Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1891-11-22
WIN. J. FLORENCE.
INTERESTING "REMINISCENCES OF
THE DEPARTED COMEDIAN.
He Made III. Debut in This City NJ the Ola
Marshall Theatre--other Ineiden"
Connected with Ills Life.

The theaTe-ROlng fu'niS VI ~'
have always had their fayorites, ana rev
actors have ever held larger share o.
their esteem and admration than William
4 FLORENCE. who died IN Philadelphia
Thursday night after brief illness.
Florence was in Richmond on the otn
and 9Th of September last, when he ap-
peared with Joseph Jefferson IN tne
Rivals and Heir OF Law" All OF tne
performances of the company here were
Witnessed by large audiences and theit ap.
pearance may truly be sara 70 nav
been the dramatic event OF tno soasot !.
But il Florence has been popular on leos ~
years in Richmond, so our iatneIS an
even prandfathers can recall tne Gay
when no held big audiences entranced anu
made the power of his genius felt.
BoES IN ALBANY.
The deceased, whose fuH name was VIII
liam Jerymn Florence, was born In Albany
july 26, 1881. he made his hrst appearance
on the regular stage at the Old MAT
shali Theatre in this city in 1919. where ne
;rnna,sonafad Tobias y in The Stranger"
Fyen then he made decided hit, but
nevertheless met tho usual viclssitudes OF
young player. 80 L.;
self with various stock companies and
turned mn in this city again in the years oil
1885 and 1857. The old house OF amuse-
ment was then IN charge OF Joe JeHersOn'
who acted as stege-menager ana low COME
dian. The talent of the great actors Hho
then comnosed the stock company here
had already manifested itself. Mr.
Florence at this time had composed ms ia
nous song "Bobbing Around" and us
rendition before the Richmond public
made a decided hit. Mrs. Florence was
then with her husband. She used TO sing
"Bobbine Around" which, by the way
had sale Of more than 100000 copies
HIS MOST CELEBRATED ROLES.
Tho departed comedian was especially
good in dialectic roles, but there was no
coarseness about his acting, which always
had a vein of pathos and tenderness in II.
Among the piecesin which Florence won
his greatest celebrity was Tho Ilcket-ot,
Leave Man" 1.-The Returned volunteer,
and the Mighty Dollar" In Inc
Rivals he pesonated the part OF olr Lpclus
O'Irigger and in The Heir-at-LsW ne as rs
sumed the humorous yet manly role OF
Florence himself wrote several plays and
songs.
HH USED TO SWEEP THE STAGE.
Mr.. N. W. Nelson, Of this city, who was
we'll acquainted with the actor, was seen
Yesterday by representative OF the DIS
PATCH and asked to give some reminls-
cences connected with the life OF the de-
ceased. =
replv. when i first saw him ne sweep
the stage at the Theatre here. John sef-
ton was the manager. Florence ms name
was Conlin at that time, but was after
CHANGED by act OF the Legislature) had
told Seton that he wanted to buy some
clothes. and the latter said that he
thought the boy could be trusted.
" A dav or two later the youth came into
nv store and asked for credit. My partner
advised me IN German not to give It. re-
nIied in the same language that l liked the
bows face and was not afraid to trust him.
Anyhow, / let him have $40 suit, to pe
paid for at the rate OF $3.50 pei, month.
He kept his word and paid promptly.
"Many wears afterwards Florence met
ma ON the street one day with Colonel
Tom August. August he said, 1 want
10 tell YOU story With that he told OF
the circumstance of his buying the suit
and repeated the conversation that oc-
curred in the store at the time. de under
stood German, but did not let on when be
heard nv partner and myself talking. Al
fer he had finished Florence turned to
Colonel August and said: Nelson Is one o.
nv best friends. No one except him and
my wife know my age
There wasa mistake made the other
day in the publication about F'oreucee's
first appearance. remember it perfectly.
IL was, / think, in 1849. At that time
there was only one other building IN Rich
mond besides the Theatre lighted with
gas. This was the factory of Conway
MYERS, who also owned the Theatre. d..
II. Browns store was next door to the
Theatre; next to that was w. II. David
sons Marshall Hotel. and then my store.
Being SO near was acquainted with nearly
all the leading actors of that day, as the old
Marshall stock company was always made
mn of stars. These were engaged at the
beginning of the season and ran uninter-
ruptedly except when some big man like
Macready would come along.
"By the way, Florence had half-brother
named Charlie Burke, who was also an
actor, and by many was thought the best
of the two"