New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1891-06-12
ANOTHER OLD ACTOR DEAD.
cHxRLEs FISHERS LONG LIFE ENDED-HIs
CAREER.

CAREER
On the day when the body of the veteran actor
Henry Edwards was committed to ashes there died
another Of the Oldest actors OF the American stage who
like him, was Englshman by birth and had gained
his chief distinction in his art in this country, and who
had been member Of the same company which made
the fame of many fine players Charles Fisher died
at No. De sixthave yesterday morning. He left the
stage at the end Of Mr. Day's in London last
summer, resigned his place In Mr. Days company. and
stayed in England spent the autumn and winter
In London and in Suffolk His health poor and In
March he suffered from attack of eryspeas. About
five weeks ago he returned 10 this country with his
wife, In the hope Of improvement. The voyage and
the change, however, did not prove beneficial. His
death was from general debility.
Charles Fisher born in England and Of good
family He first went the stage in London in 1914,
being then twenty eight years Old and he had acted in
London for seven eight years and had estab-
lished considerable reputation when he was engaged
by Burton to to New York and play in his Cham
bers Street Theatre. He most successful there,
and after playing many parts OF many sorts ne joined
Wallacks company, OF which he favorte member
at both the Broomest and the Thirteenthst houses
1t here that the actor gained his greatest dstinc
ton and passed the most important part Of his profess
sional career In 1872 he Joined Augustin Days
company, then at the Fifth Avenue Theatre, in Twenty
elghthst and he remained with Mr. Daily till last sum-
mer, when he left the stage, already related His
stage life, though long in years, was thus compare
lively uneventful, and he saw little Of the travel
and change Of circumstance and environment that gen
orally I'LL the lives Of actors, especially in the case OF
American actors Of twenty or more years ago.
In the timo that he acted under Mr.. Days manage
ment Mr. Fisher played fewer parts OF great Importance
than while under Mr.. Waack but his reputation as an
artist by means declined and he always one OF
the first favortes with the audiences at Days Theatre
He able to do little work in his last season here
and the most Of the parts in which he had been familiar
were taken by others. lie played Adam in " AS You
Like IL" through the most Of It's a year ago last
winter, and for a few nights he played Jacques.
Mr.. Fishers first wife, who was an actress, died
many years ago. and about fifteen years ago he married
Miss Brown, girl Of sixteen, who had subordinate
place in Mr.. Days company. He was then about
sixty years old. He had daughter by his first wife
who was slightly older than the second.
In old times Charles Fisher often figured in the old
comedies and he one of the last of the thin and
rapidly essenng group Of actors capable of presenting
those peces-wherein, although the substance be uInen
nature the is that Of elaborate and diversified
artiace. When he played Lieutenant Worthington IN
THE Poor Gentleman he the gentleman Indeed
refined delicate, sensitive simply courageous, sustained
by native integrity and impressive, with quiet dig
nifty Of manner that reflected the essential nobility OF
his mind so that when he mstOok Sir Robert Brambe
.or ballf, and reused that benevolent Baronets as
constituent and rage, he brought forth all the comic
humor Of delightful situation, with the greatest ease
and lie has played Littleton Coke, Sr liar
court County, old Laroque-in which he gave won
derfu picture OF the working Of remorse in the fral
and falling brain Of ase-and Nicholas Rue in Secrets
Worth Knowing" sinister and thrilling embodiment
of avarice and dOtage. He has played Dr. Bland, the
elegant medical cynic of Nos Intlmes", De la Tour
the formidable, Jealous husband of Henrietta, in LIE
Pate de Mouche"; Horace, in "The Country Squire"
Goldfnch in which he airy sagacious dashng and
superb, in "The Road to Ruin" and Captain Cozzens,
the nonchalant rascal Of The Knights OF the Round
Table" which he embodied in a style Of easy magnif
cence, gay gallant, courageous, alert imperturbable
and immensely comic. lie the original Matthew
Leigh in Lester Wallacks romantic play OF Rosedae"
Qs63). He acted Joseph Surface, in the days when
Lester Wallack used 10 play Charles and he always
held his in that superior part. He was equally fine
I'm Sir Peter and Sir Oliver. When the good old play
of "The Wife's Secret" was revived In New-York,
in s04 he gave dgnlfed and mpetuous performance
OF Sir Walter Amyott. | remember him in all these
with equal wonder at his comprehensive variety OF
talent and admiration for his always adequate Skill
/ saw him the volatile Ferment In "The School OF
Reform" and nothing could be more comic than his
unwilling abuse Of General Tarragon, in that buster
ing officers own presence, his equally ludicrouS
scene of cross purposes" with Bob Tyke. He was
perfect type as Don Manuel Velasco, in "The Com
pact" OF the gallant. stately Spanish arstocrat He
exceled competition when, in company that Included
Holland, Holston, Young Mark Smith. Robinson
and Gilbert, he enacted the Convict In "Never
Too Late TO Mend' lie equally at home
whether as the King in "Don Caesar de Bazan'
or az Tom STYLUS the literary hack in Society,"" He
passed easily from the correct and sentimental Sir
Thomas Clifford The llunchbaok" to the frivolous
Mr. Willowear Of " To Marry or Not to Marry" No
one could better express than he did. when playing
Wellborn, both pride Of birth and pride OF character
One Of his most characteristic works was Hyssop In
=. The Rent Day." His scope and the rich resources
Of his experience are denoted in these citations of the
work that he has done. 1t is no common artist who
can create and sustain perfect Illusion, and please
an audience equally well, whether in such part as
Gilbert Featherstone the villain, In Lost In London
,r old Baptsta in 80 The Tanning Of the shrew." The
inlay goer who has not Charles Fisher Triplet
can scarcely claim that he ever saw the part at all
The quaint figure the well but threadbare dress
the forlorn air of poverty ard suffering comningled
with certain jauntiness and pluck the profound feel
ing the unconscious sweetness and humor the spirit
OF mind. gentilty ard refinement struggling through
the confirmed wetchedness of the almost hearbr0ken
hackwho that ever laughed and wept at sight Of him
I'm the garrett sitting down, all Joy and har1ty,
TO write his comedy, forget those details Of
true and touching embodiment His fine skill in play
ing the violin was touchingy displayed in that part
and gave it an additional tone Of reality. l saw
him acting Mercuto, and very admirable he was In
the glise OF that noble, brave, frocsOme impetuous
young gentleman The intense vitality, the glancins
glee the intrepid sprt-all were preserved and the
brilliant text spoken with fanltess fuency 1t is
difficult TO realize that the actor who lately set
before us that perfect image Of comic pcplexyi the
bland and benevolent Dean in Dandy Dick could
have been the bantcrng companion Of Romeo ana
tuculont adversary OF fiery Tybat Yet this contrast
but family indicates the versatile character OF MS
mind Mr.. Fisher has been upon the American stage
since August 80. 1s5o when he came forth at Burton
Theatre as Ferment Later he went 10 Wa1acks ana
nalned TIL 500 1t may be conjectured that In some
respects he rcsembed that fine comedian, Thomas
Dosget 10 whom Sir Godfrey Kneer the painter said
can only copy Nature from the originals before me,
while YOU vary them at pleasure ana yet preserve me
hearty ocose humor and with great breadth Of effect
and excellent color the sailor Ben, IN Love For Love-
The resemblance Is In mental characteristics not
physlQue-for Doqget was slight and splgltly man;
whereas Mr. Fisher could represent majesty as wen