John Lionel Golden | |
|---|---|
 Eleanor Roosevelt and John Golden in New York City, June 14, 1943 | |
| Born | (1874-06-27)June 27, 1874 New York City, New York, United States |
| Died | June 17, 1955(1955-06-17) (aged 80) New York City, New York, United States |
| Occupation(s) | Actor, songwriter, author and theatrical producer |
| Known for | Poor Butterfly |
John Lionel Golden (June 27, 1874 – June 17, 1955) was an American actor,songwriter, author, and theatrical producer. As a songwriter, he is best-known as lyricist for "Poor Butterfly" (1916). He produced manyBroadway shows and four films.
John L. Golden was born inNew York City on June 27, 1874.[1]He grew up inWauseon, Ohio and returned to New York when he was fourteen. Golden briefly attended the law school atNew York University. He joined a chemical manufacturing firm, where he worked for thirteen years.[2]
Golden began a career as a lyricist.[1] He composed the music forMiss Prinnt, a musical farce in which his friendMarie Dressler starred, that opened in late 1900 in New York City. It was described by the critic Alan Dale as "a ghastly collection of decayed jokes, taphouse slang, meaningless music and direly trashy story..."[3] He contributed lyrics toThe Hoyden, aCharles Dillingham production that ran from October 19, 1907, to February 1, 1908.[4] He wrote the music and lyrics forFlorenz Ziegfeld'sOver the River (1912). This otherwise mundane show, co-produced by Dillingham, was the first in which ballroom dancing appeared on the legitimate stage.[5]Charles Dillingham hired Golden, now well known as a lyricist, to work on hisHip-Hip-Hooray. It opened at theHippodrome on September 30, 1915, and ran for 425 performances. The show received excellent reviews.[6] Between 1909 and 1921,R. H. Burnside staged many spectacular shows at the Hippodrome. Golden wrote the lyrics for four of these shows in a row.[7]
While they were working for the Hippodrome shows in 1916, Golden andJohn Raymond Hubbell were asked to create a Japanese-style song.[8] In Golden's autobiographyStagestruck (1930) he recalls creatingPoor Butterfly with Hubbell in the summer of 1916. They went down to the elephant pens in the basement of the Hippodrome to find somewhere cool. Hubbell started to play the melody, and the lyrics quickly came to Golden, despite the presence and smell of the beasts.[9] The song is about the central character inMadame Butterfly and was sung by Haru Onuki inThe Big Show, which ran for 425 performances at the Hippodrome from August 13, 1916, to September 1917.[2]Poor Butterfly became a smash hit.[8]
Another popular Golden song wasGoodbye, Girls, I'm Through.
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With the earnings from his songs Golden moved into producing and staging shows. He always avoided anything risqué. His first show wasTurn to the Right (1916). It was a hit, as were eight of his next eleven shows. His second show,Lightnin', ran for three years.[1]Lightnin' was co-written byFrank Bacon, who became Golden's partner and co-producedTurn to the Right!. The other writer wasWinchell Smith. It was first staged in February 1918. PresidentWoodrow Wilson attended a show with his wife and called Golden to his box, telling him the play was the most entertaining they had ever seen.[10]Lightnin' played for 1,291 performances on Broadway, a record at the time.[2][a] AfterLightnin' closed the cast paraded down Broadway toPennsylvania Station, where they boarded a train for a tour of the nation. The parade was headed by MayorJohn Francis Hylan and CommissionerGrover Whalen.[11]
Other hits wereThree Wise Fools,Seventh Heaven,The First Year andClaudia.[1] Golden stagedGuy Bolton'sChicken Feed at theLittle Theatre in 1923, playing to good audiences. In 1924 he presentedPigs at the Little, another hit.[12] Golden producedPhoebe andHenry Ephron'sThree's a Family in 1943 at theLongacre Theatre, the last play staged there until 1953.[13]Three's a Family (1943–44) was Golden's last hit.[1]
The Saphead (1920), a film starringBuster Keaton, was presented by John L. Golden and Winchell Smith in conjunction with Marcus Loew.[14] It was based onThe New Henrietta, a 1913 stage hit for which Golden and Smith had been responsible.[15] In 1925 Golden produced the filmThank You, adapted from a play by Winchell Smith and Tom Cushing, directed byJohn Ford and starringGeorge O'Brien.[16] The film of Lightnin', adapted from Golden's stage success, appeared on October 31, 1930.[17] In 1932 Golden co-produced the film version ofThose We Love, starringMary Astor,Kenneth MacKenna andLilyan Tashman.[18]
The first John Golden Theater was designed by Harrison G. Wiseman and opened at 202 W. 58th Street, Manhattan, on November 1, 1926. The first show wasTwo Girls Wanted, which had been playing at the Little Theatre. It was renamed the 58th Street Theater on September 17, 1935.[19] When Golden lost the 54th Street theater he leased theRoyale Theater at 242 W. 45th Street and renamed it the Golden Theater.[20] He operated it from 1934 to 1936.[21] The first production was Norma Krasna'sSmall Miracle in 1934. The theater struggled during theDepression.[20] In 1936 theShubert brothers took it and changed the name back to the Royale. They leased it to CBS for use as a radio theater.[21]
In 1937 Golden bought the Masque Theatre, which had been designed in 1927 byHerbert J. Krapp forIrwin Chanin and his brother Henry I. Chanin. He renamed it theJohn Golden Theatre, the third theater in New York named after him.[22] The 800-seat venue at 252 W. 45th Street had its first success under the new name withShadow and Substance (1938) starringJulie Haydon and SirCedric Hardwicke.[19] After mixed success, in mid-1946 the theater became a cinema. It returned to stage performances on February 29, 1948, with a one-man show byMaurice Chevalier and continued to stage a variety of plays and other shows into the 2000s.[23]
During his long career Golden made a fortune from the theater, and gave much in return as a philanthropist.[1] He was known for his wholesome values and had a logo with the motto “Comiclean” printed on his business stationery.[24] InWorld War I and again inWorld War II he organized a service to provide free tickets to servicemen.[2] He was a founder of the Stage Door Canteen and the Stage Relief Fund. Golden was a charter member of theAmerican Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP), the first treasurer of this organization and director from 1914 to 1915.[25] Golden was one of the first board members of the City Center of Music and Drama.[2]
In 1919 John Golden arranged a meeting with fellow producersFred Zimmerman,Archibald Selwyn,Florenz Ziegfeld, Jr.,Winchell Smith, andL. Lawrence Weber with the goal of cooperating on common issues such as censorship and ticket speculation.[26] He wanted to set up a forum so the producers could share ideas, and wanted to stop the rival organizations from poaching each other's stars. This led to formation of theProducing Managers' Association, which may have inadvertently shown actors the value of organizing into theActors' Equity Association.[27] Soon after, Equity launched a strike. Golden found himself called a traitor or enemy by actor friends such asRalph Morgan andDeWolf Hopper.[28] After a month and 37 closed productions and 16 stopped openings, the strike was settled on September 6, 1919.[29] Golden was among the managers at the meeting in the St. Regis Hotel in which the strike was ended.[30] The managers signed a five-year contract in which they recognized Equity and promised better conditions.[29]
Golden was "Shepherd" ofthe Lambs, a social club for workers in the theatrical professions, from 1942 to 1944. In 1954 he was appointed New York City Chairman for United Nations Day. He was the author of theUnited Nations All Faith Prayer For Peace.[2]
Golden married Margaret Hesterich in 1909.[1] They moved to theBayside neighborhood of New York City in 1920.[2] They bought a 15-room house on a 20-acre estate and gave 9 acres for use as baseball diamonds and a children's play center.[1] Golden died at home of a heart attack on June 17, 1955.[1]
Golden left the Bayside estate to the City of New York as a park "for the use and enjoyment by the young people of the community of all races and creeds in a manner similar to that in which I made this property available for recreation and community acts during my lifetime." The John Golden Park was dedicated on October 18, 1965. Speakers at the ceremony included MayorRobert F. Wagner, Jr.,Robert Moses, Parks CommissionerNewbold Morris, Bernard F. Gimbel (ofGimbels),Frederick O'Neal,Rube Goldberg,Harry Hershfield, andVincent Sardi Jr. ofSardi's.[2] The John Golden award provides grants to students at theHunter College Master of Arts in Theatre in New York.[31]
Golden wrote lyrics for manyBroadway theatre productions, including:[32]
Popular songs included:[25]
Golden produced manyBroadway theatre productions, including:[32]
Golden produced the following films:[33]
In 1937, he received an honorary degree in Doctor of Public Service fromOglethorpe University.[34]
Notes
Citations
Mr. Golden's efforts at innocent amusement have supplied him with the motto of "Comiclean" on his note paper.
Sources
