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Charles FrohmanAmerican theater producer
Date of Birth: 15.07.1856
Country:  USA |
Content:
Biography of Charles Frohman
Early Life and CareerCharles Frohman, an American theater producer, was born on July 15, 1856, in Sandusky, Ohio. In 1864, his family moved to New York City, where at the age of twelve, Frohman began working at the "New York Tribune" office at night while attending school during the day. He later joined the "Daily Graphic" in 1874 and sold tickets for a theater in Brooklyn in the evenings.
In 1877, Frohman became the head of the "Chicago Comedy Co." and then worked as a manager for actors touring Europe and the United States. He also collaborated with his brother, Daniel Frohman, managing the Madison Square Theatre in New York City. In 1886, Frohman decided to try his hand at theater production and achieved his first success with the play "Shenandoah" by Bronson Howard in 1889. In 1892, he founded the "Empire Theatre Stock Company" and acquired the Empire Theatre, marking the beginning of his theater empire.
Theatrical Success and Legacy
Frohman quickly established himself as a successful producer, opening and promoting many stars of the American theater. In 1896, he became one of the founders of the Theatrical Syndicate, which monopolized the theatrical industry in the United States for almost two decades. Frohman also leased the Duke of York's Theatre in London's West End, where he promoted playwrights like James Matthew Barrie. It was on the stage of the Duke of York's Theatre in December 1904 that the premiere of Barrie's play "Peter Pan, or The Boy Who Wouldn't Grow Up" took place. In the American production of the play, the role of Peter Pan was played by Frohman's beloved actress, Maude Adams.
Frohman actively collaborated with English producers, including Seymour Hicks, with whom he produced several London hits until 1910. Many of these London productions went on to achieve great success in New York City. Throughout his career, Frohman had an exceptional ability to discover and promote talented actors. The list of famous actors who became stars with his support is extensive, including William Gillette, John Drew Jr., Ethel Barrymore, Billie Burke, Edward Hugh Sothern, Julia Marlowe, Paul Gilmore, Evelyn Millard, and Henry Miller.
By 1915, Frohman had produced over 700 shows, employed around 700 actors per season, and paid out weekly salaries totaling $25,000. He controlled five theaters in London, six in New York City, and approximately two hundred across the United States.
Tragic Loss
At the height of his career, 58-year-old Charles Frohman tragically perished during the sinking of the RMS Lusitania. Every year in May, he traveled to London and Paris, and he did not refuse the trip this time, despite the German embassy warning in newspapers that the Lusitania was at risk of being torpedoed.
On May 7, 1915, a torpedo from a German submarine struck the Lusitania on its starboard side, causing a series of explosions and the ship to sink within 18 minutes. While passengers began to panic, Frohman calmly stood on the deck, conversing with friends and smoking a cigar. Due to his physical limitations, he walked with a cane and could not jump into a lifeboat. Instead, he and millionaire Alfred Vanderbilt gave their life jackets to women with children. The only survivor from Frohman's company was actress Rita Jolivet. Frohman's body was identified through newspaper photographs, transported to New York, and laid to rest in Ridgewood, Queens.
