(1856-1908)
Born in Springfield, Massachusetts, Scanlan became the leading Irish actor and singer of his day. Critic Austin Latchaw remembered him as a performer with "real charm, with romantic fervor, and a beautiful voice to express it" (Kansas City Star, 30 April 1935). He made his New York debut in The White Slave (1882). In 1885, he produced Shane-Na-Lawn, which he wrote as a vehicle for himself. His greatest hit, Myles Aroon (1888), remained in his repertoire until his 1891 retirement, which opened the way for Chauncey Olcott.
The Historical Dictionary of the American Theater. James Fisher.