Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1881-01-27
NO TIL ERN.


drcary''-A sketch of His Early
Life and Professional Career.
Tie de tn of Sothern, the Gel =
brated actor, which took place in London
on Thursday. This intelligence was not
entirely unexpected by Mr.. Sothern's
friends. as he had been i'll for sometime,
and all recent nows concerning him EN-
pbasized the fact that his recovery was
extremely doubtful.
Edwin Askew Sotherp WAS born on the
lst of April, 1880, in Liverpool. What
his early life was is not known, even to many
of his intimate friendP for, with his con-
stitutiopal tendency for joking, he never
told the same story twice of his poyhood
and early manhood. II tho stories are 10
be believed there is no governmental or
clerical office that he did not ill
before he decided to become
professional actor. naay dramatic
anecdotes have also beeu told
OF his intimacy ~ith the Prince of Wales,
of bis love efairs, and the like. Stage
records have it that his right nsma was
Douglas Stuart and that he made his first
theatrical venture aB an amateur In a
Jersey England, theatre under the manage
ment Of Charles Poole that he afterward
was stage manager for Mr. Poole, in Wey
mouth, aud that he came to this country
in 1851, when 81 years old. Ia Septem
Der, 1852, he made his deJut on the Amer
can stage at the National Theatre, Boston,
AS DR.. Pdn9lDss in the Heir at Law
Then he won't 10 New York, became a
member o, Wallack's Company, and after
ward OF the company at Laura Keene's
Theatre. His early connection with the
stage was characterized principally by his
ability to fail in nearly Nil that he
undertook.
May 18th, 1858, Laura Keene produced
Tom Uaylor's comedy 'Our American
Cousin" in which Laura Keene played
Florence 1renchard, and Joseph jefferson
Asa 1renchard, the American couein
Tradition says that Sothern, being cast for
Lori Dundreary, subordinate part.
rebelled and demanded part worthy of
his abilities. Miss Kepne insisted that he
should take the part, and so he went on
against his will, determined to make il as
idiotic rs possible. This he did, and to
his intense surprise the part was the hit OF
the play. Whether the story be true or
not, it is true that Sothern made the part
of L0,d Dundreary very successful in the
drama as it then was. Little by little he
added to it, until at length all other parts
were subordinnted to it, and the play be-
came in fact 'IIord Dundresry," instead
of "rbs American Cousin" On this play
rests Sothern's reputation. In his hands
the slightly exaggerated type of certain
class OF inane Euglishmen, we'll born
dandies, most common in the army, became
one of the funniest creatures of the
modern stage The public never tired of
OF it, and apparently Mr. Sothern never
tired of it. He had reason not to, for 1t
brought him much money.
He play ed the part over 1000 times In
America, aud in 1861 appeared as Dun
dreary in the Haymarket Theatre. His
success in England was great, In 1868 he
played DaUM Gar7ick in the play of that
name, aud proved that he could do good
acting outside of the Dundreary line. 1t Yves
not great performance, but 1t was smooth,
refined, polished and added considerably
to his reputation. 1t was In this same
year that Mr.. Sothern appeared aa Claude
lHelnOtte in "rhe Lady Of Lyons" in
Edinburgh aud Glasgow. II ia difficult to
imagine him es the elegant peasant, but
the local journals said that he played the
part we'll. He added to his repertoire
''rhe Romance of Poor Young Man."
"Dundresry Married and Done For"
''Brolher SAM "a Regular Fix" 'An
English Gentleman" "iIhe Crushed
rragedian" aud 1.-The Hornets Nest"
Ned Sothern, as his friends called him,
was an interchangeable practical joker, and
the anecdotes told of him in this capacity
are unnumbered Some of his jokes on
the public may be remembered-how he
advertised extensively that on the lst of
| April a man would test flying machine
L., l1,~ - 1t~,,, sAS,1., ,,to
| York; how on another occasion he invited
all New York to an elegant ball in the
Academy Of Music. All New York turned
out in its best clothes and found dark,
| dismal and unopened building to receive
them. One of his best jokes was on his
| fellow countryman Philip Lee, the huE.
baud of Adelaide Nelson, the actress.
Lee was foppish Englshmsn, small and
decidedly cockneyish. He wanted to see
some good New York society. Sothern
promised TO introduce him 10 some of the
| real old Knickerbocker representatives at
a breakfast in the Westminster Hotel.
Lee went, and there met such Knicker-
bockers as Billy Florence, Charley Beckus,
| Billy Birch, Nelse Seymour, and Dan
Bryant. They were all very polite and
very aristooratic. spd the breakfast pro-
/ grsssed with eciat until Knickerbocker
| seymour made remark at which Knick-
| erbocker Bsekus took exceptions, Instantly
Backus pulled a big bowie knife and
iunged at Seymour. The latter grabbed
the small Englishmsn and held him up a.
q shield between him and the irate Backus.
| There WAS scene of terrible confusion,
each Kuickerbocker drawing revolver or
a knife. Lee wrigged away from Sey-
mour and fled for life. He never heard
| the last OF how Sothern introduced him to
New York's best society.
| Whenever Florence and Sothern were
together practical joke of magnitude was
planned. One of the last was in San
Francisco. Sothern was playing Dun
dreary at Baldwins Theatre, and Florence
| BardueN Sl0te at the California Theatre.
In the third act OF Our American Cousin, :"
BartloeA Sl0te walked upon the stage,
looking for Dun6redry. iu the third act
OF "rhe Mighty Dollar" Dundreary
walked upon the stage locking for StJte,
IL was very funny after the audience saw
the point. The actors had taken cabs aud
rushed from one theatre 10 the other
Once these two attempted to do serious
work 1t was at the benefit for Edwin
Adams, on the 10Th of October, 1877
Sothern played OLhtil0, and Florence I0g0,
IN an act of the great play. Each tried to
show that he, too, could act tragedy.
The audiepce would not believe it, and
insisted upon laughing. So, too, did
Lo.ta. who played DeSdtDl0Rd The result
was great failure on the part of the two
friends to show that they We're anything
more than comedians.
Mr.. SotherD appeared US the Crt'shed
lragediln ut the Park Theatre, New York,
in the fall of 1877. The late George
Jones, better known as the Count Joannes
happening to attend the play, WAS struck
oy the personal resemblance of the actor,
ns he made up, to himself He said to
ex-Gov. Hoffman, who sat by him !;
Governor, that is meant to be the double
OF either you or me- AS the play went
On the Count became convinced that the
Cru he'd Irdge1ian was intended to be 4
carlcature CT himself. He applied for an
injunction against the playing OF the
piece, and sued MIR. Suihern for libel The
case waH argued before Judge Barrett, the
Count acting as bis own counsel. lie
submitted that Mr. Sothern's cgricture
made him out drunkard, and weak,
absurd and reprehensible character.
When he walked in the streets people
Uttered and said :"rhere goes the CRUSHED
1rdgedian The case occupied the court
for half day, and was decided against
the Count. People said at the time that
the Count was instigated to bring the suit
by Mr.. Sothern himself, but there is no
proof of this, and both of the principals