The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1877-08-29
zen DE BAR.
nrIef HesAsIections Of the Great Come

expected, will cast gloom over many, very
| many, of our people, who have known him only
| to love him.
The following recollections Of The great come
dian, although brief aud incomplete, will. we are
| certain. be read with interest by all who knew
him personally or as an actor:
BENEDICT DE BAR,
the comedian, was born in the city Of London,
England. He went upon the stage In his infan-
oy, he used to say himself. when he was two years
old. His first attempt in the show world after
reaching manhood was as vocalist, together
| with his sister, who is said to have been fine
ballad singer. Ben used to say very often that
he had hard times in his young days, the irst
salary which he ever received amounting to about
| q 90. our money, per week. "Many times" said
| he, ''have found myself going to the theatre
passing by the pastry cook shops and was obliged
| to turn my head away 10 keep from temptation,
the last shilling / had in my pocket being re-
served to buy me pair Of gloves. 80 that
might appear nicely before the audience"
In 1884, we think it was, our revered fellow cit
izen, James Il. Caldwell, went to England in
quest Of talent, and brought Ben DeBar to this
city, Ben making his first appearance here, in
comedy, at
THE OLD CAMP STREET THEATRE,
| on the spot occupied by Messrs. r. M. q B. J.
| Montgomery, the auotioneers. He soon became
| q great favorite.
Il met him afterwards in 1885," says one who
knew him intimately, sat the National Theatre,
New York, then under the management of Jas.
Fl. Wsllack. He WAS . handsome young man
| then, dressed elegantly, Was q splendid dancer
| and fine swordsman. He appeared in singing
| and walking gentlemen. He again joined Caldwell
| and remained with the company until the st.
Charles Theatre was burned down in 1912. His
line then was light comedy and melodramatio
characters.
HIS FIRST HITS.
were az Topaz, in the drama Of "Cherry and
Fair STAR and Kusrac, in .'Alladdin;" also as
the drunken corporal in the Mountain Robber. .
Ds3ar joined Caldwell again afty the recon-
struction Of the st. Charles and femained with
him until Caldwell died. He then joined Ludlow
and Sol Smith, who succeeded Caldwell, with
whom he remained several seasons. Ben DeBar's
first wife was . Mrs. Conduct, a very pretty
woman, q fine comic actress and excellent singer.
She sang at the Park Theatre in New York, sup
porting Mrs. Joseph Wood, the great English
prima donna. A quarrel between Mrs. Conduct
and Mrs. Wood provoked the great excitement
known as
THE WOOD RIOTS,
for several nights at the Park Theatre, during
which benches were torn up and rotten eggs and
apples were thrown on the stage at Mr.. Wood.
who was said to be the cause OF all the trouble.
Mrs. Conduct came out victorious, and left New
York for New Orleans, where she met and mar
ried Ben DeBar. They lived poorly but very
- d. fxsr. TT
Ciapp's church, at the corner Of Gravier and st.
Charles Streets besides which she attended TO
her duties on the stage. Their daughter, Lizette
DeBar, married in st. Louis. Mr.. and Mrs. De-
Bar kept house, and worked very hard to exc out
livelihood, until the latter died while on q trip
on the Mississippi.
This was severe blow to Ben, for he was very
much attached to her. Ben's sister married the
eldest son Of L1cus Junius Booth, by whom she
had a daughter Blanche. She was to have
made her first appearance on the stsge under
her proper name, but the Wilkes Booth tragedy
brought her before the public as Blanche DeBar
Ben DeBar left New Orleans and appeared in
great fsvorite at the "Old Bowery," New York,
and at one time was joint manager Of the old
Chatham Street Theatre, New York, which
proved to be pecuniary failure.
After Frank Chanfrau had made such ire.
mendous hit with bis Nose, several actors took
to the character, among them John e. Owens,
who was engaged at the Baltimore Museum for
the part. Owens not keeping his engagement,
DeBsr was picked up to I'LL the pill and made fine
hit himself. Ben believing that the thing would
take in England, he went over TO London and
opened in the part. The result was that the
British public could not soc the point; the char
scter was not understood and poor Ben found
himself q few hundred pounds short by the ven
ture. Ben then turned his eyes towards his old
love- came back to New Orleans and assumed
THE MANAGEMENT OF THE ST. CHARLES.
Fortune now began to smile upon him. He
married again, his second wife being NELLIE. Hen
riette Vale, fine danseuse in her time. Ben
had made enough money to buy himself house
on Baronne street, between dirod and Julia; next
he bought the theatre on Pine street, st. Louis.
Money rolled in and Ben was jolly and happy.
The late unp'eas sntness came on and Ben gave
mp the 81. Charles for several seasons and con-
fined his labors to Ut. Louis. Ben was
soUTHEaNER IN HEART
and talk, and many poor Confederate soldier
found friend in him. "Manya time says one
who knew him, when we we're in company in
the saloon under his theatre, in st. Louis, have
heard him say, 4 am Louisiana Englishman.
I landed in New Orleans with my toes out of my
shoes, without shilling in the world; they gave
me ali I've got, and would be id ungraleful
dog if did net wish them WE'LL"
AS BUSINESS MAN,
Ben DeI,ar was close and exacting. II an actor
was worth 800 he would do great deal to get
him for $50. But he would pay all he promised. |
He was man of his word and open handed to q |
brother actor in distress and did good by stealth
and blushed to find it fame" As an actor he was
excellent always, very fine frequently, and pos |
sessed Of remarkable versatility, his impersona-
lions ranging from Dick ts,ciueaer to SIR John |
Fatstat. He was one of the best burlesaue
sctors ever seen in this country, but |
bis ambition was to play Shakespeare comic |
characters. He was very vain of his Craze Dig |
7er in "Hamlet," his 7ouchstone in Gas You Like |
IT, and particularly OF his Falstqt. Ben was not
\ scholar but whatever he lacked in point Of |
education he made up in JUNCTION. His Falstab |
n "The Merry Wives OF Windsor"
WAS HIS BEST.
His scenes with Dame Quickly were numerous |
n the extreme. He was twelve years studying |
he character before he played 1t.
It has often been said that Ben DeBars thea |
,rical companies were bad. Well, 80 they were |
but manager is like all other bust |
less men. Mayhaps he found that when he had |
he best Of companies people did not patronize |
ais theatre. They only go to see the star now-a-
lays.
DeBar was fifty-nine or sixty years old at the |
lime Of his death, but was as robust, before his |
I tc1 a. IN a NJ nd fool 1