The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1896-04-22
IRVING AND TERRY.
Story of Their Early Struggles for
Dramatic Fame.
The Great Artists Will Be Seen In This
City Monday.

Henry Irving will make his second visit
TO this city next Monday. 1t will be the
first appearance OF Miss Ellen Terry in
Providence. When the great English
actor was in this city March IA and 10,
1884, and played "Louis XII and "The
Bells" he was not accompanied by his
famous co-star and 1t was great disap-
pointment to hundreds OF persons who
were as desirous of seeing her as MIR. Irv-
ing. This engagement will afford the
first opportunity Of seeing the gifted
actress.
Up to certain time the life histories
OF Henry Irving and Miss Ellen Terry
have little lin common. There was a brief
. period when they became associated In
art; but that occurred quite awhile before
khey became united In art, and allusion
TO this will come in Its proper place.
It Is fortunate, owing to her splendid
vitality, her personal gifts OF beauty and
magnetism, that Ellen Terry Is perfectly
willing that IL should be told when she
was born.
Ellen Terry was born at Coventry, Feb
fuary z, 1885, Her father was long iden-
tifed with the stage. Her three sisters.
her brother and her two children have all
been or are players. One daug Ailsa
Craig. is member OF Henry lrving's
present company. Ellen Terry's first APP
pesrance upon any stage, according TO one
account, was made ut the Princess theater,
Onder the management OF Charles kean,
April 28, 1856. On October 15 of this game
year she appeared as Puck ia revival OF
bA Midsummer Nights Dream"
Almost exactly two years afterwards
ho no ri hur M Keanta nrQduction
Of King John. When but child she
neems TO have been in much demand, for
we read her name upon the bills OF the
Royalty, the Haymarket, tne.Queen's and
pther theaters, playing many parts. On
December 20; 1867, Miss Ellen Terry first
pf Katherine TO his Petruchio, "The
Qaning of the Shrew," at the Queens
Cheater, Long Acre.
Shortly after this Miss Terry retired
from the stage for several years, reappear-
Ing at this same theater In the early part
of 1864. One yeer and a month later she
Is recorded as making her first absolute
shit and 1t was In one Of the roles she
1s to present here, Porta in "The Mer-
chant OF Venice" One might remark in
passing that for quite a while in her
ehildhood she appeared in drawing room
I'd sister. Kate.
There Is another account Of Ellen Ter
ey's tirst appearance, which places II in
ASIA, and the role Is variously declared
TO have been one of the young princes
ssmurdered In the tower, and Mamiilias
belf does not decide this question OF
time, and has been heard TO remark with
her merry laugh. al know ! was young
bnough anyhcw."
It was in 1878 that Henry Irving sssum-
ed the management OF the Royal Lyceum
Theater, London, and at once Ellen Ter
~ joined his forces. Thenceforth and al
ways since then their renown has been
cunning side by side and cannot be sep
hrated.
John Henry Brodribb was born in
Keinton, near Glastonbury, in Somerset
bhire, England, Feb. o, 1s3s. BY act of
parliament, some years ago, the name az
eumed for stage purposes by n young
player. Henry Irving, was substituted and
made his own for life, and for his de-
ecendants TO refer TO, and for generations
TO honor and respect i'm place OF the name
which begins this paragraph. Henry
Irving certainly did wisely in changing
his name when be went upon the stage,
for euphony's sake II no other, and
vet the philologist will find strong,
fne, weil-sourced designation in his natal
hame.
This is not the time TO dicscuss that
spattsr, but among the strong people
tames, or folk.names OF early English
Gsys, Brvdripb will be found holding q
good place. His mother was Sarah
Behenna, another hne. strong name with
b m Gaming 60 II. She took young JOhr
into Cornwall TO her sister Pcnberthy,
and there, as surs as there ever was liv
ing influence put upon n boy, he learned
that determination and perseverance,,
which has brought him TO the foremost
place in the world OF art.