|
@anyone... |
|
PEG O' MY HEART (1953)... |
|
"Don, "Peg O' My Heart" was
performed here from June 30 - July 5th, 1953 Anita" |
|
|
|
"Summertime for New York actors in
the 1950's meant summer stock. They spread out to rural towns and burgs
where residents otherwise rarely got a chance to see live theater. In June
1953, Steven was cast opposite child star Margaret O'Brien, a onetime Oscar
winner, who found little demand for her services as an adult, in the
J.Hartley Manners turn of the century chestnut PEG O'MY HEART. Steven was
her leading man. He listed himself as Steve in the program, the name he now
preferred. On opening night stage fright got the better of him and he forgot
most of his lines, leading him to think seriously about giving up acting and
going back to being Steven." {Steve McQueen, Marc Eliot pages 27/28} |
|
|
|
|
|
"The recent death of Cloris
Leachman (27th January 2021) called to mind the years when Broadway actors
came to East Rochester to perform in Summer theatre." {Anita Mance} |
|
SO WHERE DID STEVE
MCQUEEN LIVE DURING HIS STAY IN EAST ROCHESTER BACK IN 1953? |
"Don, Love the photos. During
the early 1950s, when the Famous Artists Playhouse occurred in East
Rochester, the performances were held in what was then our village high
school auditorium. In 1959, our new high school opened in another part of
our village; and so the old high school became a middle school. It is now
called the T.L.R. Morgan Middle School and its address is 120 East Avenue.
Anita Mance, Historian"
|
{Auditorium in 1948}
|
"Don,The auditorium is still
there. It is right off the lobby of the main entrance to the building as
seen in your photographs. I am not sure what rooms were used for rehearsal.
Anita"
|
|
EAST ROCHESTER HIGH SCHOOL: East Avenue... |
 |
In American theatre, Summer stock
theatre is a theatre that presents stage productions only in the Summer. The
name combines the season with the tradition of staging shows by a resident
company, reusing stock scenery and costumes... |
 |
|
|
|
"The entrance would be the main
entrance #2. The tall windows to the left of the main entrance are for the
auditorium. We have no information in our archives about Steve McQueen,
other than the program from the play in which he was a cast member. What
spurred my article in the first place was Cloris Leachman's biography and
her mentioning Steve McQueen. Then, when I looked at the programs we have
from some of the Famous Artists series, sure enough there was Steve. The
article I wrote was part one of two articles. The second was the Town and
Country Musicals/Playhouse produced by ER school alumnus, Barry Tuttle.
Barry was an intern and later technical director for some of the
Famous Artists plays. It was his sister who read the book on Cloris and
found the information about Steve McQueen. Anita" |
|
|
 |
|
"Don, I have been reading your
article a little at a time and noted a mistake.The former ER high school
building was renamed the T. L.R. Morgan Middle School in 1979. It was named
for a former Superintendent, Theodore L.R. Morgan, who was superintendent of
schools from 1932-1944. The elementary school was named for a retired
remedial reading teacher, Lois E. Bird, in 1980. Miss Bird was a much loved
teacher and very active community member.During 1979-1980 the
elementary school had extensive renovations.When completed, it was decided
to name the building in honour of Miss Bird who had retired in 1976. Now the
two buildings are connected by a central office and have a single address of
120 East Avenue.They have retained their names, but are just referred to as
Bird/Morgan. Anita " |
 |
|
|
|
Some smaller theatres
still continue this tradition, and a few Summer stock theatres have become
highly regarded by both patrons as well as performers and designers. Equity
status and pay for actors in these theatres varies greatly. Often viewed as
a starting point for professional actors, stock casts are typically young,
just out of high school or still in college...
|
|
MAIN ENTRANCE from East Avenue... |
 |
|
|
“EAST ROCHESTER HIGH SCHOOL”
above the door:
|
|
|
 |
|
https://www.google.fr/maps/@43.111139,-77.4848718,3a,37.5y,192.4h,100t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s4t91fVOlQ_KTA9RRSmJh5w!2e0!7i16384!8i8192 |
 |
|
|
|
https://www.google.com/maps/place/120+East+Ave,+East+Rochester,+NY+14445,+USA/@43.1110741,-77.4846367,3a,15y,238.13h,90.99t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1s-ZmS55CkMRTy__VrgpCLiQ!2e0!4m2!3m1!1s0x89d6cb4f063c7645:0xa7b5a8b1e114165b |
|
|
|
The structure was to present
different plays in weekly or biweekly repertory, performed by a resident
company, generally between June and September. The usual fare consisted of
light comedies, romances and mysteries. The theatres were located in rural
areas. Touring companies would carry hand props and costumes to each venue,
where sound, lights and set would be awaiting them... |
 |
|
|
|
Students took classes in acting,
stagecraft, make up, and voice and if they were talented enough, they might
be asked to appear in plays with the resident acting company. Additionally,
many notable performers spent their Summers on the circuit. Plays and
musicals that had closed on Broadway would play the circuit. By 1950, there
were 152 Equity companies, including the Ogunquit Playhouse... |
 |
|
In 1980, the former High School on
East Avenue was renamed the TLR Morgan Middle School... |
|
|
 |
|
Photograph
Credit: Jim Lill |
 |
|
Credit: Jim Lill |
 |
|
Credit: Jim Lill |
 |
|
Credit: Jim Lill |
 |
|
Credit: Jim Lill |
 |
|
Credit: Jim Lill |
 |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
"It all began in 1950 when the
East Rochester Fire Department sponsored the Famous Actors Summer Playhouse,
one of the earliest summer stock theatres in the state. Eight shows were
presented in the High School on EAST AVENUE." [Anita Mance] |
 |
|
SOURCE: ANITA
MANCE
|
|
https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.monroecopost.com/amp/4599643001 |
|
|
|
Rehearsing in the East Rochester
High School... |
 |
|
|
https://stvmcqueen.tripod.com/autog3.jpg
|
|
"The Famous Artists series ran
from 1950 to 1953. Actors who performed included Nancy Walker, Olivia De
Havilland, Edward Everett Horton, Jerry Stiller...Ethel Waters and Margaret
O'Brien. Sometimes, the plays were headed to Broadway. For the first three
summers, Paul Crabtree was the managing director." [Anita Mance] |
|
|
|
|
"George Englund came to East
Rochester with Cloris Leachman, his bride of five months. Cloris had acted
in other summer stock companies and Broadway."
|
|
|
|
|
 |
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
|
"The first play of the 1953 season
was "Peg O'My Heart starring Margaret O'Brien.
As Cloris describes in her
autobiography. the leading man became ill and an unknown actor named
Steve McQueen was named to play the part. Not used to stage acting, he was
helped by Cloris in his acting role. Later that summer, McQueen was in
another of the plays - "Member of the Wedding" with Ethel Waters. Local
children had smaller parts." [Anita Mance] |
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
| |
 |
| |
|
"Well-known actors had the lead roles often stayed at the GREEN LANTERN INN
in Fairport. Supporting actors of the permanent summer company frequently
stayed at the homes of villages residents. Local people
served as apprentices, including High Schooler BARRY TUTTLE. While Barry
served as an apprentice in the early years, he gradually took on more
responsibilities as Stage Manager and later Technical Director. He also
acted in a couple of the plays." [Anita Mance] |
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
| |
 |
| |
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE... |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
 |
| |
 |
|
|
{Personal note by Steve McQueen
thanking for the support he received dated 7/5/53}
|
|
EAST ROCHESTER HISTORY COLLECTION has this scrap book on loan...the owner is
still alive and will be contacted on what else she may know about Steve... |
|
"Don, The play was the first of the 1953 season. I doubt the person who
had this autograph has another. She gave Local History her scrapbook of the
summers of the Famous Artists Playhouse a number of years ago.. I learned
today that she is still alive and in East Rochester. One of her classmates
is our former East Rochester historian who has left a phone message for her
today. We will see if she responds and has any more details. Some of the
performers stayed with families in our village. We are going to see if she
knows if Steve McQueen stayed in East Rochester. Anita" |
| |
 |
| |
 |
| |
| |
| |
| |
|
don.whistance@icloud.com |
|
Click to return to main page |
| |
| |
| |
| |