The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1890-09-25

Sketch Of the Life and Work OF
Charles w, couldoek,
TEN POUNDS ron A CHANCE,

bitter Opposition 70 Him When IIe first
oame 10 America ilis Connection with
"Our American oousIn"-The Shoes na
Wears as puuHan iliri'o,
ltisnt 10 very long ago that there were
three prominent living veterans Of tho
stage William Warren, Johu Gilbert aud
Charles W Couldools When Warren and
Gilbert were gathered 10 their fathem
Couldook WW leit alone, tho Nestor Of tho
theatrical profession In America
Charles Walter Couldook was born IN
London In lalS Ills father died when tho
son was hut years Of hRe. and he was
brought mp by hs Handmolhar Ito was
educated nt Dnri0rs opmnouf, And only
allowed 70 attend the theatre twice year
at Christmas and Easter ln company
with the h1usekeeper When he reached
the age of lA he made up his mIud he had
Heen enough u the theatre, and went 10
W0rl, IN hilk warehouse AZ tho ago Of
n he was a great render nf Byron, who a
iew Year, before llud died In Greece, aud
whose works were then idoiged by every
yopngster who had any literary taste what,
ever, Young C0nldont rend WERNER
aud was deslroua of going 10 tho theatre
once more 10 200 u played, sIngularly
enough the play wna soon announced 40
the Drury Lane theatre and C0udOok
went 10 Ree H. w, q Mauraady PLAYED
Nslper, ana from that the lad who sat Ia
The audience wrant la admiration felt
desire 20 become AN actor
On l,In twenty-0mt birthday his grand
mother died .- his mother Hlngularly
enough, died on his eighteenth birthday
and he then determined 20 either travel
and SEQ che world or COON the stage While
the acceptance Of u position In q Wholesale
house AZ Rio Jnnelro was being considered
he had an opportunity 70 appear 40 tho
hadler Wells theatre lay buying 40
worth Of tickets. C0uldoek made his frat
appearance 40 Othel0-a somewhat proml.
nent part for one who had never trod tho
boards before lilo was encouraged by the
presence Of his friends Ia Che silk house,
who turned out In force NJ his debut AZ.
ter the performance they held q meeting,
aud a committee was appointed which In q
lNW NNlN lNNANHlNN NllN WIN HNN W NNNlN
him ~ an actor lie obtained Nn engage,
ment 10 appear ut the Theatre Royal, Farm.
ham, Ia Surrey This theatre turned Out
20 be room In the Bucks Head tavern,
and hla nominal salary was lfteen ahillnga
per week-whoh he never got, hut he had
good parts 70 play and lao was satisfied,
Then lac became n barn etornlor, The
burns were not such unattraotlye places,
however ~ QUO would suppose for they
were covered ON tho interior with green
halge, or otherwise adorned, COuldOok
played the leadlng characters Tho dis.
tanoo between tho different towns whore
che company played was generally from
fifteen 20 twenty miles, and no always
walked from town a. town and studied on
the road, get,Ing mp IN such parts ~ Rich.
ard, Hamlet md tho leading Shakosporean
characters, During this period ho played
with the great Nandonhotf, Charles Keeno
and Ellen Tree, who afteNard became
Mrs. kotn0.
In a year or two Couldock went 20 Lon
don, aud was offered nn engagement by
MHcroady 40 this tlmo also Charlotte
Cuahman, who was In England offered
him an engagement 70 play lending parts
with her In America, Couldooly accepted
Miss CuahmRn'a oliOr, and reached New
York In the autumn Of 1874, opening NJ
the Broadway theatre In the Stranger
10 Miss CuahmnnA Mrs, Halar There
was ~ marked prejudice In Amer