Broadhursts over Broadway

No one dominated the early 20th century Broadway scene more than theatre impresario George Howells Broadhurst. In 1917, in partnership with the Shubert Brothers, he built and opened the famous Broadhurst Theatre in New York. George, a prolific producer, writer, lyricist, and director had previously managed theatres in Milwaukee, Baltimore, and San Francisco. He had also experienced a string of successes on Broadway - a string which included the global sensation What Happened To Jones. This success would continue with his first production in his namesake theatre Misalliance, right up until his last play The Red Falcon which opened in 1924. After this production George seemingly gave up writing plays altogether, although he had short stories published later in his life in Nash's and other magazines published in England.

George's older brother Thomas William Broadhurst was also an accomplished playwright. His works which also played Broadway included an adaptation of Anna Karenina in 1907, Evangeline in 1913, and Our Pleasant Sins in 1919.

We know little about the brothers lives outside of their professions nor their genealogy. We do know however that George was born on June 3 1866 in Walsall, Staffordshire, England, and that in 1882 at the age of 16 he emigrated to the U.S. He died January 31 1952 and is buried in Santa Barbara, California. Thomas was born in 1858 and died in 1936.

Additional Notes:
(1) George's earliest play appears to have been Why Smith Left Home produced in 1899. (2) The Broadhurst brothers produced at least one play together - The Man From Mexico in 1900 (3) George continued to co-own the Broadhurst Theatre up until his death in 1952. Today it is owned by the Shubert Organisation.

Principal Sources:
memory.loc.gov/pp/varAuthors01.html
www.ibdb.com - Internet Broadway Database - Broadhurst search
genforum.genealogy.com/broadhurst (messages July 18, 1997 - June 15, 2001) Re: George Howells Broadhurst