William A. Brady
Encyclopedia
William Aloysius Brady, Sr. (June 19, 1863 – January 6, 1950) was an American theatre actor, producer, and sports promoter.
his way back to San Francisco.
He made his start on the stage in San Francisco, California
shortly after his return. As a callboy in The White Slave, he filled in a role for an ill actor, and started his career. After a failed attempt to produce a version of She by H. Rider Haggard
, he was able to secure the rights to After Dark, successfully bringing the play to New York. While Brady was sued for his efforts, as Augustin Daly
claimed plagiarism
, Brady was able to make enough money to continue with his theater ventures.
Brady inadvertently became a boxing promoter during this time. He cast James J. Jeffries
in After Dark, and later introduced the man into the boxing circuit, where Jeffries would eventually become the undisputed heavyweight champion. Brady would be the only person to manage two undisputed heavyweight champions, in Jeffries and James J. Corbett
. Brady produced The Corbett-Fitzsimmons Fight
in 1897. Although Corbett ultimately lost, the match ran for over an hour and a half, and the documentary lasted that long, the longest film ever released at the time.
Brady ran a successful theatre operation for thirty years, having met actresses like Grace George
(whom he later married) and having, at one point, hired famous humorist Robert Benchley
to complete ad copy for him. Brady's success continued until the Stock Market Crash of 1929, which wiped out his entire savings. He was able to secure the funds to produce Street Scene, which was written by Elmer Rice
, won the Pulitzer Prize
, and netted Brady a half a million dollars. His total theatrical output included over 260 plays, including a version of Uncle Tom's Cabin
that was later used as images for a book in 1904, and a number of movies before his death.
He died on January 6, 1950 of an heart ailment. William Brady is interred at Sleepy Hollow Cemetery
in Sleepy Hollow, New York
.
. His second wife was the well known Broadway actress Grace George
(married 1897 to his death 1950) who bore him a son, William A. Brady, Jr. (1900–1935) who married the actress Katherine Alexander. His grandchildren are Donald Crane (mother Alice) and Barbara Brady (father William Jr)
Biography
Brady was born to a newspaperman in 1863. His father kidnapped him from San Francisco and brought him to New York City, where his father worked as a writer while William was forced to sell newspapers on street corners. Upon his father's death when William was 15, he hitchhikedHitchhiking
Hitchhiking is a means of transportation that is gained by asking people, usually strangers, for a ride in their automobile or other road vehicle to travel a distance that may either be short or long...
his way back to San Francisco.
He made his start on the stage in San Francisco, California
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
shortly after his return. As a callboy in The White Slave, he filled in a role for an ill actor, and started his career. After a failed attempt to produce a version of She by H. Rider Haggard
H. Rider Haggard
Sir Henry Rider Haggard, KBE was an English writer of adventure novels set in exotic locations, predominantly Africa, and a founder of the Lost World literary genre. He was also involved in agricultural reform around the British Empire...
, he was able to secure the rights to After Dark, successfully bringing the play to New York. While Brady was sued for his efforts, as Augustin Daly
Augustin Daly
John Augustin Daly was an American theatrical manager and playwright active in both the US and UK.-Biography:Daly was born in Plymouth, North Carolina and educated at Norfolk, Va...
claimed plagiarism
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is defined in dictionaries as the "wrongful appropriation," "close imitation," or "purloining and publication" of another author's "language, thoughts, ideas, or expressions," and the representation of them as one's own original work, but the notion remains problematic with nebulous...
, Brady was able to make enough money to continue with his theater ventures.
Brady inadvertently became a boxing promoter during this time. He cast James J. Jeffries
James J. Jeffries
James Jackson Jeffries was a world heavyweight boxing champion.His greatest assets were his enormous strength and stamina. Using a technique taught to him by his trainer, former welterweight and middleweight champion Tommy Ryan, Jeffries fought out of a crouch with his left arm extended forward...
in After Dark, and later introduced the man into the boxing circuit, where Jeffries would eventually become the undisputed heavyweight champion. Brady would be the only person to manage two undisputed heavyweight champions, in Jeffries and James J. Corbett
James J. Corbett
James John "Gentleman Jim" Corbett was an Irish-American heavyweight boxing champion, best known as the man who defeated the great John L. Sullivan. He also coached boxing at the Olympic Club in San Francisco...
. Brady produced The Corbett-Fitzsimmons Fight
The Corbett-Fitzsimmons Fight
The Corbett-Fitzsimmons Fight is an 1897 documentary film directed by Enoch J. Rector depicting a boxing match between James J. Corbett and Bob Fitzsimmons in Carson City, Nevada on St. Patrick's Day the same year. Originally running at over 100 minutes, it was the longest film that had ever been...
in 1897. Although Corbett ultimately lost, the match ran for over an hour and a half, and the documentary lasted that long, the longest film ever released at the time.
Brady ran a successful theatre operation for thirty years, having met actresses like Grace George
Grace George
Grace George was a Broadway stage actress. She was married to producer William A. Brady and was stepmother to his daughter Alice Brady. George appeared in only two films, a silent called Tainted Money in 1915 and Johnny Come Lately in 1943 with James Cagney...
(whom he later married) and having, at one point, hired famous humorist Robert Benchley
Robert Benchley
Robert Charles Benchley was an American humorist best known for his work as a newspaper columnist and film actor...
to complete ad copy for him. Brady's success continued until the Stock Market Crash of 1929, which wiped out his entire savings. He was able to secure the funds to produce Street Scene, which was written by Elmer Rice
Elmer Rice
Elmer Rice was an American playwright. He received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama for his 1929 play, Street Scene.-Early years:...
, won the Pulitzer Prize
Pulitzer Prize
The Pulitzer Prize is a U.S. award for achievements in newspaper and online journalism, literature and musical composition. It was established by American publisher Joseph Pulitzer and is administered by Columbia University in New York City...
, and netted Brady a half a million dollars. His total theatrical output included over 260 plays, including a version of Uncle Tom's Cabin
Uncle Tom's Cabin
Uncle Tom's Cabin; or, Life Among the Lowly is an anti-slavery novel by American author Harriet Beecher Stowe. Published in 1852, the novel "helped lay the groundwork for the Civil War", according to Will Kaufman....
that was later used as images for a book in 1904, and a number of movies before his death.
He died on January 6, 1950 of an heart ailment. William Brady is interred at Sleepy Hollow Cemetery
Sleepy Hollow Cemetery
Sleepy Hollow Cemetery in Sleepy Hollow, New York is the resting place of numerous famous figures, including Washington Irving, whose story "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow" is set in the adjacent Old Dutch Burying Ground. Incorporated in 1849 as Tarrytown Cemetery, it posthumously honored Irving's...
in Sleepy Hollow, New York
Sleepy Hollow, New York
Sleepy Hollow is a village in the town of Mount Pleasant in Westchester County, New York, United States. It is located on the eastern bank of the Hudson River, about north of midtown Manhattan in New York City, and is served by the Philipse Manor stop on the Metro-North Hudson Line.Originally...
.
Personal life
His first wife was Rose Marie Rene (died 1896) and with her was the father of actress Mary Rose Brady, who used stage name of Alice BradyAlice Brady
Alice Brady was an American actress who began her career in the silent film era and survived the transition into talkies. She worked up until six months before her death from cancer in 1939...
. His second wife was the well known Broadway actress Grace George
Grace George
Grace George was a Broadway stage actress. She was married to producer William A. Brady and was stepmother to his daughter Alice Brady. George appeared in only two films, a silent called Tainted Money in 1915 and Johnny Come Lately in 1943 with James Cagney...
(married 1897 to his death 1950) who bore him a son, William A. Brady, Jr. (1900–1935) who married the actress Katherine Alexander. His grandchildren are Donald Crane (mother Alice) and Barbara Brady (father William Jr)
Further reading
- American Heritage: "William A. Brady. April/May 1980. URL accessed 5 June 2007.
- Billy Altman, Laughter's Gentle Soul: The Life of Robert Benchley. (New York City: W. W. NortonW. W. NortonW. W. Norton & Company is an independent American book publishing company based in New York City. It is well known for its "Norton Anthologies", particularly the Norton Anthology of English Literature and the "Norton Critical Editions" series of texts which are frequently assigned in university...
, 1997. ISBN 0393038335). - William A. Brady, Showman: My Life Story. New York: E. P. Dutton, 1937.
- Encyclopædia Britannica: William A. Brady.
- Uncle Tom's Cabin; or, Life Among the Lowly. Embellished with Scenes and Illustrations. New York: R. F. Fenno & Company, 1904.