Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1890-10-03
A GREAT OLD MAN..
Sketch ofsthe Life and Work of
Charles w. Couldock,
TEN POUNDS FOR A CHANCE,

Bitter Opposition to Him When He First
"Our American Cousin"-The Shoes He
Wears as Dunstan Kirke.
It isn't SO very long ago that there were
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 Walter Couldock was born in
London in 1915. His father died when the
son was but 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 h~ousekeeper. When he reached
the age of ID he made up his mind he had
seen enough of the theatre, and went to
work in a silk warehouse. At the age of
IA he was a great reader of Byron, who a
few years before had died in Greece, and
whose works were then idolized by every
youngster who had any literary taste what
ever. Young Couldock read "Werner,"
and was DESTROYS Of going to the theatre
once more to see it played. %Singularly
enough the play was soon announced at
the Drury Lane theatre, and Couldock
went to see it. W. G. Macready played
Werner, and from that the lad who sat in
the audience wrapt in admiration felt a
desire to become an actor.
On his twenty-frst birthday his grand
mother died-his mother, %singularly
enough, died on his eighteenth birthday
and he then determined to either travel
and see the world or go on the stage. While
the acceptance of a position in a wholesale
house at Rio Janeiro was being considered
he had an opportunity to appear at the
Sadler Wells theatre by buying G10
worth Of tickets. Couldock made his first
appearance as Othello-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 out in force at his debut. AZ
ter the performance they held a meeting,
and a committee was appointed which in a
few days presented him with ESQ 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-Whlch he never got. But he had
good parts to play and he was satisfied.
Then he became a barn stormer. The
barns were not such unattractive places,
however, as one would suppose, for they
were covered OF the interior with green
baize, or otherwise adorned. Couldock
playeA the leading oh :ters. The dis
tance ,etween the different towns where
the CO npany 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 Vandenhof. 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
Macready. At this time also Charlotte
Cushman, who was in England, offered
him an engagement to play leading parts
with her in America. Couldock accepted
4 Miss Cushman's offer, and reached New
, York in the autumn of 1s41, opening at
the Broadway theatre in the STRANGER"
to Miss Cushman's Mrs. Hallar. There
was as marked . prejudice in Amer