Fred Marsden (1842– May 19, 1888) was an American playwright.[1]
Life and career edit
Born William A. Silver in Baltimore, Maryland, Marsden was the son of Abraham Silver.[1] He was educated as a lawyer in Philadelphia and began his career as a lawyer in that city prior to working as a playwright.[2] He wrote his first play in 1872 at which time he changed his name to Fred Marsden.[1] He penned both melodramas and farces; usually writing for the specific talents of well known performers of the second half of the 19th century. For Lotta Crabtree he wrote the plays Zip (1874),[2] Musette (1876),[2] and Bob (188?)[3] and for the actress Annie Pixley he wrote Zara (1883) and Elly (1885).[1] For the Irish comedian Joseph Murphy he wrote Cheek (1883) and Humbug (1886), and for William J. Scanlan he wrote the farce The Irish Minstrel (1886).[2]
Marsden committed suicide on May 19, 1888 at his home in Manhattan following a quarrel with his daughter.[1]
References edit
- ^ a b c d e "LEAVING THE KNOWABLE; FRED MARSDEN TAKES HIS OWN LIFE. UNABLE TO BEAR HIS DAUGHTER'S MISDEEDS THE PLAYWRIGHT BREAKS A "CONTRACT" WITH NATURE". The New York Times. May 20, 1888. p. 2.
- ^ a b c d Bordman, Gerald; Hischak, Thomas S. (2004). "Marsden, Fred [né William A. Silver] (1842–88), playwright". The Oxford Companion to American Theatre, Third Edition. Oxford University Press. ISBN 9780195169867.
- ^ "Dramatic Notes". The Standard Union. September 10, 1887. p. 3.