San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-09-13
DIED SEPTEMBER s, 1883.

John Lester Wallack was born in
Hester street, New York City, on
January l, 1920. His father, a ia
nous actor in his time, had recently
come to America from England on a
professional tour. He returned to his
country and remained there for more
than twenty years. Although the
family was distinguished for its &C
tors and actresses, he designed his
son for the army and gave him a lib
eral education. John Lester, how
ever tired of the army after three
days service and took to the stage in
spite of his fathers advice.
His road to success was by no
means easy. He played small parts
IN Dublin. and afterward in Scotch
and English provincial theatres for
several years without attracting at
rention or securing good pay. Char
lOtte Cushman seems to have been the
first to distinguish his unusual capa-
blities, and she spoke to Benjamin
Webster of the London Haymarket
about him. This amounted to moth
ing until Charles Matthews brought
a similar report to Webtser. Then
Mr.. Wallack was engaged, but he
made failure and appeared at the
Haymarket for only three nights.
Not long after that John Barnett,
an American actor brought him to
this country. He made his first APP
pearance in the Broadway theatre in
1917, and was Immediately successful.
Since then he has been identified with
TIE American stage as an actor man.
ager and author. For many years he
was associated with his father, and
they appeared together in many diff
ferent plays.
1t was the elder Wallack who estab-
lished Wallack's theatre at the cor
ner of Thirteenth street and Broad
way, now known as the Star. 1t was
opened in 1861, on which occasion the
younger Wallack appeared for the
first time under his full name. In his
previous engagements, even when
playing with his father, he had called
himself John Lester.
Wallack's Theatre became the
fashionable house Of entertainment
and the best actors were proud to
play there as members of the COM
pany. Charles Mathews sought an en-
gagement as member of the "stock"
and performed there for a year. On
January 4, 1882, Wallack's Theatre,
at the corner of Broadway and Thir-
tieth street, was opened, but the vet
eran has had little to do with it for
two years.
Mr.. Wallack wrote eight plays:
"The Three Guardsmen" and "The
Four Musketeers, both produced at
the Bowery Theatre in 1919; "The
Fortune of War;" produced at
Brougham's Lyceum, 1851; 1.-TWO to
One, or The Kings VISIT" Wallack's,
1854; "First Impressions, Wallack's,
1856; 1.-THE Veteran" Wallack's, 1859;
Central Park" Wajllck s, 1861, and
"Rosedale," Wallack's, 1868. None of
these were failures, and "Rosedale"
was a remarkable success. 1t is now
one of the most widely known of mod
ern plays.
Mr.. Wallack was distinguished as
one of the best actors of the gentleman
upon the English speaking stage.
Curiously enough his first ambition
was to play Irish parts and low COM
edy, and he drifted into his proper
place more by reason of observing
what things were successful than by
aiming at chosen mark.
His last appearance in public was
on the occasion OF his benefit at the
Metropolitan opera house OH May q,
1888, when he spoke briefly in recog-
milton of the services his friends had
performed in his behalf.
Mr.. Wallack was the first president
of the Actors Fund, and the members
of the Fund after adopting suitable
resolutions determined to attend
the funeral in body.