Museum of the City of New York

Actor Frank Mayo, photographed around 1878 by the Sarony Studio of New York, established the lead role in the popular play Davy Crockett, or Be Sure You’re Right, Then Go Ahead, written by Frank Murdoch. The play was such a success, Mayo played the frontiersman for a quarter-century and struggled with being typecast as Crockett. Later in his career, he found success once again portraying Mark Twain’s Pudd’nhead Wilson.