Daily Yellowstone journal., 1890-09-21
A GREAT OLD Man.
Sketch CT the Life and Work OF
Charles w. Couldock.
TEN POUNDS FOR A CHANCE.
Bitter Opposition to Him When He First
Came TO America-His Connection with
sour American C~ousin'-The Shoes He
Wears as Dunstan Kirke.

Came 60 America-His Connection with
Our American Cousin"-The Shoes He
Wears rs Dunstan Kirke.
ltisn't so very long ago that there We're
three prominent living veterans Of the
stage-william Warren. John Gilbert and
Charles W. Couldock. When Warren and
Gilbert were gathered to their fathers
Couldock was left alone. the Nestor Of the
theatrical profession in America.
Charles Waiter Couldock was born in
London in lsl5 His father died when the
son WAS bat 4 years Of age, and he was
brought up by his grandmother. He was
educated at Doctors commons, and only
allowed to attend the theatre twice a year
at Christmas and Easter, in company
with the housekeeper. When he reached
the age of l3 he made up his mind he had
seen enough Of the theatre, and went to
work In a silk warehouse. At the age Of
II he was a great reader of Byron. who a
few years before had died in Greece, and
whose works were then iiolized by every
youngster who had any literary TASTE what.
ever. Young Couldock read werner"
and was DESTROYS Of going 10 the theatre
once more TO see it played. ~Singularly
enough the play was soon announced at
the Drury Lane theatre, and Couldoek
went to see it. W. c. Nacready played
Werner, and from that the lad vino sat in
the audience ,wrapt in admiration felt a
desire Ia become an actor.
On hi, t~wenty-ilrst birthday his grand.
mother died - his mother, ~singularly
enough. died on his eil 'iteenth birthday
and he then determiIcd 10 either travel
and see the world or g on the stage. While
the accepianS Of n position in II wholesale
house at Rio Janeiru va, being considered
he had an opportunity to appear at the
Sadler Wells theatre by buying 40
worth OF tickets. tduidock made his flrs.
appearance as Othe,lo-a somewhat promi.
nent part for one who had never trod the
boards before. He was encouraged by the
presence OF his friends in the silk house,
who turned ont in force az his debut. AZ.
ter the performance they held Il meeting,
and a committee was appointed which in a
few days presented him with go to start
him as an actor. He obtained an engage
ment to appear at the Theatre Royal. Farm
ham, in Surrey. This theatre turned out
to be a room in the Bucks Head tavern,
and his nominal salary was fifteen shillings
per week-which he never got. But he had
& lod parts to play and he was satisfied.
Then he became a barn stormer. The
barns we're not such unattractive places,
however, as one would suppose, for they
were covered on the interior with green
baize, or otherwise adorned. COnldock
played the leading characters. The dis
lance between the different towns where
the company played was generally from
fifteen to twenty miles, and he always
walked from town TO town and studied on
the road, getting up In such parts as Rich.
ard, Hamlet and the leading Shakesperean
characters. During this period he played
with the great V~andenhoff. Charles Keene
and Ellen Tree. who afterward became
Mrs. Keene.
In a year or two Couldock went to Lon
don. and WAS offered an engagement by
Macrei,dy. At this time also Charlotte
Cushmaa. who was in England, offered
him m engagement to play leading parts
with her in America. Couldock accepted
Miss Cushman's offer, and reached New
York in the autumn Of 1871. opening at
the Broadway theatre in the Stranger
TO Miss Cushman's Mrs. Hallar. There
wa as marked a prejudice in Amer