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.