Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1893-07-02

VETERAN AND KINDLY jA1k.c n oAvS
DART.
James II. Stoddart. or A. NJ. Palmer'P'
company, has grown old so gracefully
that one hardly ever thinks OF him as
one of the veterans OF the American
stage. but such he is He was born In
Yorkshire. England, sixty-six years ago.
His father was for twenty years an ac-
tor at the Theatre Royal, Glasgow. Mr..
Stoddart commenced his career by play
Ing boys parts under parental tuition.
He afterward appeared In the English
provinces until 1851, when be came 10
America and joined the company OF the
elder Wallack. He was later under the
management OF Laura Keene, Dion
Boucicault, Mrs. John Wood, Lester
Wallach, and finally in 1874 he became
a member of Mr.. Palmer's Union Square
company, where he remained for ten
years, subsequently, migrating with his
manager to the Madison Square theatre
and to Wallack's. During long
and extremely busy career ne
has created many parts. NO
metropolitan player is better known
or more popular than he. In comedy ana
tragedy he Is equally at home and equally
effective. Personally, Mr.. Stoddart Is OF
a quiet, retiring disposition and OF
strongly domestic nature. The death,
wear or so ago, of his wife, known to the
stage as Matilda Phillips, was severe
blow to him. He lives the year round on
his Jersey farm, near Railway, and in
the intervals OF his professional laoors
devotes his time to fine farming and
fancy stock, from all Of which, however,
with genuing Scotch thrift, he makes
no little profit, until from his large and
steady income as an actor he has become
comparatively wealthy, wealthy enough,
indeed, to admit of his retirement from
the stage, an event which the many VINO
cherish his artistic i'm presentations SIN
cerely hope will not happen for years
to come.
ut is solemn to think" said Mr.
Stoddart the other day, "how the form
er generation OF players is dropping out
OF sight and passing beyond our ken.
Just think of the great company that
played at the elder Wallack'S theatre,
corner OF Broome street and Broad
way thirty years ago! There was
Rufus Blake, John Dyott, Lysander
Thompson, Charles WaclOt, Les
ter Walack, Laura Keene, Mary
Cannon and Mrs. John Hoey. Where
are they now? all dead and gone save
Mrs. Hoey and myself. Then l recall
William Davidge, William Warren, John
T. Raymond, John Parselle, John Nc
Cullough and Edwin Forrest, with all
OF whom l have acted and been on
terms of friendship In this country,
while lib Great Britain l have acted at
different times with Charlotte Cushman,
Mrs. Charles Kean, Madame Celeste,
Mrs. Fitzwilliams, Blackstone, Paul
Bedford and Wright.
"Al the old-time celebrities OF the
stage are dropping out OF sight and q
new generation is closing in around me.
Parselle, Davidge and Warren were
among the last 10 make their final exit.
With Parselle l was very intimate, and
we were gaeat friends. Couldock and
myself are about the only representa-
ttves OF the old school Of acting now
left in this country. Did ever
star? Yes; l was once persuaded
to 20 on the road in that capacity.
Many remember the event. 1t was
when | left Wallack's theatre, at the
corner OF Thirteenth street and Broad
way, little over score or years ago.
Managers Ringold and Rockwell took
me out on the road TO star as Lawyer
Moneypenny, ia the Long Strike. The
venture proved disastrous financially.
Returning to New York, happened one
day TO go and see performance OF Led
Astray' at the Union Square Theatre,
and there l met Mr., Palmer. He asked
me:
Are you tired Of stArrlng?'
"'YeS, / am, said |.
"'Then you had better try 1t in my
company awhile
81 accepted his proposition. That
was nearly twenty years ago, and l am
with Mr.. Palmer yet"
THE CAREER OF WILLIAM ]. lie MoYNE.
No list of our veteran players would
be complete unless ii included the
name of William j. lie Moyne, known
and admired by every theatre-goer In
this town. He is a native Of Boston,
went on the stage when he was very
young and slowly worked his way
to the top. He performed excel
lent service in many stock COM
panles, was several times a
travelling star, and. during the war an
officer and a good one, too, in the Union
army. For ten years he has been the
favorite comedian and character actor
of Daniel Frohman's Lyceum company,
and has participated IN all of the sue
cesses OF that famous organization. Dry
humor, droll eccentricity and vein OF
deep tenderness dominate his work on
the stage II the mantle OF John Gill
bert, glorious and beloved, has fallen on
any man that man is William j. lie
Moyne. Fine artist and true gentle
man, far distant be the day that takes
him from US. RUFUS L. WILSON.