The San Francisco call., 1896-06-09
FRANK MAFVs CAREER.
achieved Fame ia This City Durin
EQrLN Dams.


achieved Fame ia This City During
EARLY Days.
The news OF the death of Frank Mayo
came to the theater-going people of this
City last evening with that shock that
never fails when suffering from sudden
personal loss.
He had but left this City few weeks
had played here successful engagement
and appeared to be in perfect health.
Frank Mayo was, perhaps, the oldest
star actor on the stage. After ten years OF
financial failures he was, with "Puddin'-
head Wilson," on the road to the making
of another great fortune. One of the old
men of the stage-he was 64-he still
played young, vigorous parts, and he was
still young in heart and spirit. Among
his fellows he was popular and, notwith-
standing the financial failures that at
tended his excursions into the legitimate,
he was one of the most capable of the
| artists who have essayed these roles.
He had, however, SO completely identi-
fed himself with the romantic part OF
"Davy Crockett that the people refused
to accept him in any other. He made a
large fortune with the play. He attempted
Shakespearean revivals on a splendid and
extensive scale, himself assuming the
leading roles. They failed. He had a
play written for him under his own direc-
ton, a romantic play that he and many OF
his friends thought was exactly fitted to
him; but it proved failure.
Then he secured the play in which he
recently appeared in this city, "Puddin'
Head Wilson, dramatization from
Mark Twain. This became an instant
success, and was so continuing, and Mayo,
it was predicted, would soon recover the
| fortune he had lost in his expensive at
| tempts at the legitimate.
Frank Mayo was born in Boston sixty
four years ago. BE came to San Fran
| cisco as boy and in the early sixties
entered upon the duties of "super" at the
Jenny Lind Theater in the old City Hall
building which has just been torn down.
Within eighteen months after that he was
playing as leading man at the same place.
He played d'Artagnan in the "Three
Guardsmen" with Charley Thorne. Soon
after this he went East, playing Tom
Badger in the "Streets of New York"
He returned to this City in 1863, playing
long and successful engagement. His
first appearance in the metropolis was in
1869, when he was engaged to play Ferdi-
nand in 1.-The Tempest"
1t was shortly after this that "Davy
Crockett, written for him, was first pre-
sented. This idyl of the Western pioneer
made an instant hit and "Davy Crockett
and Frank Mayo became one. and the
game in the public mind and so contin ued
for many years.
Mr.. Mayo was married in this City.
His wife residing in Philadelphia sur
wives him. Two children also are living,
daughter, Ellen, the wife of wealthy
merchant of Philadelphia. and Edwin, a
young actor, now playing in "The Heart
of Maryland"
a CALL reporter conveyed the intelli-
gence of Mr.. Mayo's death to Nat Good
win yesterday afternoon at his rooms IN
the Palace. The actor was greatly
shocked. 81 have, then, lost a dear
friend and the stage great actor. Only
this minute had in my nand portrait>of
his daughter, whom Mayo was wrapped
up in. This is a great shock. The last
time saw him we stood together at the
presentation of the loving cup to Joe JET
ferson. He was man. considered him
the best all round actor on the STAGE"