The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1876-11-13
DEATH AT THE FooTr1GHTs
Players Whose Intensity was too Terribl.
Real.


one Roman tragedian died on the stage,
and history of the more modern drama
affords numerous cases in point. The
most notable of these is that Of the actor
John Palmer. He had wife and eigat
children, to whom he was deVotedly at
tached, and when Mrs. Palmer and a
lavorite son suddenly died the shock so
affected his nervous system that his
grlet never could be shaken off. On the
I'd of August, 1888, he was playing at
Liverpool in the principal role ia Ben
lamin ThompsOn's translation Of '"Ihe
stranger" ln the fourth act he had
answered, 81 love her STILL" to the
query of Baron Steinfort, representing
IA wife, and then to the question as to
his children he gave reply, II left them
feelingly uttered, had scarcely escaped
mis- lips when he fell dead ut the BarOn's
Wuitfield) Ieet.
While acting "Kosalind" on the 9Th OF
May, 1857, Peg Wottiugton was paraiyzed
on uttering these words in the epiiogue,
I'D kiss as many OF you as mad boards
that pleased me-"
Moliere, while acting the sick man in
the well known "NIalade lmaginaire" on
The fourth night OF the run, became per-
reptibly weak and ill. When he came
t Lne place where he was supposed to
tall dead on the stage, he acted the part
so naturally that the audience became
alarmed. The actor was picked up and
carried to his home in the Rue Richelieu,
| ana before his friends even could be
summoned he expired.
| Moody, the actor, was performing
"CIaudio" III Measure for Measure =
When Isabella" commanded him to
prepare Tor execution and he began to
answer, "Ahl but TO die, and to go we
know not where" he suddenly tainted
and died before he could be carried from
the stage.
In 1777, Samuel .Foote was seized with
paralysis while acting in his comedy,
''rhe Devil Upon Two Sticks" He
rallied, however, spent the summer at
Brighton, and was subsequently ordered
by his physicians to France. While at
Dover en- route he was seized with a
shiVering fit. He breathed his last on
he afternoon of the 2lst Of October OF
the same year.
The great Edmund Kean, too, may be
said TO have died in armor. His last
appearance was in the character oil
| "Olhello," and in the passage beginning
''Ohl now forever farewell the tranquil
mind" his voice and articulation gradu-
ally died away, and he whispered to his
sou, "Speak to them, Charles, Pm
dying"
Harley did not actually die on the
stage, but he was conveyed from the
theater in state of insensibility after
playing "Launcelot Gobbo," when he
quoted "Bott0m's" words, II have an eX-
.,osition of sleep come over me-" and
I ON the time of this utterance he Was
speechless to the end.
Mrc Ilnuar 1Uoa SDnnnh1occ on tho m
casion of ber iare ewell benefit on the 18Th
Of July, 1S40 She died on the 18th.
Clara Webs er was fatally burned on
the stage of Drury Lane Theater during
The et.
Gottschalk, the great pianist, fell dead
| while performing his taVorite compost
ton, IL MCrte."
AT Bath, in September, 1874, Miss
Maria Linley expired while singing, II
know that my Redeemer liVeth."
| Cummings, the actor, fell dead, on the
stage, June 20, 1917, while performing
the part of "Dumont," in RoWe's trag.
edy, "Jane Shore" just as he had Ut
tered the closing words Of the piece:
Be witness for me, ye celestial hosts,
| Such mercy and such pardon as my soul
| Accords to thee, and begs OF Heaven TO show
| thee,
May such befall me at my latest hour.
James Bland, the clever artist, well
known lor his pleasing assumptions OF
the monarchs in Planche's extrava.
ganzas, expired at the stage door Of the
Strand Theater, Immediately after en-
tering for the purpose OF discharging his
professional duties.
Mr.. Barrette, talented actor of old
mems parts, died in a,cab that was con-
Yeying him home, and he had played in
| farce and afterward dressed for 'tPo.
lonius."
James Rodgers NAV be said to have
died on the stage in 1868. Alter he was
absolutely exhausted he still continued
to exercise his mirJh-provoking powers.
| On the evening before his death he had
struggled through the part of "Etie
Dean" in travesty In the st. James
Theater, and on his return he was SO ut
terly used up that he was unable to
make the effort to undress himself, and
| rested In his armchair till morning Wi
his clothes on. The next morning, think
| ing he had in a measure recovered, he
was going 10 introduce into the bur.
lesque. But as the day advanced he be-
came SO weak and breathed with such
difficulty that he felt compelled to send
a message to the theater that he should
be unable to play. Clasping his wiie's
hand and turning to friend, he said
| with feeble effort to cheer them with a
smile, and in his characteristic manner,
'The little rattle is over" and soon al:
terward expired.
In the Holiday Street Theater, Balti-
more, on the evening OF October 13, 1874,
MIR. John Ferris was playing the part OF
"George Talboys"in "Lady Audley's Sc
cret." At the close Of the first act he
said as he went off the stage, II am feel
ing very badly; just feel my arm. / fear
| it is paralyzed," and when the time ar
rived for Ferris to make his reappear-
ance on the stage he told him to 60 on
and he would feel better; he went on,
but began to stagger around
the stage SO much that the
audience, thinking he was intoxicated,
laughed and shouted. Miss Stella Nor
timer, who was playing "Lady Audley,"
rushed toward him to push him into the
\ well as required by the play; but he
said, "LeaVe me alone" She then saw
that he was in a semi-conscious state,
aud that he was frothing at the mouth.
He was carried off the stage by several
i of the other actors, and the curtain fell
upon o scene OF great excitement. He
| died at his residence in less than four
aours.-[San Francisco Chronicle.