Frank M. Stammers
Encyclopedia
Frank M. Stammers was a theatre
director, choreographer, playwright
, lyricist
, and actor
. Today he is best remembered for directing L. Frank Baum
and Louis F. Gottschalk
's The Tik-Tok Man of Oz
for producer Oliver Morosco
in 1913 in Los Angeles
and on tour. He is also noted for his role as Dave Kinney in The Ninety and Nine by Ramsay Morris. In October 1903, he appeared in Morris and Franklyn Fyles's adaptation of Hallie Erminie Rives
's novel, Hearts Courageous in the role of Philip Frenau in a production that also included Thomas H. Ince
. He also wrote the book and lyrics as well as directed the Harold Orlob musical comedy about mermaid
s, Nothing but Love, which played on Broadway
in 1919. Other Broadway directing credits include See My Lawyer by Max Marcin
(1915), His Little Widows by William Schroeder
(music), Rida Johnson Young
and William Carey Duncan (book and lyrics); (1917), and It's Up to You [Book by Augustin MacHugh and Douglas Leavitt; Lyrics by Edward Paulton, Harry Clarke
and John L. McManus; Music by Manuel Klein
(who was originally attached to Tik-Tok Man)] (1921). With Frank Rainger, he choreographed Morosco's Broadway production, Canary Cottage (book by Morosco and Elmer Blaney Harris
, music by Earl Carroll
) (1917).
Stammers died of typhoid-pneumonia at Roosevelt Hospital and was buried at his summer home in North Brookfield
.
Theatre
Theatre is a collaborative form of fine art that uses live performers to present the experience of a real or imagined event before a live audience in a specific place. The performers may communicate this experience to the audience through combinations of gesture, speech, song, music or dance...
director, choreographer, playwright
Playwright
A playwright, also called a dramatist, is a person who writes plays.The term is not a variant spelling of "playwrite", but something quite distinct: the word wright is an archaic English term for a craftsman or builder...
, lyricist
Lyricist
A lyricist is a songwriter who specializes in lyrics. A singer who writes the lyrics to songs is a singer-lyricist. This differentiates from a singer-composer, who composes the song's melody.-Collaboration:...
, and actor
Actor
An actor is a person who acts in a dramatic production and who works in film, television, theatre, or radio in that capacity...
. Today he is best remembered for directing L. Frank Baum
L. Frank Baum
Lyman Frank Baum was an American author of children's books, best known for writing The Wonderful Wizard of Oz...
and Louis F. Gottschalk
Louis F. Gottschalk
Louis Ferdinand Gottschalk was an American composer and conductor born in St. Louis, Missouri. The son of a Missouri governor, also named Louis, he studied music in Stuttgart, Germany, where his father, a judge, was American consul.He came to attention as conductor of the U.S. premiere of Franz...
's The Tik-Tok Man of Oz
The Tik-Tok Man of Oz
The Tik-Tok Man of Oz is a musical play with book and lyrics by L. Frank Baum and music by Louis F. Gottschalk that opened in Los Angeles, California on March 31, 1913. It is loosely inspired by Baum's book, Ozma of Oz , and the basis for his 1914 novel, Tik-Tok of Oz. It was promoted as "A...
for producer Oliver Morosco
Oliver Morosco
Oliver Morosco was an American theatrical producer, director, writerand theater owner.-Biography:Born Oliver Mitchell in Logan, Utah, Morosco was raised in San Francisco, California...
in 1913 in Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
and on tour. He is also noted for his role as Dave Kinney in The Ninety and Nine by Ramsay Morris. In October 1903, he appeared in Morris and Franklyn Fyles's adaptation of Hallie Erminie Rives
Hallie Erminie Rives
Hallie Erminie Rives was a best-selling popular novelist and wife of the American diplomat Post Wheeler.She was born in Kentucky, the daughter of Stephen Turner Rives and Mary Ragsdale. Her father was from a prominent Virginia family. She was a distant cousin of the novelist and poet Amélie Rives...
's novel, Hearts Courageous in the role of Philip Frenau in a production that also included Thomas H. Ince
Thomas H. Ince
Thomas Harper Ince was an American silent film actor, director, screenwriter and producer of more than 100 films and pioneering studio mogul. Known as the "Father of the Western", he invented many mechanisms of professional movie production, introducing early Hollywood to the "assembly line"...
. He also wrote the book and lyrics as well as directed the Harold Orlob musical comedy about mermaid
Mermaid
A mermaid is a mythological aquatic creature with a female human head, arms, and torso and the tail of a fish. A male version of a mermaid is known as a "merman" and in general both males and females are known as "merfolk"...
s, Nothing but Love, which played on Broadway
Broadway theatre
Broadway theatre, commonly called simply Broadway, refers to theatrical performances presented in one of the 40 professional theatres with 500 or more seats located in the Theatre District centered along Broadway, and in Lincoln Center, in Manhattan in New York City...
in 1919. Other Broadway directing credits include See My Lawyer by Max Marcin
Max Marcin
Max Marcin was a Polish screenwriter and film director. He wrote for 47 films between 1916 and 1949. He also directed six films between 1931 and 1936. His stage work includes See My Lawyer , directed by Frank M...
(1915), His Little Widows by William Schroeder
William Schroeder
William Schroeder may refer to:*William J. Schroeder, one of the first recipients of an artificial heart*William Schroeder , student killed by National Guards...
(music), Rida Johnson Young
Rida Johnson Young
Rida Johnson Young was an American playwright, songwriter and librettist. In her career, Young wrote over thirty plays and musicals, and over 500 songs. She was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1970...
and William Carey Duncan (book and lyrics); (1917), and It's Up to You [Book by Augustin MacHugh and Douglas Leavitt; Lyrics by Edward Paulton, Harry Clarke
Harry Clarke
Harry Clarke was an Irish stained glass artist and book illustrator. Born in Dublin, he was a leading figure in the Irish Arts and Crafts Movement.- History :...
and John L. McManus; Music by Manuel Klein
Manuel Klein
Manuel Joachim Klein was an English-born composer of musical theatre and incidental music who worked primarily in New York City.- Biography :...
(who was originally attached to Tik-Tok Man)] (1921). With Frank Rainger, he choreographed Morosco's Broadway production, Canary Cottage (book by Morosco and Elmer Blaney Harris
Elmer Blaney Harris
Elmer Blaney Harris was an American author, dramatist, and playwright.- Biography :He was born in Chicago, Illinois, the youngest of eight children. He moved with his family to Oakland, California, after his father's broom factory burned to the ground...
, music by Earl Carroll
Earl Carroll
Earl Carroll was an American theatrical producer, director, songwriter and composer born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.-Career:...
) (1917).
Stammers died of typhoid-pneumonia at Roosevelt Hospital and was buried at his summer home in North Brookfield
North Brookfield
North Brookfield is the name of some places in the United States:*North Brookfield, Massachusetts*North Brookfield, New York...
.
External links
- Frank M. Stammers on The Internet Broadway Database
- Frank Stammers at The Internet Broadway Database