The Lottery of Life

• Terry by John Brougham
• Bob Mawley by Edward Lamb
• Sir William Downe by T.J. Hind
• Oil Tommy by Benjamin T. Ringgold^[10]
• Dodges by W.J. Leonard
• Dummy Dennis by J. Quiqley
• Duffy by E. Cashin
• Hawkeye by E. Menturn
• Sam by G. White
• Mordie Solomons by Charles Fisher
• Robert Mordaunt by C.H. Rockwell
• Frank by James McGee
• Polly by Effie Germon
• Miss Tartar by Fanny Morant
• Judy by George Holland
• Emily by Miss M. Barrett
• Marx by Mis F. Carman
• Biddy by Miss C. Carman
• Lucy by Miss E. Monell
• Jenny by Miss J. Day.^[11]

In 1877, Brougham wrote that The Lottery of Life had been the "most profitable" of his plays. He noted that it was "originally written as a burlesque upon the sensation of the time," where he "exaggerated the sensational parts of it, and it was something which I expected would be horrifying," yet "I found it was taken in perfect earnest." Thus, he altered the play somewhat into "a not altogether impossible, though somewhat improbable piece." He opined that the play "is not good enough to win the success it has achieved, and not bad enough to receive the animadversions of the hypercritical."^[12]

Upon receiving criticism in Philadelphia, Brougham announced from the stage before a performance that he had written the play not to please critics, but the public who was demanding plays of this type, and that his aim was to make money.^[5]

The New York Herald received the play positively in New York, though with no illusions: "According to the legitimate drama of the day this is a first rate plot, especially as it abounds in the latest sensations from beginning to end." It also complimented the New York scenery of the play, and quoted a departing patron as stating "this thing ought to succeed and will succeed, for it is really the legitimate drama of 1868, with all the modern improvements--pretty waiter girls, negro minstrels and all."^[13]

By August 1868, the Philadelphia Evening Telegraph reported that "Brougham has already made $1700 out of the piece of trash called "The Lottery of Life." "^[14] Nevertheless, Brougham also converted the play into his first novel, which commenced a run in Fireside Companion that same month, and netted him an additional $2,000.^[15][16]

The play saw performances around the United States into the 1890s.^{[17][18][19][20]}

To the extent the play gets any attention in the modern day, it is about the stereotyped Jewish villain of the play, who was also called upon to wear a "false Jewish nose."^[21][22]