About Oscar Hammerstein I
Oscar Hammerstein I was a German-born businessman, theater impresario, and composer in New York City. His passion for opera led him to open several opera houses, and he rekindled opera's popularity in America. He was the grandfather of American playwright/lyricist Oscar Hammerstein II and the father of theater manager William Hammerstein and American producer Arthur Hammerstein. He worked his way up to become a cigar maker himself, and also founded the United States Tobacco Journal. Hammerstein would eventually become the owner of at least 80 patents, with most of them related to the machines he invented for the cigar-making process. Hammerstein built his first theater, the Harlem Opera House, on 125th Street in 1889, along with 50 housing developments.
Biography source: Wikipedia. The profile adds birthday-specific historical context from the Celebs Birthday Today editorial database.