| Jefferson Theater |
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| Jefferson Theater - Florida Archives |
| The Jefferson Theatre stood at the corner of Cordova and Cathedral Streets. The theatre began in 1907 as an opera and vaudeville house and later went to silent films.
The entrance portion of the theatre was a four-story building with arched windows on the upper story adorned with a continuous brick lintel.
Manager. A. M. Taylor Abram Morris (A.M.) Taylor was born on September 1, 1862, He was originally from Morris County, New Jersey. The son of Mr. and Mrs. George William Taylor. After he graduated from the College of the City of New York, he was an actor in New York. He began visiting Florida. He became a seasonal resident in St. Augustine in 1889, when he became the manager of the Casino, a recreation facility at the Hotel Alcazar. He was the manager and co-owner of the Jefferson Theatre Taylor was influential in various state and local clubs. In 1905, he formed the Florida State Elks Association and served as president from 1906-1908. During World War I he was the Fuel Administrator for St. Johns County. He also was the president of the local Rotary Club from 1933-1934, and was a member of the Masons. He was on the Board of Directors for the Florida Historical Society. He also served in the Florida Senate (St. Augustine, District 31) from 1925 to 1931. He was a Commissioner of the Florida Inland Navigation District and helped develop the Intracostal Waterway in Florida. He was the President of the Peoples Bank of Savings in St. Augustine. A.M. Taylor died in St. Augustine on May 20, 1942. Emmons R. Croff was another manager of the theatre. Joseph Jefferson (1829-1905) He was the 4th generation of a theatrical family that was established by Thomas Jefferson (1728 -1807), an English actor who worked with David Garrick and also managed several theatres. Thomas's son Joseph Jefferson I (1774-1832) came to America in 1795 on tour and remained to manage the John Street and Park Theatres in New York and the Chestnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia. He played a comic actor. Joseph Jefferson II (1804-1842) was an actor as well, but found his calling as a scenic artist. All three Jeffersons were noted for playing old men. Joseph Jefferson III was born on 20 February 1829 at Philadelphia, United States of America, son of Joseph Jefferson, actor, and his wife Cornelia Frances Thomas Burke. He began his stage career at 4 and, after his father died in 1842, relied on acting for a living. At the age of three he appeared as the boy in Kotzebue's Pizarro as Jim Crow. His first success was in 1858 as Asa Trenchard in Tom Taylor's Our American Cousin at Laura Keene's theatre in New York. Other early parts were Newman Noggs in Nicholas Nickleby, Caleb Plummer in The Cricket on the Hearth, Dr Pangloss in The Heir at Law, Salem Scudder in The Octoroon, and Bob Acres in The Rivals. At 21 he married Margaret Clements Lockyer. In 1856 he visited Europe and in September joined Laura Keene's company in New York. On February 18, 1861 his wife died, leaving four children. On December 20, 1867 he married Sarah Warren the niece of the actor William Warren. Fame came with his creation of the role of Rip Van Winkle in a dramatization of Washington Irving's story, first in 1859 and later in 1865 as revised by Dion Boucicault. (Copy of his 1896 movie) In 1869 bought Orange Island in Iberia, Louisiana. He performed the second version almost exclusively until 1880. Almost as famous was his interpretation of Bob Acres in The Rivals, a part he played hundreds of times. April 22, 1892 was a lecturer at Yale University. He received a L. L. D. from Yale. He died in 1905. Henry Flagler's personal railway car took the body from Palm Beach to Boston. Henry had met with the actor a few weeks before the actor's death embracing him with Joseph Jefferson saying that he didn't think he'd ever see him alive again. Since A.M. Taylor knew Jefferson there is a very high probability that the name of the theatre was in memory of Joseph Jefferson. Joseph Warren IV and William Jefferson appeared in "The Henrietta" at the Jefferson Theatre on September 23, 1909.These were the famous actors sons. Joseph Warren was a child of the second wife. He was born July 6, 1869. He married Blanche Bender on June 13, 1891 and was a member of his father's company. William Winter was born on April 29, 1876 was a stage actor and would appear in many silent films of the era including: Wild Oats (1919), Out of the Wreck (1917), Her Own People (1917), The Right Direction (1916), The Stronger Love (1916), Pique (1916), He Did and He Didn't (1916), Camille (1915), Dora Thorne (1915), Three Hats (1915), File 113 (1915), A Scrap of Paper (1914), In Quest of a Story (1914), Blacksmith Ben (1914), Ernest Maltravers (1914), Butterflies and Orange Blossoms (1914), The Power of the Press (1914), The Iron Master (1914), The Derelicts (1914), His Change of Heart (1914), The Science of Crime (1914), Soldiers of Fortune (1914), A Dash of Courage (1916), The Other Man (1916), His Wife's Mistakes (1916), Bright Lights (1916), Pique (1916), He Did and He Didn't (1916), A Deal in Indians (1915), Dora Thorne (1915), Three Hats (1915), A Scrap of Paper (1914), Ernest Maltravers (1914), Getting the Sack (1914), A Dash of Courage (1916), The Habit of Happiness (1916), Bright Lights (1916), Over Night (1915), Marrying Money (1915), A Scrap of Paper (1914), Getting the Sack (1914), The Rivals (1913). Charles was the oldest son born in 1851. His first acting appearance was in 1869 but he did not stay in acting. Frank and Thomas were other acting brothers in the family. Thomas acted in his dads company in several roles opposite his father. Thomas became an actor in D.W. Griffiths stock company appearing in Houdini with Houdini, the first Tarzan of the Apes with Elmo Lincoln and Ten Nights in a Bar Room. The daughters of Jefferson did not go into acting. Margaret Jane Jefferson married Benjamin L. Farjeon an English novelist. Francis Jefferson died at 5 months. Josephine Jefferson never appeared on stage. The first Joseph Jefferson died at one year of age. Sarah Bernhardt (1844-1923) Perhaps the most distinguished actress to appear there was the "Divine Sarah" Bernhardt, who did scenes from "La Dame aux Camelias" and "La Mort de Cleopatre." Henry Parmenter May 11, 1910 Mr. Parmeter Found Dead Had Been in Good Health—Heart Failure Supposed to be Cause. Mr. Henry Parmenter was found dead yesterday by his son at the cottage which they were occupying on Anastasia island. Heart failure is supposed to have caused death. The discovery was a severe shock to his son and to his friends as he had been seemingly in good health the day before. The remains will be shipped today to the old home in the North. He is survived by his wife, who is away, a son and a daughter, Mrs. Felix Fire. Mr. Parmeter came from New York but had been residing here for some time. He was sixty-four years of age. He did not appear as usual yesterday morning and an investigation by his son revealed the fact that he was dead. He was a good musician and was well-known as the trap drummer at the Jefferson theater during the past season. Final Class from St. Augustine #1 Commencement Held in Jefferson Theater (from the St. Augustine Record) Seven well-known young ladies will made up the graduating class of 1910 of the St. Augustine High School and plans for the commencement exercises have nearly been completed. The exercises will be held in the Jefferson theatre on the evening of Monday, May 20th. It is expected that the address of the evening will be delivered by the Hon. Frank Clark, Congressman from the Second district. Mr. Clark has accepted the invitation to speak through County Superintendent of Public Instruction W. S. M. Pinkham has not hear from him as yet as to whether the change of the date to Monday night will interfere with his plans. Those in the class are the Misses Ella May Davis, Abbie Hare, Rosella Martin, Marguerite Holmes, Clyde Hunt, Hortense Weidman and Gladys Larson. All are hard at working finishing up their studies and the final examinations will soon being. These will not end until the last week before commencement. The exercises promises to be usually interesting this year. May 21, 1910 Commencement Monday Night Exercises at the Jefferson will be Public. Congressman Clark is Unable to be Present–The Program in Full. Bring the school year of 1909-‘10 to a close the commencemnt exercises of the St. Augustine High school will be held at the Jefferson theatre Monday evening beginning at 8 o’clock. The program for the closing exercises is a splendid one and will be greatly enjoyed. The public generally is welcome and all friends of the schools are urged to attend. The boxes and extreme front seats will be reserved for relatives and invited firends of the members ofthe class but all of the others will be free to all who will come. The members of the class of 1910 and their essays are as follows: Miss Julia Gladys Larson, “The Art of Arts – Knowing How;” Miss Ella May Davis, “Some Aspects Concerning the Character of Edgar Allen Poe;” Miss Abbie Hare, “The Wizard of Menlo Park;” Miss Rosella Martin, “The Joy of Living;” Miss Marguerite Holmes, “The Incoming Millions;” Miss Frances Clyde Hunt, “The Power of Thought;” Miss Hortense Weidman, “Memory’s Message,” Miss Martin is president of the class, Miss Hunt vice president, Miss Davis secretary and Miss Holmes treasurer. Much to the great regret of his many friends Congressman Frank Clark will be unable to appear and deliver the address to the class. Other engagements prevent his being in the city. Dr. Lincoln Hulley, president of Stetson University at Deland, however, agreed to be present and deliver the address. St. Cecilia School Commencement May 23, 1910 Colored School Commencement The St. Cecilia school, the colored Catholic school, will hold its annual commencement exercises in St. Johns hall tonight. The colored public school closing exercises were held at the Jefferson theatre last Friday night. Graduating Class of St. Augustine High School in 1923 The graduating class of St. Augustine High School in 1923 put on the class play at the Jefferson and in the cast were Hope Foster, Davies Meitin, Harry House, Mabel Poe, Helen Hindry, Elizabeth Jackson and Harry Eff, among others. In 1927, a small two-manual Robert Morton theatre organ was installed, (blower number 20290). Uncle Toms Cabin On April 26, 1927 Universal released the special film based on Harriet Beecher Stowe's novel at the Jefferson Theater on Confederate Memorial Day. Large audiences greeted the afternoon and evening performances. No protests were voiced against the showing of the picture when the engagement was announced. The film was edited with the scenes of Sherman's "March through Georgia" have been eliminated. Uncle Tom was one of the most oft-filmed stories of the silent era (there were at least ten film versions in the span of 25 years), and prior to that it was a popular stage play. In 1927, Universal Pictures studio chief Carl Laemmle decided to create the definitive version of Uncle Tom's Cabin and mounted what was by far the most ambitious film adaptation yet. Universal boasted that the film cost an astounding $2 million. Director: Harry A. Pollard Producer: Carl Laemmle Screenplay: Harvey Thew and Harry Pollard, based on the novel by Harriet Beecher Stowe Cinematography: Charles Stumar and Jacob Kull Music: Erno Rapee (1928 Movietone score) Cast: James B. Lowe (Uncle Tom), Virginia Grey (Eva), George Siegmann (Simon Legree), Margarita Fischer (Eliza), Arthur Edmund Carewe (George Harris), Mona Ray (Topsy), John Roche (St. Clare). James B. Lowe was an African-American actor who filled in for Charles Gilpin. His stage credits included Brutus Jones in "Emperor Jones," "Failures," and "Life of Man". Eliza and George and their son Harry were played by white actors. |
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| Scene from 1927 Uncle Tom's Cabin |
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| Joseph Jefferson as Rip Van Winkle |
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| A.M. Taylor |
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| Joseph Jefferson Jr. |