Shubert brothers

(SAM S. (1876-1905), LEE (1873?-1953), J. J. (1878?-1963)

   Levi, Samuel, and Jacob Szemanski were all born in Shervient, Lithuania, and all immigrated to the United States in 1882 when their family settled in Syracuse, New York. Americanizing their names to Lee, Sam S., and J. J. Shubert, they created a theatrical empire that bears their names over a hundred years after they bought the area touring rights to Charles Hoyt's A Texas Steer (1894). Leading the way, Sam and Lee rented the Herald Square Theatre (and later, the Casino) and made a truce with A. L. Erlanger of the Theatrical Syndicate, allowing them to present Augustus Thomas's Arizona (1900). Among the stars of Shubert productions in their early years were Richard Mansfield, Sarah Bernhardt, and Lillian Russell. Within only a few years, the Shuberts managed to break the Syndicate's monopoly, amassing a theatrical chain larger than any other. In 1905, Sam, the dominant partner, died in a train wreck after which Lee took over management of their interests. J. J., who was more interested in staging productions, particularly operettas and musical comedies, left managerial tasks to Lee.

   Among the Shubert stars between 1910 and 1930, Al Jolson (1885-1950) was their greatest discovery. He starred in a long series of musicals at their Winter Garden Theatre beginning in 1911, among them La Belle Paree (1911), Vera Violetta (1911), The Honeymoon Express (1913), Dancing Around (1914), Robinson Crusoe, Jr. (1916), Sinbad (1918), Bombo (1921), and Big Boy (1925). Between their failed production of The Brixton Burglary (1901) and 1954, the Shu-berts produced a remarkable 250 Broadway productions, including Heidelberg (1902), Widowers' Houses (1907), The City (1909), The Passing Show (1912), Ruggles of Red Gap (1915), Maytime (1917), He and She (1920), Blossom Time (1921), Artists and Models (first edition in 1923), The Student Prince (1924), and Countess Maritza (1926). Their principal New York theatres, the Winter Garden and the Princess, were seldom dark. The Shuberts were criticized for ruthless business practices, but they were also known to offer reduced rents to worthy productions or troupes struggling to make a go of it.