The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-05-07
Actors by Inheritance.
aENEAIoaY OF THE STAGE.

A clever contributor to the Charleston (S
o. Courier, in the course of some interest
ing "reminiscences Of the "Early Days of the
Drama in Charleston" gives this interesting
gossip about certain noted dramatic families:
How few sons there have been on whose
shoulders has fallen the mantle of fathers
glory in political life; to whom fathers
powers have descended to enable them
bravely to follow in the footsteps and to fill
with distinction the place of one who per-
haps in his day was like another Rienzi-
"The forums champion and the peoples chief
''Only two instances 1 can call to mind
the great Earl of Chatham, and his son,
William Pitt, in the British Parliament; and
in this country, John Adams, and his son,
John Quincy Adams, the latter the father of
Charles Francis Adams, former Minister to
England.
"Only two families; / say, are distinguished
to this extent in the history of the world-the
Pitts in England, the Adamses in America
Whereas, let me see whether [ cannot emu
merate several remarkable instances, in va
rious families, of those who have inherited
genius for the stage, which, gradually de-
veloping itself, gave them at last pre-emi-
nence in their calling
SIN the 'Kemble' family, for instance, the
first of the name find mentioned as an actor
is Roger Kemble, who was a manager of a
strolling company in the middle of the last
century, performing in England in Lanca-
shire. He had large family, born to the
Kemble, Stephen Kemble, and Charles Kem-
BILE, Fanny Kemble being the daughter of
Charles.
''In the Wallack family we can revert with
pleasure to James Wallack, his sister, Mrs.
Jones, and his son, Lester Wallack; also, the
brother of James Wallack, Mr.. Henry Wal
lack, with his son James Wallack, Jr.
II, 4hn Toaa 60, l. tha GreI &c 1&aE
name with a distinguished record was for
many years the contemporary of Garrick, and
often his substitute, at the Theatre Royal,
Drury Lane. The next was his son, Joseph
Jefferson, who came to this country towards
the end of the last century, 1876, and played
for some time in Boston and New York, but
after few seasons became identified with the
Philadelphia company, in its most high and
palmy days. under the management of War
rem & Wood. During the course of his long
professional life, he acted many parts such
was his versatility-from grave to gay but
l always regarded him as unrivalled in such
characters as Kit Cosey, in the play of
I0aon and Country but above this, Iabove all
that can be said of him, he was a perfect
gentleman, an exemplary man in every
respect, off the stage as well as on it, finish
ing pure and blameless life at the town of
Harrisburg, in the State of Pennsylvania, in
the year 1882.
''He was not only an actor of unsurpassed
powers, in certain range of comic character,
.. "'Whose ev'ry look and gesture was joke
To clappng theatres, before he spokev
but he transmitted to others a portion of his
universally acknowledged excellence-not
only good actor himself, and the son of a
good actor, but the father of good actors, a
strongly marked line of talent, from past
generation to the present, in regular descent
from hIQ Of aScir 7Yoh 70 hIc
children and his children's children!
''Mrs. Chapman and Mrs. Anderson were
daughters of his, both of them reaching high
position in public favor; Mrs. Chapman par
ticularly so, for remember after seeing her
as Julia, in the Hunch6ack, at the old Park
Theatre, in New York. did not hesitate, in
carefully prepared article, to pronounce her
lutte equal to Fanny Kemble or Ellen Tree
in that part.
"Old Mr.. Joe Jefferson had son upon the
stage for short time, but he soon left it to
indulge in the fine arts, taste he inherited
from his gifted parent, who, in addition to
his histrionic ability, was an accomplished
musician, painter, and machinist.
''The gentleman I am now alluding to as
the son of MIR. Joe jefferson the elder is the
father of the present Joe Jefferson of rip
Van Wrinkle fame, who is making a large
fortune by playing that part alone, as adapted
to the stage specially for him by Boucicault.
'It will be seen, then, in the Jefferson
family, that talent has descended from father
to son, which has been sufficient to render
eminent some member of it through four
generations.
''In the 'Kean' family, who has not heard
of that great dramatic feature in his day,
Edmund Kean, elevating himself by won
derful effort of genius, in night, from the
obscurity of provincial actor to the highest
place on the London boards, which he con-
tinued to hold to the end of his life. He
was succeeded by his son, Charles Kean,
having many admirers for his classical attain
ments, and the instructive manner in which
he produced series of Shakespeares histori-
cal plays at the Princess Theatre, under his
direction, several seasons.
SIN the Booth family we must mention
that remarkable man and celebrated actor,
j. b. Booth, and his son Edwin Booth, now
the head and front of the classic fame that
bears his name in New York. He claims to
be, like myself, "a friend to the Legitimate
drama, ana nobly does he prove his right
and title to the same"