George Washington Lederer (abt. 1862 - 1938)

Born about Mar 1862 in Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne, Pennsylvania, United States

Husband of Clara (Binns) Havel — married 25 Oct 1888 (to Jan 1890) in Buffalo, Erie, New York, United States

Husband of Ida Florine (Newcombe) Whittaker — married 19 Oct 1889 (to Nov 1894) in Long Island, New York, United States

Husband of Adele Helen (Rice) Burt — married 22 Nov 1894 (to 1902) in Jersey City, Hudson, New Jersey, United States

Husband of Irene (Douras) Davies — married 12 Jan 1907 (to 1912) in Indiana, United States

Husband of Jessie (Lewis) Gross — married 15 Mar 1912 in Brooklyn, New York City, New York, United States

Died 8 Oct 1938 at about age 76 in Queens, New York, United States

Biography

George Lederer is Notable.

George Lederer was an American theatrical producer and director on Broadway and later a film producer and director in Hollywood.

Birth and Youth

George W. Lederer was born into a Jewish family in March 1862, in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. His father was a prominent merchant who built the block 26 South Main Street in Wilkes-Barre, but sold it when the family moved to New York.^[1]

It is said that George began his career when he joined a touring opera company at age 13, as a soprano singer, and that by the time he was 17, he had collaborated with the producer Thomas Canary and leased the Casino Theatre, in New York City. This may be inaccurate, however, as in 1880, at age 19, he was recorded store clerk, residing in his father's household in Wilkes-Barre.^[2] This is backed up by the following October 1880 newspaper article: "Those wishing carriages for the grand hall to be given by the Y.M.H.A. on the 19th inst., will please leave orders with George W. Lederer, at the leather store, 119 Main Street."^[3]

Career

George appears in a few additional news articles at Wilkes-Barre as late as Dec 1881, but appears to have begun his theatrical career by 1882, when the local Wilkes-Barre newspaper identifies him as the business manager for actress Julia A. Hunt, star of the hit play Florinel. The paper also notes that, on 1 May 1882, he would be taking over management of the original Dr. Clyde Comedy Company which was "one of the best on the road".^[4]

It was 11 Feb 1883, when the Sunday News announced that George was officially moving to New York City, where he would represent the Music Hall in its New York business.^[5] In April 1884, it was announced that George would be leasing the famed Arch Street Opera House in Philadelphia, where he would produce Sydney Rosenfeld's burlesque show Well-Fed Dora, staring comedian George K. Fortescue.^[6]

George entered the theatrical industry to great success. In 1885, the Wilkes-Barre Times noted that George Lederer "has proved himself to be one of the best, brightest and most accomplished managers on the road. Though quite young (age 23), he has already developed those sterling qualities which are necessary in the business he has selected to follow. Besides being a gentleman of thorough business qualifications, he is a brilliant musician and composer." The paper also notes that he personally designs all of the costumes that appear in his shows.^[7]

In 1894, George was one of the first producers of musical revues in the U.S., when together with playwright Sydney Rosenfeld, he presented The Passing Show. Billed as a “topical extravaganza", The Passing Show was one of the first musical revues on Broadway and is consider by many to have been the impetus for the famed Ziegfeld Follies. The Passing Show opened at the Casino Theatre on 12 May 1894 and ran for 145 performances before touring in the United States. It used a thin story line to link together spoofs of songs and sketches from some of the most popular theatrical productions of the past season. Among the noteworthy stars who performed in show were Grace Filkins, Madge Lessing, Dame Madge Kendal, Gus Pixley, and Adele Ritchie.

Around that same time, George began serving as manager for the famed actress and singer, Lillian Russell. It was also during this time that George is credited with having brought actress Marie Dressler to national fame, casting her as a supporting actress alongside the Russell in Princess Nicotine, at the Casino Theatre. After a long successful run on Broadway, the show toured the country making Dressler well-known across America. In 1896, Lederer cast Dressler in her first starring role as Flo in The Lady Slavey, also at the Casino Theatre. The show was a great success, playing for two years. Dressler went on to become perhaps the greatest comedic actress of her era and even won the Academy Award for Best Actress in 1930.

In 1897, George produced The Belle of New York, an original musical comedy about a Salvation Army girl who reforms a spendthrift, makes a great sacrifice, and then finds true love. It ran only 64 performances at the Casino Theater, but transferred to London in 1898, where it found greater success, running for a near-record 674 performances. It was the show credited with making actress Edna May a star. Other notables among the cast members were Harry Davenport, Paula Edwards, and Phyllis Rankin.

In 1903, while he was manager of the New York Theatre, he presented the all-black musical In Dahomey, with music by Will Marion Cook and lyrics by poet Paul Dunbar. It starred the prominent black vaudeville team of Bert Williams and George Walker. Then crossing the Atlantic, it played for seven months, and received a Royal Command Performance at Buckingham Palace in England. The cakewalk dance, a highlight of the show, became the rage of the town.

His final stage play was performed in 1911, after which he went to Hollywood to produce and direct silent films. Among his best known films were Sunday (1915), starring his wife, Reine Davies, and Runaway Romany (1917), starring his wife's sister, Marion Davies.

Marriage and Family

Around November 1888, George became acquainted with an eighteen-year-old performer named Clara Chester and soon the couple was presenting themselves as husband and wife. Although the marriage was never made official, George found himself in hot water nearly a year later when, on 28 Oct 1889, he eloped with another young woman, eighteen-year-old Flossie Newcombe. It didn't take long before Flossie's father, a noteworthy New York lawyer, discovered that his new son-and-law had been in common law marriage and he quickly filed a complaint with the authorities. Clara and Flossie, both devastated, were brought to the district attorney's office. Charges of bigamy were filed and George was arrested and hauled into court where he pleaded not guilty. He was released on $2,500 bail.^[8]

The subsequent trial was a sensation that made daily headlines across the country. Clara accused George of being a bigamist. George accused Clara of being a money-hungry fraud. Both brought forth a trove of witnesses. Then, in January 1890, it all abruptly came to an end when Clara dropped her claims returned to England. On 30 Jan 1890, the bigamy case against George was dismissed and he promptly returned to his new wife, Flossie Newcombe.^[9]

George and Flossie had one child, a boy named Myron, born in March 1891, who later went by the name George Jr. In March 1894, Flossie filed for divorce claiming lack of support. The divorce became finalized the following November and within hours George was remarried to Adele Rice. ^[10]

In 1900, George and Adele were residing 132 W. 77th Street. Beside George and Adele, this large household also included, the couple's four-year-old son, Maitland; George's nine-year-old son, George Jr.; George's mother, Josephine; his sister, Emma Louison and her son Sydney; Adele's mother, Helen Rice and her sister Florence Rice. Also residing with the family were two servants, Sava Marsh (cook), Lizzie Fitzpatrick (chauffer/maid) and Mary Blair (housekeeper).^[11]

1901, George and Adele separated and another scandalous news cycle began. George claimed that Adele had abandoned him and had taken their son with her. Adele claimed that George had been severely verbally and emotionally abusive to her throughout the marriage. She also accused him of having an affair with a woman named Cecilia Kenney, and perhaps his former wife, Flossie, as well.^[12]

George was married next to actress Reine Davies (born Irene Douras), sister of the legendary actress Marion Davies. This couple had two children before they divorced.^[13]

The divorce is suggested as having happened in 1912. Whether this is an error, or whether they divorced and reconciled, George was living with Reine in 1915 according to census records. In the 1915 census Geo (age 53) was the head of household in New York City, New York County, New York, United States.^[14]

His marriage to Reine must have ended between 1915-1919. She went on to remarry.

He was then married to actress Jessie Lewis (clearly not until after 1915, which was the year she turned 18), from whom he also eventually divorced (between the 1930 census and 1934, the year she remarried). They did have two daughters, Glory (who married Edward Amsterdam before 1938) and Geraldine (who married D. John Heyman in 1945).^[15]

Death

1917's Runaway Romany was Lederer's final film. It is unclear what became of him over the final 20 years of his life.

He died of cerebral hemorrhage, pulmonary edema, and hypertension, at age 76, October 8, 1938, at Physician Hospital in Queens, New York. His final residence was recorded as 40-71 Elbertson in New York City. He was buried at New Union Field Cemetery (more formally known as Beth El Cemetery) in Ridgewood, Queens County, New York.^[16]

Sources

1. ↑ Lederer Elopes, A Former Wilkes-Barrean's Sensational Escapade, Arrested for Bigamy, Dollar Weekly News (Wilkes-Barre, PA), 2 Nov 1889, p 3.
2. ↑ 1880 U.S. Federal Census, Ancestry.com (database with images) Pennsylvania, Luzerne County, City of Wilkes-Barrer, ED 113, page 10, dwelling 81, family 83, household of Markes Lederer (image 10).
3. ↑ Special Notices. Daily Union-Leader (Wilkes-Barre, PA) 14 Oct 1880, p.4.
4. ↑ Local Brevities. The Wilkes-Barre (PA) Record, 19 Apr 1882. p. 4.
5. ↑ Wilkes-Barre Personals, Sunday News (Wilkes-Barre, PA), 11 Feb 1883, p.8.
6. ↑ Notes of Individuals, Wilkes-Barre (PA) Times Leader Evening News, 16 Apr 1884, p. 1.
7. ↑ A Wilkes-Barre Manager and His Success, Wilkes-Barre Times Leader Evening News, 20 Apr 1885, p.1.
8. ↑ Lederer Elopes, A Former Wilkes-Barrean's Sensational Escapade, Arrested for Bigamy, Dollar Weekly News (Wilkes-Barre, PA), 2 Nov 1889, p 3.
9. ↑ Lederer's Record Cleared, The Sun (New York, NY), 31 Jan 1890, p. 7.
10. ↑ Lederer Divorced Again, Wilkes-Barre (PA) Times, 24 Nov 1894, p.3.
11. ↑ 1900 US Federal Census, Ancestry.com (database online with images), New York, County of New York, New York City, Borough of Manhattan, ED 470, page 7A dwelling 65, family 119, household of Geo. Lederer (image 13).
12. ↑ Mrs. Lederer's Sad Tale One of Man's Duplicity, Times Union (New York, NY) 1 Aug 1901, p.2.
13. ↑ Indiana Marriages, 1810-2001, Ancestry.com (database online). Marriage of George W. Leaderer [sic] to Irene Dowras [sic] (1907).
14. ↑ 1915 Census: "New York State Census, 1915"
    citing Page: 05; Line: 1
    FamilySearch Record: K9XC-P7J (accessed 31 January 2024)
    External Image
    Geo W Lederer (53) head of household in New York City, New York County, New York, United States.
15. ↑ note, incorrect dates for Jessie's birth (1891) and death (1971) are in circulation, they actually belong to another Jessie Lewis, a Chicago opera singer and the mother of Monica Lewis, the "Chiquita banana lady." Jessie Lederer was born around 1897 according to census records, her death date and location has not been traced but her second husband, Harold Gross died in Florida in 1964.
16. ↑ New York, New York Extracted Death Index, 1862-1948, Ancestry.com [database on-line], certificate number 6774, George M. [sic] Lederer.

Wikipedia contributors, "George Lederer," Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=George_Lederer&oldid=714609683 (accessed August 2, 2016).

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