The gold leaf. [volume] (Henderson, N.C.) 1881-1911, 1893-02-23
HELATE H. G.. DE MILE
He Was a Native Of North Caro-.
lina---His Eventful Career.

Henry C. De Mile, the play
wright, who died Feb. 10th, at his home
in Pompton, n. j., was a native of
North Carolina. He was born in Wash
ington, Beaufort county, in 1850.
His father was captain in the
Confederate army. He went North
for his education and graduated at Col
umbia For few years after his grad
uation he was tutor in Columbia and
school teacher. His parents had in
tended him for the ministry, but he had
always had playwrighting in mind, and
had written several plays even before
he went to college. About fifteen years
ago, when the Madison Square Theatre
passed into the possession of the Nal
lory Brothers, Mr.. De Mile was en-
ployed as reader of the many plays
offered there for production. His lit
erary taste served we'll the purpose Of
the management to obtain and produce
plays of an Intellectually sentimental
character. He was soon writing play
of his own, and in 1883 1.-THE Duty of
Delmor's Daughters, or "DelmOr's
Daughters,'' as it is better known, was
produced at the Madison Square. In
1884 he produced at the same theatre
s'Sealed Instructions, a comedy. Da-
| vid Be!asco was brought by the NAL
lorys from San Francisco, where he
had proved uncommonly expert in
stagecraft as we'll as in the writing of
plays, to take sole charge of the stage
at the Madison Square. One Of the
original products of this engagement
of Belasco was the we'll remembered
| May Blossom Belasco and De
Mile were thrown together by their
employment, and when A. NJ. Palmer
became manager of the house and Dan
iel Frohman retired from the establish
ment to 60 to the Lyceum Theatre,
Belasco and De Mile were commits
stoned by Frohman to write a comedy
with principal character for E. H.
Sothern. This play was Lord Chum-
ley," and its success led Immediately
to the Belasco and De Mile collabora-
ton in 1.-The Wife," followed by THE
Charity Ball. both celebrated cases
of theatrical success in both artistic
and money making ways. The next
turn in Mr.. De Miles employment
was transfer Of his services to Charles
Frohman, who induce. him and Be-
lasco to write the first play for the
Charles Frohman Stock Company. This
was "Men and Women,' acted for
season at Proctor's. Mr.. De Miles
only play of note written all by him.
self was 'The Main Line, acted for a
season at the Lyceum, and still extant
on the circuits. His last acted work
was 1.-THE Lost Paradise,'' rewritten
and much extended from the German
original of Ludwig Fulda, used for a
whole year by the Charles Frohman
Company, and still in great demand,
as shown by the fact that it will be at
Grand Opera House next week. and is
being used in London. Mr.. DE Mile
was regarded as an exceptionally clever
writer. The idea that be wrote the
Belasco-De Mile plays, however, and
that his collaboration merely dramatized
and staged them, is fallacy. They
were joint works in every sense of the
word, alike as to invention. wording
and formation. Each author has proved
himself singly capable Of making ex-
cellent dramas. When he was taken
| with his last sickness Mr.. De Mile
| was at work on two plays, one for
Charles Frohman, and one in collab-
Grafton with Miss Darling with John
Drew's qualities ar an actor in view.
Mr.. De Mile had acquired fair fort
une as dramatist. In personal bent
and habits he was literary man, and
socially Of unspotted character. He
leaves a widow and three children.
The body was eremated.- York
Exchange.