Frank Chanfrau

Who was Frank Chanfrau?

Francis "Frank" S. Chanfrau was an American actor and theatre manager in the 19th century. He began his career playing bit parts and doing impressions of star actors such as Edwin Forrest and of ethnic groups. In 1848, he appeared as a Bowery b'hoy named Mose in A Glance at New York. The play became a record-breaking hit, due largely to the Mose character, and Chanfrau spent most of the rest of his career playing that role. In later life, Chanfrau appeared regularly in Kit, the Arkansas Traveller and Sam. Chanfrau's wife, Henrietta Baker Chanfrau, was a well-known actress who usually performed under the name Mrs. F. S. Chanfrau.