The times., 1897-03-28

9
charge of him until he was eleven years
old One night he Staycdaway fromschooi
and went TO see Macrcady act. IL was the
turning point of his career. lie decided
that at all hazards he would be an actor
He heard of Il benefit which was TO oe
given n Mr. Button at Sadler's Wells Ihea-
ter then under the management OF Wiihah
Oxberry After a tussle with his courage,
his courage got the best of him ana ne
bearded 0Xberry in his managerial pail-
wick He was told THAT he might per
net,;ote the role of OtheilO if he would
dispose OF tickets To the amount or zoo
That is $3.50 worth | { must have been
n princely sum then. utCharles made u
successful canvas.
Couldock made his American debut at
the old BroaGw way Theater on october 3,
1S49, in 1.-The Stranger" supporting Miss
Cushrnan, who appeared as Mrs. Hailer
The following season lie secured an en-
gagement as leading man for the walnut
street Theater in Philadelphia, and opened
there in 1850 as Jacques in ''As You
Like 1t" He remained in Philadelphia
four seasons. During his second season
Nine Celeste played an engagement there
in her play, THE Willow Copse, Coul-
dock had often played with Celeste in the
old country She predicted that the part
of Luke Fielding would suit him exactly
At the end of the performance there was
n great call, and he led Nine. Celeste in
front of the curtain, but instead of ac-
knowledging the applause herself, she
n, Tn q
ward she told him in the wings that The
Willow Copse" ought to belong to him, ana
gave him permission to copy the manu-
script.
During the season of 1s51-1S52 Manager
Foster, Of the Pittshurg Theater invited
him to go to Pittsburg, as Gustavus
Brooke had been taken i'll ana could not
fnl his engagement. and he opened at
Pittsburg as Richeiieu. The second night
he anpeared as Sir Giles 0verIeach The
Willow COpSe'' was put on for the thlrd
night. and ran to crowded houses for the
rest of the week. This determined
CuuldOck to 60 starring at the f1rst OPP
portunitv, but il was two years before
he could sever his come ctions with
stock companies. He then inaugurated
his starring venture, with Iepertory
consisting OF The Willow Copse, y
Hamlet" Richard ILL.," ''othello,
"Richelicu" and n number of other stock
plavs He continued starring until 1857,
the wear of the panic. He then accepted
an offer from Laura keene, and opened
as Luke Fielding with her company III
New York, in September, 1858 The com
panv included Laura Keene, Joseph JET
ferson. E. A. SothcTn, William Rufus
Blake and Milnes Levick.
The season Following he was the lead
ing man of John E. Owens Gayety Thea
ter. in New Orleans. BY this time Eliza
CouldoCk had gained considerable reputa-
ton as an actress, and in 1860 joined
herrathcr. when he took his ow Il company
on the road She continued to act with
him up to the time OF her death. In lSI
CouldoCk became leading man at the
Globe Theatcr. in Boston, and when the
house burned down, in 1872. he went TO
Toronto. as stage manager OF Mrs. Nor
riSon's new theater. In 1873 he was a
member of Henry E AhbeY'S company
and Subsequent played star engage
nents, until he was secured by the late
steele Mackaye to appear in Won at
Last" which was produced in Il small
son Square Theater was subsequently
erected. now known as Hoyt's Hheater.
His appearance in Won at Last" led to
his engagement to appear as Dustan kirke'
when The Iron VIII was presented at
Providence, Baltimore, Philadelphia and
elsewhere The piece didn't make money
on the road, and was rewritten before IL
was presented under the title of Hazel
Kirkc," at the opening of the Madison
Square Theater in February, $50. Every
body knows of the phenomenal run of the
piece. Mr.. Couldock became Identified
with the character Of punstan Ktrke for
five consecutive years.
He afterward appeared III Saints ano
Sinners" and other plays, and then resumed
his role OF the old miller for three addi-
tional seasons with Effie EilSler's com
pany. He appeared for six weeks in A. NJ.
Pal1ner's production of New Blood, at
CUlcago After that lie filled siX-weeb
| enlargement in Humanity i'll Boston and
Providence This season he was engaged
by Mr.. Lackaye for the part of the ole
English squire in ''Dr. Belgraff.