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Syracuse was not without its theatrical opportunities and while not always the greatest, we did get some pretty good stuff on occasion. I've already covered some of my earliest exposures to the theater and the early movies. Here are a few later items:

a) Attended my first opera in Syracuse no less. It was "La Gioconda" and it was put on by the San Carlo Opera Company at the Weiting Theater. I've been an opera fan ever since.

b) Saw Maude Adams in "Peter Pan" at the Empire Theater in Syracuse if my memory serves me correctly. I can still remember Maude flying through the air and it seemed absolutely impossible and utterly incredible.

c) Saw the opulent musical "Chu Chin Chou" at the Empire.

d) They had two good stock companies at the Empire over the years. The first was headed by Frank Wilcox and Minna Gombel, and the second by Frederic March and Florence Eldridge who was his wife. There would be a new play every week and they were well done and the public really supported them. In fact, one of the funniest plays I've ever seen was "Nothing but the Truth" but on by Wilcox and Gombel and company.

e) Early in 1924, the May Memorial Church YPRU put on Oscar Wilde's "Importance of Being Earnest" and I took the title role. Funny but I can't remember who else was in it.

f) One "theatrical" event that occurred while I was in college was the burning of the Bastable Theater, in fact, the whole block burned in one of the most spectacular fires they'd ever had in Syracuse. It was at night, and it was an old building, brick on the outside and wood on the inside and it really created a blaze that was spectacular. The Bastable was the burlesque house in its later years. It was not replaced, a tall office building being erected on the site.

[[underline]] Buena Vista [[/underline]]

Should have mentioned that Uncle Robert Durham was a Walter Camp All-America football player at Trinity (later Duke).

Two of the hired hands at the Seminary were Taz and Gene, both characters. Russell Robey could write a book about the exploits of these two plus Hard Times and a few others on the staff.

Russell sayings: It was sad when de gret ship wen' down. ***** You'd have to sight him by a pole to see him move. ******* Gret balls of turpentine. ***** Gret day in de mawnin'.***** Lawd have mercy. ***** That woman is afflicted with total recall. *** Did you evah!