The town of Hannibal can claim actress as her own

Mary Lou Montgomery
11 minutes ago
5 min read

Miss Florence Wood, aka Mary B. Shoot and Mrs. Felix Morris, was a prominent character actress of her era, performing in plays from coast to coast and into Europe. She was born in Hannibal on Feb. 9, 1858. Art from the Reading Times, Nov. 13, 1878. Newspapers.com

The Reading Times of Nov. 13, 1878, promotes “That Lass o’ Lowrie’s,” a five-act play featuring Miss Florence Wood, aka Mary B. Shoot and Mrs. Felix Morris, who was born in Hannibal, Mo., on Feb. 9, 1858.

MARY LOU MONTGOMERY

Mary B. Shoot Morris (aka Florence Wood) played leading lady in the James Hackett traveling company’s “Walls of Jericho.” As a part of the tour, the production was staged at the Park Theatre, located on the southwest corner of Fifth and Center, Hannibal, on Thursday evening, Feb. 14, 1907.

Overnight accommodations for Mrs. Morris were provided by Helen K. Garth in her prestigious home located at 212 S. Fifth, across the street from what was then known as the Garth Library. Mrs. Morris left Hannibal on the Burlington at 5:25 o’clock Feb. 15, destination Quincy, Ill., where the troupe performed that evening at The Empire Theater, Eighth and Maine.

Mrs. Morris was familiar with Hannibal, beginning her life in this quaint river town during the pre-Civil War era, specifically circa Feb. 9, 1858. She was the youngest of some seven children born to William B. Shoot (1809-1892) and Mary Jane Pavey Shoot (circa 1820-1901).

Note: As per a previous story, Mary B. Shoot Morris’ father, William Shoot, was senior proprietor of the Planters House on North Main Street, Hannibal, from March 1858 to June 1, 1859. Her brother-in-law, Charles P. Heywood, was junior proprietor. Mrs. Morris’ sister, Mildred (Kitty) Shoot, was married to Mr. Heywood at the Planters House on April 27, 1858, about two months after her sister, the aforementioned Mary, was born.

The publication, “The Press of Atlantic City,” of April 2, 1907, reported on this production: “This drama (‘Walls of Jericho’) has the distinction of having been played for two entire seasons in London, for six months in New York, and four weeks in Chicago, where it has met with unanimous praise.” The Chicago tour ended in December 1906.

Mrs. Morris was part of the touring company which made stops in, among other states and cities, Connecticut, Omaha, Neb., St. Louis, Mo., at the Lyceum Theatre in Harrisburg, Pa., and in Elmira, New York.

The Elmira Starr-Gazette on Feb. 24, 1906 reported on the play: “The Hacketts carry carloads of scenery and they dressed the stage … not only with the greatest attention to detail but with a lavishness almost unprecedented here.”

And the cast was extraordinary.

The Morning Journal Courier of New Haven, Conn., announced on Oct. 9, 1906, “In the support of Mr. Hackett in this great play is an exceptionally strong cast, including Beatrice Beckley, May Blayney, Mary E. Forbes, (the aforementioned) Mrs. Felix Morris, Blanche Ellice, Ruth Chester, Arthur R. Lawrence, David Glassford, J. Cheney Matthews, Orlando Daly, H. Newkirk Clugston, John Hooper, F. Atkinson, P. Jefferson Rollow, Frank A. Norton and F. Fredericks.”

Mrs. Morris was trained at the famous San Francisco playhouse. The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, New York, reported on Jan. 13, 1918: “Mrs. Morris was at one time leading lady for Frederick Warde. (IMDb confirms that Frederick Warde [1851-1935] was born in England, and became a popular Shakespearean actor in New York in the 1870s.)

The Des Moines Tribune of April 19, 1954, reported that Mrs. Morris made her debut as “Florence Wood” with the Augustine Daily Stock Company.

Married life

The Pacific Bee, of Sacramento, Calif., reported on May 24, 1879, that Mary B. Shoot (stage name Florence Wood) and Felix Morris obtained a marriage license in Sacramento, Calif.

Felix W.G. Morris, 1850-1900, was a prominent stage actor and comedian during the latter quarter of the 19th century.

Just before her marriage, Mary B. Shoot aka Florence Wood performed in “This Lass o’ Lowries” at the Mishler’s Academy of Music in Reading, Pa.

In April, following their marriage, the newlyweds arrived in Montreal, Quebec, Canada, where Felix Morris and his company produced “Our Girls,” a comedy companion piece to “Our Boys.” Florence Wood (aka Mary B. Shoot Morris) was among the cast members.

Untimely death

Felix Morris died of pneumonia in 1900, at their home, 42 Irving Place, New York.

His funeral took place at the All Saints Unitarian Church, Twentieth Street and Fourth Avenue, New York, where Dr. Minot J. Savage was minister.

(Note: Rev. Minot J. Savage was the pastor hired to oversee the construction of Hannibal’s First Congregational Church, Seventh and Lyon streets, circa 1870. The funeral notice in the Jan. 16, 1900 edition of “The Sun” in New York indicated that Felix Morris and Rev. Minot J. Savage were friends.)

Career continues

Mrs. Morris, with two daughters to support, continued acting.

The News Journal, Wilmington, Del., of Feb. 16, 1901, reported, “Mrs. Felix Morris, with her own company, will present her latest success, ‘The Lady and the Burglar.’ Mrs. Morris is one of the best-known dramatic stars appearing before the footlights today and her engagement here next week is an event in the career of Manager Dockstader’s house.”

The New York Times reported on Feb. 22, 1903, that Mrs. Morris had been engaged by Lord Rosslyn for the role of Priscilla Pettifer in his play, “The Young Miss Pettifer,” which was to be produced on March 2, 1903, in Peekskill, N.Y.

The Buffalo Illustrated Times of Jan. 31, 1904, mentioned that a new comedy in four acts was to soon open, produced by Henry Miller and company. Among the members of the supporting company was none other than Mrs. Felix Morris.

In 1910, the Brooklyn Eagle announced that Mrs. Felix Morris had been engaged for a role in the new play, “Maggie Pepper.”

In 1911, Mrs. Morris was portraying Cynthia Merton in “The Scarecrow” at the Tremont Theatre in Boston.

At the end of October, 1916, Mrs. Morris performed the role of Mrs. Homans in a play made from Louise Forsslund’s rural novel, “Old Lady 31”. The production was at the Thirty-ninth Street Theatre in New York.

The Kennebec Journal of Aug. 6, 1940, reported: “This play opened on Oct. 30, 1916, and ran for 160 performances in the east.”

At the end of July, 1920, Mrs. Morris sailed to London with J. Hartley Manners and his wife, Laurette Taylor, where they staged the production of “One Night in Rome,” at the Garrick Theater.

Mrs. Morris died in 1954, at the age of 96, at Princeton, Mercer County, New York.