Volume I: Narrative History

Chapter 1: On Tour with Thoroughbred

Following a brief rest in Atlanta, Edwin Thanhouser went on the road with one of Charles Frohman's several companies. As it turned out, there would have been no future with Salvini, for it was shortly thereafter that the Italian actor became seriously ill and returned to his native land.

What may have been Thanhouser's first appearance under the Frohman banner was in the role of Bertie Nizril, "a young Englishman of leisure," in the three-act comedy by Ralph Lumley, Thoroughbred, which had opened on August 17, 1896 at the Garrick Theatre in New York City. Note Edwin Thanhouser took over the role on Saturday afternoon, August 29, 1896. Soon thereafter, the actor pasted this printed review in his scrapbook: "Edwin Thanhouser made his first appearance in the cast of Thoroughbred at the Garrick Theatre this week. He has a good comedy role, and in addition to receiving the warm approval of his friends who were in the audience, was also gratified by expressions of praise from Mr. Charles Frohman himself. Mr. Thanhouser's rapid advance on the stage has been marked."

From the Garrick, the players went across the East River to the Columbia Theatre in Brooklyn, owned by Daniel Frohman and Al Hayman, where they staged the same production the week of September 7th. Leaving New York City behind, the cast went on the road for a trip which would last for the rest of the year 1896 and well into 1897.

During the week commencing September 14, 1896, the troupe was in Canada on stage at the Grand Opera House in Toronto. A reviewer for The Evening News considered Thoroughbred to be "the most charming and brightly written farce which has been seen in Toronto for the past few seasons." Among those named as contributors to the success of the production was Edwin Thanhouser. The Globe called the plot "the lightest kind" but praised the actors, including Thanhouser, who were credited with "succeeding admirably in keeping the audience in excellent good humor for a couple of hours." The Toronto World and The Evening Star complimented the players, but the latter paper found fault with the plot. Journalists always had a difficult time with Edwin's last name, and during his Toronto stay it appeared in print as "Thanhauser," "Thonhauser," and "Thanhausen." Even the printed souvenir program for the play had it as "Thanhauser." Nowhere among the Canadian clippings saved by the actor did the correct "Thanhouser" appear!

From Canada the troupe headed back to the United States. In Grand Rapids, Michigan The Democrat reported on October 7th: "Thoroughbred, the English comedy in which Thomas Q. Seabrooke is being starred this season under the management of Charles Frohman, was presented last night for the first time in Powers' Opera House before an audience that nearly tested the capacity of the theatre. The comedy cannot be said to be a complete success when viewed from an American standpoint, and it is a matter of considerable conjecture to decide why Mr. Seabrooke should have shelved The Speculator in favor of such an inferior substitute." As inadequate as the script may have been to the reviewer, the acting compensated for the loss. The performance of Seabrooke was found to be "beyond criticism," and "this applies to every member of the company, Isabel Evesson, Edgar L. Davenport, Maggie Holloway Fisher, Edwin Thanhouser, and all the others."

In Michigan on October 13th, a reviewer for the Detroit Journal found Thoroughbred to be "inexpressibly dull," further noting that: "It is a pity that so fine a company of players should waste their talents and energy on so stupid a play." Not all was lost, for the cast members were praised. "Edwin Thanhouser [appeared] as an English ninny named Bertie Nizril. Strange as it may seem, some of the brightest lines are placed in the mouth of this brainless dude. For instance, in one place he is made to utter this truth: 'The finest genealogical tree in England has borne the rottenest fruit,' and later he remarks, 'Seems to me that bookmaking is the one connecting link between literature and the turf.'" The opinion of The Detroit Tribune was similar: the play was "about as flat, stale, and unprofitable piece of stage literature as one is likely to meet." Edwin Thanhouser's performance was commended, however.

The same play drew a mixed, but on balance favorable, review in Toledo on October 17th, when a writer for The Bee noted that there was a "lack of action," but this was made up for by "the sparkling dialogue which fairly scintillates all through the comedy. ... The author has deftly woven into an interesting story the fortunes of various characters." The lengthy review included a commentary on the work of a 30-year-old thespian: "Bertie Nizril, another character peculiar to Britain, is well taken by Edwin Thanhouser." It almost seems as if the reporter who turned in a review to the Toledo Blade was watching a different play: "While it is not a pretentious work, it is clean, bright, and funny. The action is rapid, so that one's interest never flags, the dialogue is full of clever hits, the humor is spontaneous." The actors likewise found favor, and it was noted that "Edwin Thanhouser's Nizril is very good."

On October 23rd, a reviewer for The Indianapolis Sentinel had a jaundiced opinion of the script but lauded the players: "Thomas Q. Seabrooke, with a splendid supporting company, opened a three-nights' engagement at the Grand last night with the English comedy, Thoroughbred, which, as its name denotes, hinges on a race horse, 'Roast Chicken,' and a simple country mayor, 'John Nizril,' who suddenly becomes its owner and thereon develops many a funny situation and lots of pure, clean comedy devoid of any semblance of coarseness. That the comedy lags at times and keeps the comedians busy filling in the intervals is the fault of the playwright and not of Mr. Seabrooke and the exceptionally strong cast, each member of which is perfect in his part.... Mr. Seabrooke gave a breezy and popular portrayal that kept the large audience roaring.... Mr. Edwin Thanhouser proved himself a comedian of high order...."

On November 8th The Hawk-Eye, in Burlington, Iowa, found that "Edwin Thanhouser gives a relishable sparkle to the English dude," while on the 13th of the same month, The Omaha Daily Bee felt that "Edwin Thanhouser made a palpable hit as the soft young gentleman with a lack of sibilants." A few days later, on the 17th, the St. Paul Dispatch was less enthusiastic and rated Thanhouser's work as "acceptable."

On Friday afternoon, November 20, 1896, he was on the boards at the Metropolitan Opera House in St. Paul, Minnesota for the local Elks Lodge. For a change, he was not appearing in Thoroughbred. Presented to the audience was a program of skits, sketches, monologues, and acts. Following a recitation by Edward P. Mawson, a contortion act by Charles Ledegar, and selections by the St. Paul Elks Banjo Club, the audience was treated to Edwin Thanhouser's recitation of The White Squall, described in the program as a "word picture" by Thackeray.

Also appearing on the program was one Herschal Mayall, a member of the local Elks, who recited Eugene Field's The Conversazzhony. Mayall went on to become a theatre manager in Chicago, a vaudeville actor in New York City, and to make numerous film appearances. Closing out the program for the afternoon was "the marvelous ANIMATOGRAPH, from the Alhambra Theatre, London.... The photo-electric sensation of the 19th century, showing animated views of startling realism."

Edwin Thanhouser's work with the Thoroughbred company continued. On November 20, 1896, the Minneapolis Journal made note of his role but did not comment upon it, while on the 24th The Sentinel, published in Milwaukee, considered the actor to be "sufficiently idiotic in the character of Bertie Nizril to make a foil for every other member of the cast." On the same day another Milwaukee paper, The Evening Wisconsin, noted that in his role, Thanhouser "gives it due with a great deal of skill," while the Milwaukee Journal considered Edwin to be "amusing." By this time, Henry Dixey had replaced Thomas Q. Seabrooke in the lead role in the production.

On December 8th, The Pittsburg Post Note wrote: "Edwin Thanhouser's Bertie Nizril, an insipid and almost idiotic young Englishman of leisure, is a capital bit of character work," while in the same city The Dispatch merely noted that in his performance at the Alvin Theatre, "Edwin Thanhouser has an irresistible lisp." The Pittsburg Press designated his work as "original and amusing," while the Pittsburgh Chronicle Telegraph thought he did "a great piece of character work," and The Pittsburg Times considered him to be "a laughable specimen of the typical English dude."

On December 15th, following a performance of Thoroughbred at Albaugh's Lyceum Theatre, the Baltimore papers noted that Edwin Thanhouser was "amusing" and "humorous." On Christmas night, 1895, Edwin Thanhouser was before the footlights at the Frothingham Theatre in Scranton, Pennsylvania. The Scranton Tribune informed its readers that Edwin "Tanhouse" contributed notably to the success of the performance. The Thoroughbred company continued its road show in 1897, and on January 15th the Elmira (New York) Daily Gazette noted that Thanhouser was among those who contributed to the "finish and fun of the production," and that he "did clever work."

In the depths of the icy February weather in 1897 the troupe was in Springfield, Massachusetts at the Court Square Theatre on the 16th, after which the players journeyed a short distance in the same state to Worcester, where they were on stage on the 18th ("especially prominent for good work," noted the Worcester Morning Spy of Thanhouser's efforts). On the 22nd they were on the boards for the first performance in a week-long schedule in Rhode Island at the Providence Opera House. In that city The Telegram on the 23rd noted that "Mr. Thanhouser's depiction of the literary swell is deserving of especial praise."

The Thoroughbred stock company ended its tour in Boston, where the play was staged from March 1st through the 6th. It may have been the case that Edwin Thanhouser departed from the company shortly before its schedule was completed.