Loney Haskell

Loney Haskell, born Lorne Levy in Newark, New Jersey in 1870, was an American entertainer who worked across vaudeville, burlesque, theatre management, and Broadway as both a performer and book writer. He died on October 20, 1933, in the offices of the Jewish Theatrical Guild of America, where he had served as secretary.

Before entering entertainment professionally, Haskell pursued a mercantile career, which he left behind by 1898 to join burlesque producers Hurtig and Seaman as a librettist and performer. His interest in the medium had already manifested a year earlier, when in 1897 he appeared in the short silent film Facial Expressions by Loney Haskell, a close-up demonstration of a range of emotions captured on camera.

Haskell built his early reputation in vaudeville as a monologist before transitioning into a role as a lecturer and presenter for dime museum-style acts under the promotion of Willie Hammerstein. In this capacity he introduced and contextualized Hammerstein's curiosities, including acts such as "The Half Woman," providing running commentary that kept audiences engaged regardless of whether the acts themselves could communicate effectively. In 1912 he served as interpreter for Don the Talking Dog, fielding audience questions and presenting the animal's responses during a bill that also featured Harry Houdini. Variety noted that while Haskell went uncredited in the program, he occupied nine of the act's twelve minutes and merited shared billing with the dog. Celebrity columnist O. O. McIntyre reported that Haskell grew so attached to the animal that on tour he slept in the dog's kennel.

His Broadway credit came in 1905, when the Fourteenth Street Theatre staged In New York Town from October 30 through November 4. The comedy musical was based on material by Haskell and Willard Holcomb, with music composed by Albert Von Tilzer, and Haskell appeared in the production in addition to contributing to its book.

Beyond performing, Haskell maintained a long association with the Hammerstein family. A friend of Oscar Hammerstein, he worked as assistant manager of the Victoria Theatre alongside Oscar's son Willie. After Willie's death he continued in that role under Arthur Hammerstein. Houdini, whom Haskell had shared a bill with in 1912, was also a personal friend, and in 1926 Haskell delivered the eulogy for Houdini in his official capacity as secretary of the Jewish Theatrical Guild of America.