FAMOUS VISITORS: We told you yesterday about political visitors
to Bradford over the years, but Bradford Landmark Society reports
the town also hosted an array of other famous people:
“Lily Langtry, the Jersey Lily, reputed to be the most beautiful
woman in the world, and the same woman that Judge Roy Bean in Texas
renamed his town ‘Langtry, Texas’ although he had never actually
met her, came to Bradford with her theatrical company in 1883 and
appeared on stage at the Wagner Theater.
“Sarah Bernhardt played ‘Camille’ on stage at the Bradford
Theater in 1906; Annie Oakley appeared at the Bradford Gun Club in
1929 and shot a cigarette out from between the lips of her husband,
Frank.
“In addition, Marian Anderson, a famous black singer who was
later banned in 1939 from singing before an integrated audience at
Constitution Hall in Washington, D.C. (later singing instead on the
steps of the Lincoln Memorial), gave a memorable performance here
at the Third Ward School auditorium in May of 1938. (The Landmark
Society has a program personally autographed by Marian Anderson, of
this concert, in our collection).
“And who could forget John Phillip Sousa, noted bandleader and
composer. He appeared, The Bradford Era said, at the Wagner
Theater, ‘with his sable whiskers, white gloves, eyeglasses and
medals and filled and thrilled the crowds of the Opera House with
soul-stirring melody.’
“And speaking of musicians, Sammy Kaye – a leader of the ‘sweet’
bands of the Big Band era – came to Bradford (at Shea’s) in May
1941.
“And who could forget Harry Houdini, who came to town in 1898
with the Welch Brothers circus, and camped out on Pine Street. Not
yet famous, Houdini and Beatrice, his wife, would later tour Europe
in 1899, and become world famous as ‘The Handcuff King.’
“Boris Karloff, in town while touring with the ‘Arsenic and Old
Lace’ play at Shea’s theater, donated the first ,50 check to the
1943 Red Cross Drive in Bradford, and Roy Rogers made a personal
appearance at the new theater in the Hooker-Fulton building on May
26, 1939.
“Ethel Barrymore played in “A School for Scandal” in 1932 (and
stayed at the Emery Hotel, but refused to give an interview). And
who could really forget Sally Rand, famous for her ‘bubble dance,’
who danced at Shea’s theater in April 1937.”
