Henry Wilson Savage (1859 – 1927) was an American theatrical manager and real estate entrepreneur.

Henry Wilson Savage
Henry W. Savage in 1925
Born(1859-03-21)March 21, 1859
DiedNovember 29, 1927(1927-11-29) (aged 68)
OccupationTheatrical Manager
Years active1900 - 1925
Known for
  • The Merry Widow
  • The Prince of Pilsen
  • The Girl of the Golden West
  • The College Widow
  • The Country Chairman
Spouse
Alice Louise Batcheler
(m. 1989; death 1927)
ChildrenTwo, John and Bettina

Biography

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Henry Wilson Savage was born in New Durham, New Hampshire, on March 21, 1859.[1] He earned his degree from Harvard in 1880. In 1895, he was recognized as a wealthy real estate investor in Boston before he got involved with the theater. His initial foray into the theatrical field was in 1900.[2]

Savage was the first pioneer in performing Grand opera in English. He lavishly staged these productions, making each performance a grand spectacle for the viewer. Savage staged some of the most popular musical shows of the early 1900s, earning a second fortune. Before he stepped away from production in 1925, he was acknowledged with over 50 stage successes.[3]

He was the president of the Henry W. Savage Company, Inc., Castle Square Opera Company of Boston, and the Director of the National Association of Theatrical Producing Managers of America.[3]

Productions

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Savage's more notable productions include the following:

Death

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Savage died in Boston on November 29, 1927.[1] In the 1953 memoir Bring On the Girls! (by P. G. Wodehouse and Guy Bolton), he is depicted as an "extraordinarily manipulative and money-grubbing entrepreneur."[4]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Henry W. Savage, Producer, is dead". The New York Times. New York, New York. November 30, 1927. p. 25. Retrieved March 5, 2024 – via timesmachine.nytimes.com/.
  2. ^ McPherson, J. (Autumn 2002). "The Savage Innocents: Part I, King of the Castle: Henry W. Savage and the Castle Square Opera Company". The Opera Quarterly. 18 (4). Baltimore, Maryland: Oxford University Press: 503–533. doi:10.1093/oq/18.4.503. ISSN 1476-2870. Retrieved March 5, 2024.
  3. ^ a b "SAVAGE, Henry Wilson". Internet Archive. New York : Dodd, Mead. 1914. p. 492. Retrieved March 5, 2024. New international encyclopedia
  4. ^ Wodehouse, P.G.; Bolton, G. (1997). Bring on the Girls!: The Improbable Story of Our Life in Musical Comedy, with Pictures to Prove it. Akadine Press. ISBN 978-1-888173-17-8. Retrieved March 6, 2024.
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