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Thomas Q. Seabrooke
Born(1860-10-20)October 20, 1860
DiedApril 3, 1913(1913-04-03) (aged 52)
OccupationActor
Years active1880–1913

Thomas Q. Seabrooke (20 October 1860 Mount Vernon, New York – 3 April 1913 Chicago) was, beginning in 1880, an American comedic actor, singer (baritone), theatrical impresario, and, to a lesser degree later in life (after 1906), a vaudeville actor. He legally changed his name from Thomas James Quigley in 1893.[1][2][3]

Career

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Seabrooke made his theatrical debut in September 6, 1880, in the role of Bertie Cecil in Cigarette (aka Under Two Flags) in Westerly, Rhode Island. He made his New York debut at the Temple Theatre[a] May 21, 1883, in an unsuccessful farce by Salmi Morse (1826–1884), A Bustle Among Petticoats.


Before becoming an actor, Seabrooke, whose surname atthe time was Quigley, spent some years as a bank teller, first, at age 11, at East Chester National Bank of Mount Vernon. He then became a teller at J.M. Masterson & Co., of Mount Vernon, a bank named for one of the principals, John M. Masterson.
He then decided to go into show business, making his debut in Rhode Island about 1880. Although he played leading juvenile parts in various stock companies, his talent for comedy was discovered, and he played in several Charles H. Hoyt farce comedies, making a hit as the Deacon Tidd in A Midnight Bell (1889). His first comic opera role was in The Little Tycoon (1888) and he afterwards appeared with DeWolf Hopper in Castles in the Air (1890). His greatest success was with The Isle of Champagne (1892), which he toured with for several years and revived occasionally. This was followed by Tabasco (1894); his last big hit was with A Chinese Honeymoon (1902). He tried straight comedy and drama several times, unsuccessfully; after 1906 he played in vaudeville.[4][5]
"The comic songs with which I have made the greatest success," says Thomas Q. Seabrooke. "are "The Prodigal Son" in The Cadi, "The Song of All Nations," in The Isle of Champagne, and "Swim Out, O'Grady," in Barnet's Tabasco.

Selected roles and productions

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  1. A Tin Soldier (1886)
    Col. Sinn's Park Theatre, Brooklyn
    Seabrooke play the Italian and the soldier
    This was Seabrooke's first engagement with Charles H. Hoyt
  2. The Little Tycoon (1888)
    Colonel Sinn's Park Theatre, Brooklyn Seabrooke played General Knickerbocker
  3. A Paper Doll
    Colonel Sinn's Park Theatre, Brooklyn
  4. A Midnight Bell, a farce comedy (1889)
    By Charles H. Hoyt
    At the Bijou Theatre in Manhattan
    March 5, 1889, to July 1, 1889 (136 performances)
    Seabrooke played Deacon Lemuel Tidd
Seabrooke in Western cities
  1. King Cole (around 1890 in Western cities)
  2. The Fakir (1889)
    Grand Opera House, Chicago[b]
    Opened August 25, 1889
    Harry Leon Hamlin (1861–1934)
    Paul M. Potter
    Seabrooke played Seth Boker
Seabrooke back in New York
  1. Castles in the Air (1890)
    Seabrooke played the role of Cabolastro
    Starring DeWolf Hopper
  2. The Cadi (1891)
    Union Square Theatre in Manhattan
    Opened September 21, 1891
    By Bill Nye
    George W. Floyd[c] was co-director with
    Stuart Robson, who also was an executive producer
    Seabrooke played the leading role as the Cadi, a Western judge and editor, for the opening two weeks
    His last night performing was Saturday, December 19, 1891
    The production ran 125 nights
World's Fair, Chicago, 1893
  1. Isle of Champagne, comedic opera (1893)
    Thomas Q. Seabrooke Comic Opera Co.
    Grand Opera House, Chicago[b]
    Opened March 19, 1893
    (ran for two weeks)
    William Furst (music)
Broadway
  1. Isle of Champagne, comedic opera (1892)
    William Furst (music)
    May 1892 (ran for nearly 3 years)
  2. Burlesque Opera of Tabasco (1894)
    At the Broadway Theatre
    May 14, 1894, through June 23, 1894 (48 performances)
    Seabrooke was the producer
    R. A. Barnet (lyricists)
    George Whitefield Chadwick (music)
    Seabrooke played Dennis O'Grady
    Seabrooke acquired touring rights for Tabasco and asked McIlhenny's permission to use its trademark.
  3. The Speculator (1896)
    Fifth Avenue Theatre
    Opened April 18, 1896 (closing date unknown)
    Play by George Broadhurst
    Seabrooke played John Fullerton
  4. The Thoroughbred (1896)
    Play by Ralph Lumley (1864–1900)
    Charles Frohman, producer
    At the Garrick Theatre
    Opened Apr 20,1896, closed in June 1896
    Seabrooke succeeded Henry E. Dixey May 25, 1896, in the leading role
Seabrooke in London
  1. The Scarlett Feather (1897)
    Shaftesbury Theatre, London
    Opened November 17, 1897
    Charles Lecocq (music)
    Adaptation by Harry Greenbank
    This was Seabrooke's first stage appearance in England
    Seabrooke plays Dr. Alphonse
Seabrooke back in the United States
  1. Yankee Doodle Dandy (1898)
    Casino Theatre
    Opened July 25, 1898
    (74 performances)
    Hugh Morton (librettist)
    Gustave Kerker (music)
    Seabrooke sang "O'Hoolihan Held the Fuse"
  2. Papa Gou Gou (1898)
    aka A Normandy Wedding
    J. Cheever Goodwin (librettist)
    Charles Alfred Byrne (librettist)
    William Furst (composer)
  3. La Belle Hélène (1899)
    Jacques Offenbach (music)
    Louis Harrison (English adaptation)
    Seabrooke played Calchas
    Casino Theatre (12 January 1899 – 25 February 1899)
    Harlem Opera House (3 April 1899 – circa April 1899)
    Grand Opera House (29 May 1899 - circa June 1899)
    (68 performances)
  4. Erminie (1899)
    At the Casino Theatre
    May 9, 1899 – June 3, 1899 (25 performances)
    Opened at the Tremont, Boston, June 5, 1899
    Seabrooke played Ravennes
  5. The Rounders (1899)
    At the Casino Theatre
    July 12, 1899, through October 14, 1899
    (97 performances)
    Harry B. Smith (lyrics)
    Ludwig Englander (music)
    Seabrooke played Maginnis Pasha
    Seabrooke sang "Only a Hundred Girls in the World For Me"
  6. The Supper Club (1901)
    At the Winter Garden on Broadway
    December 23, 1901, through January 25, 1902
    (40 performances)
    Sydney Rosenfeld (music)
    Seabrooke played Pop Dingtuttle ("who has risen from the ranks")
    Seabrooke sang "The Maiden with the Dreamy Eyes"
  7. The Belle of Broadway (1902)
    At the Winter Garden
    March 15, 1902, through March 29, 1902
    (17 performances)
    A. Baldwin Sloane (music)
    William H. Post (book)
    George V. Hobart (lyrics)
    Seabrooke played Hannibal Jerome
  8. A Chinese Honeymoon (1902)
  9. At the Casino Theatre
    June 2, 1902, through April 25, 1903
    (364 performances)
    Howard Talbot (music)
    George Dee (music)
    George Dance (lyrics)
    Jean Schwartz (additional music)
    Ernie Woodville (additional music)
    William Jerome (additional numbers)
    Seabrooke played Mr. Samuel Pineapple
  10. Red Feather (1903)
    Lyric Theatre (9 November 1903 – 2 January 1904)
    Grand Opera House (25 April 1904 – circa. April 1904)
    (68 performances)
    Produced by Florenz Ziegfeld, Jr.
    Reginald De Koven (music)
    Charles Klein (book)
    Charles Emerson Cook (lyrics)
    A. Baldwin Sloane (additional music)
    James T. Waldon (additional music)
    Seabrooke played Baron Bulverstrauss
    Seabrook sang "There's a Little Street in Heaven That They Call Broadway"
  11. Piff! Paff! Pouf! "A Musical Cocktail"
    Casino Theatre
    Opened April 2, 1904
    (264 performances)
    Stanislaus Stange (book)
    William Jerome (lyrics)
    Jean Schwartz (music)
    Seabrooke played August Melon
    Fred Mace was Seabrooke's understudy and took over his role when he left the cast
Montreal
  1. The Billionaire (1904)
    Opened its tour in Montreal October 17, 1904
    Klaw & Erlanger (producers)
    Gustave Kerker (music)
    Harry B. Smith (libretto)
Broadway
  1. Mexicana (1906)
    Lyric Theatre (29 January 1906 – 7 April 1906)
    (82 performances)
    Lee Shubert & Jacob J. Shubert, producers
    Raymond Hubbell (music)
    Clara Driscoll (book)
    Robert Bache Smith (book)
    Seabrooke played Johnny Rocks, a Wall Street broker
Louisville, Kentucky
  1. The Man on the Box (vaudeville) (1907)
    By Harold MacGrath
    On tour, including a performance at the
    Mary Anderson Theatre, Louisville[d]
    Opened April 18, 1907
    (4 nights)
    Seabrooke succeeded Henry E. Dixey as the masquerading coachman on March 31, 1907
Broadway
  1. The Lights o' London (1911)
    Lyric Theatre (1 May 1911 – circa. May 1911)
    (32 performances)
    William A. Brady, producer
    Play by George Robert Sims

Selected discography

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Date Song Artist(s) Label Matrix
February 1904 "O'Hoolihan Held The Fuse" (audio) Seabrooke Columbia 1732
February 1904 "There's a Little Street in Heaven That They Call Broadway" Seabrooke Columbia 1733
February 1904 "Who is Eagan?"[e] Seabrooke Columbia 1734
February 1904 "Only a Hundred Girls in the World For Me" (audio) Seabrooke Columbia 1735
February 1904 "The Maiden with the Dreamy Eyes" (audio) Seabrooke Columbia 1736

Published music featuring Seabrooke

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  1. "Poor O'Houlahan"[6]
    Hugh Morton (words)
    Gustave Kerker (music)
    As sung by Thomas Q. Seabrooke
    In Yankee Doodle Dandy at the
    Casino, New York
    ©1898, T.B. Harms & Co. Also published in the New York Journal, September 25, 1898
  2. "Only a Hundred Girls"[6]
    Harry B. Smith (words)
    Ludwig Englander (music)
    As sung by Thomas Q. Seabrooke in George W. Lederer's latest great success at the Casino, New York
    ©1899 Edward Schuberth & Co.[f]
    Also published in the New York Journal, October 1, 1899

Family

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Seabrooke married three times:

  1. Elvia Crox (maiden; 1863–1911), was the adopted daughter of Philadelphian John H. Crox. She was a musical comedy singer.
  2. Jeannette Lowery (stage name for Mrs. Seabrooke) co-starred with Seabrooke in the 1901 production of The Rounders. They were still married in 1905 when Mr. Seabrooke starred in Mexicana.
  3. Martha Ann Quinn (1860–1935): Seabrooke married Mary Martha Shepard (née Martha Angeline Quinn; 1860–1935) on March 2, 1913, in St. Louis, 32 days before Seabrooke's death. Shepard, a vaudeville actress, was known on stage as Mattie Quinn.
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Notes and references

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Inline notes

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  1. ^ The Temple Theatre at 141 West 23rd Street, between 6th and 7th Avenues in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan was short-lived, partly due to playwright Salmi Morse's use of it. In 1883, he converted what had been a church into the Temple Theatre for his biblical passion play. But he was met with resistance from those who felt his play was sacrilegious, including the magistrates, who shut down the production. Morse not only gave up the project, he died February 22, 1884. The theatre, thereafter, briefly operated as a playhouse before reverting to a church in 1885. It was torn down in 1888. The next year, F. F. Proctor built a new vaudeville theatre on site. Finally, it became a cinema.
  2. ^ a b The Grand Opera House of Chicago at 87 Clark Street was briefly known as Hamlin's Theatre before it opened as the Grand Opera House in September 1880. The building was demolished in 1927. The original proprietor was John Austin Hamlin (1837–1908). In 1893, when Seabrooke performed there, Harry Leon Hamlin (1861–1934), John's son, was the manager.
  3. ^ George W. Floyd (né George Wood Floyd; 1853–1923) was a Boston-born theatrical manager, known in thespian circles of his era for having been the traveling manager for Nat Goodwin for several years.
  4. ^ The Mary Anderson Theatre – named for the actress Mary Anderson – opened April 1, 1907, as a vaudeville house. It was located in Louisville at 612 South 4th Street.
  5. ^ George Lowell Tracy (1855–1921) – who composed the song "Who Is Eagan?" in 1903 – was a Boston-based musician, director, and composer. The lyrics to "Eagan" were by W.M. Brown, with additional verses by Louis Harrison (1866–1936).
  6. ^ Edward Schuberth & Co. was a New York-based music publisher owned by Dresden-born Edward Schuberth (né Eduard Ferdinand Schuberth; 1836–1909), a son of Julius Ferdinand Georg Schuberth (1804–1875), Hamburg music publisher. In 1899, the firm was located at 23 Union Square, near 14th Street. The firm was the first in the United States to publish the works of Victor Herbert.

General references

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Inline citations

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  1. ^ George Whitefield Chadwick: The Life and Music of the Pride of New England, by Bill F. Faucett, Northeastern University Press (2012), p. 137
  2. ^ Who's Who on the Stage, Walter Browne (1856–1911) & Fredrick Arnold Austin (eds.) (1906), pps. 197–198; OCLC 919856304
  3. ^ "Play Points," Boston Globe, July 2, 1893, p. 18, col. 5 (accessible via Newspapers.com at www.newspapers.com/image/429130134, subscription required)
  4. ^ Celebrated Comedians of Light Opera and Musical Comedy in America, by Lewis Clinton Strang, L.C. Page and Company (1900), p. 132
  5. ^ Gallery of Plays from The Illustrated American (issue 4 of 9), Marwell Hall (ed.), p. 10 (1894)
  6. ^ a b "Music in William Randolph Hearst's New York Journal," by John Graziano, Notes, Vol. 48, No. 2, December 1991, pps. 383–424 (accessible via JSTOR at http://Stable%20URL:%20https://www.jstor.org/stable/942026)
Category:1860 births
Category:1913 deaths
Category:Vaudeville performers
Category:American male actors