In 1848, Baker had a benefit at Mitchell's Olympic and asked Chanfrau to do his part from A Glance at New York in the afterpiece.
Brown relates that "Mitchell used to tell how he went on the stage that night just before the curtain was rung up, and seeing Chanfrau at the back, dressed for his part, was on the point of ordering him off, supposing he was one of the 'Centre Market loafers.'"
When Chanfrau took the stage, the audience greeted him with silence.

He stood there in his red shirt, with his fire coat thrown over his arm, the stovepipe hat — better known as a "plug" — drawn down over one eye, his trousers tucked into his boots, a stump of a cigar pointing up from his lips to his eye, the soap locks plastered flat on his temples, and his jaw protruded into a half-beastly, half-human expression of contemptuous ferocity.
For a moment the audience eyed him in silence; not a hand or foot gave him welcome.
Taking the cigar stump from his mouth and turning half-way round to spit, he said:
"I ain't a goin' to run wid dat mercheen no more!"


Instantly there arose such a yell or recognition as had never been heard in the little house before.
Pit and galleries joined in the outcry.
It was renewed several times, and Mose was compelled to stand, shifting his coat from one arm to the other, and bowing and waiting.
Every man, woman, and child recognized in the character all the distinctive external characteristics of the class.

The play was an immense hit, and Baker, Chanfrau, and Mitchell changed the name to New York as It Is and rewrote it to focus on Mose.
It played to a full house for the next two weeks.
Chanfrau's huge popularity as Mose prompted William Northall to lament that at the Olympic
the boxes no longer shone with the elite of the city; the character of the audience was entirely changed, and Mose, instead of appearing on the stage, was in the pit, the boxes, and the gallery.
It was all Mose, and the respectability of the house mosed too.

W. Olgivie Ewen leased the larger Chatham Theatre for Chanfrau to manage beginning 28 February 1848.
Chanfrau changed the name to Chanfrau's National Theatre and allowed working-class patrons to sit in all sections of the playhouse, not just the pit as was customary.
Chanfrau acted in a number of melodramas and burlesques with a concentration on Mose plays.
Meanwhile, New York as It Is broke all records for New York theatre, playing for 47 nights straight and becoming the most popular play in the United States to that point.
The New York Herald reported that a performance on 26 April 1848 was so packed that the crowd rushed the stage, howling and laughing.
The police and theatre staff had to remove the excess theatregoers, some of whom had to literally walk over members of the pit to get back to their seats.
Chanfrau retained Chatham's lease until 8 July 1850.

Chanfrau began touring widely, starred as Mose at a number of working-class theatres.
The Mose series expanded to include Mose in China, Mose in California, The Mystery and Miseries of New York, and many others.
David Renear estimates that Chanfrau appeared as Mose at least 385 times in seven plays between 15 April 1848 and 6 July 1860.
Meanwhile, other actors tried to cash in on the Mose fad, and Bowery b'hoy dramas appeared on stages across the United States.

In 1850 the illustrator, Thomas Butler Gunn, drew and designed a graphic novel call Mose Among the Britishers or The B’hoy in London featuring the popular character.
 Gunn dedicated the work to Chanfrau.
In 1848, Baker had a benefit at Mitchell's Olympic and asked Chanfrau to do his part from A Glance at New York in the afterpiece. Brown relates that "Mitchell used to tell how he went on the stage that night just before the curtain was rung up, and seeing Chanfrau at the back, dressed for his part, was on the point of ordering him off, supposing he was one of the 'Centre Market loafers.'" When Chanfrau took the stage, the audience greeted him with silence.
He stood there in his red shirt, with his fire coat thrown over his arm, the stovepipe hat — better known as a "plug" — drawn down over one eye, his trousers tucked into his boots, a stump of a cigar pointing up from his lips to his eye, the soap locks plastered flat on his temples, and his jaw protruded into a half-beastly, half-human expression of contemptuous ferocity. For a moment the audience eyed him in silence; not a hand or foot gave him welcome. Taking the cigar stump from his mouth and turning half-way round to spit, he said:
"I ain't a goin' to run wid dat mercheen no more!"

Instantly there arose such a yell or recognition as had never been heard in the little house before. Pit and galleries joined in the outcry. It was renewed several times, and Mose was compelled to stand, shifting his coat from one arm to the other, and bowing and waiting. Every man, woman, and child recognized in the character all the distinctive external characteristics of the class.
The play was an immense hit, and Baker, Chanfrau, and Mitchell changed the name to New York as It Is and rewrote it to focus on Mose. It played to a full house for the next two weeks. Chanfrau's huge popularity as Mose prompted William Northall to lament that at the Olympic
the boxes no longer shone with the elite of the city; the character of the audience was entirely changed, and Mose, instead of appearing on the stage, was in the pit, the boxes, and the gallery. It was all Mose, and the respectability of the house mosed too.
W. Olgivie Ewen leased the larger Chatham Theatre for Chanfrau to manage beginning 28 February 1848. Chanfrau changed the name to Chanfrau's National Theatre and allowed working-class patrons to sit in all sections of the playhouse, not just the pit as was customary. Chanfrau acted in a number of melodramas and burlesques with a concentration on Mose plays. Meanwhile, New York as It Is broke all records for New York theatre, playing for 47 nights straight and becoming the most popular play in the United States to that point. The New York Herald reported that a performance on 26 April 1848 was so packed that the crowd rushed the stage, howling and laughing. The police and theatre staff had to remove the excess theatregoers, some of whom had to literally walk over members of the pit to get back to their seats. Chanfrau retained Chatham's lease until 8 July 1850.
Chanfrau began touring widely, starred as Mose at a number of working-class theatres. The Mose series expanded to include Mose in China, Mose in California, The Mystery and Miseries of New York, and many others. David Renear estimates that Chanfrau appeared as Mose at least 385 times in seven plays between 15 April 1848 and 6 July 1860. Meanwhile, other actors tried to cash in on the Mose fad, and Bowery b'hoy dramas appeared on stages across the United States.
In 1850 the illustrator, Thomas Butler Gunn, drew and designed a graphic novel call Mose Among the Britishers or The B’hoy in London featuring the popular character.  Gunn dedicated the work to Chanfrau.
Frank Chanfrau