On December 30, 1903 Eddie Foy was in his dressing room in the Iroquois Theater in Chicago when he heard a commotion outside. Going to investigate, he discovered that the theater was on fire. A spark had jumped from one of the electric lights and ignited one of the curtains. Soon the fire spread and the audience began to panic. Foy grabbed his son, who was visiting the set that night and put him in the arms of one of the stage hands and told him to carry the child to safety. He then went to the stage and encouraged the attendees to slowly walk to the exit (there was only one) and not to panic, all the while telling the orchestra to keep playing, and telling the stage crew to hurry up and drop the asbestos curtain. 1700 people were in the audience. 600 died. Foy remained as long as he could and was one of the last to leave when a janitor showed him how to escape through a sewer. Foy was hailed the hero of the hour. Chicago never forgot him and the theater industry remained in his debt for the rest of his life. It was the worst theater fire in history and set the stage for stricter building codes all over the country and across the globe.
Morning, Village!
On December 30, 1903 Eddie Foy was in his dressing room in the Iroquois Theater in Chicago when he heard a commotion outside. Going to investigate, he discovered that the theater was on fire. A spark had jumped from one of the electric lights and ignited one of the curtains. Soon the fire spread and the audience began to panic. Foy grabbed his son, who was visiting the set that night and put him in the arms of one of the stage hands and told him to carry the child to safety. He then went to the stage and encouraged the attendees to slowly walk to the exit (there was only one) and not to panic, all the while telling the orchestra to keep playing, and telling the stage crew to hurry up and drop the asbestos curtain. 1700 people were in the audience. 600 died. Foy remained as long as he could and was one of the last to leave when a janitor showed him how to escape through a sewer. Foy was hailed the hero of the hour. Chicago never forgot him and the theater industry remained in his debt for the rest of his life. It was the worst theater fire in history and set the stage for stricter building codes all over the country and across the globe.