Ira Hards(1872-1938)

Hards was one of the most in-demand stage directors of the American theatre for the better part of 3 decades. He began on Broadway as an actor in 1901 but found his calling as a stage producer and director in 1909, remaining active there through 1936. Among the many highlights of his long career there, Hards directed the original production of "Dracula" (starring Bela Lugosi) that ran for 261 performances at the Fulton Theatre.