The record-union., 1891-09-12
MUSIC AND THE DRAMA.
Nat GOOdwin's First Appearance
on the Stage.
He Nearly Died With Fright-Evans
and Hoey in ''The Parlor Match''-
How the Character of sold Hosss
Was Conceived = Coming Attrac-
tions-Stage Notes.

Apropos of Nat Goodwin's appearance
at the Metropolitan Theater on the 18th
and 26th of this month, the writer recalls
some incidents in his early career. In
his boyhood days he had aspirations to
become an actor. His mother, strange TO
say, fostered his ideas. Together they
would canvass his future and see him
as Hamlet, Macbeth, Lear and other
characters of the classic repertoire. He
would rank with the most famous trage
dians. Comedy was never even thought
of, tragedy alone was his early ambition,
and his dreams by night and hopes by
day. He was wonderfully gifted with
the faculty of mimicry, and it was COM
mon for him, after seeing leading actors
of the day, to give limitations of them, and
his faculty in so doing attracted much at
tention. Being bright and exceptionally
witty, capable of telling funny story
with JUNCTION, he acquired a reputation
with the actors who frequently visited
Boston, where he was born, and where
he, at this time, lived. Among them,
Charlie Thorne, Stuart Robson and many
ofthe prominent younger actors. For their
delectation, he used to give limitations
Ol luGIuS6lNES, anu l1tN LIS
cleVerneSs, sought to secure him place
where his aspirations could have scope.
At length the late VIM. Henderson, ,ofthe
Opera-house at Providence, gave him an
opportunity to appear on his stage. He
was cast for small part in Pizaro, and as
he got through his rehearsals fairly well,
he continued, in confidence, that his fu-
ture was about to open up to him. The
night of his first public appearance much
of his assurance, however, failed him,
and when his cue for entrance came he
was so nervous that he almost tainted,
but, by g strong effort, recovering him
self, he managed to get on, though in a
much dazed condition. His speaking
cue Being given he began to stutter and
stamIher, and finally assumed vacant
stare and ceased trying to speak alto
gether. The prompter gave him the
word over and over again. Every body
was at a standstill, the prompter, losing
his patience, giving the word again,
ejaculated-'Speak or come off. Come
off or you will ruin the piece" Unable
to utter another word Goodwin got off,
howshe never knew, and at once rushed
for his dfessing-room, where, seeing a
linen duBter hanging upon a nail, he
slipped it on over his costume, and fear
f0l lest the manager or some of the COM
pany would come TO reprimand him, he
Immediately got out and went for the
sldllO4l, IGRdIQI6SS VI bNOE
A few minutes later a train for Boston
arrived, which he Immediately took, and
huddling himself in the seat in as small
compass as possible, he remained with
head obscured until he reached his des-
tination. Then he scudded home to his
mother, and seeing her, cried: "Oh,
mother, I shall never be an actor |
shall never be anything. l got up on the
stage and could not speak word. /
thought / should die, and they yelled to
me to come off, and l skipped out of the
theater and have come home to you.
What will do? What will they say?'
His sympathetic mother solaced him
all she could, and bade him be of good
cheer, not to despond, that that had been
common 10 all the great actors and pub
lie men of the past, and assured him that
next time he would surely make a sue
cess. a short time after this Stuart Rob-
son was playing q star engagement in
Boston, and was induced to give young
Goodwin trial. With Robson he played
a small part, and gave limitations of his
star, and before the week was over he
was the talk Of the town. From that time
to the present his graduation has been sure
and rapid. / do not recall another actor
upon the stage that has had such an un-
interrupted successful stage career.
Shortly after this he made tour of the
variety theaters, playing little farce, in
giving 1A1ltl1llOl4S vi aCIOIS
and receiving very large salary for the
same. Later he appeared in burlesque,
and here, as IS well remembered, made
a most pronounced hit, and became
stanch favorite throughout the country
He then organized small company of
his own, and for several years presented
plays of light order which largely added
10 his reputation.
For the past several years he has been
playing series of pieces, some of them
of more or less farcical order, but many
of them exhibiting his capacity for seri-
Gus work. During the past ten years of
his starring career he has been seen in
about thirty different characters, un-
doubtedly the largest repertoire of any
star of the present age. His list COM
prises the following: 'The Hobbies"
1.-The Ramblers," 'Modus and the
Hunchback," Grave Digger in Ham
let" Member for Slocum,' Skating
Rink, The Black Flag" Confusion"
Jack Sheppard Big Pony" Royal
"Burlesque on Richelieu,' - 1.-THE Bells"
Julius Cesar Patience" 1.-The Mas
cotte," Cinderella at School" Bottoms s
Dream,r "a Gold Nine" 1.-THE Book
maker" !" colonel Tom,'' "The Viper on
the Hearth, y 1.-The Nominee" and many
others. AS is well known, Mr.. Goodwin
a year ago appeared in London at one of
six weeks together won English patron
age and appreciation and achieved great
personal success; indeed, several London
managers have since solicited his return
and made overtures to him for period
of years.
EVANS AND HoEY.
Those clever comedians, Evans and
Hoey, who will be seen at the Clunie
0pera-house Wednesday, Ibursday, Fri
day and Saturday nights, were well
known in the variety theaters few years
ago, until they made Mr.. Hoyt's "a
Parlor Match" such a great success that
they were known to the audiences of the
higher-priced theaters, where they are
now great favorites with the playgoers,
whom they always please, and the man
ayers whose Golfers they help to fill.
They are young men TO have made such
a great financial success as is theirs and
to have gained such prominence in the
theatrical profession. Charles Il. Evans
was born in Rochester, n. Y, in 1856,
and made his ilrst appearance at the
Opera-house in that city in 1869 in the
the character of Bob, the Bootbl2ck in the
''Streets of New York in which Frank
Mayo was starring as Badger. He re-
manned at this house until May %, 1872,
playing light comedy roles, after which
he entered into partnership with James
Niles. Messrs. Niles and Evans were
shortly after known as one of the clever
est teams in the variety business, doing
black face comedy. In 1888 the firm OF
Niles d Evans consolidated with that OF
Bryant q Hoey, and under the title OF
Niles, Evans, Bryant 81 Hoey's Meteors