ALBEE, E. F.

(1857-1930)

   Born in Machias, Maine, son of a shipwright whose family dated back to the founding of the Massachusetts Bay colony, Edward Franklin Albee grew up in Boston. He attended public schools until he was 12 years old, then worked odd jobs, and at 19 joined P. T. Barnum's circus. Albee learned all aspects of the entertainment trade in seven seasons with the circus before he met B. F. Keith in 1885. Albee and Keith produced Gilbert and Sullivan's The Mikado in Boston with modestly priced tickets. The success of that venture allowed them to expand bargain-priced theatre productions to several cities, creating a circuit of theatres that reached New York by 1893.

   Albee remained associated with Keith for nearly 30 years, while Keith-Albee maintained their dominance over the top revenue-generating industry in American entertainment: vaudeville. When Keith died in 1914, Albee inherited half of his late partner's interests. When Keith's son, who had acquired the other half, died four years later, Albee was able to assume complete control of their enterprises. He subsequently merged his interests with the Pacific coast Orpheum circuit in 1927, merging again with the Radio Corporation of America (RCA) a year later. Albee's legacy is mixed, for he was certainly ruthless in his dealings with rival managers and with performers who challenged him. On the positive side, in addition to philanthropy, he instituted efficient booking practices and improved some working conditions for performers.