The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1893-02-15
THE LATE HYNRY &. DE MILE.
He Was a Native of North CarOlina-Iiis
Eyentful Career.


Henry c. De Mile the playwright,
who died last Friday morning at o'clock
of typhoid fever. at his home in Pomp-
ton, n. j., was a native Of North Caro-
lima. He was born in Washington, Beau
fort county, y. c., in 1880. His father
was a captain In the Confederate army.
He went North for his education and
graduated at Columbia. For a few years
after his graduation he was tutor I'm
Columbia and a school teacher. His pa
rents had intended him for the ministry.
but he had always had playwriting 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 posses
sion OF the Mallory Brothers, Mr.. De
Mile was employed as a reader of the
many plays offered there for production.
His literary taste served well the pur-
pose Of the management to obtain and
produce plays of an Intellectually scnn-
mental character. He was soon writing
a play of his own, and IN 1888 "The Duty
Of Delmor's Daughters" or "Delmors
Daughters" as IT was better known, was
produced at the Madison Square. In 1884
he produced at the same theatre Sealed
Instructions" a comedy. David BelascO
Francisco, where he had proved uncom-
monty 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 engage
ment OF Belasco was the well-remem-
bered MAY Blossom" Belasco and De
Mile were thrown together by their en-
ployment. and when A. NJ. Palmer be-
came manager of the house and Daniel
Frohman retired from the establishment
to go to the Lyceum Theatre, Belasco and
DE Mile were commissioned by Mr.. Froh-
man to write a comedy with a principal
character for l.. II. Sothern. This play
was Lord Chumley." and its success led
Immediately to the Belasco and De Mile
collaboration in The Wife" followed by
THE Charity Ball." both celebrated
cases Of theatrical success in both arts
tic and money-ma king ways The next
turn in Mr.. De Miles employment was
transfer OF his services TO Charles Froh-
man, who induced him and Belasco TO
write the first play for the Charles Froh-
man Stock Company. This was Men and
Women acted for a season at Proctors
Mr. De Miles only play of note written
all By himself was The Main Line,
acted for a while at the Lvceum, and
still extant on the circuits. His last acted
WORK was 'int LOST fdfdtiSt, 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 II will be az the
Grand Opera House next week. and is
being used In London. Mr.. De Mile was
regarded as an exceptionally clever
writer The idea that he wrote the Be
lasco-De Mile plays. however. and thar
his collaboration merely dramatized and
staged them. is a fallacy. They were
joint works in every sense Of the word.
alike as TO invention, wording and forma-
tion. Each author has proved himself
singly capable Of making excellent
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 collaboration with Mss Darling
with John Drew's qualities as an actor
in view. Mr.. DE Mile had acquired a fair
fortune as a dramatist. In personal bent
and habits he was a literary man, and
socially was Of unspotted character. He
leaves a widow and three children. The
body was cremated.