The record-union., 1893-06-03
JAMES E. MURDOCH.
The Career OF the Grand old Trage-
dian.

James l.. Murdoch, the veteran TRACE
dian, died Mt Cincinnati on the 10Th OF
May. He had been ill from various all
ments for two years. He was tendGrIy
cared for TO the end by his daughters,
Miss Fanny and Miss Ida
James +. Murdoch was the oldest
American tragedian at the time OF his
death. lie was born in Philadelphia
January -, 1871, and learned when a boy
the bookDlnder's trade in his fathers
workshop. His connection with the
stage began at such an early age that
when only IS years old he became a pro-
tessional, appearing at the Arch-street
Iheater in 1879 i'll Lovers Vows" In
his first professional engagement he took
the part OF Frederick, and was at once
successful, being received by the public
with great acclaim.
This decided him as to his future career.
Previous to this his knowledge Of the
stage had been very slight. The actual
sight OF two plays and tine amateur at
tempt in one before the ''Spouting Club"
in CalloWhin street, had comprised all his
efforts in that direction. He later es5ayed
the parts OF Young Norval, OctaVIan, and
SGlim i'll " Barbarossa." His early lie on
the stage was one OF triumph and remark
able successes. Not long after his first
appearance in his native city he accepted
an engagement as general utility" III q
stock company at Halifax, n. ;. Here
at the very opening Of the season, the
leading man fell i'll, and young Murdoch
was called upon to play his roles, at short
notice and without previous preparation.
| nder these circumstance he first ap-
peared as IagO ana The Stranger, in both
of which he made favorable impressions
After playing many prominent parts,
with success, in Halifax, Lady Adelaide
Fox, leader i'll society there, was in
strumental III giving him a benefit, owing
D4TtlN she SAID his a !, Ia
likeness to Charles kemble. Murdoch
appeared with marked success in his
earliest role, Frederick, in Lovers
Vows" After leaving Halifax he went
South, where he became pupil Of De
Camp, ali English actor Of great expert
ence and ability, and uncle Of Fanny
kembIe.
In 1886 Mr.. Murdoch joined the stock
company at the fremont Theater, Bos-
! ton. lie remained there and at The Ma
| tional Theater, at Boston, where he was
stage manager, until 1872, when he re-
tired for time from the stage and devoted
| himself to the advanced studies of his art.
His withdrawal from the stage was said
to have been owing to his ambition Tor
more knowledge and his desire to teach
his tavOrite ideas of elOcution. 1t is
likely, however, that his retirement was
due more than anything else TO the pre-
cariOus condition of his health. While
Oll Ln0 SLeSO LlO WIN 1Gpult DIS Il l6ClLtt~
zionist, public reader and lecturer.
In 1915, having regained his health and
prepared himself by study for an ad-
vanced round Of characters, he made his
temperance in the role OF Hamlet at the
Park Theater, New ork. He made
hit, and was pronounced by many able
critics as the best delneator Of the part
that the American public had ever seen.
With his engagement at the Park Theater
the most brilliant period of his life began.
After appearing in Hamlet, he essayed
Othello, Macbeth, and full list Of stand
ard tragedy roles, winning success and
fame which has been accorded to but few
before and none since. His versatility
was remarkable, and he appeared in such
characters as Romeo, Charles Surface,
Don Felix, Rover and Alfred Evelyn
with as great success as he had attained in
the more gloomy roles of heavy tragedy
After his engagement at the Park Theater
was over, he made a tour of the South,
playing with great success in all the lead
ing cities.
"a n 1856 he went to England, playing in
London at the Haymarket Theater, of
which Blackstone was manager. He
played there for Ito nights, on fifty OF
which he repeated Charles Surface with
great acceptance. He also played in
Liverpool, where he was accorded
kindly reception by both critics and pub
lie. While in England he performed Sir
Edward Bulwer Lytton's play, Money"
with 50 much success that he received the
personal praise OF the playwright. He
was also proposed by Blackstone and
elected a member Of the Essex Club.
founded by Samuel Johnson, and bv
Thackeray for the Garrick Club the latter
an honor never before conferred upon an
American actor.
His health falling, he sought rest and
recuperatlOn IN travel, until the great
financial crash of 1857 caused him TO
hasten to America TO try and save the
remnant OF his large fortune. He now
found professional work a necessity as
well as a pleasure.
When the civil war broke out his patri-
otto blood took IRE, he ceased his profess
SiOnal labors, and, while his two sons
went into the field, he labCred as u nurse
in the hospitals and among the wounded
soldiers IN the camps. de also raised
large sums OF money for the Sanitary
Commission by giving public readings
and Rotations and by Iecturing. He set
the whole North on fire by his renditions
of Buchanan Reads poem, 'Sheridan's
Ride" and that masterpiece of Whittier.
barbara Frietchie." At one time he
acted on General Rosecrans' staff as a
volunteer aide.
After the cessation Of hostilities Mr..
Murdoch retired to his farm near Cincin-
natl. Since then he had passed his time
in study, occasionally lecturing on elocu-
ton and kindred subjects before the
School OF Oratory in Philadelphia. A
few years ago he contemplated a return
to the stage, but after careful meditation
abandoned the project.
During his career Mr.. Murdoch was
associated with many prominent persons.
Bayard Taylor, Lincoln, Buchanan Read.
Whittier, General Grant, Mime. Bona
parte and others well known in civil.
military, political and professional life
were among his friends. He had accumu.
lated fund of entertaining anecdotes
that made him always an agreeable and