{{Short description|Irish-born American actor and director}} '''Frank Smithson''' (11 February 1861 – 15 January 1949, New York City)<ref name="AP">{{cite news|title=Frank Smithson, 88, Dies; Veteran Stage Director|author=Associated Press|work=The Washington Star|date=16 January 1949|page=9}}</ref> was an Irish born American actor and theatre and film director. He began his career as a leading comic actor in Britain in the late 1880s and 1890s. He immigrated to the United States in 1896; making his Broadway debut in December of that year both directing and starring as Major Fossdyke in the Edwardian musical comedy ''The Girl from Paris''. He directed 250 productions for the American stage during his lengthy career, many of them for Broadway, and was also active as a film director for Edison Studios and Mack Sennett's Keystone Studios.<ref name="AP"/>
==Early career in Britain== Frank Smithson was born on 11 February 1861 in Tralee, Ireland.<ref>U.S., Passport Applications, 1795-1925 for Frank Smithson. (1917) ''Passport Applications, January 2, 1906 - March 31, 1925'', Roll 0394 - Certificates: 62801-63100, 19 Aug 1917-22 Aug 1917.</ref> He began his career as an actor. From May–July 1887 he toured the British provinces as Jinks in Harry Monkhouse's ''Larks''; portraying that role at the Theatre Royal, West Hartlepool,<ref>{{cite news|title=West Hartlepool|work=The Era|date=28 May 1887|page=19}}</ref> and the Prince of Wales Theatre, Salford.<ref>{{cite news|title=Salford|work=The Era|date=2 July 1887|page=19}}</ref> He spent the remainder of that year touring in the leading comic role of Dick Kavanagh in William Howell Poole's ''The Game of Life''; appearing at The Grand Theatre, Islington,<ref>{{cite news|title=The Grand|work=The Era|date=17 December 1887|page= 14}}</ref> the Royal Court Theatre,<ref>{{cite news|title=Theatrical Notes; Royal Court|work=Bootle Times|date=20 August 1887|page= 6}}</ref> the Prince's Theatre, Manchester,<ref>{{cite news|title=Prince's Theatre|work=Manchester Courier and Lancashire General Advertiser|date=27 September 1887|page= 5}}</ref> and at provincial theaters in Middlesbrough,<ref>{{cite news|title="The Game of Life" at Middlesbrough|work=The North Star|date=9 November 1887|page=3}}</ref> and Chester.<ref>{{cite news|title=Chester Royalty Theatre|work=Cheshire Observer|date=26 November 1887|page=5}}</ref> In 1888-1889 he toured the British provinces as a leading comic actor in J. B. Mulholland's theatre troupe; starring as Joel Scovendyke in Mulholland's ''Mizpah'' and Ginger Jim in Mulholland's ''Disowned''.<ref>{{cite news|title="Mizpah" at the Theatre Royal, Middlesbrough|work=Evening Gazette|date=8 May 1888|page= 3}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Stockton Theatre Royal|work=Northern Echo|date=26 May 1888|page= 4}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Newcastle on Tyne|work=The Era|date=2 June 1888|page= 19}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Walsall|work=The Era|date=September 1, 1888|page= 19}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Plymouth|work=The Era|date=29 September 1888|page= 17}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title="Mizpah" at the Grand Theatre|work=Nottingham Evening News|date=1 Jan 1889|page= 3}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=The Tyne Theatre|work=Newcastle Daily Chronicle|date=29 May 1888|page=6}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Acrinngton|work=The Era|date=23 March 1889|page= 18}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Gloucester|work=The Era|date=25 May 1889|page= 21}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Amusements in Coventry|work=The Era|date=24 August 1889|page= 7}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Dewsbury|work=The Era|date=2 November 1889|page= 16}}</ref>
For the Christmas season of 1889, Smithson appeared in a new pantomime with Mulholland's company at the Grand Theatre, Nottingham; portraying the drag role of Airie Annie in Goddard Wyatt's ''Dick Whittington and His Cat''.<ref>{{cite news|title=Music and the Drama|work=The Guardian Journal|date=16 December 1889|page= 8}}</ref> In 1890 he performed the roles of Pendleton in Robert Williams Buchanan's ''Sweet Nancy'' at the Lyric Theatre, London;<ref>Wearing, p. 30</ref> Tom Honeywood in George Robert Sims's ''Master and Man'' at the Theatre Royal, Wolverhampton;<ref>{{cite news|title=Wolverhampton|work=The Era|date=13 December 1890|page= 21}}</ref> and starred in the title roles of ''Pepper's Diary'' at the Royalty Theatre in London<ref>Wearing, p. 37</ref> and ''Muldoon's Picnic'' at the Grand Theatre, Nottingham;<ref>{{cite news|title=Amusements at Nottingham|work=The Era|date=19 April 1890|page=16}}</ref> also portraying the latter part at other provincial theatres that year.<ref>{{cite news|title=Opera House|work=The Coventry Times|date=25 June 1890|page= 8}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Derby, Grand Theatre|work=The Era|date=19 July 1890|page= 18}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Amusements in Wolverhamption|work=The Era|date=11 April 1896|page= 23}}</ref>
In 1891 Smithson produced his first play, a new burlesque by Walpole Lewin entitled ''Good Old Queen Bess''. It premiere at the Vaudeville Theatre, London on 3 June 1891 with Smithson portraying the role of Julius the Jester.<ref>{{cite news|title=The Serpent Relief Fund; "Good Old Queen Bess"|work=The Era|date=6 June 1891|page= 9}}</ref> After this he toured the British provinces for the remainder of the year as Cerberus in Edward Rose and A. Coe's burlesque ''Orpheus and Eurydice'';<ref>{{cite news|title=Amusements; Theatre Royal Plymouth|work=Western Morning News|date=23 November 1891|page= 4}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Prince of Wales Theatre|work=Birmingham Daily Post|date=10 November 1891|page= 5}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Southport; Opera House|work=The Era|date=24 October 1891|page= 21}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Music and the Drama|work=Evening Post|date=10 August 1891|page= 4}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title="Orpheus and Euridice" at the Tyne Theatre|work=The Newcastle Weekly Chronicle|date=22 August 1891|page= 8}}</ref> including performances in Scotland.<ref>{{cite news|title=Amusements in Glasgow; Royalty Theatre|work=The Era|date=12 September 1891|page= 18}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Amusements in Edinburgh; Lyceum Theatre|work=The Era|date=5 Sep 1891|page= 15}}</ref> In 1892 he was once again touring the British provinces with J. B. Mulholland's theatre troupe as Dr. Gondimar Gulf in Arthur H Gilbert and Charles Renad's '' The Swiss Express''.<ref>{{cite news|title=Amusements in Bradford|work=The Era|date=19 March 1892|page= 18}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Amusements in Nottingham|work=The Era|date=23 April 1892|page=10}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Amusements in Cardiff|work=The Era|date=18 June 1892|page= 16}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Shakespeare Theatre|work=Evening Express|date=19 July 1892|page= 4}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Grand Theatre|work=Birmingham Daily Post|date=16 August 1892|page= 5}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title="The Swiss Express" at Torquay Theatre|work=Western Morning News|date=13 September 1892|page= 5}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Strattford Theatre Royal|work=The Era|date=22 October 1892|page= 9}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|work=The Blackburn Standard and Weekly Express|date=5 November 1892|page=5|title=Prince's Theatre, Blackburn}}</ref> He ended that year at the Alexandra Theatre, Sheffield as Captain Blowhard in the Christmas pantomime ''Sinbad the Sailor'';<ref>{{cite news|title=Alexandra Theatre|work=The Era|date=31 December 1892|page= 20}}</ref> a role he continued to play through March 1893.<ref>{{cite news|title=Amusements in Sheffield, Alexandra Theatre|work=The Era|date=4 March 1893|page= 18}}</ref>
In the summer of 1893 Smithson joined the theatre troupe of actor Charles Lauri;<ref>{{cite news|title=Charles Lauri now on tour|work=The Era|date=22 July 1893|page= 3}}</ref> touring with his company as Schwindlewitz in J. W. Mabson's ''Le Voyage en Suisse'' through the autumn of that year.<ref>{{cite news|title=Amusements in Sheffield, Theatre Royal|work=The Era|date=7 October 1893|page= 12}}</ref> He then portrayed Baron Badenuff in a Christmas pantomime of Little Red Riding Hood at the Theatre Royal, Birmingham from December 1893 through February 1894,<ref>{{cite news|title=Holiday Amusements; Theatre Royal|work=Birmingham Daily Post|date=26 December 1893|page= 5}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=The Pantomimes|work=Birmingham Evening Mail|date=6 February 1894|page= 2}}</ref> before returning to touring the British provinces in ''Le Voyage en Suisse'' from May through July 1894.<ref>{{cite news|title=Elephant and Castle; "Le Voyage en Suisse"|work=The Era|date=5 May 1894|page=9}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Amusements in Dublin; Gaeity Theatre|work=The Era|date=9 June 1894|page= 18}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|work=The Era|title=Charles Lauri and His Celebrated Company|date=21 July 1894|page= 4}}</ref> In October 1894 he was appearing at the Prince of Wales Theatre, Liverpool as Colonel Hiram Poster in William Gill's ''The Little Milliner''.<ref>{{cite news|title=Prince of Wales|work=The Liverpool Mercury|date=23 October 1894|page= 6}}</ref> He then toured the British provinces as Michael Muldoon in ''The New Muldoon's Picnic'' in November<ref>{{cite news|title=Reading; The Prince's Theatre|work=The Era|date=17 November 1894|page= 20}}</ref> and December 1894<ref>{{cite news|title=Peterborough|work=The Era|date=8 December 1894|page= 2}}</ref> before closing out the year at the City Theatre in Sheffield performing in another Christmas pantomime.<ref>{{cite news|title=Pantomimes at Sheffield|work=The Leeds Mercury|date=27 December 1894|page= 2}}</ref>
In January 1895 Smithson returned to Alexandra Theatre to both direct and play the role of Baron Badenuff in ''Little Red Riding Hood''.<ref>{{cite news|title=Alexandre Theatre and Opera House|work=The Era|date=5 Jan 1895|page=21}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Amusements in Sheffield|work=The Era|date=16 February 1895|page= 12}}</ref> That production ran through March 1895.<ref>{{cite news|title=The Alexandra Pantomime|work=The Sheffield and Rotherham Independent|date=5 March 1895|page= 8}}</ref> He then portrayed the title roles in Dion Boucicault's ''The Shaughraun''<ref>{{cite news|title=Amusements in Brighton|work=The Era|date=4 May 1895|page= 12}}</ref> and ''Muldoon's Picnic'' in Brighton,<ref>{{cite news|title=Amusements in Brighton|work=The Era|date=29 Jun 1895|page=16}}</ref> and portrayed Larry O'Brannigan in ''Dandy Dick Whittington'' at the Avenue Theatre in London.<ref>{{cite news|title=Mr. Frank Smithson|work=The Era|date=6 July 1895|page= 8}}</ref> That work was renamed ''The Circus Boy'' when Smithson toured the British provinces in that role for the remainder of 1895;<ref>{{cite news|title=Amusements in Sunderland|work=The Era|date=16 November 1895|page= 19}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=The Circus Boy at the Prince of Wales Theatre|work=Birmingham Gazette|date=15 October 1895|page= 5}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Miss May Yohe At the Prince's Theatre|work=Western Daily Press|date=24 September 1895|page= 3}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title="The Circus Boy", Prince's Theatre|work=Manchester Courier|date=31 August 1895|page= 17}}</ref> beginning at the Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool in August.<ref>{{cite news|title=Amusements in Liverpool|work=The Era|date=24 August 1895|page=16}}</ref> He continued to tour in that part in the early part of 1896.<ref>{{cite news|title=Amusements in Leicester|work=The Era|date=4 January 1896|page= 21}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Northampton; Opera House|work=The Era|date=1 February 1896|page= 25}}</ref> He then toured in provinces as Matthew Vanderkoopen in ''La Cigale'', an English language version of Edmond Audran's ''La Cigale et la Fourmi'', from February through May 1896.<ref>{{cite news|title=La Cigale at the Theatre Royal|work=Hull Evening News|date=17 Mar 1896|page= 3}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Grantham|work=The Era|date=22 February 1896|page=24}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Cheltenham & County; The Theatre|work=The Gloucestershire Echo|date=28 April 1896|page= 4}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Amusements in Salford|work=The Era|date=9 May 1896|page= 22}}</ref>
==Move to the United States and early career in America with Edward E. Rice== In 1896 Smithson immigrated to the United States;<ref name="AP"/> making his American stage debut on October 26, 1896 at the Brooklyn Music Hall as the magician in Samuel H. Speck's burlesque ''Kaloma the Hoodoo''.<ref>{{cite news|title=Brooklyn Music Hall|work=The Brooklyn Citizen|date=27 October 1896|page=4}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=The Theatres|work=The Brooklyn Daily Eagle|date=1 November 1896|page=24}}</ref> He was hired by the Broadway producer Edward E. Rice to direct and star in the American premiere of Ivan Caryll and George Dance's Edwardian musical comedy ''The Girl from Paris''.<ref>{{cite news|title=In the Amusement World|work=Paterson Evening News|date=8 December 1896|page=6}}</ref> He made his Broadway debut in that work as Major Fossdyke at the Herald Square Theatre on December 8, 1896, and continued to portray that part until the production closed after 248 performances.<ref>Chapman & Sherwood, p. 187</ref> After this production closed in New York, Smithson continued to portray Major Fossdyke when the production began a national tour in September 1897 at the Park Theatre in Dayton, Ohio.<ref>{{cite news|title=Amusements; Park Theatre|work=The Dayton Herald|date=15 September 1897|page= 8}}</ref> Other theater stops on this tour from September through December 1897 included the Chestnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia,<ref>{{cite news|title=Programs of the Week; The Girl from Paris at the Chestnut Street Theatre|work=The Philadelphia Inquirer|date=19 September 1897|page= 20}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Good Bills Everywhere|work=The Philadelphia Inquirer|date=21 September 1897|page= 5}}</ref> Macauley's Theatre in Louisville, Kentucky,<ref>{{cite news|title=At the Theatres|work=The Courier-Journal|date=30 September 1897|page= 8}}</ref> O'Brien's Opera House in Birmingham, Alabama,<ref>{{cite news|title=The Show|work=The Birmingham News|date=9 October 1897|page= 14}}</ref> the Chattanooga Opera House,<ref>{{cite news|title=Amusements|work=Chattanooga Daily Times|date=9 October 1897|page= 4}}</ref> the Grand Opera House in Indianapolis,<ref>{{cite news|title=Grand- The Girl from Paris|work=The Indianapolis Journal|date=24 October 1897|page= 14}}</ref> Coates Opera House in Kansas City,<ref>{{cite news|title=Coates Opera House|work=The Kansas City Times|date=31 October 1897|page= 11}}</ref> the Lafayette Square Opera House in Washington D.C.,<ref>{{cite news|title=Lafayette Square Opera House|work=Washington Evening Star|date=6 November 1897|page= 24}}</ref> the Metropolitan Opera House in Minneapolis,<ref>{{cite news|title=The Girl from Paris|work=Minneapolis Daily Times|date=14 November 1897|page= 14}}</ref> the Lyceum Theater in Rochester, New York,<ref>{{cite news|title=Amusements; Lyceum... The Girl from Paris|work=Democrat and Chronicle|date=10 December 1897|page= 5}}</ref> and the Oliver Opera House in South Bend, Indiana.<ref>{{cite news|title=Amusements|work=The South Bend Tribune|date=27 December 1897|page= 6}}</ref>
Smithson continued to tour in ''The Girl from Paris'' in 1898 for performances at the Grand Theater in Evansville, Indiana,<ref>{{cite news|title=Matinee; "The Girl from Paris" Here|work=The Evansville Journal|date=1 January 1898|page= 5}}</ref> the Montauk Theatre in Brooklyn,<ref>{{cite news|title=The Local Stage; "The Girl from Paris" at the Montauk Theatre|work=The Standard Union|date=11 January 1898|page= 5}}</ref> the Lyceum Theatre in Elmira, New York,<ref>{{cite news|title=That Giddy Giddy Girl|work=Star-Gazette|date=24 January 1898|page=5}}</ref> the Baldwin Theatre in San Francisco,<ref>{{cite news|title=Farce is King|work=The San Francisco Examiner|date=23 January 1898|page= 15}}</ref> the Fulton Opera House in Lancaster, Pennsylvania,<ref>{{cite news|title=The Fulton Opera House|work=Lancaster New Era|date=28 January 1898|page= 2}}</ref> the Academy of Music in Baltimore,<ref>{{cite news|title=In the Cast for Tonight|work=The York Daily|date=28 January 1898|page= 1}}</ref> the Metropolitan Theater in Sacramento, California,<ref>{{cite news|title=Amusements|work=The Sacramento Union|date=14 February 1898|page= 8}}</ref> and the Los Angeles Theater.<ref>{{cite news|title=Los Angeles Theater|work=Los Angeles Herald|date=20 February 1898|page= 13}}</ref>
Immediately following end of the tour of ''The Girl from Paris'' Smithson was hired once again by Rice to direct another Edwardian musical comedy for the Broadway, Howard Talbot and Harry Greenbank's ''Monte Carlo''. It premiered at the Herald Square Theatre in March 1898. As with ''The Girl from Paris'' he also starred in this production, portraying the role of General Boomerang.<ref>{{cite news|title=American Amusements|work=The Era|date=9 April 1898|page= 20}}</ref>
==Partial list of Broadway directing credits== {{div col|colwidth=18em}} *''The Girl from Paris'' (1896) *''Monte Carlo'' (1898) *''Mam'selle 'Awkins'' (1900) *''A Million Dollars'' (1900) *''The Giddy Throng'' (1900) *''The King's Carnival'' (1901) *''The Defender'' (1902) *''Nancy Brown'' (1903) *''Winsome Winnie'' (1903) *''The Good Old Summertime'' (1904) *''The Royal Chef'' (1904) *''The Press Agent'' (1905) *''The Blue Moon'' (1906) *''Princess Beggar'' (1907) *''The Orchid'' (1907) *''The Top o' th' World'' (1907) *''The Lancers'' (1907) *''Lonesome Town'' (1908) *''Marcelle'' (1908) *''The Queen of the Moulin Rouge'' (1908) *''The Motor Girl'' (1909) *''The Belle of Brittany'' (1909) *''Dr. De Luxe'' (1911) *''The Girl of My Dreams'' (1911) *''Little Boy Blue'' (1911) *''The Rose of Panama'' (1912) *''Somewhere Else'' (1913) *''When Dreams Come True'' (1913) *''High Jinks'' (1913) *''Anna Held's All Star Variete Jubilee'' (1913) *''Katinka'' (1915) *''Go to It'' (1916) *''Ladies First'' (1918) *''The Lady in Red'' (1919) *''Love Birds'' (1921) *''The Last Waltz'' (1921) *''The Blushing Bride'' (1922) *''Red Pepper'' (1922) *''Sally, Irene and Mary'' (1922; and 1925 revival) *''Vogues of 1924'' *''Innocent Eyes'' (1924) *''Honest Liars'' (1926) *''Artists and Models of 1930'' {{div col end}}
==References== ===Citations=== {{reflist}}
===Bibliography=== *{{cite book|title=The Best Plays of 1894-1899|year=1955|publisher=Dodd, Mead & Co.|editor-first1=Garrison P.|editor-last1= Sherwood|editor-first2= L. John|editor-last2= Chapman}} *{{cite book|title=The London Stage 1890-1899: A Calendar of Productions, Performers, and Personnel|first=J. P.|last= Wearing|year= 2013|isbn=9780810892828|publisher=Scarecrow Press}}
==External links== *{{IBDB name|id=16211}} *{{IMDb name|id=1281276}} *[https://archives.nypl.org/mss/2797 Frank Smithson papers 1879-1919] at New York Public Library Archives and Manuscripts
{{DEFAULTSORT:Smithson, Frank}} Category:1861 births Category:1949 deaths Category:Film directors from New York City Category:American theatre directors Category:Irish theatre directors