| Contents |
Family heritage -- Circus days -- "444" -- "Greatest comic singer of the age" -- Tony Pastor's opera house -- The Elks, John Poole and touring success -- Variety's triumph -- New talent and crowded houses -- The emergence of Vaudeville -- The 14th Street theater -- "The most popular theater in town" -- Business challenges and changing audiences -- Continuous Vaudeville and shrinking profits -- Tony retires from the stage -- Struggling to stay open -- The venerable showman's decline. |
| Abstract |
Tony Pastor made contributions to the success of American vaudeville as a songwriter, variety performer, and theater owner. From his early success as the owner of Tony Pastor's Opera House to his role as "Little Man Tony", this work offers a look at Pastor's rise and fall from fame, and examines his contributions to vaudeville and the performing arts. Pastor initiated new business practices in theater and gave audiences what they sought in entertainment. This biography offers a thorough examination of Pastor's rise and gradual decline during the growth and development of the New York stage. |
| Bibliography note | Includes bibliographical references (pages 201-203) and index. |
| LCCN | 2007017398 |
| ISBN | 9780786430543 (illustrated case binding : alk. paper) |
| ISBN | 0786430540 (illustrated case binding : alk. paper) |
