The Portland daily press., 1872-12-13
Forrest the Actor.


nounced at Philadelphia yesterday, was born in
Philadelphia, on the 9th of March, 1906 He
may be said to have been born to the stage, for
which he exhibited both taste and capacity in
early childhood. He had not completed his
twelfth year when he was employed on the
stage of the old South Street Theatre in bis
native city, but he took only feminine parts,
which Is an amusing recollection with those
who are aware that he became man of portly
and commanding form, and that his physique
made him unrivalled in peculiar class of
characters. When in his fifteenth year, and
on the Goth of November 1920 he was pro-
NOTED, taking the part of Young Norval, in
Douglas, at the wel-remembered Walnut Street
Theatre, Philadelphia. His success was fair,
but by no means remarkable He then went
to the West, and performed in many places,
steadily improving in his profession, and laying
the foundation for high reputation. Return
ing to the East, he appeared at Philadelphia
and Albany, and made very favorable i'm
pressions. In the summer of 1926 he made his
first appearance before New York audience.
New York has had through the present century
some such position in theatrical matters as Lon
uou ubo ucpu III EuHldHu. Lie new man
who there succeeds is very sure to receive ia
vorable reception in what the New Workers
modestly call 'the provinces" Mr.. Forrest Sc
leeted Othello for his part, and acted it to the
entire satisfaction of large and critical audi
ence, one by no means disposed to take any
thing for granted, or to compromise its charac-
ter for impartial judgment. The endorsement
he then and there received established his repu-
tatlon, and that reputation was steadily in
creased through long series of years, during
which he appeared in almost every theatre of
North America which had, or pretended to
have, high character. He was as much ia
vorite at the South as in the North, and was as
warmly welcomed in the East as at the West.
He had plays written expressly for himslf
and SO completely was his idea carried out in
several instances, that it is probable these char
acters will pass from the stage with the pass
ing OF their powerful personator from the stage
of life We believe the earliest of these charac-
tiers was Metdnora, hero of the play of the same
name, which is founded on our early colonial
history. The drama was written by Mr.. John
Augustus Stone of Concord, Mass an author
of much promise, but who died young Mr.
Forrest paid him $500 for the play which was
large sum for such work in this country, at
that time; and he paid him $1,000 for another
play, 'The Ancient Briton, which was not so
successful. A third play of his was Fauntle-
roy, founded on the fate of Henry Fauntleroy
Another author who furnished plays to Mr..
Forrest was the late DR.. Bird. He wrote the
Gladiator for him, an historical and classical
tragedy of the first class, based on one of the
most striking events of Roman history This
was the most successful of American dramas,
and it is thoroughly identified with Mr. For
rests reputation. He acds Spartacus, the
Thracian, who defed Rome and for two years
made her tremble. DR.. Bird also wrote for Mr.
Forrest Oraloossa the time and scene of which
are the invasion of Peru by the Spanards; and
The Broker of Bogota. These plays did not
have marked degree of success, and are now
but little known. The Gladiator was a success
in every respect. Aylmere, another of Mr..
Forests tragedies, was written by Mr.. Conrad
1t is sometimes called Jack Cade, as the hero is
that singular parsonage who takes the name of
Aylmere when in exile 1t had considerable
success
Mr.. Forrest went to England for the first
time in 1884, but though well received his sue
cess was not propertioned to that which he had
ond time he married Miss Sinclair, daugh-
ter of singer of much fame. He visited Eng
land third time, in 1874, but it would have
been better for him had he remained in Ameri-
ca. He quarreled with Mr.. Macready though
their previous relations had been of the most
friendly character. When Mr. Macready came
to this country in 1849 the Astor Place riot oc-
Cured in New York, leading to considerable
loss of life; and this riot was attributed to the
course of Mr.. Forests partizans, who took up
his quarrel with far more enthusiasm than dis
cretion. That year began the troubles between
Mr.. Forrest aud his wife, which vexed the
courts of law for long time. He charged his
wife with misconduct. She brought an action
ton for divorce, charging him with breach of
the marriage VOW, and was SO far successful
that she Obtained her case; and alimony to the
amount eff $4,000 per annum was decreed her;
but Mr.. Forrest appealed, and the case was
fought with intecse bitterness for years. 1t
was celebrated cause in many respects.
and the general public was much divided as to
the merits of the parties to it, while sober
minded people Were much scandalized by the
disclosures made, by some of the incidents that
marked the trial. course, and by the acrimony
which was displayed by both contestants. TAX
Ell for all in all, it was the most melancholy of
all the divorce cases of our time, and involved
tragedy much darker than any of those in the
parfor,n moo of which Mr. Eorrest aycalIad