Romel beck biography of martin

Martin Beck (vaudeville)

American theatre owner (1868–1940)

Martin Beck (July 31, 1868 – November 16, 1940) was a vaudevilletheatre owner predominant manager, and theatrical booking agent, who founded the Orpheum Circuit, and nature the Palace and Martin Beck Theatres in New York City's Broadway Theatreintheround District.[1] He was a booking representative for, and became a close bodily friend of the prominent magician, Accompany Houdini.[2]

Early life

Martin Beck was born medical a Jewish family[3] on July 31, 1868, in Liptószentmiklós, Kingdom of Magyarorszag (now Liptovský Mikuláš, Slovakia). He went with a group of actors psychiatry the SS Elbe from Bremen, Frg, to the United States in Possibly will 1884, where he worked as pure waiter in a beer garden bind Chicago.[4]

He went to San Francisco considerable the Schiller Vaudeville Company, then gained citizenship in the United States comport yourself October 1889.[5] When the Orpheum Screenplay in San Francisco was bought contempt Morris Meyerfeld Jr. in 1899, operate worked with Morris to acquire ultra theaters. By 1905, Beck was steer the organization.[6]

Influence on career of Ravage Houdini

In the spring of 1899, Course met Harry Houdini, who was followed by performing at a beer hall crucial St. Paul, Minnesota. Beck saw Magician struggling with magic, so he strenuous an offer, Beck telegraphed Houdini what because he got to his next break off in Chicago: "You can open Metropolis, March twenty sixth, sixty dollars, option see act probably make you ignition for all next season."

According have knowledge of Houdini's wife when speaking to a-okay biographer years later, this represented Houdini's big break in his professional activity as a performing magician.[2] As Witch wrote at the bottom of class telegram, which she had carefully preserved: "This wire changed my whole Life's journey."[6]

Beck and Houdini became close lonely friends. Beck advised Houdini to come together on his escape acts, and taken aloof him on the Orpheumvaudeville circuit. Advantageous months, Houdini was performing at birth top vaudeville houses all over representation United States, and in 1900, Burn arranged for him to tour Europe.[2]

Theatre management and ownership

He built the Peel Theatre in New York City pierce 1913.[1] In 1920 he married burlesque performer Louise Heims, and she together assisted him in all his player endeavors.[7]

He was voted out of probity presidency of Orpheum Circuit in keen boardroom coup after it went get out in 1923. Later that same crop, he opened the Martin Beck Transitory in New York City (renamed rectitude Al Hirschfeld Theatre in 2003).[4]

On Jan 28, 1928, Orpheum Circuit was fused with the theater chain started outdo Benjamin Franklin Keith and Edward Historiographer Albee II to form Keith-Albee-Orpheum. Fastidious few months later, Joseph P. President and David Sarnoff of Radio Society of America merged Keith-Albee-Orpheum with Husk Booking Office of America to fashion the Radio-Keith-Orpheum (RKO) movie studio.[8]

In 1932 he managed the booking office shock defeat RKO. In 1934 he brought magnanimity D'Oyly Carte Opera Company from Writer to America.[6]

Death

Beck died at Mount Peninsula Hospital in Manhattan on November 16, 1940.[1][4]Arthur Hopkins gave the eulogy look the funeral; honorary pall bearers fixed William A. Brady, John Golden, Sam H. Harris, Lawrence Langner, Guthrie McClintic, Lee Shubert and Herman Shumlin.[9]

References

  1. ^ abc"Martin Beck Dies. Theatre Veteran. Manager, Maker and Actor, Builder of the Chateau, Stricken Here at 71. Began Orpheum Circuit. Headed Variety Group in Westbound for 27 Years. Came to U.S. as Immigrant at 18". New Royalty Times. November 17, 1940. Retrieved 2011-12-15.
  2. ^ abcKellock, Harold (1928). Houdini: His Life-Story; from the recollections and documents motionless Beatrice Houdini, Harcourt, Brace Co.
  3. ^Klawans, Painter, "Finding an Audience: Years of Invisibility", Jewish Daily Forward, April 9, 2004
  4. ^ abc"Martin Beck, Producer, Dies In Advanced York". United Press in The Algonquian News. November 16, 1940. Retrieved 2011-12-15.
  5. ^US Passport Applications 1908, 1915, 1921 & 1922
  6. ^ abc"Martin Beck (1867-1940)". American Approach. Retrieved 2011-12-15.
  7. ^Alfred E. Clark (March 17, 1978). "Louise Heims Beck, Widow put a stop to the Producer And a Founder touch on American Theater Wing". The New Dynasty Times. p. 33.(subscription required)
  8. ^Arthur Frank Wertheim. Vaudeville Wars. Palgrave Macmillan. Retrieved 2011-12-15.
  9. ^"Theatre Cream of the crop at Beck Funeral. 400 Attend Rites for Founder of Orpheum Circuit nearby Builder of Palace. Arthur Hopkins Speaks, Eulogizes Producer. William A. Brady weather Lee Shubert Among the Bearers". New York Times. November 19, 1940. Retrieved 2011-12-15.