Miss Stewart Proves Woman Can Succeed as Producer of Plays on Broadway Rosalie Stewart
Rosalie
Stewart Muckenfuss
Public Name: Rosalie Stewart
Born: October
9, 1890 Saint Louis, Independent Cities, Missouri, USA
Died:
December 12, 1971 San Juan Capistrano, Orange, California, USA
Parents: Benjamin Stewart Muckenfuss
Katherine Effie Wood
Occupation: Stewart Publicist Agency
Cause of
Death: Death Record Pending
Date of
Burial: December 14, 1971
Age at Death:
81 years, 2 months, 3 days
Death
Certificate#:
Funeral: Forest
Lawn Memorial Park
Glendale, Los Angeles, Los
Angeles, California, USA
Mortuary:
Forest Lawn Memorial Park
Findagrave.com
8547424
Social
Security#: 550-07-8538
Interment: Forest
Lawn Memorial Park Plot Sectopm Graceland Lot 6859 Find A Grave Memorial
30602997
Rosalie Stewart in the
California, Death Index, 1940-1997
Name: Rosalie
Stewart Social Security #: 550078538 Gender: Female Birth Date: 9 Oct 1890
Birth Place: Missouri Death Date: 12 Dec 1971 Death Place: Orange
Source:
Rosa L Muckenfuss in the
1900 United States Federal Census
Name: Rosa L Muckenfuss Age: 9
Birth Date: Oct 1890 Birthplace: Missouri Home in 1900: St Louis Ward 26, St
Louis (Independent City), Missouri Ward of City: 26th Street: Maffitt
Avenue House Number: 3936 Sheet
Number: 15 Number of Dwelling in Order of Visitation: 243 Family Number: 322
Race: White Gender: Female Relation to Head of House: Daughter Marital Status:
Single Father's name: Benjamin S Muckenfuss Father's Birthplace: South Carolina
Mother's name: Catherine E Muckenfuss Mother's Birthplace: Illinois Occupation:
At School Attended School: 7 Source Citation: Year: 1900; Census Place:
St Louis Ward 26, St Louis (Independent City), Missouri; Page: 15; Enumeration
District: 0388; FHL microfilm: 1240900
Date Taken: June 12, 1900
Source:
Web Source
Image:
Rose Muckenfuss in the 1910
United States Federal Census
Name: Rose Muckenfuss Age in
1910: 19 Birth Year: abt 1891 Birthplace: Missouri Home in 1910: Chicago Ward
25, Cook, Illinois Street: Buena Avenue Race: White Gender: Female
Relation to Head of House: Daughter Marital Status: Single Father's name: B S
Muckenfuss Father's Birthplace: South Carolina Mother's name: C E
Muckenfuss Mother's Birthplace: Illinois
Native Tongue: English Occupation: Booking Agent Industry: Theatrical Employer,
Employee or Other: Wage Earner Attended School: Yes Able to Read: Yes Able to
Write: Yes Source Citation: Year:
1910; Census Place: Chicago Ward 25, Cook, Illinois; Roll: T624_268; Page: 10B;
Enumeration District: 1060; FHL microfilm: 1374281
Household Members:
Name Age
B S Muckenfuss
48
C E Muckenfuss
45
Rose Muckenfuss 19
B S Muckenfuss
Jr 11
Ethel
Karon 24
Date Taken: April 25, 1910
Source:
https://search.ancestry.com/cgi-bin/sse.dll?db=1910USCenIndex&indiv=try&h=168812558
Web Source Image:
Rosalie Stewart in the 1920
United States Federal Census
Name: Rosalie Stewart Age: 29
Birth Year: abt 1891 Birthplace: Missouri Home in 1920: Manhattan Assembly
District 11, New York, New York Street: West 115th Street Residence
Date: 1920 Race: White Gender: Female Relation to Head of House: Boarder
Marital Status: Single Father's Birthplace: South Carolina Mother's Birthplace:
Illinois Able to Speak English: Yes Occupation: Theatrical Industry:
Business Employment Field: Employer Attended School: No Able to Read: Yes Able
to Write: Yes Source Citation: Year: 1920; Census Place: Manhattan
Assembly District 11, New York, New York; Roll: T625_1205; Page: 3B;
Enumeration District: 847
Household Members:
Name Age
B S Muckenfuss
57
Katherine
Muckenfuss 55
Rosalie Stewart 29
Benjamin
Stewart 21
Date Taken: January 22, 1920
Source:
Web Source
Image:
Roselie Stewart in the
New York, State Census, 1925
Name: Roselie Stewart [Roselie
Muckenfuss] Birth Date: abt 1891 Birth
Place: United States Age: 34 Gender: Female Residence Place: New York, Queens
Relationship: Daughter Color or Race: White Assembly District: 03 House
Number: 26 Line Number: 20 Page Number: 10
Source Citation New York State Archives; Albany, New York; State
Population Census Schedules, 1925; Election District: 48; Assembly District:
03; City: New York; County: Queens; Page: 10
Household Members:
Name Age
Benj S
Muckenfuss 63
Catherine Muckenfuss 60
Roselie Stewart 34
Benj S Stewart
27
Whilamina
Neese 27
Date Taken:
June 1, 1925
Source:
Web Source Image:
Rosalie Stewart in the 1930
United States Federal Census
Name: Rosalie Stewart [Rosalie
Steuart] Birth Year: abt 1891 Gender:
Female Race: White Birthplace: Missouri Marital Status: Single Relation to Head
of House: Head Home in 1930: Manhattan, New York, New York, USA Map of Home:
View Map Street address: West 55th
Street Ward of City: A D 15 Block: D House Number: 101 Family
Number: 11 Home Owned or Rented: Rented Home Value: 250 Radio Set: Yes Lives on
Farm: No Attended School: No Able to Read and Write: Yes Father's Birthplace:
South Carolina Mother's Birthplace: Illinois Occupation: Manager
Industry: Radio Co Class of Worker: Wage or salary worker Employment: Yes Source
Citation: Year: 1930; Census Place: Manhattan, New York, New York; Page:
1A; Enumeration District: 0571; FHL microfilm: 2341302
Household Members:
Name Age
Rosalie
Stewart 39
Katherine
Stewart 65
Benjamin S
Stewart 31
Date Taken: April 7, 1930
Source:
Web Source
Image:
Rosalie Stewart in the
U.S., Biographical Cyclopedia of American Women
Name: Rosalie
Stewart
[Rosalie
Muckenfuss]
Gender: Female
Birth Date: 9
Oct 1890
Birth Place:
St. Lewis, Missouri
Father:
Benjamin Stewart Muckenfuss
Mother:
Katherine Effie Wood Muckenfuss
Comments:
STEWART,
ROSALIE, play producer, daughter of Benjamin Stewart and Katherine Effie Wood
Muckenfuss, was born in St. Louis, Missouri, October 9, 1890. For business
reasons she had her name legally changed in 1917 from Rosalie Stewart
Muckenfuss to Rosalie Stewart.
Rosalia Stewart in the U.S.
Passport Applications, 1795-1925
Name: Rosalia
Stewart Age: 31 Birth Date: 9 Oct 1890 Birth Place: St Louis, Missouri
Residence Place: New York City, New York Passport Issue Date: 1 Apr 1922
Father: Benjamin S Stewart Has Photo:
Yes Source Citation: National
Archives and Records Administration (NARA); Washington D.C.; Roll #: 1881;
Volume #: Roll 1881 - Certificates: 136726-137099, 01 Apr 1922-01 Apr 1922
Source:
Web Source
Image 1:
Web Source Image 2:
Rosalie Stewart in the
California, Death Index, 1940-1997
Name: Rosalie
Stewart Social Security #: 550078538 Gender: Female Birth Date: 9 Oct 1890
Birth Place: Missouri Death Date: 12 Dec 1971 Death Place: Orange
Source:
Rosa L Muckenfuss in the
1900 United States Federal Census
Name: Rosa L Muckenfuss Age: 9 Birth Date: Oct 1890
Birthplace: Missouri Home in 1900: St Louis Ward 26, St Louis (Independent
City), Missouri Ward of City: 26th Street: Maffitt Avenue House
Number: 3936 Sheet Number: 15 Number
of Dwelling in Order of Visitation: 243 Family Number: 322 Race: White Gender:
Female Relation to Head of House: Daughter Marital Status: Single Father's
name: Benjamin S Muckenfuss Father's Birthplace: South Carolina Mother's name:
Catherine E Muckenfuss Mother's Birthplace: Illinois Occupation: At School
Attended School: 7 Source Citation: Year: 1900; Census Place: St Louis
Ward 26, St Louis (Independent City), Missouri; Page: 15; Enumeration District:
0388; FHL microfilm: 1240900
Date Taken: June 12, 1900
Source:
Web Source Image:
Rose Muckenfuss in the 1910
United States Federal Census
Name: Rose
Muckenfuss Age in 1910: 19 Birth Year: abt 1891 Birthplace: Missouri Home in
1910: Chicago Ward 25, Cook, Illinois Street: Buena Avenue Race: White
Gender: Female Relation to Head of House: Daughter Marital Status: Single
Father's name: B S Muckenfuss Father's Birthplace: South Carolina Mother's
name: C E Muckenfuss Mother's
Birthplace: Illinois Native Tongue: English Occupation: Booking Agent
Industry: Theatrical Employer, Employee or Other: Wage Earner Attended
School: Yes Able to Read: Yes Able to Write: Yes Source Citation: Year: 1910; Census
Place: Chicago Ward 25, Cook, Illinois; Roll: T624_268; Page: 10B; Enumeration District:
1060; FHL microfilm: 1374281
Household Members:
Name Age
B S Muckenfuss
48
C E Muckenfuss
45
Rose
Muckenfuss 19
B S Muckenfuss
Jr 11
Ethel
Karon 24
Date Taken: April 25, 1910
Source:
Web Source Image:
Rosalie Stewart in the 1920
United States Federal Census
Name: Rosalie
Stewart Age: 29 Birth Year: abt 1891 Birthplace: Missouri Home in 1920:
Manhattan Assembly District 11, New York, New York Street: West 115th
Street Residence Date: 1920 Race: White Gender: Female Relation to Head of
House: Boarder Marital Status: Single Father's Birthplace: South Carolina
Mother's Birthplace: Illinois Able to Speak English: Yes Occupation: Theatrical
Industry: Business Employment Field: Employer Attended School: No Able to Read:
Yes Able to Write: Yes Source Citation: Year: 1920; Census Place:
Manhattan Assembly District 11, New York, New York; Roll: T625_1205; Page: 3B;
Enumeration District: 847
Household Members:
Name Age
B S Muckenfuss
57
Katherine
Muckenfuss 55
Rosalie
Stewart 29
Benjamin
Stewart 21
Date Taken: January 22, 1920
Source:
Web Source Image:
Roselie Stewart in the
New York, State Census, 1925
Name: Roselie
Stewart [Roselie Muckenfuss] Birth Date:
abt 1891 Birth Place: United States Age: 34 Gender: Female Residence Place: New
York, Queens Relationship: Daughter Color or Race: White Assembly District: 03 House
Number: 26 Line Number: 20 Page Number: 10
Source Citation New York State Archives; Albany, New York; State
Population Census Schedules, 1925; Election District: 48; Assembly District:
03; City: New York; County: Queens; Page: 10
Household Members:
Name Age
Benj S
Muckenfuss 63
Catherine
Muckenfuss 60
Roselie
Stewart 34
Benj S Stewart
27
Whilamina
Neese 27
Date Taken: June 1, 1925
Source:
Web Source Image:
Rosalie Stewart in the 1930
United States Federal Census
Name: Rosalie
Stewart [Rosalie Steuart] Birth Year:
abt 1891 Gender: Female Race: White Birthplace: Missouri Marital Status: Single
Relation to Head of House: Head Home in 1930: Manhattan, New
York, New York, USA Map of Home: View Map Street address: West 55th Street Ward of
City: A D 15 Block: D House Number: 101 Family Number: 11 Home Owned or
Rented: Rented Home Value: 250 Radio Set: Yes Lives on Farm: No Attended
School: No Able to Read and Write: Yes Father's Birthplace: South Carolina
Mother's Birthplace: Illinois Occupation: Manager Industry: Radio Co
Class of Worker: Wage or salary worker Employment: Yes Source Citation: Year:
1930; Census Place: Manhattan, New York, New York; Page: 1A; Enumeration
District: 0571; FHL microfilm: 2341302
Household Members:
Name Age
Rosalie
Stewart 39
Katherine
Stewart 65
Benjamin S
Stewart 31
Date Taken: April 7, 1930
Source:
Web Source Image:
Rosalie Stewart in the
U.S., Biographical Cyclopedia of American Women
Name: Rosalie
Stewart
[Rosalie
Muckenfuss]
Gender: Female
Birth Date: 9
Oct 1890
Birth Place:
St. Lewis, Missouri
Father:
Benjamin Stewart Muckenfuss
Mother:
Katherine Effie Wood Muckenfuss
Comments:
STEWART,
ROSALIE, play producer, daughter of Benjamin Stewart and Katherine Effie Wood
Muckenfuss, was born in St. Louis, Missouri, October 9, 1890. For business
reasons she had her name legally changed in 1917 from Rosalie Stewart Muckenfuss
to Rosalie Stewart.
Source:
Traveling
Rosalie Stewart in the New
York, Passenger and Crew Lists (including Castle Garden and Ellis Island),
1820-1957
Name: Rosalie
Stewart Arrival date: 14 Aug 1922 Birth Date: 9 Oct 1890 Birth Location:
Missouri Birth Location Other: st louis Age: 31 Gender: Female Port of
Departure: Liverpool, England Port of Arrival: New York, New York Ship Name:
Adriatic Source Citation: Year: 1922; Arrival: New York, New York;
Microfilm Serial: T715, 1897-1957; Microfilm Roll: Roll 3158; Line: 20; Page
Number: 11
Source:
Web Source
Image:
Rosalie Stewart in the New
York, Passenger and Crew Lists (including Castle Garden and Ellis Island),
1820-1957
Name: Rosalie Stewart Arrival date: 9 Dec 1924 Birth Date: 9 Oct
1890 Birth Location: Missouri Birth Location Other: st louis Age: 34 Years 1 Months
Gender: Female Port of Departure: Liverpool, England Port of Arrival: New York, New York Ship
Name: Carmania Source Citation: Year:
1924; Arrival: New York, New York; Microfilm Serial: T715, 1897-1957; Microfilm
Roll: Roll 3582; Line: 22; Page Number: 66
Source:
Web Source Image:
Rosalie Stewart in the New
York, Passenger and Crew Lists (including Castle Garden and Ellis Island),
1820-1957
Name: Rosalie
Stewart Arrival date: 25 Nov 1924 Birth Date: Oct 1?? Birth Location:
Missouri Birth Location Other: st louis Gender: Female Port of Departure:
Southampton Port of Arrival: New York, New York Ship Name: Majestic Source Citation: Year: 1924; Arrival: New York,
New York; Microfilm Serial: T715, 1897-1957; Microfilm Roll: Roll 3576; Line:
18; Page Number: 22
Source:
Web Source Image:
Rosalie Stewart in the New
York, Passenger and Crew Lists (including Castle Garden and Ellis Island),
1820-1957
Name: Rosalie
Stewart Arrival date: 18 Mar 1936 Birth Date: abt 1891 Birth Location:
Missouri Birth Location Other: Saint Louis Age: 45 Gender: Female Port of
Departure: Los Angeles, California Port of Arrival: New York, New York Ship
Name: California Source Citation: Year: 1936; Arrival: New York, New
York; Microfilm Serial: T715, 1897-1957; Microfilm Roll: Roll 5777; Line: 30;
Page Number: 47
Source:
Web Source
Image:
Rosalie Stewart United States Passport Applications, 1795-1925
Name: Rosalie
Stewart Event Type: Passport Application Event Date: 1924 Event Place: New
York, United States Age: 34 Birth Date: 09 Oct 1890 Birthplace: Missouri
Certificate Number: 479735
United States
Passport Applications, 1795-1925
Document Information:
Affiliate
Publication Number M1490
Affiliate
Publication Title
Passport
Applications, January 2, 1906 - March 31, 1925
Affiliate Film
Number 2644
GS Film Number
1753529
Digital Folder
Number 007544073
Image Number
00696
Citing this
Record
"United
States Passport Applications, 1795-1925," database with images,
FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QVJG-GKST : 16 March
2018), Rosalie Stewart, 1924; citing Passport Application, New York, United
States, source certificate #479735, Passport Applications, January 2, 1906 -
March 31, 1925, 2644, NARA microfilm publications M1490 and M1372 (Washington
D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
Source:
Web Source Image:
Web source Image With photo
Rosalie Stewart United States Passport Applications, 1795-1925
Name: Rosalie
Stewart Event Type: Passport Application
Event Date: 1920 Event Place: New York, United States Gender: Female Birth Date: 09 Oct 1890
Birthplace: Missouri Certificate Number: 11350
United States
Passport Applications, 1795-1925
Document Information:
Affiliate Publication Number M1490
Affiliate
Publication Title Passport Applications, January 2, 1906 - March 31, 1925
Affiliate Film
Number 1146
GS Film Number
001638148
Digital Folder
Number 007572588
Image Number
00193
Citing this
Record
"United
States Passport Applications, 1795-1925," database with images,
FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV5B-HP22 : 16 March
2018), Rosalie Stewart, 1920; citing Passport Application, New York, United
States, source certificate #11350, Passport Applications, January 2, 1906 -
March 31, 1925, 1146, NARA microfilm publications M1490 and M1372 (Washington
D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d
Source:
Web Source Image:
Web Source Image: With Photo
The Brooklyn Daily Eagle Brooklyn, New York December 27, 1925 Sun Page
4 Rosalie Stewart
Source:
Miss Stewart Proves Woman Can Succeed as Producer of Plays on Broadway
Demonstrates Men Are
Not Only Ones Who Can take Risks in Business.
Dare to State Plays with Unconventional Ending, and Scored Victory
By Harriette Ashbrook
MISS ROSALIE STEWART—holds a
unique place in the theatrical world, for not only is she the youngest woman
producer on Broadway but she is also the most successful.
Now, of course, we realize
that the latter part of that statement may be challenged by those who have
registered in the back of their minds the seven-figure fortune which a certain
Hibernian-Semitic comedy has been piling up for another young woman producer.
But, leaving out question of
box office receipts and looking at it from the point of view of the
discriminating critic and playgoer, Miss Stewart’s place in the center of the
feminine limelight is unassailable. For
is she not responsible for the tremendously fine comedy, “The Show-Off,” and
that drab human drama, “Craig’s Wife,” to say nothing of “Torchbearer” and
“Meet the Wife”?
The advent of the woman
producer in the theatrical world in the last five years has caused much
comment. Producing plays has always been
regarded as essentially a man’s business.
At best, it was gambling on long shots, investing between $20,000 and
$30,000 with a chance that the play might last anywhere from two weeks to two
years. As a sex woman have always been
notoriously poor gambles. They’re afraid
to take chances.
So, the succeeds which has attended the ventures of Rosalie
Stewart has been viewed with more than the ordinary amount of surprise. Particularly since she has done something
that few producers ever are able to do—She has won the commendation of the
critics for the fine type of plays which she has presented and at the same time
she has piled up a financial balance which makes even bank presidents treat her
with respect. The plays which she has
sponsored are ample refutation of the old, old cry that the public is a
raucous-voiced, unappreciative rabble, interested only I legs, jazz and low
comedians, and that nothing truly artistic and fine can make money.
In view of all this and much
more which has been going the rounds of the theatrical world during the last
two or three years regarding this remarkable young woman, it was with
considerable interest that we went to her office in Forty-seventh Street
recently to interview her. Sitting in
the anteroom waiting our turn, we herd her voice from the private office
speaking over the telephone.
Something evidently had gone
wrong that didn’t have any business to go wrong, and Miss Stewart was
impressing the fact upon the culprit and the other end of the wire in gentle
but exceedingly—oh, very exceedingly—firm tines. Our knees grew a little weak and the phrase,
“hard-boiled business woman,” passed through our mind. But five minutes later, when we were seated
pangs for ever having entertained the thought.
Her dress was smartly
tailored, but her slippers were utterly feminine. Her desk was the desk of a busy executive,
with a bunch of violets on it. She
talked of business problems with decisive sureness., and in a spilt second
changed the conversation to a luncheon she had just attended, relating details
that could interest only a woman.
In a word, Miss Rosalie
Stewart is the sort of person that just seems to fit in anywhere. One can with equal ease imagine her
addressing a board of directors or a
Y.W.C.A. study group. Attending a
ball at the Ritz or the annual picnic of the United Farm Bureau of Otoe County, Nebraska. When the occasion demands she can be as firm
and aggressive as any man, and when another occasion demands she can be as charming
and delightful as any woman.
Her success as a business
woman and producer she is inclined to regard lightly.
“I can remember the first day
I arrived in New York,” she says. “ My
initial impression was of millions of people hustling and bustling like their
life depended upon it, straining every nerve and muscle to get somewhere. That seemed to be the main idea-to get
something they like and enjoyed doing, but to get to the place where their
pictures would appear in the papers when they sailed for Europe. That’s what they call success.
“If I’m successful it is not
because I have had a little luck, sense enough to take advantage of a few of
the opportunities that came my way and have made some money because at least
I’m doing the thing which all my life I’ve wanted to do-produce good play.”
“If I’m successful it is not
because I have had a little luck, sense enough to take advantage of a few of
the opportunities that came my way and have made some money, but because at
least I’m doing the thing which all my life I’ve wanted to do-produce good
play.”
The birth of this ambition
took place in St. Louis when Rosalie Stewart was a small girl and spent most of
her pocket money for the theater. She
went constantly. Sometime toward the end
of the week a twenty-five-cent seat in the gallery was all the personal
exchequer could compass, but nevertheless she went.
When her high school course
was completed, she had an opportunity to go behind the scenes and watch the
wheels go around—to even have a part in spinning them herself. Her Father, B.S. Stewart, moved to Dallas to
manage a string of vaudeville theaters and took his young daughter along with
him as his right-hand man.
She checked box
office receipts, made out payrolls, attended to the advertising and did a
thousand and one odd jobs around the theater.
It was just about this time her father’s eyesight began to fail and he
was still
more dependent on
the judgement of his daughter, so that when he was called to Chicago a few
years later he took her with him.
In the big Middle Western
city, she soon blossomed out into a full-fledged vaudeville scout for one of
the big vaudeville companies, and she spent most of her time attending
theaters, looking over acts, searching out new talent and finding actors and
actresses to fit into sketches the company wished to launch.
But, since all roads west of
Alleghanies lead to New York in the eyes of the theatrically ambitious, Miss
Stewart finally landed in the big city.
But, unlike most of the other young pilgrims, she had a job waiting for
her. Her work in Chicago had been so
successful that she was asked by the Keith office to come to New York.
For five year she continued
her work with this company. But, like all
the truly ambitious, she felt vaguely dissatisfied at the thought of always
working for someone else. She wanted to
do something on her own. So, while still
connected with the Keith organization, she produced several one-act vaudeville
sketches.
It was in this way that she
met a nice-looking young chap, named George
Kelly, who seemed to have a decided gift for writing and acting one-act
plays. Another firm friend was Bert French, a dancer in vaudeville.
1927 Returning from London Show-Offs Rosalie Stewart and George Kelly
Staging Desire Queer Reading of American Theater History
Kim Marra, & Robert A. Schanke, Editors
Page 132
Fig 5 George Kelly and Rosalie Stewart on December 10, 1924, docking in New York upon return from producing The Show-off
Special Note: " Rosalie Stewart," Kelly Confided in his later years, "Was a woman of great integrity . During all the years represented me and produced my plays, we never had a contract in writing merely her word and Mine." George Edward Kelly
Page 132-133
Page 132-133
Five years ago, the friendship
of these three people resulted in the new Firm of Stewart and French as
independent theatrical producers. The
two partners had no money except what they had saved themselves and they
preferred not to borrow any. George
Kelly agreed to try his had at a full-length play and “The Torchbearers” was
the result.
And right here it is interesting to take note of the fact that the new firm followed none of the most approved precedents. As producers on the legitimate stage they were unknown. It would seem, therefore, that the most advisable course would have been to have secured the work of some well-know playwright for their initial.
By Harriette Ashbrook
August 10, 1927
Source:
