Harry Walter (“H.W.”) Bishop (December 17, 1871 – June 25, 1928) was a theater manager and proprietor. He was manager of Ye Liberty Playhouse and Bishop Playhouse, both of which featured 75'-diameter revolving stages designed by Bishop.
Family
Bishop was born in New Haven, CT, the son of theater proprietor Walter Melville Bishop (1850 – 1901). The senior Bishop was better known by his stage name, Walter Morosco, and had supposedly gotten his start in show business when he ran away to join the circus as an acrobat. Harry was known as Harry Morosco before setting out on his own ventures. Walter also had two foster sons, Oliver Morosco (born Oliver Mitchell) and Leslie Morosco (born Leslie Mitchell). They all started in show business working in Walter Morosco's acrobatic troupe.
In 1891, Walter Bishop purchased a home in Fruitvale called Geranium Place (near the current Geranium Place near Redwood Road). He had the existing house moved to build a new one. He also started the custom of bringing the children of the West Oakland Home to his estate once a year for a day of fun and a lovely meal.
Harry Bishop married Florence Elizabeth Jackson (Bishop) (January 28, 1876 – February 2, 1957) of Australia in 1897. They had 5 children: Elsie Bishop (Stimmel) (Higgins) (1899 – 1972), Lester King Bishop (1899 – 1956), Walter Kenneth Bishop (1903 – 1977), Dalton Harry Bishop (1908 – 1989), and Beverly Elizabeth Bishop (Doherty) (1913 – 1985).
Following Walter's death in 1901, Harry and Florence moved to Geranium Place. Harry continued the custom of entertaining the children of the West Oakland Home.
At some point the Bishops moved to Piedmont. Unfortunately, the home was destroyed by fire in September 1908. Some paintings, silverware, and two pianos were saved, but the house was a loss. 2 The family moved to Alameda, and that year's feast for the children was held at the West Oakland Home.
Show Business
Harry began working with his father and foster brothers as an acrobat, specializing in riding horses. The group traveled widely, even performing in Hawai'i in 1884.
Walter settled down in San Francisco and produced Morosco's Royal Russian Circus in 1884-1885. He later began managing theaters; Harry took over management of Morosco's Grand Opera House in San Francisco from at least 1894. Walter sold the lease in 1901, but Harry continued on as a manager for a time. He then managed other theaters in San Francisco before coming to Oakland. 1
Harry received patent US731094A for a revolving stage in 1903. That same year, ground was broken on Ye Liberty Playhouse which would include a revolving stage. The theater opened in 1904, and was a great success.
In December 1905, Harry announced he was going to lease the theater at Idora Park, and present light opera. Almost exactly a month after the 1906 earthquake in San Francisco swelled Oakland's population with refugees, The Idora Opera Company opened their season with The Mikado in May 1906, with Paul Steindorff as musical director.
Harry was granted another patent in 1911, US100886A, for a more complicated stage, which included sections that could be rotated and some that could be moved vertically.
In 1916, Harry had the Bishop Playhouse constructed. This was a smaller theater than Ye Liberty, seating 900, but it also included one of Bishop's revolving stages.
Harry was having financial troubles, and disappeared for a time in 1918, showing up in Vancouver, British Columbia. In August, he filed for bankruptcy. Then in September 1918, the lease on the Bishop theater was sold to Maud Fulton and George Ebey.
The Bishops moved back to San Francisco, and Harry found work managing a store.
Death and Burial
Harry died June 25, 1928 of heart disease, after a brief illness. He and Florence are buried in plot 27 in Mountain View Cemetery.
Links and References
- Harry Bishop, Showman, Dies Oakland Tribune June 25, 1928
- Fire Takes Bishop Home Oakland Tribune September 2, 1908 (p2)
- A Tour To Oakland's Wonder Theatre Personally Conducted by Ashton Stevens San Francisco Examiner April 3, 1904
- What Betty Martin Learned With Manager Harry Bishop Oakland Tribune October 7, 1906
- Landers Stevens and Harry Bishop Tell of a Fierce Night at Ye Liberty Oakland Tribune November 18, 1906 (p2)