Louisiana State University LSU Digital Commons LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses Graduate School 1982 The Theatrical Career of John E. Owens (1823-1886). Thomas Arthur Bogar Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses Recommended Citation Bogar, Thomas Arthur, "The Theatrical Career of John E. Owens (1823-1886)." (1982). LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses. 3791. https://digitalcommons.lsu.edu/gradschool_disstheses/3791 This Dissertation is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at LSU Digital Commons. It has been accepted for inclusion in LSU Historical Dissertations and Theses by an authorized administrator of LSU Digital Commons. For more information, please contact [email protected]. INFORMATION TO USERS This reproduction was made from a copy of a document sent to us for microfilming. 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Zeeb Road Ann Arbor, Ml 48106 8312074 Bogar, Thomas Arthur THE THEATRICAL CAREER O F JOHN E. OWENS (1823-1886) The Louisiana Slate University and Agricultural and Mechanical Ph.D. CoL University Microfilms International300 N. Zeeb Road, Ann Arbor, MI 48106 Copyright 1983 by Bogar, Thomas Arthur All Rights Reserved PLEASE NOTE: In all cases this material has been filmed in the best possible way from the available copy. Problems encountered with this document have been identified here with a check mark V . 1. Glossy photographs or pages______ 2. Colored illustrations, paper or print_____ 3. Photographs with dark background. 4. Illustrations are poor copy______ 5. Pages with black marks, not original copy______ 6. Print shows through as there is text on both sides of page______ 7. Indistinct, broken or small print on several pages______ 8. Print exceeds margin requirements ______ 9. Tightly bound copy with print lost in spine ______ 10. Computer printout pages with indistinct print______ 11. Page(s)____________ lacking when material received, and not available from school or author. 12. Page(s)____________ seem to be missing in numbering only a s text follows. 13. Two pages numbered ____________ . Text follows. 14. Curling and wrinkled p a g e s ______ 15. Other _________________________________________________________________________ University Microfilms International THE THEATRICAL CAREER OF JOHN E. OWENS (1823-1886) A Dissertation Submitted to the Graduate Faculty of the Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in The Department of Speech Communication, Theatre, and Communication Disorders by Thomas A. Bogar B.A., University of Maryland, 1970 M.A., University of Maryland, 1974 December 1982 ACKNOWLEDGE!* ENTS I am grateful for the knowledge, guidance, support and sense of excitement about theatre history which were freely and generously provided by Drs. Gresdna Doty and Bill J. Harbin of Louisiana State University. Dr. Doty’s patient and painstaking perusal of each draft, her perceptive and well-founded suggestions along the way, and her unflagging encouragement carried me through periods of uncertainty and frustration. I am also grateful for the patient, generous help of the research staffs of the Hoblitzelle Collection at the University of Texas, the Billy Rose Theatre Collection in New York, and the Free Library of Philadelphia, along with the staffs of the Baltimore City and County courthouses and offices of Register of Wills and Records. The staff of the Library of Congress, particularly of the newspapers and periodicals room, were also of tremendous help. I am indebted to my typist, Pat Taylor, for her hours of uncomplaining diligence, unfazed by seemingly endless revisions, to my research assistants, Jan Frenck and Debbie Meiselman, for their hours of poring over microfilm, and to my mother, who helped in compiling Appendix A and encouraged me throughout. Richard and Nancy Fazio provided generous assistance in printing copies. John McGrain, of the Baltimore County Office of Planning and Zoning, and the great-grandson of Owens' farm overseer, provided me with valuable research sources and leads. DEDICATION To all the friends who asked, 'What are you doing your dissertation on?' and then actually listened to, and cared about, my answer. i I i TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION...................................................................................................................................................1 CH'VPTER 1: Early Life and Influences (1823-1848) .......................................................5 CHAPTER 2: Early Acting and Management Experiences (1848-1856) .....................................................................................................................35 CHAPTER 3: Developing Repertory and Style, Touring, and Later Management (1856-1864) . ......................... 75 CH\PTER 4: The F irst Long Runs and Final Repertory (1864-1872)...................................................................................................................109 CHAPTER 5: The Later Years (1872-1886) ...........................................................................147 CHAPTER 6: Conclusion..................................... 100 PLATE 1: Photograph of Ovens as Dr. Pangloss..........................................................191 PLATE 2: Photograph of CM*ns as Paul Pry....................................................................192 PLATE 3: Photograph of Ovens as Solon Shingle........................................................193 FOOTNOTES......................................................................................................................................................204 LIST OF WORKS CONSULTED...................................................................................................................238 APPENDIX A: List of Roles Played.........................................................................................250 APPENDIX B: Text of Mont Blanc P la y b ill.......................................................................277 APPENDIX C: Description of Aigburth Vale Estate.......................................................279 APPENDIX D: C ities Owens Played ............................................................................................281 VITA...................................................................................................................................................................282 iv ABSTRACT This study traces the theatrical career of John E. Owens (1823-1886), a career which reflects many of the changes which transformed nineteenth century American theatre. One of the most popular and financially successful comic actors in America at mid-century, Owens was also an innovative and successful manager who anticipated realistic trends in staging and acting. Best known for the role of Solon Shingle in J.S, Jones' The People's lawyer (later re-titled Solon Shingle), which he played over 2000 times, Owens refined the Yankee character established by Hill, Marble and Silsbee and won critical and popular acclaim for both his ecentric comic characters and his tender, evocative portrayals of garrulous old men. He was noted for a quiet, natural style of acting which utilized verisimilar details to create indivdualized characterizations. As a manager in Baltimore and New Orleans, Owens gained recognition as an astute, demanding overseer of uniformly excellent stock companies, well-cast plays, and accurately and lavishly mounted productions. The study includes biographical data and anecdotes,