Edward Harrigan papers

ca. 1870-1908 D

Edward Harrigan (1845-1911) was a playwright, actor and producer. A native New Yorker, Harrigan wrote plays about the various ethnic groups of New York at that time, particularly the Irish, Germans and African-Americans. His plays grew out of his early career in vaudeville, and he developed them into complete three act plays in all of which he performed the lead role.

Early in his career, he was an actor in California. In 1870 he formed a partnership with another comedian, Sam Rickey, and returned to New York to play in A Little Fraud. However, his partnership with Anthony Cannon or “Tony Hart” (stage name) in 1872 is what Harrigan is remembered for. In 1876, they became managers of Theatre Comique, 514 Broadway, New York City and remained there until 1881, when the theatre was torn down.

Harrigan opened up the New Theatre Comique at 728 Broadway, Aug. 29, 1881 with the play The Majorwith him in the lead as “Major Gilfeather”. The New Theatre Comique was destroyed by fire Dec. 23, 1884. Harrigan then leased the Park Theatre at Thirty-fifth Street and Broadway, which he conducted as Harrigan Theatre, with slight interruptions, until April 13, 1891. In 1890, he built a theatre on Thirty-fifth Street near Sixth Avenue, which is now known as Garrick Theatre. His last appearance in the legitimate drama was in His Wife's Family,at Wallack's Theatre, Oct. 6, 1908.

Edward Harrigan married Annie T. Braham, daughter of the composer, and was the father of 10 children. He died in New York City Sept. 9, 1909.