The morning call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1878-1895, 1893-12-17
HIS LIFE STORY.
ReColleCtiOns of the Late
Charles r. Thorne.
HALF A CENTURY AN ACTOR.
Something About Plays and Players
In California in the EARLY
Days.
HALF A CENTURY AN ACTOR.

actor. on whom the curtain Of life has lust
been rung down, was born in the CITY of
New York in the year 1910. He was the
son of a respectable merchant of t. at city.
and made his stage debut on the 23d of
April. 1Sc9 at the old Park as Octavian In
Colman's play of 1.-The Mountaineers. 4"
With a good face and person, and consid-
cradle previous drilling, he managed to
secure the attention of the audience, and,
soon after transferring himself to the
Chatham and Bowery theaters, he ac-
CURED considerable favor among a lower
class OF play-goers in a lower range of
parts. AS manager, he bad control at
various times of several minor theaters in
New ork during the early part of his
professional career, in some of which he
catered most successfully for that kind of
dramatic appetite which is best pleased
with coarse. high. seasoned fare. and was
aided materially by the great en-
ergy and industry of his first wife.
who was formerly Mrs. French, and
originally Miss Mestayer. whom he married IN
1881. Many years after Mr.. ThorIe married.
in San Francisco, the widow of Mr.. J. Hudson
Kirby, an English actor in great favor at the
New YORK Chatham during his day, on account
Of the "piled-up agony style" OF his acting. The
d
residence near the old Mission Dolores, and
there the veteran actor died. Previous to mar
rying he gentleman who has now passed away
Mrs. Ihorne was the widow of James Stark, an
. actor OF eminent ability. who. in heroic paris
or toe legitimate drama, was considered rival
OF such men as Forrest, John X. Scott and
Murdoch, his contemporaries Mrs. ThoIne
has been married three times Mr.. Tnorne was
the father OF i've children by his first wife
= William. Charles K. Jr., Edwin r Thomas and
Emily. Thomas and William never fancIed the
stage. the Others followed in the footsteps OF
their parents, and embraced the profession In
which mar lcularly CbarleS) they acquired con-
siderable reputation. Emily Thotne was con.
sidered the handsomest woman ever seen on
the American stage. Charles died about four
or five years ago.
The career Of this octogenarian (pus three
years. actor NAV be called almost a history of
the American Stage, and as such, the following
talk had with him by representative of The
CALL some time ago cannot fail to be interest
ling;
=. "a good many years have passed, Mr..
: ThOrne. since you first trOd the boards" it was
remarked.
1T was in 1929 my dear fellow: month of
June, 1929, when frs came out. A long time
ago, Is II not? / was in my nineteenth year
when first faced the iOOtliehts AT IN old New
Yoik Park, the dear old Park. under Ned Simp-
sonfs management: and he was manager sir
have never seen his equal and he had all the
CORD qualities that 20 to make mp man. /
was billed as "a Young gentleman leaving on
my name. and given the part of Octavian in
Colman's play OF The NOunlaineers.' TWAS
great play and heavy responsibility TO me
maj night. shall nev forget II. can't say
thar / did much with the character. Cooper
made II favoiite one, and the elder Booth ex-
eellrd in It,"
You started high in the profession %
"Y :, aimed high il sometimes missed the
mark. i uHderiook such characters as Pierre
10 0iy3y's 'Venice Preserved and Bertram in
N1TuriIf's mucII-abused tragedy OF The same
Hasfn. a was wei receiv d, and the paners of
the time were leased TO say made a success
AJlihiligs, you know. are possible TO youth and
ambition. ] was about the age when a man on
the stage does his most conscientious work"
''Did you stay long at the Park ?''
= "Not great while. soon was seized with
desire 10 travel and see the world. Accordingly
/ went with company 10 Charleston, s. C.. ana
there played utility with the famous Tom
Cooper, Little Clara Fisher Tom Hamblin and
other stars. liked the South; tie people were
80 kind and apnreciative. After the Charleston
season | sailed for Baltimore. and on the trip
encountered such storm that | give myself
up for lost, and half resolved never to face the
sea again. j arrived safe however. and after
playing season of juvenile business at III
Holday-street Theate', return to New YORK.
where got week at the old Park, opening as
Luke IN MaSsinger's play OF 'Riches.'' -
titles"
"Oh, IT'S adarted from The City Madam It
would be scarcely poSS blp you KNOW, to put
the original on the stage nowadays"
.'Mas~ingef's text is rather strong meat"
81 gave them the best acTing | could at The
Park and hen engaged for the season at Rich
mond. Va. Here l first met he lady who
shortly dlteT became my WIFE,"
There was a pause here; memory, sad men,
oTy was evidently busy. The suffu>ed eyes
and crape-cOVe hat told the story of the
recent loss OF one who had been The partner of
his joys and sorrows for many years. After
awhile Mr. Thorne AZ OlogiZed for giving way
10 bis emotion and continued:
MY wifi. you know, WAS Miss Anna Maria
Mestayer. | married in 1881, and we had lived
life of uninterrupted happiness till the time of
her death, last year. To her faithful co-opera-
tion ] owe whatever success IN life | have
m nd m in n
professional difficulties. ana early in our career
her beauty and talent were the talk OF every
town in which we appeared"
Ibid you return TO New York after your mar
rIa Aye: p ~, .rr.n.,, nil, TO-, u,.,,,
was managing the Bowery Theatrr, for a sea
son, playing Juvenile and melodramatic bnS.
ness, win my wife IN the juvenile ladies' parts
We wtre the original in The Last Days OF
Pompeii.' | was Glaucus and Mrs Thorne
lone. We played Miss Medina's adaptation OF
Bulwer's novel, and Il was magniieeniIy put
on Ire stage IL had quite run. 'Rienzp and
produced here the same season. This was
in 1885.
You made quite stay with HambIIn?"
Yes; but thing at last aud following a better
ofef. we transferred ourselves the same wear
10 the New Richmond Hin Theafer. situated on
tie corner OF Charlton and Varick Streets and
opened by Richard Russell. 1t was pretty
. liIrls place and did a good business for some
time. Here the then considered beautiful play
Of adrian aud Orllla.' written by Dimond;
and Others, were first given TO the public.n
do You think any of these plays could be
pT0Htably revived?'
II do not know. | do know ] have seen
mucD worse-what we actors of the old school
would call mere trasb-pass current OF late
years. and receiv~ great applause. But I sup
pose th old prOveib holds lrue, Times change
and we change with them"
Where was your next move?"
"Wben we left the Richmond Hill we trav-
eed with small company all over the State of
New York and Canada with Dan Marble, then
a novice. You've heard of Danforth Marble of
course; he died in Louisiana IN 1S49 from
cholera. Dan had 10 pay $50 10 get an appear
ance IN New York; but lie soon became lead
Ing comedian ami when he died he left SEE, 900
Tor his widow and children"
"It was rrety rough in those days IN the
Interior OF New York ?'
We'll, should say so. We had 10 carry our
own scenery and put 1t up in country halls.
Ihete were no rheaters. We acted 10 all the
towns and villages. Ii was barn-storming. pure
ano simple. Buffalo was but small cluster OF
houses, Just creeping out into the est, as II
were. he streets were flied with the noble
Ieu men, IN their forest costume OF Duekskin,
Dedus ana me feathers and you had to be very
o cNp 10 Nein. Alb, those were queer old days
Iots Oi iun and adventure, but not much
wv, Mhai experience had you in Canada?"
VI = ~ Ill y.s~f 1Nxr