The three Shubert brothers were Lee (1873-1953), Samuel (1875-1905) and Jacob (1879-1963). They were born in Lithuania before their Szemanski parents brought the family to Syracuse New York in 1882. Father David was an alcoholic peddlar who could not support his family.
In the 1880s, 10 year old Lee began selling programmes in front of a local theatre and Sam got a small part in a play. Sam fell in love with theatrical glamour and went from actor at the Bastable Theatre, to assistant treasurer of the Grand Opera House, to treasurer of Syracuse’s loveliest theatre, The Wieting.
The brothers were supporting each other’s work. When Sam became manager of the Bastable Theatre, Jacob was working at The Wieting and Lee was the bookkeeper for both theatres. By being involved in as many theatres as possible, the Shuberts were building an impressive theatrical empire. Their first joint business venture was to get New England touring rights to Hoyt’s A Texas Steer. And soon after the brothers formed their own Baker theatre in Rochester. While Jacob turned The Baker into a successful stock company, Sam and Lee acquired The Grand Opera House in Syracuse.
Brothers Sam, Jacob/JJ and Lee Shubert
By 1900 the brothers managed five theatres in New York state. They had also defined their individual roles: Sam was creative, Lee was business-minded and Jacob organised out-of-town productions. From poverty, the brothers had become respected theatre managers. But now they wanted to produce their own plays, and that ambition drove them to New York City. In 1900 they borrowed money and bought the Herald Square Theatre.
The brothers turned Herald Square into a very successful theatre with smash hits like the western Arizona starring Lionel Barrymore, and The Belle of New York, an English import. By 1904, after ten years in the business, they had acquired ten theatres, including Casino and Princess in New York; Hyperion in New Haven Conn; Dearborn in Chicago; and Colonial in Boston. Finally they produced plays of their own eg The Chinese Honeymoon and Emerald Isle (1902).
And sometimes the Shuberts were simply impresarios. They presented repertory companies from Italy and Britain and they organised seasons of operettas eg Gilbert & Sullivan.
In May 1905 at 30, Sam died in a tragic train wreck near Harrisburg Penn. By then the three brothers had 13 theatres in the USA plus two in the UK. Sam’s 15-year career had generated an estate of $500,000 ($14.7 million today).
Princess Theatre Detroit
Opened 1908
Front entrance of Shubert Theatre, Boston (above)
opened 1910
Shubert Theatre, Boston, 1500 seats (below)
While the brothers had formed their own trust and were in constant litigation, they did introduce many of the finest stage-actors, including Will Rogers, Marx Brothers, Jack Benny, Al Jolson, Eddie Cantor, Bert Lahr, the Barrymores and Spencer Tracy. They also premiered the innovative director Max Reinhardt’s production of Sumurun (1911); premiered Children’s Hour (1934) by Lilian Hellman; and produced the long running Hellzapoppin (1938). Yet despite the fact that Lee had written a play and Jacob directed frequently, their contribution to the theatre was not artistic; just business.
Shubert Theatre saw famous plays and actors for decades. In 1939 Katharine Hepburn opened in Philip Barry's The Philadelphia Story; in 1941 Pal Joey moved from the Barrymore Theatre because of the Shubert's larger capacity. The Rodgers & Hart musical starred Gene Kelly opposite Vivienne Segal. And soon Maxwell Anderson's Candle in the Wind opened, starring Helen Hayes and Lotte Lenya.
By the time of Lee Shubert’s death in 1953 at 80, the brothers had produced 600 shows under the name Mssrs. Shubert Presents. And they’d also booked 1,000 shows into their many theatres, primarily backing other companies’ productions. In 1956 they were faced with an anti-trust suit and were forced to stop their booking business, yet their acquisitions of theatre real estate continued to make the Shubert Corporation a large theatre operation.
With Jacob’s death in 1963, the heirs took over. Although the Shubert domain was reduced to 17 theatres in New York, part control of an 18th and seven outside New York, the Shubert victories in the old wars still impacted the industry.
Shubert and Booth Theatres,
New York, opened 1913
The brothers were supporting each other’s work. When Sam became manager of the Bastable Theatre, Jacob was working at The Wieting and Lee was the bookkeeper for both theatres. By being involved in as many theatres as possible, the Shuberts were building an impressive theatrical empire. Their first joint business venture was to get New England touring rights to Hoyt’s A Texas Steer. And soon after the brothers formed their own Baker theatre in Rochester. While Jacob turned The Baker into a successful stock company, Sam and Lee acquired The Grand Opera House in Syracuse.
By 1900 the brothers managed five theatres in New York state. They had also defined their individual roles: Sam was creative, Lee was business-minded and Jacob organised out-of-town productions. From poverty, the brothers had become respected theatre managers. But now they wanted to produce their own plays, and that ambition drove them to New York City. In 1900 they borrowed money and bought the Herald Square Theatre.
The brothers turned Herald Square into a very successful theatre with smash hits like the western Arizona starring Lionel Barrymore, and The Belle of New York, an English import. By 1904, after ten years in the business, they had acquired ten theatres, including Casino and Princess in New York; Hyperion in New Haven Conn; Dearborn in Chicago; and Colonial in Boston. Finally they produced plays of their own eg The Chinese Honeymoon and Emerald Isle (1902).
And sometimes the Shuberts were simply impresarios. They presented repertory companies from Italy and Britain and they organised seasons of operettas eg Gilbert & Sullivan.
In May 1905 at 30, Sam died in a tragic train wreck near Harrisburg Penn. By then the three brothers had 13 theatres in the USA plus two in the UK. Sam’s 15-year career had generated an estate of $500,000 ($14.7 million today).
Unfortunately the rapid growth of the Shubert Co. was a threat to The Syndicate, a group of producers and theatre owners who believed they controlled American theatre in the early C20th. Led by Abe Erlanger and some other producers, the Syndicate owned the majority of American theatres and ran the central booking agency.
After Sam’s death, Lee planned to sell to the Syndicate, until Erlanger made the mistake of insulting Sam’s memory. From then on, the Shuberts fought the Syndicate fiercely. The two surviving brothers clarified they were on the side of the theatre workers and against the Syndicate’s control. They produced a farewell tour for the idolised actress Sarah Bernhardt in 1913-4, and when the Syndicate closed them out of a city, they produced the show in VERY big tents.
By the 1920s Syracuse’s underdogs had defeated the Syndicate. By 1924 the Shuberts had 86 theatres in the USA alone; they were making $1 million a week in ticket sales; and they controlled 60% of the USA’s legitimate theatre, owned a dancing/singing school and truckloads of real estate. And Lee was on the board of MGM!!
To honour their late brother, the Shuberts named the Manhattan venue the Sam B Shubert Memorial Theatre. Completed in mid 1913, the five-storey theatre was designed in the Venetian Renaissance style. Architect Henry Beaumont Herts' ornamentation included delicate panels with Pompeian frescoes and a stately overall appearance.
The Shubert brothers scored a coup for opening night. The fine British actor Sir Johnston Forbes-Robertson arrived in New York in Sept 1913 to begin his farewell tour, which began with Hamlet in Oct at The Shubert. Co-starring with him as Ophelia was his wife, Gertrude Elliott.
By the 1920s Syracuse’s underdogs had defeated the Syndicate. By 1924 the Shuberts had 86 theatres in the USA alone; they were making $1 million a week in ticket sales; and they controlled 60% of the USA’s legitimate theatre, owned a dancing/singing school and truckloads of real estate. And Lee was on the board of MGM!!
To honour their late brother, the Shuberts named the Manhattan venue the Sam B Shubert Memorial Theatre. Completed in mid 1913, the five-storey theatre was designed in the Venetian Renaissance style. Architect Henry Beaumont Herts' ornamentation included delicate panels with Pompeian frescoes and a stately overall appearance.
The Shubert brothers scored a coup for opening night. The fine British actor Sir Johnston Forbes-Robertson arrived in New York in Sept 1913 to begin his farewell tour, which began with Hamlet in Oct at The Shubert. Co-starring with him as Ophelia was his wife, Gertrude Elliott.
Opened 1908
opened 1910
Shubert Theatre, Boston, 1500 seats (below)
While the brothers had formed their own trust and were in constant litigation, they did introduce many of the finest stage-actors, including Will Rogers, Marx Brothers, Jack Benny, Al Jolson, Eddie Cantor, Bert Lahr, the Barrymores and Spencer Tracy. They also premiered the innovative director Max Reinhardt’s production of Sumurun (1911); premiered Children’s Hour (1934) by Lilian Hellman; and produced the long running Hellzapoppin (1938). Yet despite the fact that Lee had written a play and Jacob directed frequently, their contribution to the theatre was not artistic; just business.
Shubert Theatre saw famous plays and actors for decades. In 1939 Katharine Hepburn opened in Philip Barry's The Philadelphia Story; in 1941 Pal Joey moved from the Barrymore Theatre because of the Shubert's larger capacity. The Rodgers & Hart musical starred Gene Kelly opposite Vivienne Segal. And soon Maxwell Anderson's Candle in the Wind opened, starring Helen Hayes and Lotte Lenya.
By the time of Lee Shubert’s death in 1953 at 80, the brothers had produced 600 shows under the name Mssrs. Shubert Presents. And they’d also booked 1,000 shows into their many theatres, primarily backing other companies’ productions. In 1956 they were faced with an anti-trust suit and were forced to stop their booking business, yet their acquisitions of theatre real estate continued to make the Shubert Corporation a large theatre operation.
With Jacob’s death in 1963, the heirs took over. Although the Shubert domain was reduced to 17 theatres in New York, part control of an 18th and seven outside New York, the Shubert victories in the old wars still impacted the industry.
New York, opened 1913
Shubert Theatre, New Haven Conn
Opened in 1914
How Jewish were the brothers? Musical comedy had its sources in the European operetta. Then it moved from Britain to the US where, in the C20th, the genre underwent its greatest development. Already Jews like the Shuberts were playing a very influential role on the careers of other Jewish artists eg Florenz Ziegfeld and the Follies, Irving Berlin, Jerome Kern, Rudolf Friml, Sigmund Romberg, Richard Rodgers, George Gershwin, Arthur Schwartz, Lorenz Hart, Oscar Hammerstein, EY Harburg, Ira Gershwin, George S Kaufman, Morrie Ryskind, Frank Loesser etc.
Thank you to Dayton in Manhattan.
How Jewish were the brothers? Musical comedy had its sources in the European operetta. Then it moved from Britain to the US where, in the C20th, the genre underwent its greatest development. Already Jews like the Shuberts were playing a very influential role on the careers of other Jewish artists eg Florenz Ziegfeld and the Follies, Irving Berlin, Jerome Kern, Rudolf Friml, Sigmund Romberg, Richard Rodgers, George Gershwin, Arthur Schwartz, Lorenz Hart, Oscar Hammerstein, EY Harburg, Ira Gershwin, George S Kaufman, Morrie Ryskind, Frank Loesser etc.
Thank you to Dayton in Manhattan.
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10 comments:
Shubert Theatre in Boston is lovely. Thankfully the National Register of Historic Places will protect that building which has been restored inside. My Boston host said he goes there for musical comedy and theatre.
Another interesting and informative post. Thank you for visiting my blog this year and adding your encouraging comments. A Happy New Year and I look forward to reading many more of your posts in the future.
Hello Hels, The Shubert (now restored as a non-profit playhouse) was a defining landmark in New Haven. It was literally across the street from the Yale campus, and figured heavily in many 20th century reminiscences of Yale and New Haven.
The Shubert was known as the "Birthplace of the Nation’s Greatest Hits" because so many Broadway shows had their world premiers there, including Oklahoma!, Carousel, South Pacific, The King and I, and The Sound of Music, all by Rodgers and Hammerstein, and Tennessee Williams’ play, A Streetcar Named Desire, among many others. (See https://shubert.com/the-history/overview )
--Jim
Joseph
I hope the National Register of Historic Places does its job well, but they can only list and support important sites. Imagine if Boston's gorgeous Shubert Theatre was destroyed in favour of a fast food outlet :(
Fun60
Because I have always concentrated on Britain and its empire, Europe, Russia and its empire etc, it is a delight to spend some time examining the history, culture and architecture of other countries.. in this case the USA. I hope that 2020 is as creative and peaceful.
Parnassus
many thanks for a great reference.
Who knew that "one of the first great shows to world premiere on the New Haven Shubert stage was Robinson Crusoe Jr in 1916. It starred Al Jolson, who became the greatest musical comedy performer of the day".
Plus I am delighted that after saving the theatre from destruction and reopening the renewed building in 1983, that the Shubert New Haven, has again presented world premieres and pre-Broadway shows. Excellent.
A slow dawning as I read this because we saw the musical Matilda at the Shubert Theatre in Manhattan.
Andrew
when you saw Matilda at the Shubert Theatre, did you realise which family was responsible for the development of the theatres in New York and elsewhere? Roald Dahl’s story about a bright, literate girl would have been a great musical to select.
No, not at all. I assumed once built or taken over by someone Jewish and I didn't realise those brothers were such entrepreneurs and owned many theatres.
Andrew
Have you read "Born in a Trunk and Living in a Suitcase"? This story tells of the great Australian theatrical managements of J C Williamson Ltd and the Tivoli Circuit. It also provides insights into Australian theatrical families like Tony Sheldon, his mother Toni Lamond, father Frank Sheldon, grandparents Max Reddy and Stella Lamond, and aunt Helen Reddy. Also Val Jellay and Maurie Fields, who married while touring together in a company.
See "The Australian Family: Images and Essays" edited by Anna Epstein (Scribe, Melbourne, 1998).
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