DOCTOR & MRS. SUNSHINE, BROADWAYS GREATEST FANS

[allofmylife]

Posted: 1/12/08 at 5:26am

Several years ago, I was out of the country and thus missed bidding on eBay for an amazing treasure trove of Broadway memorabilia amassed by Dr Edward Clarkson Seward. I don't know a great deal about him, but this is what I have gathered from reviewing the material. (I don't think I am breaching copyright by posting a few pages.)

Doctor Seward and his wife were "front-rowers" and "first nighters" through the 1920's to 1940's (and perhaps much earlier). They sat night-after-night in the front rows of Broadway Musicals. They became such a beloved institution that no show was complete without them and few shows wanted to close without them in the audience on closing night.

I assume they were an older couple, perhaps elderly by the 20's, because of the loving comments written in their programs. Here are a few examples from the incredibly autographed souvenir programs that were sold in this lot.

First up is the front page of a program signed by virtually every member of the cast and apparently presented to the Sewards.

UPDATE I have found that Dr. Edward Clarkson Seward held patents, granted in 1896. On what, I have no idea....

UPDATE 2 These people clearly have a unique story. Anyone who has details, I'd love to know more. Spill.......

UPDATE 3 2011. Dr. Edward Clarkson Seward was a graduate of Yale (1906) and a partner in the law firm of Brown and Seward at 261 Broadway in the 1920s and 30s.

Updated On: 5/30/11 at 05:26 AM

[allofmylife]

Posted: 1/12/08 at 5:27am

and another

[allofmylife]

Posted: 1/12/08 at 5:28am

and a letter from the chorus

[allofmylife]

Posted: 1/12/08 at 5:32am

They carried on wonderful correspondence with the stars of the day, like Ed Wynn, Gaxton and Moore and Jack Whiting. Here's a note from him.

[allofmylife]

Posted: 1/12/08 at 5:34am

And imagine getting letters like this. Pal Joey!! WOWOWOWOW!!!!

Updated On: 1/12/08 at 05:34 AM

[allofmylife]

Posted: 1/12/08 at 5:35am

And free tickets for dozens of other shows.

[allofmylife]

Posted: 1/12/08 at 5:38am

and more

[allofmylife]

Posted: 1/12/08 at 5:41am

The Doctor and his wife were known as "The Sunshines" because, I suppose of their bright smiling faces in the front rows.

They were patrons of a beautiful young woman named Beryl Wallace, who became the companion of Earl Carrol ("Through these portal pass the most beautiful women in the world.") She died with him in an airplane crash in the 40's.

[allofmylife]

Posted: 1/12/08 at 5:54am

I would love to find out more about the Sunshines. I know they lived at The Essex House and before that at the Hotel Wyndam. Doctor Seward for a fact that Dorothy Kilgallen wrote about them in detail in her column on 1/4/1940. If anyone has access to The New York Journal and can get this, I'd really appreciate the info.

Here's a parting shot from a familiar name

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 1/12/08 at 6:57am

This is fascinating.

Thank you so much for sharing these.

[lesmis]

Posted: 1/12/08 at 7:46am

Wow! I would love to know more about them too.

[allofmylife]

Posted: 1/12/08 at 1:12pm

Time to bump this mother up (cheap Hairspray paraphrase)

[allofmylife]

Posted: 1/12/08 at 4:39pm

In answer to questions I have been asked, my Avatar is actress Natalie Hall, from the production of "Ball at the Savoy" at Drury Lane in 1933. She starred in the original production of "Music in the Air" on Broadway by Kern and Hammerstein in 1931.

Hot stuff.

[blueroses]

Posted: 1/12/08 at 4:49pm

Wow. Two front row tickets to Pal Joey for $13.20!

These were lovely to look at...thanks for posting.

[allofmylife]

Posted: 1/12/08 at 4:52pm

I have tons of others. I will post soon.

[blueroses]

Posted: 1/12/08 at 4:54pm

I'd like to learn more about this couple. I'll admit I've never heard of them before! The memorabilia is charming.

[TheatreDiva90016]

Posted: 1/12/08 at 5:11pm

Did Mary Martin sign her letter "Mary Martino?"

Too funny!

[allofmylife]

Posted: 1/12/08 at 5:46pm

Naw, just a florid "N"

[allofmylife]

Posted: 1/12/08 at 8:58pm

You're the top. You're the tower of Pizza. Here's Willian Gaxton's Christmas card from the year he was staring in "Anything Goes".

[allofmylife]

Posted: 1/12/08 at 9:02pm

"Anything Goes" was such a long running show, they even got another year's cards out of it.

from Wikipedia:

William Gaxton (December 2, 1893-February 2, 1963), born Arturo Antonio Gaxiola in San Francisco, California, was a star of vaudeville, film, and theatre. He appeared in some ten films and eleven shows. Gaxton debuted on Broadway in the Music Box Revue(October 23, 1922), and went on to star in such hits as Rogers and Hart's A Connecticut Yankee (1927), singing "Thou Swell", Cole Porter's Fifty Million Frenchmen (1929), singing "You Do Something to Me", Of Thee I Sing (1933) with Victor Moore, Cole Porter's Anything Goes (1934), with Ethel Merman and Victor Moore, White Horse Inn (1936), Leave It to Me! (193 with Victor Moore, and Louisiana Purchase (1940).

[allofmylife]

Posted: 1/12/08 at 9:10pm

and two years later, when he was starring in "White Horse Inn" at the Center Theatre at Rockefeller Center, here's Gaxton's card to The Sunshines...

Updated On: 1/12/08 at 09:10 PM

[allofmylife]

Posted: 1/13/08 at 1:55pm

This is the right one. Bump. Sorry.

[allofmylife]

Posted: 1/15/08 at 12:17am

Here's Earl Carrol.

[allofmylife]

Posted: 1/15/08 at 12:20am

And more of Les Girls

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 1/15/08 at 12:30am

The Sunshines could probably teach a lesson or two to today's audiences on proper etiquette in the theatre.