George W. Ryer
George Washington Ryer (1845 – November 20, 1902) was an American playwright and theatrical manager. A native of New York City, he was a drum major in the 42nd New York Infantry Regiment during the American Civil War while still a teenager. He began his career in the dramatic world as a theatre manager in Brooklyn in 1873. He worked as a manager of road shows and as a booker for musicians and actors in the 1870s and 1880s. By 1885 he was managing the career of actor and playwright Denman Thompson with whom he formed a lengthy partnership as both manager and collaborative dramatist. Together Ryer and Thompson wrote a series of plays that toured and were staged on Broadway: The Old Homestead (1886), The Two Sisters (1888), The Sunshine of Paradise Alley (1896), and Our New Minister (premiered 1899 but written years earlier).
Early life and career
[edit]The son of Benjamin and Margaret M. Ryer, George Washington Ryer was born in New York City in 1845.[1][2] While a teenager he was a drum major in the 42nd New York Infantry Regiment during the American Civil War from April 1861 until he was honorably discharged on July 2, 1864.[3] After the war he worked as an attache of the Brooklyn Post Office until his resignation in 1871.[4]
In 1873[5] Ryer began his career in the theatre as a press agent for Mrs. F. B. Conway at the Park Theatre in Brooklyn;[2] a venue known at that time as "Mrs F. B. Conway's Brooklyn Theatre".[5] He subsequently worked as Conway's business manager, and briefly served as actress Clara Morris's talent manager.[6] In 1878 he was engaged as cornetist Jules Levy's talent agent; but the relationship soured after a few months when he had to take Levy to court to be paid his agreed upon 5% booking fee on the engagements he had made for the musician.[7]
In the 1879–1880 season Ryer was the manager for the touring show An Arabian Night.[8] In the 1880-1881 and 1881–1882 seasons he managed the show Deacon Crankett with the actor Benjamin Maginley.[9][10][11] In the 1882–1883 season he managed the Square Man show[12] and was agent for Margaret Mather's theatre troupe.[13] He managed the touring play A Mountain Pink starring Laura Dainty Pelham,[14] and the Black Mountain Quartette in 1883–1884 season.[15]
Later life and career with Denman Thompson
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By 1885 Ryer was working as the business manager for the actor and dramatist Denman Thompson;[16] forming a partnership which lasted for 12 years.[2] Together they co-authored the rural drama The Old Homestead which premiered at The Boston Theatre on April 5, 1886 with Thompson starring as Joshua Whitcomb.[17] Thompson continued to perform repeatedly in this role on tour through 1910;[18] including Broadway appearances in 1878 (Lyceum Theatre) and annual returns to the New York stage from 1888 to 1891.[17] The show was subsequently revived multiple times in New York, including in 1913 at the Manhattan Opera House after both Thompson and Ryer had died.[19] The play was also adapted into films in 1915 (directed by James Kirkwood Sr.), 1922 (directed by James Cruze), and 1935 (directed by William Nigh).[20]
Ryer and Thompson also co-wrote other plays together. Their play The Two Sisters was given its premiere at The Boston Theatre on Labor Day 1888,[21] and subsequently toured to Niblo's Garden on Broadway later that year.[22] Ryer and Thompson's The Sunshine of Paradise Alley was staged at the Fourteenth Street Theatre on Broadway in 1896.[23] Their play Our New Minister was given its premiere several years after it was written at the Brooklyn Academy of Music on March 15, 1899.[24] It later was staged on Broadway at the American Theatre in 1903.[25]
Ryer died of Bright's disease at his home in Brooklyn, New York at 75 Poplar Street on November 20, 1902.[1][2] His death was believed to have been accelerated by injuries he sustained from a fall of 14 feet at the Boston Museum four months prior to his death.[26]
References
[edit]Citations
[edit]- 1 2 George Washington Ryer in the New York, New York, U.S., Index to Death Certificates, 1862-1948, Certificate Number 20098
- 1 2 3 4 "Death List of a Day.; George W. Ryer". The New York Times. November 22, 1902. p. 9.
- ↑ Washington Ryer in the 1890 Veterans Schedules of the U.S. Federal Census
- ↑ "Ryer". The Brooklyn Union. May 10, 1871. p. 2.
- 1 2 "Mrs. F. B. Conway's Brooklyn Theatre". The Brooklyn Union. September 6, 1873. p. 3.
- ↑ "Levy and His Agent Ryer". The New York Times. August 30, 1878. p. 8.
- ↑ "Stratagem". Detroit Free Press. August 27, 1878. p. 2.
- ↑ "Music and the Drama". The Montreal Gazette. February 19, 1880. p. 4.
- ↑ "The Olio". The Cincinnati Enquirer. April 17, 1881. p. 9.
- ↑ "Out of Town". New-York Mercury. December 4, 1880. p. 7.
- ↑ "Minor Mention". Illinois State Register. February 10, 1882. p. 3.
- ↑ "Personal Intelligence". The Morning Democrat. September 5, 1882. p. 4.
- ↑ "Minor Mention". Illinois State Register. October 10, 1882. p. 3.
- ↑ "Amusements". The Milwaukee Sentinel. February 23, 1884. p. 4.
- ↑ "Amusements". Arkansas Democrat. October 3, 1883. p. 2.
- ↑ "Denman Thompson, the Actor, Dead". The New York Times. April 15, 1911. p. 13.
- 1 2 "Denman Thompson's New Play". Boston Evening Transcript. April 6, 1886. p. 1.
- ↑ Fisher & Londré 2009, p. xviii.
- ↑ Fisher & Londré 2009, p. 352.
- ↑ Goble 1999, p. 893.
- ↑ "The Two Sisters". The Boston Globe. September 2, 1888. p. 16.
- ↑ "Amusements". The New York Times. November 25, 1888. p. 2.
- ↑ "It Pleased the Many". The New York World. May 12, 1896. p. 7.
- ↑ "Amaranth in New Play". Brooklyn Eagle. March 16, 1899. p. 12.
- ↑ "Our New Minister". The New York Times. December 1, 1903. p. 5.
- ↑ "Obituary: George W. Ryer". New York Herald. November 22, 1902. p. 14.
Bibliography
[edit]- Fisher, James; Londré, Felicia Hardison (2009). The A to Z of American Theater: Modernism. Scarecrow Press. ISBN 9780810868847.
- Goble, Alan, ed. (1999). The Complete Index to Literary Sources in Film. Bowker-Saur. ISBN 9783110951943.
