Alton Brooks Parker

Alton Brooks Parker 1852-1926, American jurist, U.S. presidential candidate (1904), b. Cortland, N.Y. He practiced law in Kingston, N.Y., and was (1877-85) surrogate of Ulster co., N.Y. He became important in state Democratic politics and successfully managed (1885) the campaign of David B. Hill for governor of New York. Parker served as justice of the New York supreme court (1885-89) and of the old general term of the supreme court (1892-94) before (upon the general term's abolition) he moved to the New York court of appeals, finally serving as chief judge of the court of appeals (1897-1904). As a jurist he became noted for his liberal decisions in labor cases. He resigned as chief judge after receiving (1904) the Democratic party nomination for the U.S. presidency. Division within the party over the currency issue and the popularity of Theodore Roosevelt helped make Parker's defeat overwhelming. Returning to law practice, he defended the American Federation of Labor in the Danbury Hatters' Case and served as counsel for the prosecution in the impeachment of Gov. William Sulzer.

Alton [Hart], Robert (1897–1957), choreographer. Born in Bennington, Vermont, he began his career as a chorus boy in Take It from Me (1919), then moved up in the ranks by assisting other choreographers, first creating his own dances for Hold Your Horses (1933). His choreography was seen in such successful musicals as Ziegfeld Follies of 1934, Life Begins at 8:40 (1934), Anything Goes (1934), Ziegfeld Follies of 1936, Leave It to Me! (1938), One for the Money (1939), Du Barry Was a Lady (1939), Two for the Show (1940), Panama Hattie (1940), Pal Joey (1940), Son's o' Fun (1941), By Jupiter (1942), Ziegfeld Follies of 1943, and Early to Bed (1943). He also served as director for Early to Bed, the 1952 revival of Pal Joey, and for his last show, The Vamp (1955). Brooks Atkinson hailed his work in the original Pal Joey as “wry and wistful.” Alton is given much of the credit for breaking up the regimented platoons of dancers that had dominated Broadway in the 1920s. He split his choruses into smaller groups and often allowed his dancers brief solos.