New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-06-18
SKETCH OF HIS CAREEl

q. 40, whose theatric days fly ever feetsr,
wcs gaze along he sns sir
Polonius dies with him. - 49,
TIE death OF John Gilbert, although In the usual
ordar o. things and an event nationally to DO ex-
peceed-for he close on eighty years OF age
CONES upon the community with painful shock
and dsiuses bleak and bitter sense Of loneliness
end grief Tho actor, the gentleman, the friend
and he was an these 10 the whole pubAc-whom We
sha never sny behold in his accustomed places
had lived with US long time had become entwined
with sope of our most precious memories and sssoca
lions and had grown to be essential TO the fulness
of our enjoyment he was dear to our roverent
affection Hts death deprives us OF one OF tho
most cherished sources OF happness-more to be
realized than ever now that 1t must be depored-
breaks tender tie of regard, and mournfllly points
for Us the moral the evanesoenoe of life. The
grand figures with which We have been familiar
are vanishing, by one. Tho nstitutions ana inc
ways Of personal world breaking up around u.s.
New men and new ideas and interests arc thrusuns
aside tho broken fragments of past The shadows
dsrken around US, ard a little later We snail De
shadows ourselves In the sad twilight Of an event
90 melancholy, yet so natural, the death OF this
, veteran actor and honored and cherished friend,
This Is The grim truth that whispers coldy 10 our
hearts The death of John Gilbert marks an epoch
In the experience of the generation that Is passing
away-sternly and solemny warning IT OF It's own
decline 1t marks also epoch In the history OF
ahe American stage; for John Gilbert had been an
sctor for close on sixty-one years, and within his
tine the art OF acting had rseRto us CLIMAX, anu
perhaps had begun 70 wsne.
John Gibbs Gilbert was a native Of Boston, born
February 81, 1870 His birth occurred in house In
Richmond-st, next door to that in which Charlotte
.Cushman born and these two-afterwards SO famous
6ctors-were paymates in childhood. Gilbert went on
tie stage in bis nineteenth year. making his first ap
pearance November e. 1928, at the fremont Theatre
In Boston. The play Otway's fine tragedy OF
svenice Preserved and in this Gilbert acted 'aner
The Belvidera Mary Dufone OF the best actresses
that have ever adorned the sta-a woman as eminent
IN her day Cushman and Rstori have been In our
tmo and worthy to be remembered with tho most
lustrtous OF dramatic artists. His next characters
wore Sir Edward Mortimer in The Iron Chest and
Ehaksspeare's shylock He continued for the rest OF
the season Of 1928 to act at the fremont Theatre
taxing all parts that were cast TO him; but In the fall
Of that year he Joined the company at the Camp street
Theatre, New Orleans, under Cadwel's management;
and during the ensuing five years he acted with that
troop, sometimes In New.0rleans, sometimes In the
towns on the Mississippi River-plsying al sorts OF
parts, but gradually drifting into the line OF OH Men,
TRAGEDY AND COMEDY AT THE FREMONT
THEATRE
= On his return to Boston. In 1884, he again came
forward at the fremont Theatre, sctng Old Dornton,
IN The Road to Ruin" The occasion was that OF
benefit to George Barrett-the fsvorite comedian OF
that epoch. The fremont was then managed BY
Thomas Barry-recently, full Of years and honors'
horne 10 his rost Gilbert at engaged there,
and thcrs he remained for the next five years HIS
line of parts, at that time. comprehended Tragedy
M well rs comedy, but his tendency was toward tne
specially of First Old Men-n which for pany years
he nn6 no equal, and scarcely rival Biake was
fAs only actor Of his time who ever surpassed MIN
nfxt,o cal
In csrtain unctuous parts. The versatility OF dis
talsnts and the variety Of his efforts ut this time arc
denoted by the list Of parts which he acted during
tho FIRST season with Barry. This includes Master
walter Isaac Of York, sir Peter Teazle, Pzarro,
Isgo Sir Edward Mortimer, Admiral kingston Lou
tenant Warrington, Sir Robert BramOie' Poioh'uS,
Uncle John, Tom Noddy, Mscduf, Old Dornton,
squecrs Henry the sixth, Adam, Malice Kent ana
Roianio. Barry rclinQuished the fremont lheauo'
...r a oouple of seasons and Dr. Jones-the dranaust
author Of Scion Shingle,' and many otner pieces
and long well known and popular In BoS"n' "hoie
he died-became It's lessee, and Gilbert was engage
az stage manager, and to act the same rounu VI
psrts Two seasons later the theatre passed ih'o 'ne
hands Of George H. Andrews, the comedian, for one
term: but DR.. Jones resumed It's management, III
thu next year, and wound up its affairs OhDer'
r.wained I'm It till the last, and on its hnS nigh'
n. theatre acted Sir Robert Bramble, and pronounced
q farewell address: SO that he was The iaS' sclo'
That smoke upon the stage Of the old fremont. Inc
building purchased by church society," s' ~
,,sntsA for Lectures with theatrical scenery ana
as theresfer customary 10 introduce these llusaco
L.n,.r.s,,rsnts at the fremont with a hymn, De
ginning Lord Let these ransomed walls reloice'
A little while previous to the disruption OF tn'
fremont, Gilbert acted at the Bowery Theatre Ne"
YORK under Hamblin's mansgement-havinS been eN
pressy engaged to personae the sexton Pe'er br"e.
tn lockwood" He made his first appearance mere
however as Sir Edward Mortimer. MS ncAt enBAke
mcut was ut Peby's National, N Bostonn'he on 0nI'
ths.tra men omen in that city. from there no Meu
IN sSs oa Federal street Theatre, when that once
famous houselong since swept awaywas 0ns,
~ 6Ifver r. wyman, and on that occasion nc sPohs
e OPENING address written by Fanny sargent ossocn
The season disastrous ana IL c,os et IN IonIoI
On pleasure trip being asked to act ne Sp
peared the Princess Theatre a. nb s1s tbe
~ me Rr,tish capital; whereupon he accepted an en-
Sasement at the Princess Theatre for the ns1t sn
M tnferim he passed in Paris. where no saw AZ,
studied the artists Of the Theatre rrsnes'Rssas,
ESehter and Others Then he acted Tor one season
me Prfncess's in London. and then returned NOME
spEAK1NG THE LAST WORDS ON THE OLD PAsh
- STAGE
He is next found at the Old Park Theatre IN Ne"
York where he came forward as BIZ Anthohy hosoiu'
90 where he remained till the destruction OF tha
houss nv 6re-December 10, 1898. He spoke the las
1910 that were ever uttered on that stage, acting
+ "a 6ua,rsa Kingston in Naval Engagements" han
MIN than engaged him at the Bowery, which IN those
davs was theatre OF the best class and possessed
CAPITAL dramatic company, including Mr.. and Mrs
ysDues w. wailack. tr., Lester wallack MISS "emSss
&sry Taylor, and Others OF local reno"n' here n'
,..ns,n.d .ome time: but he is presently found a.
ne Howard Athenaeum, Boston, and later at th'
chestnut Street Theat e. Ph'isdepha A. the latter
Remained till the opening of the Boston Theatre u
1854, when he was again engaged by Barry. On Tho
spsuing night of that theatre he spoke the address
wr4tssu by that excellent poet T. w. Parsons, a1c
8 sstea SIR Anthony Absolute. Four consecutive sea
ma Ssgnd him constant In his duties at this theatre
ma Growing more and more In the aaectonate respec
90 the Boston public. He played the Old Men almos
axslasiveiy; yet he in two Of the mos
WsU esntrAkted and difficult characters In the range
=, q ~ Assms--Bottom and Calibau.
's n Axnor Of olperts performance Of Bottom,
s~3Ss ezlfteAl authority Of the time, was exquisite
vaogfw an ~