Richard Martin Hooley (April 13, 1822 – September 8, 1893) was an American theatre manager, minstrelsy manager, and one of the earliest theatre managers in Chicago. Hooley was born in Ballina, County Mayo, Ireland, and educated in Manchester before first coming to the United States in 1844. After being associated for two years with Christy's Minstrels, he organized a blackface minstrel company and toured England, returning to the United States by 1853. In 1855 he traveled to California and took over the management of Maguire's Opera House in San Francisco.
Hooley returned to New York around 1858, and opened a theatre in Brooklyn with Hooley's Minstrels in 1862. It was located at the southwest corner of Court and Remsen streets. Hooley sold his interest in the Brooklyn theatre (known as Hooley's Theatre or other names at other times) in 1878; the building was later demolished and replaced by Dime Savings Bank, which remained at that location until 1908.[1][2][3]
Madison, Wisconsin theatre
About 1870, Hooley, in partnership with L. B. Bryan, purchased Van Bergen's Hall, on the Dator Block, in Madison, Wisconsin, in a deal with George B. Burrows. The building, which became known as the Hooley Opera House was remodelled by John B. Hyland, a local contractor.[4] In 1885, Hooley's Opera House was converted into apartments.[5]
Chicago theatres
Hooley's Theatre in 1892
Hooley moved to Chicago around 1870 and opened Hooley's Opera House in January 1871.[6] It was a venue that had previously been run as Bryan's Hall before Thomas Barbour Bryan gave Hooley a five-year lease on it.[7] It was successful but destroyed in the Great Chicago Fire only nine months later.[6] He then opened Hooley's Theatre in a new location in 1872, on Randolph Street east of LaSalle Street.[8]
Business manager Harry J. Powers took over Hooley's Theatre in Chicago after Hooley's death in 1893.[9] In 1898 he became full owner and renamed it as Powers' Theatre.[10] That year, a history of Hooley's Theatre by Lyman B. Glover was published.[11] The theatre stood until 1924, when it was demolished to accommodate an expansion of the Sherman House Hotel. The site is currently part of the land on which the James R. Thompson Center now sits.[12]
Personal
Hooley was affectionately called "Uncle Dick". He married Rosina Cramer in 1856, and died at his house in Chicago on September 8, 1893, survived by two daughters. He was interred at Calvary Cemetery in Evanston.[13][14][15]
References
^Floyd-Jones, Thomas. Backwards Glances: Reminiscences of an Old New-Yorker, p. 88 (1914)
^Del Valle, Cezar. The Brooklyn Theatre Index, Vol. I, pp. 119-21 (2010)
^(28 May 1911). Interesting Contracts in Development Around the Borough Hall of Brooklyn, The New York Times ("Opposite the Garfield Building, on the southwest corner of Court and Remsen Streets, the present site of the old Dime Savings Bank, was Hooley's Minstrels, and among the comedians who delighted early Brooklynites from its stage were Archie Hughes, Billy Birch, Backus, Wambold, and others.")
^Youngerman, Henry C. (March 1947). "Theater Buildings in Madison, Wisconsin, 1836-1900". Wisconsin Magazine of History. 30 (3): 279.
^Youngerman, Henry C. (1940). Theatrical Activities: Madison, Wisconsin, 1836-1907. Madison, Wisconsin: PhD diss., University of Wisconsin. p. 31.
^ abCambridge Guide to American Theatre, p. 195 (1996 paperback ed.)
^"Bryan Hall". chicagology.com. Chicagology. Retrieved May 7, 2020.
^Iroquois Theatre .. Souvenir Programme, pp. 89-91 (1903)
^Randall, Frank A. & John D. Randall. History of the Development of Building Construction in Chicago, p. 78 (2d ed. 1999)
^(9 September 1893). "Richard M. Hooley Dead. The Veteran Theatrical Manager Ends His Career in Chicago", The New York Times
^Andreas, A.T. History of Chicago, Vol. II, p. 609-10 (1885)
^Ellis, Charles Edward. An Authentic History of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks, pp. 116-18 (1910)
External links
Hooley's Opera House Songster (1863), via archive.org
January 06, 2023
richard, hooley, richard, martin, hooley, april, 1822, september, 1893, american, theatre, manager, minstrelsy, manager, earliest, theatre, managers, chicago, hooley, born, ballina, county, mayo, ireland, educated, manchester, before, first, coming, united, st. Richard Martin Hooley April 13 1822 September 8 1893 was an American theatre manager minstrelsy manager and one of the earliest theatre managers in Chicago Hooley was born in Ballina County Mayo Ireland and educated in Manchester before first coming to the United States in 1844 After being associated for two years with Christy s Minstrels he organized a blackface minstrel company and toured England returning to the United States by 1853 In 1855 he traveled to California and took over the management of Maguire s Opera House in San Francisco Richard M HooleyBorn 1822 03 13 March 13 1822Ballina County Mayo IrelandDiedSeptember 8 1893 1893 09 08 aged 71 Chicago Illinois United StatesBurial placeCalvary CemeteryOccupationTheatre managerSpouseRosina Cramer m 1856 wbr Children2Signature Contents 1 Brooklyn theatre 2 Madison Wisconsin theatre 3 Chicago theatres 4 Personal 5 References 6 External linksBrooklyn theatre EditHooley returned to New York around 1858 and opened a theatre in Brooklyn with Hooley s Minstrels in 1862 It was located at the southwest corner of Court and Remsen streets Hooley sold his interest in the Brooklyn theatre known as Hooley s Theatre or other names at other times in 1878 the building was later demolished and replaced by Dime Savings Bank which remained at that location until 1908 1 2 3 Madison Wisconsin theatre EditAbout 1870 Hooley in partnership with L B Bryan purchased Van Bergen s Hall on the Dator Block in Madison Wisconsin in a deal with George B Burrows The building which became known as the Hooley Opera House was remodelled by John B Hyland a local contractor 4 In 1885 Hooley s Opera House was converted into apartments 5 Chicago theatres Edit Hooley s Theatre in 1892 Hooley moved to Chicago around 1870 and opened Hooley s Opera House in January 1871 6 It was a venue that had previously been run as Bryan s Hall before Thomas Barbour Bryan gave Hooley a five year lease on it 7 It was successful but destroyed in the Great Chicago Fire only nine months later 6 He then opened Hooley s Theatre in a new location in 1872 on Randolph Street east of LaSalle Street 8 Hooley also organized a theatre stock company that featured actors including William H Crane and James O Neill Hooley mausoleum at Calvary Cemetery Business manager Harry J Powers took over Hooley s Theatre in Chicago after Hooley s death in 1893 9 In 1898 he became full owner and renamed it as Powers Theatre 10 That year a history of Hooley s Theatre by Lyman B Glover was published 11 The theatre stood until 1924 when it was demolished to accommodate an expansion of the Sherman House Hotel The site is currently part of the land on which the James R Thompson Center now sits 12 Personal EditHooley was affectionately called Uncle Dick He married Rosina Cramer in 1856 and died at his house in Chicago on September 8 1893 survived by two daughters He was interred at Calvary Cemetery in Evanston 13 14 15 References Edit Floyd Jones Thomas Backwards Glances Reminiscences of an Old New Yorker p 88 1914 Del Valle Cezar The Brooklyn Theatre Index Vol I pp 119 21 2010 28 May 1911 Interesting Contracts in Development Around the Borough Hall of Brooklyn The New York Times Opposite the Garfield Building on the southwest corner of Court and Remsen Streets the present site of the old Dime Savings Bank was Hooley s Minstrels and among the comedians who delighted early Brooklynites from its stage were Archie Hughes Billy Birch Backus Wambold and others Youngerman Henry C March 1947 Theater Buildings in Madison Wisconsin 1836 1900 Wisconsin Magazine of History 30 3 279 Youngerman Henry C 1940 Theatrical Activities Madison Wisconsin 1836 1907 Madison Wisconsin PhD diss University of Wisconsin p 31 a b Cambridge Guide to American Theatre p 195 1996 paperback ed Bryan Hall chicagology com Chicagology Retrieved May 7 2020 Iroquois Theatre Souvenir Programme pp 89 91 1903 23 September 1893 Funeral of R N Hooley and Anson Temple New York Dramatic Mirror p 14 Brandt Nat Chicago Death Trap p 10 2006 Glover Lyman B The Story of a Theatre 1898 Randall Frank A amp John D Randall History of the Development of Building Construction in Chicago p 78 2d ed 1999 9 September 1893 Richard M Hooley Dead The Veteran Theatrical Manager Ends His Career in Chicago The New York Times Andreas A T History of Chicago Vol II p 609 10 1885 Ellis Charles Edward An Authentic History of the Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks pp 116 18 1910 External links EditHooley s Opera House Songster 1863 via archive org Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Richard M Hooley amp oldid 1104371245, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
