MR. JAMES MACMAHON

Dominion, Volume 8, Issue 2450, 1 May 1915, Page 9

MR. JAMES MACMAHON

WELL-KNOWN THEATRICAL MANAGER DEAD. Cable news was received in Wellington yesterday of the death, in Sydney of Mr. James MacMahon, the once wellknown' theatrical manager, sjid brother of Messrs. Charles, and Joseph MacMahon, who are perhaps hetter known in New Zealand._ The deceased, who has been poorly in health for the past two years, was at one time a power in the theatrical'world'of these parts. It was Mr. James MacMahon and the late Mr. Geo. Leitch, who were proprietor of the first "Silver King" Dramatic Company to visit Wellington, the company,-by. tho way, which opined on. November 17, 1836, m the Opera Bouse in Manners Street, known to-day as Everybody's Theatre. But Mr. MacMahon was a maniger of repute years before that, It was under his management that the great Dion Boucicault (who wrote "The Colleen Bawn," -"The Shaughraun," and othor plays) visited New Zealand, on which occasion he played to crowded business in the old Theatre Royal, when that locality was considered the centre of the City. MacMahon Dramatic Companies were at one time as frequent in their visits as are those of J. C. Williamson, Ltd., to-day, but of late years all three brothers have turned their attention to moving pictures. Mr. Joseph MacMahon manages the Queen's Theatre, Auckland, and only a few weeks ago Mr. Charles MacMahon sold out his interest in the New Theatre, Wellington, whilst the deceased had been acting as their agent in Sydney. Mr. Jaines MacMahon was a man of considerable erudition an omnivorous reader, and an interesting conversationalist. He had a fund of excellent stories ' apropos of , almost anything on earth, and was never happier than when telling them. Mr. MacMahon was unmarried.