," the projected chin and the saucy air formed a strong typical picture. He called out to one of the waiters:

"Look a heah! gim me a sixpenny plate ev pork and beans, and don't stop to count dem beans, d'yr heah!" The manner and language were intensely characteristic of a certain class then known as the "fire boys." The man himself was Mose Humphreys, a printer employed in Beach's Sun office.

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Ben. A. Baker, after Chanfrau had created a great deal of merriment by successive imitations of the firemen, suggested to him that these characterizations might be worked into a local sketch and put on the stage. Baker wrote it, and called it "A Glance at New York." It was submitted to Mitchell, and he condemned it at once. "The characters are good," said he, "but what a bad piece! It was laid away, and must have been forgotten had it not been that, some time after, Baker was to have a benefit, and, being pushed for a novelty, he thought of this sketch, and proposed to Chanfrau, who was then playing in subordinate rôles, to do it. Mitchell used to tell how he went on the stage that night just before the curtain was rung up, and seeing Chanfrau at the back, dressed for his part, was on the point of ordering him off, supposing he was one of the "Centre Market loafers.' When the play opened and Chanfrau made his appearance, there was a dead silence in the house. This was remarkable, because the patrons of the establishment were in the habit of welcoming every wellknown member of the company with applause. But the fact is they did not recognize Chanfrau. He stood there in his red shirt, with his fire coat thrown over his arm, the stovepipe hatbetter known then as a "plug" - drawn down over one eye, his trousers tucked into his boots, a stump of a cigar pointing up from his lips to his eye, the soap locks plastered flat on his temples, and his jaw protruded into a half-beastly, half-human expression of contemptuous ferocity. For a moment the audience eyed him in silence; not a hand or foot gave him welcome. Taking the cigar stump from his mouth and turning half-way round to spit, he said:

"I ain't a goin' to run wid dat mercheen no more!"

Instantly there arose such a yell of recognition as had never been heard in the little house before. Pit and galleries joined in. the outcry. It was renewed several times, and Mose was compelled to stand, shifting his coat from one arm to the other, and bowing and waiting. Every man, woman, and child recognized in the character all the distinctive external characteristics of the class. Syksey, although not in the bill, was in the reconstructed version, James Cunningham, father of Willie Seymour, impersonating

it. Porgy Joe of Catharine Market was created later by Jack Winans at the Chatham in "New York As It Is."

F. S. Chanfrau died at Taylor's Hotel, Jersey City, N. J., Oct. 2, 1884. The chief qualities of his acting were versatility and imitative power. He played in every dialect known to the stage, except the Welsh. In broken French his utterances were exceedingly true to the style of speech which marks the Frenchman. In this Chanfrau derived much aid from the fact that his father was a Frenchman. His Scotch pronunciation he attained by patient study and practice. His fine Lancashire was derived from Lysander Thompson. His Bob Brierly has never been equalled in America. Off the stage he was bluff, hearty, and earnest in manner. His method of life was simple. Careful of money, yet generous, exacting yet just, hating all sham, yet sympathizing with misfortune, and imbued with great pride in his profession, he was the best friend of its rank and file on the stage.

Mary Gannon appeared here at the opening of the season of 1848-49. Her best rôles were Leander in Planche's burlesque "Hero and Leander," and Margot in "The Poultry Dealer." She was in those days a beauty, fresh and plump, with a foot that Titania might have envied, eyes that sparkled like dew-drops in the early sun, a sweet ever ready laugh, and a vivacious nature which fitted her admirably for the burlesques and comediettas. "Our Mary" Taylor and Constantia Clarke contested with her the palm of popularity. Mary Taylor could outsing her; Clarke could outact her; yet Mary Gannon could always win the lion's share of applause. Á glance, a peal of laughter, a graceful turn of her head, and the "Hi! hi!" of the pit was hers for the night. At Wallack's later, as at the Olympic, she was the favorite of the town, of the theatre, and the management. During the fall of 1849, finding that as Burton's Theatre gained in popularity his declined, Mitchell brought his management of this place to a close. "Caudle Lectures," by Ben A. Baker, were quite a feature here. With Mitchell and George Holland, the audience were treated to a fund of humor. "Poor Pillicoddy" was played here, for the first time in New York. Mary Gannon and George Holland had the leading characters. The season closed March 9, 1850, and Mr. Mitchell retired from management.

It was a bad custom of Mitchell's to permit outsiders to go behind the scenes; in fact, any man of prominence, who could first get an introduction to Mitchell, would at night be found "behind, hobnobbing with members of the company. On the occasion of Charles Dickens' visit to this country, "Boz in America" was played here, with Horncastle as Boz. On the first night of its presentation Dickens happened to be "behind." He was introduced to his "double," and so much was he struck by Horncastle's

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clever make-up for him, that he sent a messenger to his hotel and procured the hat and overcoat which he wore when he landed, and Horncastle wore them during the play. For years this abuse of going behind the scenes has existed in many theatres; but no recognized legitimate manager will, I can safely say, permit any one not directly connected with the stage to enter its portals. This is not so with those managers who have burlesque or spectacle as an attraction. Not only are strangers permitted to attend rehearsals, but to go behind the scenes during performances — a practice which is fraught with a two-fold evil. Firstly, it lowers and depreciates the character and effect of the piece about to be performed, and, secondly, it gives an opportunity or implied license for the exercise of immorality in different phases. The parties thus privileged to go behind the scenes generally do so for no legitimate or honorable purpose a fact to which many can bear unequivocal testimony from personal observation and experience. Now, to prevent all this, there is one, and only one, very simple course open to admit no non-professional persons to the stage on any pretext whatever.

For

William Mitchell was engaged in England and brought to this country by Tom Flynn as comedian of the National Theatre (Leonard and Church streets), this city. He arrived in New York in July, and made his American début Aug. 29, 1836, as Jem Bags in "The Wandering Minstrel." He was received with enthusiasm, and during his whole career evoked the kindest treatment from the press. His versatility was well tested during his connection with the National Theatre, at one time as the first Witch to Forrest's Macbeth; Tom Bags, in Celeste's "St. Mary's Eve;" Beppo, in "Fra Diavolo;" and Pedrigo Potts, in "John of Paris." He was stage manager of the National, and continued there until it was destroyed by fire, when he leased the Olympic, where, from the first night, his success was established. twelve years the Olympic, under his management, was the most popular place of amusement in this country. Old New Yorkers will remember with pleasure the comedies, vaudevilles, burlesques, and comic operas presented by such actors as Mitchell, John Nickinson, James Henry Horncastle, Edwin, Chas. Walcot, W. Conover, Geo. Holland, "Our Mary" Taylor, "little" Constantia Clarke, Mrs. Timm, Charlotte Nickinson (afterwards Mrs. Morrison, a successful manageress in Canada), and many more Olympians whose efforts will ever be green in their memory. Mitchell produced a series of English operas in a careful and artistic manner. His tact as a manager and his merits as an actor ensured his success. His expenses were only $80 per night. His yearly profits for ten years were once estimated at from $10,000 to $12,000. He achieved greater success in eccentric parts than in broad, low

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