Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1885-10-11
ABOUT Old TINE AeTORs.
The Greatest Hamlet that America
Ever Saw.
The Oldest Living Actor and Mis- cat---
Daddy RiOe and His song
"Jim Crow"
Neu N@k Sos


"You see that big fellow Just coming out
Of the stage entrance, don't your asked
an old theatre7goer the other night
"Yes"
Well, he has been on the stage about
forty years and has wife and twelve chill
dren living in Philadelphia saw him
play with William Mscready Just after the
Astor place riots here. don't think he has
been OF the stage q season since. he is
so, and is as fat and happy and spry as
kitten. That stomach'he carries is worth $50
week in any place"
The old actor was enticed into seques-
tered rock where there WAS round table
and a waiter, and where he lit q cigar. Then
he talken shout modern acting and theatrical
management as compared with the acting
in the days when every theatre had stock
com pany, and finally began to tell Of the
famous actors be had played with. He said:
Speaking about Forrest, there was I'm
ished actor for You. BE was man who
could reveal all the hidden significance OF
situation by look or gesture. He had
the power to make even those who played
with him forget that he was ouly an actor:
But for the footlights should have believed
that was taking part in real tragedy,
sometimes, when WAS acting with him. He
was not alone an &C or. He was finished
gentleman. Ask ltm anything about art,
literature, science, and he was at home he
was also o profcie. t swearer."
The old actors broad sides quivered for
q moment in hearty laugh.
"Ill never forget" he resumed, zone
night at the Walnut Street Theatre when
Forrest played Hamlet and ] played the
gravedigger. 1t was the opening night, and
everything was all ready at the afternoon
rehearsal excepting the skull and bones.
Lettinger, our property man. couldn't fnd
them, though he had.rsnsacked the theatre
all over. he asked Forrest what be should
do.
Dol Numbered Forrest. by
-, find them or get others.
Poor Letinger understood that something
must be done before evening After another
iruitlets search, ne hurried over to the JET
ferson University Medical College, and up
into the dissecting room. jim, the jsnitor,
was putting lot Of refuse flesh into the
steaming pot.
Jim, said Letinger, have you got q
skull around bereY
Skull? Oh, yes. I've got one up there
on the shelf, but its little green yet.
wei, give ii TO me It's for Forrest.
$50 he skull and bones were wrapped up
in 8 blanket ard Let'nger went back to the
taeStfe aid dumped them into the grave.
Ii wss by That lime clock. Lstinger had
lost his supper. | don't think he felt like
eating much, anyway He left the theatre,
saving that he was sick, and wouldn't be
there that night.
at was lucky lie wasn't there. / didn't
know anything about it, you see, when got
into the grave and began picking. Right
beside me sat Forrest, acting the greatest
Hamlet that the American stage ever saw,
and beyond the foot lights was the largest
audience ever packed into the theatre.
When the time came picked up the skull.
Hum why, the meat was still hanging to
the laws in some places, and there were q
few struggling hairs sticking to the crown.
| thought should have to get down in the
grave 10 hide my face as / said:
"This same skull, sir, was Yorick's skull,
the Kings Jester.
"'ThisT said Forrest, as be took it.
"E'en that, said rather family
."Did Forrest turn up his noseT
"Not bit. Not muscle betrayed his
feelings expected him to say Poor for-
lex and then ewear like trooper. think
| never heard words better spoken on the
stage than when he went on:
dI.et me sec. Alas, poor Iorick! /
| knew him. Horstio; fellow OF infinite jest,
of most excellent fancy, He hath borne
me on his back thousand times; and now,
how abhorred in my imagination it is!
There was world Of adherence in his
tone. My gorge rises att land so did mine)
Here hung those lips that have kissed |
know not how oft. Where be your gibes
now? your gambolsH your songs Your
flashes of merriment that were wont 10 Get
the table in roar2 Prythe, Horado, tell
me one thing.
"What's that my lordY ,
"Dost thou think, Alexander looked o
this fashion i the earthY
Zen So
"You ought TO have heard Forrest say
that. 1t wasn't acted it was real. When
he got behind the scenes he whipped out his
handkerchief and-huml poor Letinger
had been there believe the theatre would
have had another green skull, sure.
While there was very little tooling about
Forrest, he was yet an easy man to get
along with. He would do anybody good
turn.
mo manager could refuse him anything
I remember one time when Forrest was
plsyipg at the Walnut Street Theatre. 1t
gas lust before the war, when be began to
get little pouty; snd he wanted some one
70 travel with him TO reheSrse for him when
he felt indispossd and, in short to be sort
of sub. for him. One morning saw Mrs
Garrisops in the theatre with very sober
face. =,
"'What's the matter, Auniyf | said.
"Forres, wants Adams to 60 with him.
abe said. Now, l can't spare Adams, and
/ cant refuse Forrest. What shall dor
"Perhaps he will take Mccullough L
said.
Mccullough was then playing anything
| in the company. BE could be spared well
enouph. We didn't see that he had the
MAKING of q trsgedian in him. Forrest
took him, and did q great deal 10 make him
a great actor, poor fellow, now dying in
BloomiUgdale Asylum.
"There wae John r. Scott, New York
actor. If it hadn't been for his habits he
would have knocked Forrest higher than q
| kite. He was some like the elder Booth IN
appearance. Uncle John We used to call
him. I never knew what became OF him.
William Rufus Blake was another old lusher.
He got 90 he could never be depended on.
He 4eiged about 400 pounds and acted high
comedy parts to perfection. BE died in Bos-
ton. Then there Was Christian Bass, who
was q popular star at one time, Bat he al
WAYS uaed to get staggering drunk about the
time the performance was closed. 1t vas q
great mystery, remember, because nobody
ever saw him drink and no liquor was
allowed in the theatre. But one night one
of the theatres here the mystery "as solved;
BE had G bottle in bis dressing room labelled
1 I.-.I .,,rr' He uaa ALWAYS garglIng bis